What Is The Relationship Between Endorphins And Happiness?
The human nervous system is an incredibly complex set of organs; That is why, to understand how it works, scientific research focuses on understanding what its smallest elements are like and what they do, mainly at the level of cells and molecules. In this way, based on these observations of individual aspects that take place in our body, it will be easier to understand what is happening on a large scale.
Now, this also has its drawbacks. For example, there is often an excess of reductionism; That is to say, assuming that a phenomenon with many components works through the same logic and the same mechanics as its different parts and elements that exist on a smaller scale. This is something that happens a lot with a type of molecules known as endorphins, which are often described as the neurotransmitters responsible for us feeling happiness. In this article we will address this topic and We will see why the relationship between endorphins and happiness is somewhat more complicated than that
Let’s start with the most fundamental: what exactly are endorphins? It is a set of molecules generated by our body, specifically by the pituitary gland located in the brain, and that function as neurotransmitters; that is to say, substances used by neurons to communicate with each other It is characterized by having the effects of an endogenous opioid, which means that it can be understood as our body’s way of imitating the opiate substances present in certain plants. This implies that endorphins have analgesic and sedative effects, and also give us a certain feeling of well-being when our body secretes this molecule in high quantities.
Why do endorphins have these effects on our body? Having the ability to “self-administer” a substance similar to opium is useful in certain circumstances, especially in those in which we must face situations that are challenging for us and that can lead to a certain amount of physical wear, since when the neurons of Our nervous system captures this molecule, we become less sensitive to pain. Thus, One of the activities that most contributes to generating endorphins is sports and physical exercise in general
It may seem contradictory that the same molecule capable of making us feel well-being is activated in potentially painful situations, but if we look at it with perspective, it is not so contradictory. Many experiences require us to face experiences that may hurt us but that, despite this, can benefit us in some way. For this reason, endorphins help ensure that while we keep our mind and senses tuned to achieve our goals, we do not give in to the fear of suffering pain, meaning that, on the one hand, we have analgesic protection and, on the other, the The brain’s reward system is activated, motivating us to engage in an activity that entails certain risks.
What is the relationship between endorphins and happiness?
From what we have seen now, it seems that endorphins are the definition of everything we want to have in our lives: mitigate pain and at the same time feel well-being And it is true that if we focus only on its operating mechanics, we could say that it is desirable to feel that way. However, that does not mean that endorphins are capable of making us happy. Above all for two reasons.
First of all, endorphins never “take control” of our nervous system; The same experiences that favor its production in our body also stimulate the production of many others, and their effects combine with each other. The result is that we do not get to have an experience purely derived from endorphins exclusively
Secondly, happiness cannot be reduced to momentary well-being. Decades of research in the field of Psychology show that the experience of being happy is associated with how we see ourselves and our lives, how we value our lives and the life journey that has led us to the present situation, and to what extent. point we are able to bring meaning to what we do and what we have been doing. In this sense, what endorphins give us, although it is something valuable and necessary in many aspects, It is too simple and short-term to generate true happiness This is why stimulating the areas of the brain responsible for producing this neurotransmitter is not even remotely the strategy to be happy.
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