Why You Might Be Struggling to Be Happy and It’s Not What You Think…
By Dr. Vanessa Ruiz, ND, RN
How come they’re happy and I’m not?
That’s probably a question any trauma survivor has asked themselves.
It’s a question that many who have had complex trauma also ask themselves.
Well, “I’m just not a happy person” you might think.
If this sounds like you, I invite you to keep reading to help you understand the neurobiology of positive emotions and why trauma can derail positive emotions like joy, happiness and motivation.
But first, a little bit about myself: Hi, I’m Dr. Vanessa Ruiz and I’m a doctor that is passionate about trauma and bio-hacking with natural healing. I’m also someone who has had complex trauma and never considered myself a “happy person” until I understood how to access positive emotions.
The thing that I discovered is that that there are actual neuroscience and biological foundations for anhedonia,which is the inability to feel pleasure. They are:
Altered dopaminergic pathways for reward and pleasure. Many trauma survivors who have had long-standing trauma, especially adverse experiences incurred during childhood have reduced pleasure and motivation for fun as well as pleasurable experiences like food.
High levels of stress hormones shut down reward pathways in the brain and amplify areas of survival sensitive areas such as the basolateral amygdala. Huh? What this means is that when we are under stress, it is literally turning off our desire and motivation for reward and pleasure, while prioritizing survival loops in our brain.
In long-standing trauma, chronic inflammation has been shown to reduce dopamine, a neurotransmitter linked to reward, pleasure and sexual desire. Chronic inflammation is geared towards healing, however, when chronic and longstanding, can inhibit our ability to feel pleasure.
Impaired metabolism and metabolic syndrome, a common risk factor in those with PTSD is associated with higher levels of anhedonia and depression. Positive emotions such as joy and pleasure are actually higher energy states. With long-standing PTSD, there are often issues with energy regulation and metabolism, which means that your body may be struggling to fuel higher energy states.
Neurotransmitter synthesis like dopamine and serotonin production are reliant on cofactors and vitamins, while malabsorption and gut dysfunction are common in PTSD. In other words, nutrient deficiencies trigger impaired serotonin and dopamine synthesis, which will likely lead to issues with stable mood.
So what does this actually mean for you and what can you do if you’re experiencing anhedonia?
Here are a few tips to help you access JOY:
Repairing or developing altered reward pathways: accessing positive emotions is going to require intentional practice and “habit” to begin to develop these areas better. This would mean incorporating a “joy” self-care practice, like mindfulness while eating, dancing to your favorite song and creating daily experiences that are joyful for you.
High levels of stress hormones: Begin a daily recovery practice. This could mean doing things like breathwork, going for a walk, or perhaps even taking an adaptogenic supplement (Ashwagandha, Rhodiola and Siberian ginseng to name a few) that will help balance out cortisol.
Reduce Omega 6’s in your diet. These are inflammatory fats that are typically found in canola, vegetable oils or processed foods. Increase Omega 3 fats that are found in wild caught fish, chia seeds, hemp that can enhance brain signaling, as well as brain resiliency towards stress.
Impaired metabolism and metabolic syndrome from chronic stress. To slowly repair metabolic syndrome, it requires reducing stress hormones, reducing omega 6’s in your diet, and reducing overall intake of processed foods.
Improving nutrient deficiencies. Eating a whole foods diet would be the first step. Focus on getting the colors of the rainbow of fruits and vegetables, which carry many of the nutrients, cofactors and fiber to help repair gut health.
I hope that this blog has helped you to discover that there is a neurobiological basis for how you feel, and discover ways to be able to help you reclaim your own joy.
While joy may feel out of reach for you as it did for many of my clients, I’ve had the profound experience of seeing them blossom and slowly discover that by helping their body, reducing their stress, they can then begin to experience more positive emotions.
To Reclaiming Your Joy,
Dr. Vanessa