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Happiness

I got asked this this morning and have just been wondering. I've put it here because I'm not sure if it's biology/psychology etc. etc.

What causes happiness? I'm not talking about the external stimulus, but what actually happens in your mind/body to make you feel happy. This girl thought there was a drug in your brain that made you happy - I assumed it had something to do with hormones???

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Reply 1

The Hitchhiker

Dopamine is one of the neurochemicals which is responsible for happiness. Serotonin also has a role i believe. However it's been a while, (2 months :p:

) since I've studied psych so i may be wrong.

Reply 2

FyreFight

It has something to do with the serotonin levels in your nervous system. There's probably a lot of other relevant chemicals too, but I didn't pay attention in biology class. Someone studying biochemistry at degree level will probably hop along soon to answer it properly.

Reply 3

Vesta

There's a hormone in chocolate which makes you happy apparently
(I'm trying to justify the big Galaxy bar I'm currently chomping on :wink:

)

But no it's true (AFAIK) :smile:

Reply 4

The Hitchhiker

Vesta

There's a hormone in chocolate which makes you happy apparently
(I'm trying to justify the big Galaxy bar I'm currently chomping on :wink:

)

But no it's true (AFAIK) :smile:

I remember reading that in the Guardian back in the day. My mum cut it out and stuck it up on the inside of her chocolate cupboard!

Reply 5

Vesta

yellowtruck

I remember reading that in the Guardian back in the day. My mum cut it out and stuck it up on the inside of her chocolate cupboard!

Whatever makes us females feel better huh :wink:

Reply 6

The Hitchhiker

Vesta

Whatever makes us females feel better huh :wink:

Sorry if that sounded offensive... that wasn't the intention!

Seriously! she did cut it out tho!

Reply 7

username85555

Yes! Finally, a good reason to eat chocolate :smile:

Reply 8

m90

Doesn't chocolate have endorphins in it which makes you happy?

Reply 9

symphonic

Yeah I was thinking endorphins, and serotonin though too much of that makes you go slightly crazy I believe.

Reply 10

Sabriel

Dopamine also makes men fall asleep after sex. Not that they need any further excuses, eh ladies?

Reply 11

The Hitchhiker

symphonic

Yeah I was thinking endorphins, and serotonin though too much of that makes you go slightly crazy I believe.

I thought that was Dopamine, in that if you have too much you develop Parkinson's and too little you develop Alzheimer's.

Reply 12

symphonic

Oh is it dopamine?
I know we studied serotonin in psychology and too little of it makes you depressed which can lead to anorexia.

Reply 13

The Hitchhiker

symphonic

Oh is it dopamine?
I know we studied serotonin in psychology and too little of it makes you depressed which can lead to anorexia.

I believe so. 'The dopamine hypothesis'. I'm not 100% sure which way around the Parkinson's and Alzheimer's go but they're definitely in there somewhere! (see what two months of no lessons does for you :p: