[One Thousand Characters a Day] Dr. Lee Si-hyung's 'Happiness Must Also Be Learned' <1>

Editor's NoteWhere does the human heart, from which happiness springs, reside? Recent advances in neuroscience have revealed that the mind, once thought to be abstract and metaphysical, actually resides in our brain. Our mind is determined by the secretion levels of norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin in the brain. Dr. Lee Si-hyung, a leading authority in Korean psychiatry and a pioneer in popularizing neuroscience, advises in his book Happiness Must Also Be Learned that modern people suffering from lethargy and boredom should create a state rich in serotonin in their brains to feel happiness. Starting with what serotonin is, he comprehensively summarizes various research findings and neuroscience theories about serotonin, and clearly explains prescriptions for those suffering from serotonin imbalance. If you are currently struggling with stress, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, addiction, panic disorder, eating disorders, or chronic fatigue, why not study serotonin through this book and learn happiness once again? Word count: 748.

Practice positive psychology. People often say, "Think positively," "Act positively," "Live positively." If it were that easy, everyone would do it, but it’s not so simple. What are you supposed to do when someone you really dislike sits in front of you and picks a fight? That’s right. Unless you are a fairly mature person, it’s not easy to do. However, positive psychology is currently a major trend in the field of psychology. Academic societies have been established worldwide, and counseling techniques based on positive psychology are well systematized, which is a great blessing for clients. In Korea, research activities on positive psychology are very active, led by Professor Kim In-ja. Of course, the target is the prefrontal cortex. Above all, positive thinking must first be possible in the human brain’s highest command center.

I would like to see serotonin activation techniques added here. Serotonin inherently contains positivity, and even if there are negative elements in the prefrontal cortex, serotonin slightly suppresses them, shifting the balance toward positivity. If this happens, the inhibitory effect of serotonin on the neocortex’s negativity will be more effective, creating a synergistic effect. Detailed techniques would require expert assistance, but combining serotonin activation methods is expected to greatly enhance the transition to positive psychology.

If you think positively in the face of any difficulty or adversity, ways to overcome it will come to mind. In fact, the more severe the adversity, the more you can demonstrate ingenious decisiveness to turn the situation around.

- Lee Si-hyung, Happiness Must Also Be Learned, Special Library, 16,000 KRW