Human beings experience a variety of emotions during our lives such as joy, pleasure, love, sadness, fear or anger. We experience them in our entire being, including our body that reacts and is physically modified in the presence of any of these emotions. It is very common for us to cry with sadness and also cry with joy, or that our face turns red when anger invades us.
Sometimes our fear is so great that we begin to perspire and our body becomes colder. In others, our love for another person makes our heart beat faster and we feel that our blood travels pleasantly throughout our body. And when we feel happy our whole body is full of well-being and in a state of physical euphoria.
What processes are produced in our body that cause us to experience these emotions? How is it that we feel happy or unhappy?
Renowned scientists from prestigious universities and laboratories in different parts of the world have been studying this issue, among them, the Affective Neuroscience Laboratory of the University of Wisconsin (USA), directed by Dr. Richard J. Davidson, the Institute of Neuropsychology and Functioning Cognitive at the University of New York (USA), directed by Dr. Elkhonon Goldberg and the Institute of Neurology at the University of London (England).
Research carried out by scientists led to an extraordinary and invaluable discovery. They found that the origin of the feeling of happiness or unhappiness is in the plasticity of the brain. That is, the human ability to physically modify the brain through the thoughts we choose to have.
It turns out that like the muscles of the body, the brain develops and strengthens the neurons that we use the most and atrophy or weaken the neurons that we use the least.
To more negative thoughts, there is more activity in the right cortex of the brain (right prefrontal lobe) which generates unpleasant emotions such as anxiety, depression, envy, feelings of guilt, hostility towards others, among others. In other words, self-generated unhappiness.
On the contrary, with more positive thoughts, there is more activity in the left cortex of the brain (left prefrontal lobe), elevating pleasant emotions and happiness. In other words, self-generated happiness. (Figure 1)
Function of the Prefrontal Lobes - Happiness
Figure 1. Own elaboration - Graphic design: Andrea Reta Bravo-Mejía
This is called HEBBIAN LEARNING, in honor of the American psychologist Donald Hebb, and it is the basis of what is scientifically called NEUROMODELATION OR
BRAIN NEUROPLASTICITY, which consists of the ability of our brain neurons to join together, creating, expanding and reinforcing their networks, as well as to gradually separate, weaken or eliminate existing neural networks. (Figure 2)
Existing Neural Networks - Happiness
Figure 2. Source: GRUPO DE SUPOY Y ASESORÍAS. Bochica Medical Center - Office 205 - Manizales - Caldas, ¨ Neuroplasticity and Hebbian Networks¨. Page 3 Consultation: April 5, 2010.
There are two types of Neuroplasticity: positive, which is responsible for creating and expanding Hebbian networks; A Hebbian network is created when two or more neurons, as a consequence of a stimulus, come together and, if the stimulus continues, the neurons tend to join with more and more neurons, thus expanding the neural network or the Hebbian network. On the contrary, negative neuroplasticity is responsible for eliminating those neural networks that are not used. (Figure 3)
Hebbian Network - Psychology for happiness. The larger a Hebbian network, the greater its power.
Figure 3. Source: DAH Support and Advisory Group Bochica Medical Center - Office 205 - Manizales - Caldas, Neuroplasticity and Hebbian Networks, Page 4. Consultation: 03-05-10 Link: http://www.psicopedagogia.com/neuroplasticidad. - Graphic design: Andrea Reta Bravo-Mejía
The important thing about this process is that it becomes a cycle that, each time it is repeated, is reinforced more and more and becomes part of our life, becoming habits that we end up doing unconsciously. For example, if we think negatively, our mind sends a message to the cortex of our right prefrontal lobe, this cortex produces a neurotransmitter chemical associated with the negative message that flows through our body, producing us a feeling of discomfort and unhappiness; In turn, our body, immersed in that feeling of discomfort and unhappiness, sends a message to our mind saying: "Look, I'm feeling bad", our mind captures that message and sends it back to our right prefrontal lobe and so on, we continue to feed and reinforce our unhappiness.
