Getting HIGH

Blog Post #2: Cultivating Happiness

[CW/TW: Clickbait] How to find that hit of dopamine

Guess who started the addiction

I have a confession to make. I was addicted to tic tacs. Wintergreen tic tacs, to be exact. Whenever I was bored, I'd take a few. If I needed to focus, I'd take a few. If I was nervous talking to someone, I'd offer them some tic tacs, then I'd take a few. And if I was feeling great, guess what? That's right, I'd take a few.

Who in the world would be addicted to tic tacs? And why? If you're having these thoughts, while also thinking I was (and possibly still am) weird, I totally get it. But before you judge (which, is a bit too late to do), let me explain.

Growing up, I'd always had this irrational fear that my breath would smell weird. This proved to be doubly true when I started attending my new high school, where the only people I knew were the few classmates that had transferred over a few years prior. My first good friend there started my pill-popping addiction, as he was an avid junk food lover, guzzling packs (like at least 3) of tic tacs a day. And so, I joined him on this awful habit, and before I knew it, I was hooked.

There are layers upon layers of reasons as to why tic tacs brought me the level of comfort and joy it did those years, but to keep it short, I'll elaborate on a few reasons why, with the help of some UCLA GE courses.

Tic tacs are sugary. Well, duh. But humans have evolved to love the taste of sugar, and to crave more of it. So yeah, I loved sugar, and tic tacs had sugar, and thus by the transitive property, I loved tic tacs.

Tic tacs addressed a problem I had. Specifically, tic tacs distracted me from the problem I had. It was a very simple and easy method to get away from whatever was bothering me, and I could just focus on the fresh, minty flavors.

Tic tacs reminded me of my friends. Popping these pills, I mean candies, together during class and after school was kinda our thing for awhile. Until we got fat(ter). But still, tic tacs were a common interest of ours. Plus, whenever we were around other people, it was nice to offer tic tacs. They might be worried about their breath, or also share our love (maybe "love" is a bit too strong of a word) for tic tacs. Either way, the giving part felt good, and being helpful to someone else also felt good.

Lastly, because I loved tic tacs, naturally, tic tacs were always there in any situation. Good or bad, rain or shine, tic tacs got me through the day. So naturally, my addiction for tic tacs was a self-sustaining cycle. I would make it through a tough day of tests, and I would credit it to tic tacs. Or if I had a great day, I would credit the tic tacs. Because of this, by association, tic tacs always made my day.

---

Now, how does talking about "my strange addiction" help others cultivate their own happiness? Well, a few of the reasons as to why I was addicted can also be beneficial to helping you find your own happiness (and hopefully not in a pill-popping way!).

Friends. Without a doubt, my own relationships have been the primary source of happiness. I know I talked about it in my last post, but your support system will always help you in tough situations, or celebrate your victories with you. They'll be there when it feels like no one else will.

Get a hobby. Preferably one that doesn't relate to drugs, alcohol, or food consumption. Hobbies are a great way to pursue an interest, and because of your interest, you feel motivated to continue the hobby. Plus, overcoming any challenges will feel even better.

Figure out your associations, specifically, what you associate with happiness. For example, a hot bowl of beef noodle soup will always remind me of family celebrations, as my grandma's version is a staple for all birthdays. If you can figure out what things make you happy, whenever you're feeling down, you can trick your body into feeling better. Though I don't recommend doing this too often. It can get unhealthy/dangerous.

Make new relationships. Meeting new people, getting to know them, and building friendships always helps you in the long run. Humans inherently strive to connect with others, and by meeting more people, you might make a lifelong friend just by going out of your way to get to know someone. Or, maybe you won't click, and you'll never speak again afterwards. You never know.

Exercise (not mentioned in the story) when you can. While tic tacs were never consumed during exercise (choking hazard, duh), exercise is crucial to helping you feel better and cultivating your happiness. I forgot the exact chemical process, but endorphins and serotonin are produced during exercise, both of which will make you feel happy. There have been numerous studies showing the importance of exercise and its benefits on mental health, and yes, runner's high IS REAL (an alternate way to finding that high).

And, if all else fails, go for a walk. Walks have been been a great way to distract myself from what's going on, and helps me put things into perspective by giving me time to reorganize my thoughts. Walking around and between North and South Campus, checking out the views from the top of various buildings, and enjoying the natural beauty of campus, have helped me realize how fortunate I am to be able to go to UCLA. Even if you're not in the LA area, taking a walk, wherever you are, is always a great way to improve your mood.

In short, I hope you were able to find some new and practical ways to find the happiness that you deserve in your life. Stay cheesy :)

If you don't look like this at least once in your lifetime, are you really happy?

(MG)