Pursuit of Happiness
by Evan B. Aranas
On a survey of the World Happiness report, Philippines has been ranked as the least happiest country of Southeast Asia.
Happiness. Something that everyone wants to attain. But ever wondered if it’s all in our mind or if it’s something that can be explained through science? According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary it is a state of well-being and contentment or a pleasurable and satisfying experience. But to science we only have to combine four major chemicals together--Dopamine , Oxytocin, Serotonin, Endorphins -- to achieve Happiness.
Four neurochemicals
These happiness formula is comprised of neurochemicals, is an organic molecule that participates in neural activities(physical basis for thoughts, feelings, and perceptions) that can be found in our boody. These are all chemicals that can be found in our brain. Firstly, Dopamine, known as the ‘happiness chemical’, but this chemical is more involved in the ‘before’ of the happiness than the ‘actual’ happiness. Also, this chemical is also known as ‘the reward molecule’ since it is responsible for the reward-driven behavior and pleasure seeking behavior of a person. Still, this chemical contributes a huge part to happiness.
Secondly, Oxytocin, the chemical commonly known as the cuddle hormone. It is usually triggered when there is a social bonding like eye contact. This chemical helps strengthen the bonds you have with the people close to you. Thirdly, Serotonin, the mood drug or the chemical that is responsible for every emotion that you have. If you have a high level of Serotonin in your body then this will result for you in having a good mood, similarly if you have a low level of Serotonin, this will then result to you on having a bad mood. Lastly, the Endorphins, these chemicals are responsible for masking anything that’s painful or does discomfort to you. For example, endorphins are responsible for making tired runners to push further even though they are sore and tired already.
Triggered neurochemicals
Each of these four major neurochemicals has there own way of being triggered. The dopamine happiness can only be when a person gets to have a new reward. For instance, most of the students would be enthusiastic during the finals because they know that summer is already near or senior college students to be more driven into studying and aiming for higher grades during their last days in their respective universities, because they know that they will all soon be graduating from college. Oxytocin happiness can be triggered is when we trust the people around us. This can also be stimulated when you’re with people who are like you, such as, a college varsity team, school organization, or just a normal group of friends is enough for a person’s oxytocin to be activated.
The Serotonin happiness can be triggered when a person feels important or they have achieved something that can make them feel good about theirselves. Leaders for instance in a school organization has their serotonin levels up high since they would feel really important because of the position that they were given. The Endorphins happiness can only be triggered when there is physical pain. This is where the saying “fight or flight” enters.
Depression
Despite the four major neurochemicals that can be found in our body, there are still other factors to consider that would hinder the path to happiness, one of which is to depression. Depression is a state where there is a chemical imbalance in your body, low level on Serotonin and his/her hippocampus( the part of the brain that is responsible for the memory and emotion) tends to grow smaller and smaller as he/she becomes more depressed. In an interview with a student from Xavier University, with asked with the question “do you tend to forget things when depressed?” she answered “Yes, because my mind is kind of fixated on the things that got me depressed. So, I'm more likely to be absent-minded on things.”
Cure to depression
As scientists have concluded that while the hippocampus was shrinking, the only for it the patient to be cured was for the hippocampus to grow back new neurons. A study has found out that the reason why antidepressants are able to treat the patients is that the antidepressants spur growth and enhance branching in the hippocampus, which may lead that these medications may be generating new neurons which is neurogenesis.
The Serotonin Transporter Gene or commonly known as 5-HTT is a monoamnie transporter( Protein structures that function as integral plasma-membrane transporters to regulate concentrations of extracellular monoamine neurotransmitters) that transports serotonin from the synaptic left (the space between neurons at a nerve synapse across which a nerve impulse is transmitted by a neurotransmitter) to the presynaptic neuron (a neuron from the axon terminal of which an electrical impulse is transmitted across a synaptic cleft to the cell body) Studies have seen that a variation in the Serotonin Transporter Gene or the 5-HHT leaves an individual more vulnerable to depression. Every individual has two copies from a gene, one gene from both parents and this gene can either be short or long. A short and a long combination makes a person depressed after stressful life events, people with both short genes are more depressed, and studies have found out that people with both long genes are more positive or optimistic in life.
While people are busy telling depressed people to just go over with it and be happy--well, they can’t. Another student stated that “Depression can greatly affect a person's view of reality even with the things that physically exists.” Studies have shown that depression is more than just a sad feeling, but rather it is a serious mental health condition that every aspect of a person.
Sources:
http://theschooloflife.typepad.com/the_school_of_life/2011/09/happiness-is-just-a-neurochemical-spurt.html
http://www.bio.davidson.edu/genomics/2003/mccord/5-HTT.html
http://technologyadvice.com/podcast/blog/activate-chemicals-gamify-happiness-nicole-lazzaro/
http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsweek/what-causes-depression.htm