The same happens when our mind is focused on the positive. It sends a message to the cortex of our left prefrontal lobe, it produces a neurotransmitter chemical (serotonin), associated with the positive message, which flows through our body producing a feeling of well-being and happiness. In the same way, our body, wrapped in this feeling of well-being and happiness, sends a message to our mind saying: "Look that I'm feeling good", our mind captures that message and sends it back to our left prefrontal lobe and so on.
In this way, the more times the mind-brain-body-mind circuit is repeated , it becomes stronger and stronger, reinforcing the initial positive or negative thought that generated it. Hence the importance of creating and maintaining positive circuits that generate a constant feeling of well-being and happiness. (Figure 4)
Mind - Brain - Body - Mind Circuit
This process allows new life experiences, the conversations we have, the new knowledge we acquire, to reshape our brain over and over again. It is now known that genetics is responsible for only 10% of the Hebbian networks, and that the remaining 90% is formed under the influence of two other factors that, unlike the first, can be varied by will, these factors are: life experiences and acquired knowledge (Figure 5). The latter is also known to depend on a modular brain structure known as the prefrontal lobes. (Figure 1)
Brain Unit - Integrated Mind
The prefrontal lobes form the basis for the conscious neuromodelation of our neural networks. They give us a unique ability in nature: to be able to decide our own destiny. Thanks to them we can choose what things of culture to take and what experiences to live to reshape our old neural networks (those that we no longer like or do not serve us) and create new neural networks (that we do like or do serve us) with the so that our project of being human can be carried out successfully as we want.
There are some authors who assign lower percentages to Hebbian networks determined by culture and experience. Francisco Mora, Doctor of Medicine and Doctor of Neurosciences, mentions in his book NEUROCULTURE, A culture based on the brain, that ¨the human being forms and develops after birth almost 70% of his brain in constant interaction with his environment and the the rest. Sonja Lyubomirsky in her book The how of happiness. A Scientific Approach to Getting the Life you Want mentions that it is 50%.While it is true that scientists have discrepancies in terms of percentages, it is also true that they all agree that there is a large portion of our mind that is determined by culture and interaction with others. And that's what really matters.
Extraordinary. Wonderful! It means, then, that we can create new neural networks and expand them more and more, exercising and strengthening our left prefrontal lobe in order to self-generate our happiness. It also means that we can weaken and eliminate the existing neural networks in our right prefrontal lobe, thus canceling out the conditions that generate unhappiness. The Spanish newspaper El Mundo, in its electronic edition on Sunday April 22, 2007, in its MAGAZINE section, published an article with the title: INCREDIBLE BUDDHIST STUDY / BRAIN, declared the happiest man on the planet.
This article refers to the result of the studies carried out by a group of scientists led by Professor Richard J. Davidson, director of the Affective Neuroscience Laboratory at the University of Wisconsin (United States of America), on a group of Buddhist monks among the Which was Mathieu Ricard, French, molecular biologist, who left his career to embrace Buddhism and is currently an advisor to the Dalai Lama.
The following is part of the article published by the Spanish newspaper:
Really wonderful, sensational and very valuable: it was scientifically proven and proven that I CAN GENERATE MY OWN HAPPINESS and that the unhappiness that I eventually feel is also generated by me.
Okay, I agree; But, apart from practicing meditation, like the one done by Buddhists, how can we manage our mind and obtain happiness?
My proposal points to an extremely practical method and so simple that anyone can apply it. My method is based, as a starting point, on science, specifically on the neuroplasticity of the brain as an element that allows it to be physiologically modified to generate happiness. Additionally, I incorporate into my method elements that I have found in readings, in personal development workshops, in courses and seminars and in other sources.
I have called this method happily, that is, an easy and effective way to feel happy using the power of our mind. In other words: happy mind = happy life.
