Dr. Loretta Breuning, Happy-Chemical Pioneer and founder of The Inner Mammal Institute, wrote the first book on the animal origins of our happy brain chemicals: serotonin, dopamine, oxytocin, and endorphin. Her work has been translated into 16 different languages In her latest book, she explains that unhappiness is not a disorder, but our brain's natural default state. Our happy chemicals are not designed to be on all the time, yet we're taught that happiness is “normal.” This leaves a lot of people feeling like something is wrong with them. The disease model of mental health is so entrenched that we don’t notice it the way a fish doesn’t notice water. It’s proclaimed as a service to the greater good, but it does more harm than good because: It presents our normal emotional ups and downs as indications of a disorder. - it creates the illusion that everyone else is happy, while you are deprived. - it shifts your attention away from the skills necessary to trigger your brain's natural happy chemicals. So, why is this misleading view of our biology so popular? It’s politics. Not the politics of government elections, but the politics of saying what’s popular to win support. Doctors, scholars, therapists, and the media embrace the Rousseauian view that happiness is intrinsic to nature, and society is to blame for unhappiness. They tell you that animals and children are happy, and you would be too if it weren't for “our society." This mindset makes you a powerless victim of external circumstances instead of building the skill of managing your brain. The truth is animals, children, and hunter-gatherers are unhappy a lot. You don’t hear this from the people who claim to give you “THE Science.” But simple biology makes it clear that our brain saves its happy chemicals for survival action. It’s hard to get happy chemicals from this brain we’ve inherited. Humans have struggled to build this skill from the beginning of time. You don’t build the skill when you’re taught that happiness is effortless in “normal" people or you think you have a disorder that experts should fix. The book shows why the healthcare system, academia, therapists, and the media overlook the undeniable truth about our biology. Readers can expect to learn: The Natural Unhappiness of the Mammal Brain Natural tendencies of the mammal brain to uncover its innate propensity for unhappiness. - The intricate relationship between dopamine and unhappiness, revealing its surprising role in our mental landscape. - The lesser-known factors contributing to unhappiness, including the influence of serotonin, oxytocin, and endorphins. How Politics Filters the Facts About Biology Unveil the subtle manipulation of medical narratives by the pharmaceutical industry and pharma-funded organizations. - Explore the politics of the helping professions, where they strive to say what’s popular to keep you coming back. - Unmask the media practices that give the aura of science to the theory that unhappiness is a disease. A Realistic Path to Happiness The empowering truth that happiness is not predetermined but rather a learned skill waiting to be mastered. - Practical strategies to nurture your inner mammal and cultivate lasting happiness. - Explore the possibilities of creating a happier society by spreading a realistic conception of our biology. Our brain is crafted for survival, so it often leads to unhappiness by default. But armed with the knowledge of our natural operating system, you can steer it towards happiness and contentment. With a better understanding of our neurochemical motivational system, you'll be able to create your own genuine happiness and fulfillment. You will discover the natural antidepressant power of your own coping skills.