There are lots of hormones that are continuously working in the human body. These hormones keep humans alive and help them to take necessary actions in a timely manner. The role of hormones is significant in the functioning of the Human body. They work as messengers of the body, carrying orders and information through the bloodstream and neural system. Without hormones, vital organs and muscles would not be aware of the state that they are in. This essay will focus on the hormones that regulate humans' mental states and explain the interaction of hormones and feelings.
There are four hormones that are known to provide humans with the feeling of happiness, as people say. These hormones are dopamine, also known as the reward hormone, oxytocin, the love hormone, serotonin, the happiness hormone, and endorphins, which have pain-relieving properties. These hormones have various conditions for secretion, and in natural living, they all affect one’s mood by staying at a certain level. Additionally, a healthy and active person can keep their happiness hormones at a stable level. As a result, they can experience the joy of being alive and feel energetic and happy, even if there is no specific reason for it.
Serotonin, also known as the happiness hormone, carries electrical signals between nerve cells. Serotonin is found in the central nervous system and the gastrointestinal tract of the body. Having enough serotonin in the body has positive effects on mood, helps regulate sleep performance, contributes positively to memory and learning functions, and regulates the digestive system and appetite. A lack of serotonin can lead to depression and sleep disorders.
Dopamine is known as the reward hormone. This hormone is related to the pleasure feelings, memory, learning levels, and other motor systems in the body. The dopamine hormone contributes to quickly feeling happy. However, its effect is relatively short compared to other hormones and it stays at a certain level in the body., just like receiving happy news!
Oxytocin: Oxytocin hormone is also called the "love hormone". This hormone is effective in creating a strong bond between family and child from birth. In addition, this hormone drastically increases the passion in a relationship during hugging or interaction with the opposite gender and strengthens the trust between the couple. Furthermore, It reduces stress by lowering cortisol levels
Endorphin: Endorphin is one of the happiness hormones and is directly linked to the brain's reward function. The Endorphin hormone is usually released into the bloodstream after rewarding activities such as eating, drinking, or exercising. It is considered the body's natural painkiller and manifests itself after any pain or illness.
The natural levels of these hormones are maintained by healthy habits such as sleep, exercise, and a balanced diet. However, in our modern age, it has become more difficult to maintain these habits, while at the same time, it has become easier to access stimuli that can disrupt the natural balance of human hormones. This is the main cause of addictions and the general dissatisfaction that people experience. In ancient times, people lived happy lives despite having limited sources of entertainment, but now, the abundance of entertainment options has turned us into unsatisfied consumers.
Stimuli: Something makes us warned
Dopamine is a hormone in the human body that serves as a source of motivation for self-improvement. Normal events such as romantic interactions, career advancement, and making money, trigger dopamine release in our bodies. Let's assume that such simple events trigger the release of 10 units of dopamine. Unfortunately, there is a reality called social media that presents one with content that will charm that person more and more as we scroll. To indicate, let's say that social media content that the subject like releases 20 units of dopamine for you. Since that person has been exposed to such an event for a long time, the human brain responds to excessive dopamine intake by reducing dopamine production. As a result, social media starts to release a minimum of 10 units of dopamine for you. There is nothing wrong with this, people may think, but in this case, the normal events that a regular person experiences in life fall below the minimum level. After experiencing these events, people may feel the need to rely on social media to bring their dopamine levels back to the minimum. This is how addictions are formed.
Social media is just one of the things that help people to feel happy easily. While addiction is often associated with smoking and drinking, these are examples that everyone is aware of. But there are hidden things that make people addicted. For example, computer games. Dopamine motivates people to feed themselves, find water, and socialize. However, for people who obtain this dopamine from computer games, eating is just an activity necessary to continue playing the game, and they don't even need to socialize or have a healthy sleep because their brain is drunk with the happiness they get from the game.
This hormonal imbalance in the human system also brings about dissatisfaction and high expectations in the young generation, which leads to a domino effect of dissatisfaction. The use of social media in romantic relationships promises people too many options and demands, causing individuals to compare themselves to others and doubt their choices, ultimately leading to unhappiness. Similarly, exposure to people who are financially superior to us through social media can make them feel insufficient.
In conclusion, while the systems in the human body have been accustomed to a lifestyle that has been going on for thousands of years, the rapid changes in human life over the last century have caused problems in the adaptation process. In general, in order to have a happier state of mind, we should avoid becoming too consumed with the consumerist concept of our era. Although it may not be possible to eliminate it completely, we should set limits for ourselves regarding social media and addictive substances, and apply a "diet program" to these types of addictive behaviors, just as we track the nutritional values of our food and follow a diet.
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