The surprising science of happiness

Kiwong

Kiwong

Well-known member
That was really good, Joule.

I wonder if anxiety is synthesized misery?
 
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springk

springk

Well-known member
I think I have experienced something like this"immune system" of happiness. When we can't cope , somehow or brain manges to alter the way we think about it. Few months ago, I was in a really bad situation, I don't know how I "synthesize" happiness , but I find I stopped worrying all the time about. I do have concerns now, but it isn't as bad as it was before. Some things can't be changed and at one point there is nothing one can do other than to get used to it.
 
kilojoule

kilojoule

1
Kiwong said:
That was really good, Joule.

I wonder if anxiety is synthesized misery?
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I have been mulling this over for days! :thumbup:

At first I thought I had a response straight away but then I thought about it and changed my mind and then I changed it back and then I thought about it more. I don't have a definitive answer on this but I have some thoughts about it.

My main thinking points on this:

:thinking:

*synthesised happiness is something we do after an event
But anxiety is at its highest before an event

*Synthesised happiness about an event is long term
Anxiety is short term, (we don't exist in perpetual anxiety it peaks and troughs)

*Synthesised happiness is a response to make us feel we got the best outcome
Anxiety is that whole fight or flight response to predators

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Brain location wise,(and to the best of my knowledge) the part of the brain that gives the main anxiety response is the G locus ceruleus but then theres a few different parts that freak out. The pre frontal cortex has the ability to switch off that response if it wants. . . (if it wants) but it's not doing the freaking out...but technically it is involved.

But then, the pre frontal cortex's main job is to predict, problem solve and make decisions- all very proactive jobs. So I think that part of the brain is generally concerned with making things go well for us, not creating misery.

But then who knows, I've been trawling through articles for a while about all this and Science really isn't there yet. There was some new stuff in the journal cell that came up this year about bits of the brain that they thought dulled anxiety but actually do the opposite :rolleyes: lol so not only was science wrong but completely wrong, just shows this is only starting to be unravelled.


________________________________________________________________


This is all unrelated but when I was mulling over the anxiety response connection to the pre frontal cortex, I started thinking about how the brain (regardless of which part does it) controls everything ( I wish I was better at saying what I mean, my point often gets lost in translation) Anyway, it's ability to function is fundamental to our survival. And if something changes, our personalitys change, our behaviours change.

There is an interesting article relating to social phobias
Missing 'brake in the brain' can trigger anxiety -- ScienceDaily

BUT ALL IS NOT LOST!!!!!!! :thumbup:

Because this is the point worth taking from all this:

The brain is the control centre
stuff breaks
stuff can be fixed

Richard C. Senelick, M.D.: The Long Path to Repairing a Damaged Brain



And Science doesn't know how to fix everything yet but it is known that the brain can be motivated to build new pathways through certain actions...brain train...eh...promote neurons (God I am awful at using my words lol, I need to read more books)


And to close, here's a fantastic article (although the title sounds like popular nonsense, it is actually very well written and something quite relevant) that I think everyone should read

5 Ways To Get Happier - Starting Right Now - Forbes


Edit: Sorry this isnt very eloquent. Lately I find it quite hard to express myself in words. It takes me forever (and I mean forever , I end up editing everything because I can't quite manipulate language to get it to mean what I want it to...even after the 100th edit *facepalm. ) In my day to day, I'm looking at numbers and manipulating them, not words. I think I need to practise my words. Even this edit took half an hour to say that *facepalm* I probably dont use words enough in my day to day life, not enough talking maybe. When you're not using them, after a while, words fall out of circulation and when you want to find a particular one, brain cant locate it.
 
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Kiwong

Kiwong

Well-known member
You write well, Joule.

That's interesting to know that anxiety and happiness come from different parts of the brain. Fascinating to learn more about what is involved. I think I can count the number of times I have been able to switch my anxiety right off, and believe I can beat it. I have explained this as it being like my mind is buzzing, perhaps because I am using a different part of it. I call that voice my guide, the helpful voice- hello pre-frontal cortex! Thanks for your help.

Some of my observations on anxiety and happiness.

It seemed to me that anxiety is also synthesised, perhaps in a different part of the brain, because the flight or fight response is based on thoughts that aren't even real, or events that haven't happened yet. In that way I think it our minds making us miserable. I can lose sleep for days worrying about going to an event, even if I eventually decided not to go. My anxiety can be worse after the event, when I start analysing my every word and action, and the way people respond to me.

