Much has been written about happiness and from psychology to philosophy, different theories of happiness have focused on themes of contentment, contentment, and even spiritual liberation. But happiness is one of the most subjective states of mind, and several factors can be at play when a person is truly happy. While anger or fear might be defined by physical reactions and certain behavior patterns, this is not the case for happiness and that is how happiness is extremely subjective. For example, one bar of chocolate might make one child happy, while another child would want two bars of chocolate to feel truly happy.

So why do we feel happy? Happiness is usually associated with some kind of gain or achievement. When we achieve or achieve something, we feel satisfied and this triggers happiness. The achievement does not have to be material, it could very well be spiritual. It could even be bodily and physical, just like how an insomniac would feel happy after a good night’s sleep. Therefore, in defining happiness we have to locate a specific material, spiritual or physical gain or achievement and the satisfaction that arises as a result of this achievement. The question would arise whether it is possible to be happy without any achievement. I would say that you cannot be happy without having achieved something and this achievement does not have to be immediate and may be related to some past achievement. Now, you could say that you know someone who is always happy for no specific reason. It is that you have not discovered the reason for his happiness. He can be a simple man with simple needs and happy after a warm bath or a good meal, so it’s still an accomplishment. Therefore, happiness always implies some achievement or satisfaction of a need, however small or great.

Psychologists have used various models, including the biopsychosocial and PERMA models, to explain happiness, suggesting that happiness is achieved when our biological, psychological, and sociological needs are met or when there is pleasure (eg, bodily), engagement ( in some activity, for example), relationships, meaning (for example, the purpose of life), and achievements. These models suggest that happiness involves something deeper than just our fleeting pleasures. I would differ and suggest that happiness is extremely subjective, some people may be happy by gaining pleasure, while others may be looking for meaning or possibly achievement and relationships. So the level or type of fun that makes one happy will vary from person to person.

Therefore, some people would be happy when their basic needs are met, while others would not be happy even after significant professional achievements, as they may be expecting some other level or type of achievement. Thus, happiness largely depends on our subjective understanding of what it means to be happy. Because happiness is so subjective, it cannot be placed strictly within models or frameworks, although the underlying common factor that makes people happy is always some kind of achievement, gain, or need satisfaction.

The next level of analysis would be whether happiness could be classified into generalized happiness or a continuous happy state of mind and specific happiness from achieving one of the specific pleasures or goals. I would suggest that there cannot be a generalized state of happiness without a specific reason. An apparently happy person may not be genuinely happy or may be genuinely happy as they may have reached an exalted spiritual state or have accumulated substantial wealth. So again, as we see, a continuous state of happiness could also be explained by achievement.

The fulfillment of the need or the achievement that triggers happiness could be biological, such as bodily pleasures, such as when we quench our thirst, satisfy physical desires, etc. Achievement can be social when we form relationships and feel happy or just talk to strangers at a big event or stay engaged in a social activity, or achievement can be spiritual when we seek and even find some kind of spiritual liberation. The achievement or satisfaction of the need can be psychological when our needs for love are satisfied or when we reach our goals or fulfill our ambitions. The biological, psychological, social and spiritual aspects of entertainment could provide happiness according to your needs. Therefore, happiness is closely linked to our specific needs, although these needs could be interrelated, for example, the need for status or power could be both social and psychological.

This is how we distinguish the factors that could lead to happiness

1. Biological (bodily pleasures, basic needs)

2. Social (status, relationships, social activity and commitment)

3. Psychological (emotional, love, friendship, personal achievements)

4. Spiritual (finding meaning and purpose, transpersonal needs)

There can be various reactions to happiness and this can range from smiling to rigorous physical activity as happiness can mean a sudden increase in energy levels. People who are physically active are more likely to be happy due to improved blood circulation and overall good health. However, with happiness being an extremely subjective emotional state, in order to feel genuinely happy, some achievement in terms of long-term goals such as love or married life, wealth, spiritual liberation, or professional achievement could help a person to achieve a continuous happy state. mind. It is the prolonged state of happiness that has causes similar to any transitory state of happiness, although the effects can be long-lasting. People who have a prolonged state of happiness are generally lively, sporty, fun-loving, and optimistic. A child can show a prolonged state of happiness when the parents or caregivers of her give her the proper care and love. However, transient states of happiness are more common, as prolonged states of happiness can be interrupted by adverse life events, so momentary joys and pleasures give us peace of mind to accept and embrace life.

From a more psychoanalytic point of view, happiness would be related to desire, libido, our energy levels and even the defense mechanisms that we unconsciously use to vent our frustration and thus remain happy or calm. Happiness would naturally raise our libidinal levels and make us more energetic, and high energy levels in turn could make us happy, so this process is cyclical. Several scientific studies have shown that happiness is directly related to our energy levels.

Considering the defense mechanisms, psychoanalysis could somehow suggest that happiness is actually a performance or formation of reactions when we show certain reactions that can be completely opposite to what we feel. For example, in reaction formation we can show happiness, when in reality we are sad or depressed. Although genuine happiness could also be explained with psychoanalysis, as for example, an artist is genuinely happy when he can sublimate his desires into socially acceptable forms of expression through his creativity. An athlete is truly happy when she can channel her aggressive or sexual desires through sport or rigorous activity. So these defense mechanisms in psychoanalysis might actually produce genuine happiness in people because of the inherent coping and survival strategies involved in these defenses.

Finally, happiness being a state of mind would be completely subjective and would evoke extreme subjective reactions. For example, someone laughs when hearing a joke and feels happy about it, and another person would be sarcastic or not feel the same level of emotion. While anger and other emotions could be explained in terms of physical responses, happiness often does not have definite physical responses, although there is a general positive feeling of well-being, and physical responses can vary considerably. As I have said about the psychology of emotions, it would be necessary to determine the components of feeling and bodily reaction for each emotion, including happiness, and psychology has an extensive research project to consider in the future.