Today I finished my second task of Productive Bingo – finish a book. The book I’ve chosen to read was The Molecule of More by Daniel Z. Lieberman and Michael E. Long. I took me two weeks to complete this book. I planned to read 15-30 pages a day; however, I ended up reading it whenever I felt like it instead of sticking to a plan, so there were days where I read 0 pages and days where I read significantly more.
I originally wanted to write a summary of the book after finishing it, but instead, I think I’ll reflect on it.
Reflection
The gist of the book – We have dopaminergic and H&N (Here & Now) neurotransmitters. Dopamine helps us strive for better things in the future whereas H&Ns help us appreciate the present and what we have. It takes a healthy balance of both to be happy with our lives.
I found this book interesting as it allowed me to reflect on myself as I was reading it. I always had a problem of constant boredom and wanting to do everything, and becoming upset when I don’t achieve enough. I strive for achievement to the point where I don’t appreciate or enjoy life. Hell, my whole Productive Bingo project is based on achievements! However, I am genuinely enjoying it as I’m not beating myself over not completing my tasks (though I do plan to finish them eventually).
The book also mentions depression and how the chemicals in our brains affect it. As someone who dealt with depression that is currently successfully managed with an SSRI (Lexapro, in my case), it was interesting to understand how it worked. Serotonin is an H&N neurotransmitter, and SSRIs help the brain “hold on” to our serotonin and keep it from being reabsorbed for longer. The presence of serotonin helps regulate a depressed person’s mood. It reshapes the brain by rewiring pathways to, as my doctor has put it, “reset” the brain. I have been taking Lexapro for a year now, and while moments of depression resurface from time to time, it has significantly helped my mood.
Conclusion
Anyway, I’m sure many people would find this book relatable and reflective to some extent. I would highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in learning and understanding themselves more.
Next up, I will draw my next task for Productive Bingo – Task 3!