It is difficult to define either ‘Mind’ or ‘Happiness’ within the limits of language. For centuries, philosophers have defined and redefined both. However, science is catching up and there has been an attempt to describe these as chemical and electrical processes in the brain.
The dictionary definition of ‘Happiness’ is “a state or condition of gratification of the ‘Mind’.”
Rene Descartes, a renowned philosopher, proposed a physical theory of ‘Mind’ and ‘Brain’, as separate entities. The ‘Brain’ was considered as a material structure, while the ‘Mind’ was seen as a synonym for the Soul. Subsequently the ‘Mind’ was considered the functional component of the ‘Brain’. The term ‘Functional Mind’ can be an abbreviation of a group of mental activities that include consciousness, memory, emotions, intelligence and behavior.
Certain anatomical areas of the brain, such as the orbit-frontal, neo-cortex, limbic lobe, hypothalamus and upper brain stem, govern such activities. As a neurologist, I would define the ‘Mind’ as ‘brain circuitry’, which deals with the content of self and reacts entirely to its external environment and internal thought processes. This synaptic circuitry is controlled by electrical and chemical mechanisms
Interestingly, neurological research has identified biological mechanisms associated with ‘Happiness’, ‘Pleasure’ and ‘Pain’. Through ‘Mind’ circuitry, ‘Pleasure’ could be an ‘appetitive motivation’ (behaviours that are directed towards goals of a positive hedonistic purpose). These are power, achievement and affiliation based. Thus, success, love or passion for someone increases vigour and one can easily appreciate the glowing face of a person. In contrast, ‘aversive motive’ involves escaping an unpleasant condition. Dopamine increase relates to appetitive whilst Serotonin reduction plays a crucial role in aversive motive.
It is important to point out that ‘Happiness’ is not a destination but a state of ‘Mind’ and a method to life. People who can learn to enjoy a pleasant environment and escape from, or tackle, unpleasant situations are emotionally intelligent and happy-go-lucky. Those who can modify their internal thought processes by being positive, forgetting unpleasant experiences and generally feeling good, can always be ‘Happier’ and tend to live longer through adversity. The astonishing fact is that this attitude enhances the healing forces within the individual, described as nature’s healing power by Hippocrates, the ‘Father of Medicine’. Interestingly the human ‘Mind’ can create more connections and synapses. Giving the ‘Mind’ the special virtue of malleability, it has adaptability, selectivity or capacity of filtering out excessive information, priority, introspection, selective amnesia, diversion, memory, judgement, etc. All these characteristics provide the ‘Mind’ the great advantage to perform extraordinary feats. Thus caring for the ‘Mind’ can make one not only happy but also blissful.