A Trigger for a Better Life?
There is a condition characterized by increased energy, creativity, and elevated mood. Some people think it is just the natural personality of a lucky few. What if it is a biochemical response that can be trained and triggered? Would your life be better?
My thoughts in previous years was that success required focus and a lot of hard work. I created tools to help me stay organized and on track. Everything I earned had to be a struggle that I was determined to win. Lately I’ve been thinking more about “naturals”: the people who don’t seem to work very hard, yet good things always seem to happen to them. What’s the difference between us and them?
Nature vs. Nurture
Some may say that it has to do with genetics. I’m a fairly thin guy, so every once in a while I will hear people tell me about how I “naturally” have a good metabolism that keeps me the way I am. I also exercise regularly, which helps keep me fit. Although exercise contributes to the way I am, would I be exercising in the first place if I didn’t have a certain metabolism that gave me energy to do so? This is the kind of question that I enjoy thinking about.
There is probably a feed-back loop of my natural disposition and the actions that follow, such that it is easier for me to initially get up and run than others. Once I exercise, my body undergoes reactions that makes it even easier the next time. Even if you don’t have as strong of a natural disposition, performing the action may create changes in you that make it stronger. What if other things work this way too, like being creative or socially outgoing?
The Natural: Hypomania
There is a condition called hypomania, which is characterized by an abundance of energy, excessive creativity, a strong willingness to take risks, and a constant euphoria. Usually, this condition is associated with bipolar disorder, where the individual undergoes cycles of feeling great (hypomania), but then falls into depression.
There is bipolar disorder, unipolar depression, so why can’t there be unipolar hypomania, where a person is constantly in a hypomanic state? Some people think it exists as “hyperthymic temperament”, which persistently presents the same symptoms, without a withdrawal into depression.
Hyperthymic temperament goes undiagnosed because it is usually not problematic. On the contrary, many believe it to be the underlying force that has driven the abilities of great artists and other leaders in their fields. These people become great because they are naturally compelled to do so.
Can you imagine what it would be like to have this trait? Despite what others think, you probably work very hard, but it is never a matter of pushing yourself to do it. You are filled with passion for life and it’s much more difficult to stop than it is to start. You are driven and can’t help it.
Synthetic Production of Hypomania
There are ways to produce a hypomanic state, but most aren’t very good options. People use amphetamines, such as cocaine, to enter into this desired state, but it also leads to a depressive state afterwards (like bipolar disorder) and often leads to addiction. Also, most treatments for depression can trigger a hypomanic state in some people because they often work on the same pathways as the illegal drugs, but with a lesser intensity.
As evidence by drug-induced hypomania, there are biochemical pathways that give people a natural disposition towards accomplishment, creativity, social extroversion, and other traits that are treated favorably and desirable. Like metabolism, some people may be born with a stronger pathway than others, but it may be possible to strengthen our own pathways and become naturals ourselves.
I don’t know if there are better ways to get to this hypomanic state, but I’m curious to find out. I think it would be a little frightening, but exciting, to know that changes in brain chemicals can change your personality such that you naturally cultivate a better life by just being yourself.
hm…interesting post. No offense, but do you have a disorder? you really want to distort your own brain chemicals just to change your own personality? What’s wrong with the one you have? How do you account for individualism?
Its an interesting, but queer thought. Its like you’re unhappy with who you are and trying to optimize your good traits. However, if you are the one manipulating it, aren’t you subject to your own bias? Plus…couldn’t you potentially end up being schizophrenic?
If I do have a disorder, it isn’t problematic or diagnosed.
I think it’s very interesting, but potentially frightening, that changing your brain chemistry can change your personality. I think there is some deep philosophical question here about what makes an identity that everyone needs to ask.
And there is a potential to become schizophrenic. One of the chemicals that I think will have the greatest effect is dopamine. One of the effects of dopamine is causing the individual to see patterns, possibly even if no pattern exists. Although there is potential for danger, I doubt I can cause serious damage without the use of drugs, which I don’t intend on using.
