1. RP Rajarethinam MMC 1979-85 and happily forever rpmmc@yahoo.com
Happiness
RP Rajarethinam
MMC and happily forever

2. Aspects of happiness Psychology Philosophy Evolution Neuroscience
Pathology
Practical aspects
Mentalizing

3. இன்பம் எங்கே இன்பம் எங்கே என்று தேடு (நன்றி - மருதகாசி, சீர்காழி, & கே
இன்பம் எங்கே இன்பம் எங்கே என்று தேடு (நன்றி - மருதகாசி, சீர்காழி, & கே.வி.எம் )
இன்றிருப்போர் நாளை இங்கே இருப்பதென்ன உண்மை இதை எண்ணிடாமல் சேர்த்து வைத்து காத்து என்ன நன்மை இருக்கும் வரை இன்பங்களை அனுபவிக்கும் தன்மை இல்லை என்றால் வாழ்வினிலே உனக்கு ஏது இனிமை கனி ரசமாம் மது அருந்தி கழிப்பதல்ல இன்பம் கன்னிகையின் துணையினிலே கிடைப்பதல்ல இன்பம் இணையில்லா மனையாளின் வாய் மொழியே இன்பம் அவள் இதழ் சிந்தும் புன்னகையே அளவில்லா இன்பம் மாடி மனை, கோடி பணம், வாஹனம் வீண் ஜம்பம் வாழ்வினிலே ஒருவனுக்கு தருவதல்ல இன்பம் மழலை மொழி வாயமுதம் வழங்கும் பிள்ளை செல்வம் உன் மார் மீதிலே உதைப்பதிலே கிடைப்பதுதான் இன்பம்

4. What we want…
Edward Frascino New Yorker (with out permission)

5. So, What is it? Hedonia (pleasure or positive affect)
Not hedonism but more of a mood or trait
Eudaimonia (A life well lived)
Accomplishing or getting what you want
Engagement (Just do it)
Just enjoying life or being interested in doing what you are doing.
Kringelbach, M.L. & Berridge, K.C. (2010).

6. First ‘World Happiness Report’
Happier countries tend to be richer
social support, absence of corruption & personal freedom.
Over time, as living standards rise, happiness increased
Interestingly this effect was not seen in US!
Unemployment is as bad as bereavement or breakup.
At work, job security and good relationships do more for job satisfaction than high pay and convenient hours.
Behaving well makes people happier.
Mental health is the single biggest factor.
Stable family life and enduring marriage.
In advanced countries, women are happier than men
Happiness is lowest in middle age
grumpy middle aged men, living in USA who are a bit kuku
J. Hellwell, Rlayard, J. Sachs, WHO

7. The evolution conundrum
Survival of self and the species
So the rewarding experience of food and sex, comfort, safety and less pain
Consciousness of death as the end
So, life is short – give it a shot
A gift that helps us anticipate and maximize pleasure
Happiness comes with depression and anxiety – why?
RM. Nesse and KC. Berridge
Science ‘97

8. Philosophy (struggle of the conscious and pleasure)
Hinduism
Reach Motcha by Bakthi
Karma or control of behavior
God is sometimes ‘used as a concept’
Buddhism
Freedom from suffering
Nirvana
Stoicism and Judeo-Christian ideas
of being a sage
austere indifference to joy, grief, pleasure, or pain

9. High Spirituality
When I was making money, I made the most money, and now that I am spiritual I’m the most spiritual
Barbara Smaller – New Yorker
(with out permission)

10. Are these same or different
Spirituality
Pleasure
Bliss
Drugs for pleasure or addiction
With or without guilt
Sex and food
Does altruism justify violence?
இன்னொருத்தருக்கு நல்லது பண்ணினா எதுவுமே தப்பில்லை ...