For me I feel happiness only briefly usually and it doesn't last, and if I try too hard to hold onto it happiness disappears. Happiness for me occurs rarely and takes me surprise. For me happiness is the rarest of emotions and that is why I feel it more when happiness manifests itself. The times I have been truly happy, I've thought. "Wow, that's what happiness is." I appreciate happiness more because it so rare, so precious an emotion.

I think the limbic system also plays a big part too, triggered by memory and emotion. Sometimes I get overwhelmed by happiness, or sadness if I see or smell something associated with a good or bad memory, and I feel like I am reliving that moment.

My anxiety seems to be with me 24/7, or when ever I am around people. Sometimes I am anxious eve in my sleep. My mind keeps on trying to convince me that even good outcomes are not so good.
 
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kilojoule

kilojoule

1
Kiwong said:
That's interesting to know that anxiety and happiness come from different parts of the brain. Fascinating to learn more about what is involved.
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Oh I'm not a hundred per cent Im not sure where the happiness is actually coming from and the anxiety seems to have a few different areas associated with it..but I don't think the pre frontal cortex manufactures either as such(to my very very limited and unsure of knowledge)...I see the prefrontal cortex as the brain within the brain or the brain's brain. It oversees, does the thinking and the cognitive processing and makes predictions, it switches things off and delegates. I think* but I could be wrong. Im no biologist however if you want to measure the projectile motion of a brain that's been launched into the air at a 60 degree angle and travels at a given velocity NW....lol.. I could confidently wade in on that.

I think I can count the number of times I have been able to switch my anxiety right off, and believe I can beat it. It is like my mind is buzzing, perhaps because I am using a different part of it. I call that voice my guide, the helpful voice- hello pre-frontal cortex! Thanks for your help.
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hurrah for pre frontal cortex

Some of my observations on anxiety and happiness.

It seemed to me that anxiety is synthesised because the flight or fight response is based on thoughts that aren't even real, or events that haven't happened yet. It is our minds making us miserable.
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hmm yes but the pre frontal cortex doesn't synthesise anxiety, it only switches it off. It's otherwise not involved to my knowledge. I suppose the things is that if your brain interprets something as being a threat, then it is a threat. So really the only way around it, is to train and re programme the brain as to what is and isn't a threat by making new pathways. Also I think fight or flight will often be based on bad past experiences. So you might see someone and panic but not know why... but your brain will know...like for instance you were mugged 10 years ago by a man wearing red socks and now 10 years later youve noticed a man on the bus opposite wearing red socks.PANIC.

(4min youtube vid on brain geography and anxiety I have found interesting https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmwiJ6ghLIM)


For me I feel happiness only briefly usually and it doesn't last, and if I try told hold onto it happiness disappears. I think the limbic system also plays a big part too, triggered by memory and emotion. Sometimes I get overwhelmed by happiness, or sadness completely by surprise.

My anxiety seems to be with me 24/7, or when ever I am around people.

I going for a run I shall return to this.
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hmm This train of thought made me think of something. You know when people say 'act confident and after a while you'll start to feel confident' Well I wonder if acting confident actually could make a person confident. Could it could help to build and reinforce pathways for a new thinking pattern :thinking:

But to respond to what youve said, I can certainly relate

Enjoy your run kiwong :thumbup:
 
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Kiwong

Kiwong

Well-known member
The Role of the Brain in Happiness | Psychology Today

This article suggests that the left pre frontal cortex is more active in those that are happy, and the right pre frontal is more active in those that are sad.

It makes sense that when I have been happy, or switched my anxiety off, that the sensation of my mind buzzing, could be my rarely used left pre frontal cortex getting a long overdue workout.


Of course with any science, the answer to any question is usually more complex when properly researched. The brain is complex, happiness probably involves a complex interaction of the brain and limbic system.
 
kilojoule

kilojoule

1
Kiwong said:
The Role of the Brain in Happiness | Psychology Today

This article suggests that the left pre frontal cortex is more active in those that are happy, and the right pre frontal is more active in those that are sad.

It makes sense that when I have been happy, or switched my anxiety off, that the sensation of my mind buzzing, could be my rarely used left pre frontal cortex getting a long overdue workout.


Of course with any science, the answer to any question is usually more complex when properly researched. The brain is complex, happiness probably involves a complex interaction of the brain and limbic system.
Click to expand...


oh wow Ive only seen this now, oh my that is very interesting. Thanks for posting that kiwong Im very excited to read about how you can change the way your brain works. Its a very empowering message that needs to be re visited.:thumbup:
 
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