"Happy Chemicals"

Happiness is a wide concept and it's result comes from a vary of conclusions. I wanted to have a look into the biology of happiness. Well, a part of it.

At the end of the day happiness comes from within right?

Or is that another widely mistaken concept?

Upon doing my research I've been looking into what chemicals do allow us to experience pleasure. 

There are four main chemicals which are also known as the 'happy chemicals'.

If we have these chemicals why aren't we happy?

This is where it get's complicated.

Each one of these chemicals has it's own job.

In brief:

Dopamine = 'The great feeling that you will succeed in meeting your needs.

Serotonin = Flows when you feel important

Oxytocin = The feeling of trust.

Endorphins = The great euphoria that masks physical pain.

The problem is that once the hormone has done it's job, it takes a step back and stops. 

All these chemicals only work well in balance.

For example dopamine will be released when a hungry person gets food. However if someone only focuses on this type of stimulant they could then perhaps form an unhealthy relationship with food because they constantly long for that pleasure. This is how many of us become obese and then therefore unhappy. 

Another example is with Oxytocin. Oxytocin is the 'trust chemical'. This chemical is about survival and building trust. The key to Oxytocin stimulation is then enjoying the trust you have. Seeking to enforce this chemical by easily misplacing trust for example can then result in unhappiness.

All of these chemicals should have a place in our body. Sometimes mental illness for example does occur and chemical levels do go off balance on a big scale and that's why medication is prescribed to help get the balance back. 

Medication is a controversial way of treatment for conditions such as depression. Some claim that drugs are unnecessary to restore balanced chemical levels. We often hear the phrase 'going for a run, exercise makes you happier'.

It's all good exercising and releasing endorphins but maybe actually what we really need is Dopamine. Don't get me wrong, those endorphins aren't bad but an imbalance like I've already mentioned is ineffective for a stable state of happiness.

I'm no expert on neurotransmitters etc but I've found it interesting learning a bit more about these chemicals and writing about them. 

Thanks for reading. 

If you are a big believer in the neuroscience of happiness and are interested in how you can re wire your brain to release the 'right' amount of chemicals then I would read the following aritcle: https://www.psychologytoday.com/files/attachments/59029/happy-chemicals.pdf 

Apparently we can be happy in 45 days! 

If anyone tries it or has tried it, let me know as I'm intrigued to see if it works.

This was me exploring the happy chemicals :D

-X-H-X-