The brain helps those who do not lose hope!

Psychiatrist Prof. Nevzat Tarhan stated that a strong sense of hope activates happiness hormones in the brain such as serotonin and dopamine, increasing a person’s energy: “Our brain helps us when we are hopeful. It finds solutions to crises and depression. Biologically, we are coded to be hopeful. Hope is a cognitive and mental skill for human beings.”

Prof. Tarhan noted that despair and pessimism are contrary to human nature: “Even in the most difficult situations, a person who carries a spark of hope within can find the strength to act. Thus, motivation and energy increase. Most importantly, the brain comes to their aid."

President of Üsküdar University, Psychiatrist Prof. Nevzat Tarhan discussed the topic of hope and hopelessness on the program Nevzat Tarhan ile Akla Ziyan, broadcast on EKOTÜRK TV.

Hope is not just an emotion but “life energy”

Prof. Nevzat Tarhan emphasized that hope is not only an emotion but also a form of “life energy” coded into the genes of all living beings for survival, stating that hope is the norm while hopelessness is the anomaly.

He explained that although humans are innately programmed to be hopeful, they can be driven into hopelessness through learned faulty thought patterns and “self-fulfilling prophecies.” “Even an animal continues grazing on its way to a slaughterhouse, because it has no future projection and it does not know hopelessness. Humans, however, are aware of the future and uncertainty, and this awareness can lead to hopelessness. But this is something learned later in life,” he said.

Stressing that hope is more than an emotion, rather it is a conscious and learned mental skill, Prof. Tarhan added: “Hope goes beyond being a feeling; it is something conscious, emerging as the result of mental learning. Human beings move between hope and hopelessness. When our brain ‘turns its back on us,’ we become hopeless. Thoughts such as ‘I can’t succeed, everything is meaningless, life is empty’ put the brain into defense mode and push a person toward loneliness and depression.”

One of the most important sources of psychological resilience is the ability to keep hope alive

Prof. Nevzat Tarhan stated that one of the most important sources of psychological resilience is the ability to maintain hope under all circumstances, adding that this skill is supported by other character strengths such as goal-oriented thinking and patience.

He pointed out that one of the greatest sources of hopelessness stems from people’s negative biases and “mind-reading” habits. Those with rigid thinking, closed to criticism, and stubborn in nature shut themselves off from change. He emphasized that the most essential skills of the 21st century are innovation and openness to different ideas.

Stressing that we should take children as an example in preserving the feeling of hope, Prof. Tarhan said: “Even in the most hopeless environment, a person can spark a light of hope within themselves. A seed waits underground; when the conditions are right, it becomes a sapling, then a tree, and then bears fruit. Hope is the same.”

At the root of human fears lies “intolerance of uncertainty”

Prof. Nevzat Tarhan explained that “intolerance of uncertainty” is at the root of human fears and serves as the main source of hopelessness: “Humans, unlike other living beings, have a desire to control everything,” he said.

He noted that sacred texts advise “trust in the divine plan”, that is, submission and reliance. When a person tries to see the bigger picture by saying, “What seems bad for me now may be good for tomorrow,” and shelves situations beyond their control through “radical acceptance,” uncertainty decreases and hopelessness transforms into hope. He further stated that this approach represents a modern therapeutic method, enabling individuals to focus on their goals and live in the present moment instead of wasting energy on matters beyond their power.

Hope as a learned mental skill

Emphasizing that hope is a learned mental skill and a strength of character, Prof. Tarhan said that at the foundation of psychological resilience lies “mental flexibility”, which is the ability to consider Plan B and Plan C when Plan A fails. He added that the story of Prophet Jonah should be read not only as a tale of patience but as a parable of “never falling into despair under any circumstances.”

Prof. Tarhan also observed that some people “feed on depression” in order to avoid responsibility and risk, locking themselves into fate by saying, “This is just who I am, life is bad.” He explained that this is essentially a form of self-deception.

A hopeful person is like water…

Prof. Nevzat Tarhan described the twenties as “the years of decisions,” often marked by identity searches and disappointments: “If the mental glasses you wear on life are black, you will see everything in black. A hopeful person, however, is like water; when they encounter an obstacle, they flow around it and continue on their way. Water is an incredible metaphor. It flows, and when an obstacle appears, it goes around it. Drop by drop, it passes through and keeps moving. It evaporates, then returns again. A hopeful person looks at life like water. Life is entirely about perspective. There is also the Phoenix, called Hüma in Turkish, which is reborn from its ashes. Like the Phoenix, we use the metaphor of rebirth from the ashes in therapy as well.”

Advising young people to take the Phoenix as an example, Prof. Tarhan said: “Human beings are inherently given this capacity. The darkest moments are the dawn when the value of light is understood. Instead of forcing closed doors, you should seek and find the open ones and move forward through them.”

The feeling of hope activates happiness hormones in the brain

Prof. Tarhan emphasized that a strong sense of hope activates happiness-related hormones such as serotonin and dopamine in the brain, boosting a person’s energy: “Our brain helps us when we are hopeful. It finds solutions to crises and depression. Biologically, we are coded to be hopeful. Hope is a cognitive and mental skill for human beings. A high sense of hope also means high motivation. In depression treatment or career training, the first thing taught is the expectation of recovery and the sense of hope. In people who have this expectation and sense of hope, hormones related to happiness and pleasure, such as serotonin, dopamine, oxytocin, and endorphins, which overflow in the brain. Thanks to these hormones, a person’s energy increases, and they activate themselves. A hopeful person does not see obstacles as mere ‘obstacles’ but as ‘a part of growth.’ Perspective is entirely about this. They interpret their traumas as ‘growth-producing traumas.’ Instead of focusing on the threatening aspect of an event, they ask, ‘What opportunity can I derive from this experience?’ With such a perspective, hope transforms into real life energy.”

Our brain works like a chemistry lab, like a pharmacy

Stating that despair and pessimism are contrary to human nature, Prof. Tarhan concluded his remarks as follows: “Even in the most difficult situations, a person who carries a spark of hope within can find the strength to act. As a result, motivation and energy increase. Most importantly, the brain helps. Our brain works like a chemistry laboratory, like a pharmacy. The brain of a hopeful person begins to produce solutions for depression or crises. When the brain provides support, finding a way out becomes much easier because we are biologically coded for this.”