The question I am trying to answer is if I really need any sort of motivation if I was already predisposed to doing it anyways. “Epigenetics” is the new hot thing right now, so I’m seeing if there any practical applications that I can use. There aren’t many answers out there yet, so I’m just throwing around questions and potential ideas.
Thank you for this post. It’s something I’ve been mulling over for quite some time.
Have you read The Midnight Disease by Alice Weaver Flaherty? It is specifically about writing, but it is also about that manic sort of creating. There are aspects that I do envy and, to some extent, crave, but the costs are high and I am learning to find my own way.
Reframing helps sometimes. I can be completely overcome by inertia, yet a stray thought will somehow catch hold and I will be up and doing before I even realize it. It’s those specific stray thoughts that do that that I am trying to take note of and reproduce at will.
Sometimes I am successful, other times… not so much. There are often other factors involved, but so far they have proven elusive.
Good luck with this. I understand the yearning, but would caution that the price might be far too high.
I’m glad that someone else has already been thinking about this too and understands what I’m trying to achieve! I understand that this might be risky, but I think it makes it more exciting and potentially more rewarding (since everyone else is scared off).
I haven’t read The Midnight Disease, but I’ll be sure to check it out. I’ll also be sure to share anything that I find useful (I’m trying a few things out now, but not sure how effective they are yet).
Okay,
As I understand this, what you are implying here is that ‘mental outlook’(for lack of a better term) is a homeostatic system. ( I have come to this conclusion because what you are describing has two sides and that over-stimulation of the excited state leads will exhaust it and lead to a crash. )
The outcome you are saying you would like is this system trained to a higher level of ‘excitement’.
Homeostatic systems can be ‘trained’ the most commonly seen example is for physical training, although other systems can also be trained – insulin levels etc. The training principal is well documented and understood.
in order to achieve a higher, trained level of ‘excitement’ if we apply the principals of training to this then we may find that this is achieveable.
also – I think that must also understand that this level of ‘excitement’ is only the means to an end.
my suggestion is that to do this, perhaps use combined time of excitement – brainstorming followed by rest periods of calm reflection.
I am not prescribing the specifics, and like exercise training, mileage may vary. The specific ‘routines’ may vary, but i imagine that like exercise, they keys are regularity, consistency and habit.
Essentially this would be along the lines of being a routine of ‘peak productivity’ followed by ‘quiet, reflective sitdowns’
You precisely describe the functional mechanics of what I’m trying to figure out. I’m seeing this repetition of responsiveness of the system coming from periods of rest, with an occasional acute stressor that forces the system to respond. A chronic stressor just causes the body to degrade because it can’t relax.
Interesting post. I would say I have long thought about this. And worked on it to a decree. From what I’ve gleemed is that synthetically changing ones disposition never works long term but organically does.
Changing ones thought patterns starts the process. For instance the word “work” tends to bring negative feelings to most people. Either change your thought on how you react to that word or use a different word that invokes a more positive feeling which transitions into a more positive action. Most people who love what they do don’t really think of it as work and therefor have more energy to apply to it.
Chemically, I would say increasing ones endorphins does indeed elevate this feeling of “hypomania” but with the main difference of being in total control and with a more focused thought process, which of course will bring about better results than a totally manic state.
I also agree with the ebb and flow idea that James said. It’s important to have the quiet time to burn ideas, and the loud time to put them into action. And then there is the 3rd time, where it is quiet but your brain is in a totally relaxed state. Just being.
I think we could start a whole blog just on this subject! Not sure if it would be productive or not! :Þ
I see two main ways you can achieve this sort of constant euphoria: 1) the use of chemical stimulants (relatively safe ones like caffeine) 2) the establishment of a routine. Sure, some people are more predisposed to do or act a certain way, but that doesn’t mean they can’t “rewire” themselves. Of course, changing your habits is hard work, but worth it if it’s a habit you want to form. You can train yourself to maintain the proper attitude and stamina to sustain that energy level. It takes a lot of discipline.
I think James summed it up very well.