Healing and Hypnotherapy Volume - 3, issue 12, I June 2019 | Page 19

New Neuroscience and Happiness
Rituals
There are all kinds of happiness advices are available on the internet from
people who don’t know what they’re talking about. Don’t trust them. Trust
Neuroscience.
Trust neuroscientists. They study that grey blob (what you call brain) in your
head all day and have learned a lot about what truly will make you happy.
UCLA neuroscience researcher “Alex Korb” has some insights that can create
an upward spiral of happiness in your life. Here’s what you and I  can learn
from the people who really have answers:
The Most Important Questions To Ask When You Feel Down:
Sometimes it doesn’t feel like your brain wants you to be happy. You may
feel guilty or shameful. Why?
And you worry a lot too. Why? In the short term, worrying makes your brain
feel a little better — at least you’re doing something about your problems. And
it is a utopia
But guilt, shame and worry are horrible long-term solutions. So what do
neuroscientists say you should do?
Ask yourself this question:
1) What am I grateful for?
Yeah, gratitude is awesome… but does it really affect your brain at the
biological level? Yup.
You know what the antidepressant Wellbutrin does? Boosts the
neurotransmitter dopamine. So does gratitude.
he benefits of gratitude start with the dopamine system, because feeling
grateful activates the brain stem region that produces dopamine. Additionally,
gratitude toward others increases activity in social dopamine circuits, which
makes social interactions more enjoyable…
Know what Prozac does? Boosts the neurotransmitter serotonin. So
does gratitude.
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