The felizméntica to being based on a proven scientific fact and as is the neuroplasticity of the brain, it constitutes an effective method to be happy, is that really works.
The felizméntica is very easy to use because all you have to do is use our mind constantly by focusing on the positive and the negative downloading. And this we can do at every moment of our life because our mind is always with us.
The happy mental, although it is based on science, does not exclude religion, metaphysics, or any other belief. Its inclusion can significantly enhance the result and the consolidation of happiness in believers who use this method.
Everything you have just read is the content of the first chapter of my book felizméntica. If you want to read the whole book to know how the method works and be happier practicing it, go back to my website, http://www.felizmentica.com, where you can buy the book.
Bibliography
- LYUBOMIRSKY, Sonja (2008). The How of Happiness. A Scientific Approach to Getting the Life you Want. New York: The Penguin Press.MORA, Francisco (2007). Neuroculture, a brain-based culture. Second edition. Madrid: Alianza Editorial SA
Internet
- DIARIO EL MUNDO, Spain, Sunday April 22, 2007. MAGAZINE Section: Incredible Buddhist Study / Brain, ¨Declared The happiest man on the planet¨. Accessed: April 5, 2010. http://www.elmundo.es/suplementos/magazine/2007/395/1176 906666.html GRUPO DE APOYO Y ASESORIAS. Bochica Medical Center - Office 205 - Manizales - Caldas, ¨ Neuroplasticity and Hebbian Networks¨. Consultation: April 5, 2010. http://www.psicopedagogia.com/neuroplasticidad. LUTZ, Antoine, Julie BREFSZCYNSKI-LEWIS, Tom JOHNSTON and Richard J. DAVIDSON (2008). ¨ Regulation of the Neural Circuitry of Emotion by Compassion Meditation: Effects of Meditative Expertise¨ - Editor Bernhard Baune. James Cook University Australia, Published March 26, 2008. Accessed on: April 5, 2010. The full study report is freely available on the Internet;It is in English and the access link is the following: http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone. 0001897
SUPPORT GROUP AND ADVICE. Bochica Medical Center - Office 205 - Manizales - Caldas, ¨ Neuroplasticity and Hebbian Networks¨. Page 4 Consultation: April 5, 2010.
SUPPORT GROUP AND ADVICE. Bochica Medical Center - Office 205 - Manizales - Caldas, ¨ Neuroplasticity and Hebbian Networks¨. Page 5 Consultation: April 5, 2010.
SUPPORT GROUP AND ADVICE. Bochica Medical Center - Office 205 - Manizales - Caldas, ¨ Neuroplasticity and Hebbian Networks¨. Page 5 Consultation: April 5, 2010.
In the world, we find many people, some with great scientific recognition, busy offering their knowledge to achieve the long-awaited happiness, among which we can mention: Prof. Martin Seligman, author of Positive Psychology, runs a center that is dedicated to research and development of techniques to achieve Authentic Happiness. Positive Psychology Follower Psychologist Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar leads an online course at the University of Pennsylvania to learn how to apply the science of happiness to life. Dr. Joe Dispenza gives seminars and workshops on brain power. Dianetics, the science of mental health, by Ron Hubbard. The Happy Science of Master Ryuho Okawa. The clinical psychologist Walter Riso has published a book ¨Think well, feel good¨.The school of Neurolinguistic Programming. The books and workshops ¨ Looking to be Happy¨ by José Ángel Fernández Gómez. The book ¨Learn to be happy¨ by the Peruvian Rafael Zavala. The book ¨ The high profitability of happiness ¨ by the equally Peruvian David Fischman. There are also the different metaphysical schools and the different religions that have their own ways to achieve happiness. Everyone is free to follow the path that best suits them and provides the best results.There are also the different metaphysical schools and the different religions that have their own ways to achieve happiness. Everyone is free to follow the path that best suits them and provides the best results.There are also the different metaphysical schools and the different religions that have their own ways to achieve happiness. Everyone is free to follow the path that best suits them and provides the best results.
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