Remembering a positive experience can trigger dopamine and help fight negative thoughts.
Brain scans show that dopamine is released not only when we engage directly in pleasurable experiences, but also when we reflect and remember these highlights. In fact, remembering a positive experience can trigger the release of dopamine with the same force as the actual experience.
Learning to remember the successes of the past when you are engaged in a present challenge is a powerful weapon against the panic and despair of "I can't do it".
The main dopamine pathway leads to the prefrontal cortex, implicated in the planning of complex cognitive behaviors, personality expression, decision-making and moderation of social conduct.
Happy memories can become a tool to feel more positive and confident. This is not only for adults, but also for children.
When we (or our children) feel down or when we think we can't do something, one help might be to create a kind of 'mini-film', that is, to remember a happy event as if it were a film that we can 'watch as needed.
It is not about simply thinking about a happy memory of the past, but about trying to relive it, taking all the time necessary to remember every detail, such as the people involved, their expressions, time, etc.
guidelines:
- Bring all your attention to the happy experience
- The short film begins
- Observe the people involved, their expressions. Observe your physical sensations, emotions and thoughts
- Imagine how happy memory ends and bring attention to how it makes you feel.
Happy movie!