New Book ‘Why You’re Unhappy: Biology vs. Politics’ Debunks Happiness Myths

Loretta Breuning, PhD, founder of The Inner Mammal Institute and a pioneer in the study of happy brain chemicals, challenges conventional views on happiness in her new book “Why Youre Unhappy: Biology vs Politics.”

Breuning has authored several books on happiness and the animal origins of the human brain’s happy chemicals, including “The Jane Goodall of Goats: a novel about our inner mammal” and “Habits of a Happy Brain: Retrain your brain to boost your serotonin, dopamine, oxytocin and endorphin levels.” She posits that the pursuit of constant happiness is misguided and influenced by societal and political norms rather than biological reality. 

In her latest work, Breuning asserts that unhappiness is not a mental disorder but the brain’s natural state. She explains that our happy chemicals are not designed to be on all the time, yet we’re taught that happiness is “normal,” which leaves a lot of people feeling like something is wrong with them.

Her perspective offers a fresh take on mental health, moving away from the entrenched disease model that suggests emotional fluctuations indicate a disorder.

Breuning, whose work has been translated into 16 languages, emphasizes that the idea everyone else is perpetually happy creates a misleading narrative. She argues this perception diverts attention from developing skills to stimulate natural happiness-inducing brain chemicals like serotonin, dopamine, oxytocin, and endorphins.

Through her research and previous books, Breuning aims to educate people on managing their “inner mammal” for better emotional health. Her insights are widely recognized and have been influential in helping people around the world understand motivation and happiness.