[ravkes]

Is it biological, related to survival? Do the chemicals that are released give off pleasure signals that let the brain know it's safe and secure.

I'm very curious about this, I think most mental illnesses can be pinpointed back to this natural phenomena, a natural propensity to feel happiness instead of sadness.

Except those who feel depressive, bipolar, anxious, panicky.. exacerbate these feelings and put all of their focus into trying to make themselves happy when it's not possible because that's not in our control. Just signals used to help one figure out what's going on in their environment.

Just my theory, what are your thoughts?

[love2drum]

very interesting perspective ravkes. I've always been a deep thinker and tend to either be very serious or very playful/fun loving....and I've always noticed (most) people tend to shy away from me when I'm in my "let's have a serious discussion (much like you are posing here) I think a lot of people don't like to (or are afraid) to examine things too closely.....? Maybe it depends on one's mood? and how accepting you feel at the moment.

If I follow you correctly, you think we should just "go with it" when we are down? As in that maybe we are down for a reason? And, maybe it's the "reason" and not the "down" that should be in the spotlight? Am I understanding this the way you meant it?

[disguise123]

i dont struggle with my down moods as much, just express them, complain about them but dont fight it.
Because the stress and the struggle serve no purpose.
But on a good day i acknowledge it
Celebrate it and try to do some good in the world.
I think feeling isolated is one of the worst feelings and thats the one i try to fight.

[lastyearisblank]

Originally Posted by ravkes

Is it biological, related to survival? Do the chemicals that are released give off pleasure signals that let the brain know it's safe and secure.

I think it is too basic to ask what makes happiness pleasant to us. It's like asking what sugar is made of. Nothing about sugar's molecules makes it sweet. But everyone knows that sugar is made of sweet.

[salukigirl]

I agree that it is a very blanket statement for something that varies in over 7 billion humans around the word. Plus I have seen a chemical imbalance and that isn't a phenomenon that says "I want to feel depressed" that is a biochemical process that really is out of whack.

Very specific chemicals do very specific things in your brain (actually the process involved with addiction) and without this becoming a religious/political topic - it is all evolutionary for a reason. Even while dying you feel euphoria. It is a natural human reaction to soften your mind to what is really happening.

"Falling in love" is another one. Meeting someone new sets off a massive chain of chemicals that creates a euphoric feeling. This, of course, is simply to get us into bed and make babies Darwin's way lol

Everything going on in your body has a specific route and reason for it happening that way. In fact, depression (a natural chemical imbalance) could actually have a very clear evolutionary path. If it were to end up being a mutation that caused this imbalance in your brain chemistry......and this imbalance led to less human interaction....which led to less children in people with the mutation.....eventually that mutation would be taken out. And "positive" emotions would be the same (but opposite).

Sorry - I'm a science nerd. Now, of course brain chemistry isn't simply a mutation and has a lot to do with outside factors so even my example is a blanket statement. I guess that's why we have nerds like to who ENJOY studying this crap lol

[lastyearisblank]

I like salukigirl's answer.

Ok, I have sort of an answer to your main question. (If it is still open for debate... if not I'll share anyway).

I think happiness and sadness are like the temperature of life.

(Like hot and cold).

Touch something sad and you get cold... something happy and you get warmer... something like that.

And we're all trying to "find" stuff. Different stuff for all of us. And we're all bumping into each other. Playing hot and cold.

So anyhow I agree with your main idea. Depression is what tells us "turn around and go a different way." We don't always have to fight that feeing.

The only thing is... My legit depressive periods have always happened regardless of what is going on in my life.... what made it not just sadness was the extra "oomph" either trouble sleeping or eating or just brain stuff....

So...

But yeah, unhappiness is a cue something has to change!!!

[neil2396]

i feel like i dwell a lot more on the negative emotions. i am a depressive person, currently on celexa, but i still have a lot of things to be upset about. i feel like those emotions are much more present in my mind than the ones that make me happy.

[shezbut]

Interesting ravke.

My first thought reading your Q is that going to the positive is NOT my natural response. I have fought against my negative tendency for my entire life (and that's no exaggeration). While I dislike my negativity intensely, it is still a part of me. I may not like it ~ but it's who I am.

I think that part of this tendency is biological. I am treatment-resistent. Not just depression-wise either. My body is very resistant to anesthetics, anti-depressants, pain medications, etc. Most medications just cannot gain the upper hand with me. That is a huge fact of life for me. I'm not the only one who struggles with this resistance. Doctors reason that 1/4 - 1/3 of human beings are treatment resistant, for an unknown reason. That just has to be genetic. Maybe mutation of nerve cells. Either way, it isn't under our physical or psychological command.

Personally, I find that to be very interesting. (I'm a psych geek I've got my BA. LOL!) That fact is worth studying, to see what the difference(s) is (are).

[RunningEagleRuns]

Originally Posted by ravkes

Is it biological, related to survival? Do the chemicals that are released give off pleasure signals that let the brain know it's safe and secure.

I'm very curious about this, I think most mental illnesses can be pinpointed back to this natural phenomena, a natural propensity to feel happiness instead of sadness.

Except those who feel depressive, bipolar, anxious, panicky.. exacerbate these feelings and put all of their focus into trying to make themselves happy when it's not possible because that's not in our control. Just signals used to help one figure out what's going on in their environment.

Just my theory, what are your thoughts?

Good emotions are easier.