The Pursuit of Happiness

Personally, it is extremely difficult for me to get happiness. I am afraid that in this era of information overload, it is also difficult for many people. Let me briefly analyze the reasons.

I once watched a video that mentioned the relationship between pain and dopamine, that is, dopamine and pain will maintain a balanced relationship. After enjoying a certain amount of happiness, you will inevitably enjoy a period of pain afterwards. I deeply agree with this. After playing games for a day or watching short videos for a day, only emptiness and powerlessness remain in my heart. When I carefully practice calligraphy or do a little physical exercise before taking a rest, it is as if I have entered the Garden of Eden and can enjoy life to the fullest.

Pain >= happiness is applicable to many people.

The power to control this inequality has always been in our own hands. Bitterness before sweetness is really not just a slogan. In practice, it is objectively present. We can enjoy ourselves in healthy ways such as watching videos and painting, but this is only a short-term happiness, and it may not even last for ten minutes. To a certain extent, actively put pressure on yourself, try to complete difficult tasks, and then have appropriate healthy entertainment. You can not only complete the task better, but also enjoy longer-term happiness. It can be said to kill two birds with one stone. Of course, there are counterexamples. When a person starts taking drugs, the nervous system will be strongly stimulated, and dopamine will be secreted in large quantities at geometric progression. People will feel unprecedented joy for a while.

Taking methamphetamine as an example, people's satisfaction will reach a terrifying 1300%. However, if you stop taking drugs for a period of time, the body will produce corresponding excessive pain in order to balance the excessive dopamine in the past, and eventually form the so-called "withdrawal reaction", that is, people show a horrible form of death in order to obtain drugs. This is an extreme, and of course it is the extreme result of excessive enjoyment. Entertainment and struggle complement each other. Entertainment to death will bring endless regret and little joy. Excessive pressure will also cause mental breakdown. 

It takes a lot to balance the two, but I think people like me who entertain themselves to death should start from now on, put some pressure on themselves appropriately, and then entertain themselves, and improve their productivity as much as possible, so that they can better pursue the value of life and seek more high-quality spiritual happiness.