11. The pleasure network Shared by basic and higher order pleasures
Basic (food, sex) and higher order (Money, art, music, altruism or transcendence)
Deep brain structures
Nucleus Accumbens, ventral pallidum,
Cortical
Orbitofrontal, cingulate, M.Prefrontal, insular

12. The ‘H spot’ of pleasure
Hedonic Hotspots (no, not that one!)
Brain is highly interconnected and so you do not need to hit the spot!
Coding vs. causing
Pleasure electrodes
Nucleus acumbens (rats prefer over food and cocaine)
Wanting vs. liking (drug addiction)

13. Cortical Pleasure Incentive salience Midlateral - Orbitofrontal cortex
The importance of the stimuli (say, drug)
Midlateral - Orbitofrontal cortex
Sex, drugs, food, chocolate and music!
Medial unpleasant? Anterior more abstract? Or is it all “emotion”
Right Mania and Left depression?
Cortex causes or discriminates?

14. Mental health aspects of happiness
Anhedonia
Lack of interest
Depression
Extreme sadness for inadequate reason
Anxiety
Unnecessary or unproductive fear
Mania
Excessive and unreasonable happiness

15. “Am I a happy man or just an asymptomatic one?”
Is happy lack of pain?
“Am I a happy man or just an asymptomatic one?”

16. Benefits of happiness Higher income and superior work outcomes
e.g., greater productivity and higher quality of work,
Larger social rewards
e.g., more satisfying and longer marriages, more friends, stronger social support, and richer social interactions
More activity, energy and flow, and better physical health
e.g., a bolstered immune system, lowered stress, and less pain
more creative, helpful, charitable, and self-confident, better self-control, and greater self-regulatory and coping abilities
longer life.
Sonja Lyubomirsky UC Riverside

17. What can we do? 48% Genetic, 40% situation and only 12% in your hands.
And it is 80% inherited!
48% Genetic:
It is the hedonia or the inherent attitude – nature
Can not be changed and so blame your parents
40% Situation
Lottery tickets
5 year multiple entry visa
12% in your hands
David Lykken and Auke Tellegen University of Minnesota
Psychological Science Vol.7, No. 3, May 1996

18. Practice Happiness live like there is no tomorrow
Set aside time to recall moments of gratitude
Engage in self-regulatory and positive thinking
Practice altruism and kindness
Pursue significant, intrinsic life goals
Affirm one’s most important values,
Savoring positive experiences
Sonja Lyubomirsky UC Riverside

19. Practice Happiness Set aside time to recall moments of gratitude
keep journal on “counts one’s blessings” or write gratitude letters
Engage in self-regulatory and positive thinking
reflect, write, and talk about happiest and unhappiest life events or goals for the future
Practice altruism and kindness
routinely commit acts of kindness or try to make a loved one happy
Pursue significant, intrinsic life goals
listing and taking action on “baby steps” towards goals
Affirm one’s most important values,
Savoring positive experiences
using one’s five senses to relish daily moments
Live like there is no tomorrow
Sonja Lyubomirsky UC Riverside

20. Pop Psychology Dan Gilbert - synthesis
We are able to find happiness
Adversity or good fortune does not affect the long term happiness
Matt Killingsworth - Mind wandering
Stay on task to be happy
Do not let mind wander
Ted talks Ted radio hour NPR

21. The Quintessential Wandering Mind
Alex Gregory – New Yorker
(with no permission)

22. Pop psychology Carl Honore - Slow down Graham Hill - Less is better
Take your time
Graham Hill - Less is better
Less material, fewer things to own
David Steidnl - Grateful
Be grateful to what you have
Ted talks Ted radio hour NPR

23. Mentalizing Thinking about thinking or theory of mind
A temporal lobe function
Involves attention, insight and awareness
Helps understand or observe source of dissatisfaction
Helps control and guide contentment
(93% of US college professors assessed themselves as above average!)

24. Interpersonal arena and personalities
Trust
Love
Personalities
Manipulation, suspicion, reaction and assumption
Reward in a social setting
Let go

25. Some CBT principles to ponder
Set and setting
Optimism
Contentment
Kida mark vs. Blue label
Being good
Honest, well intentioned, trusting despite betrayal
Accepting failure (and death)
Smile

26. So? You are one in 6000000000 You live about 100 years out of eternity
You are so small in time and space
Your value is negligible
Why bother?
Take it easy and smile