The Biochemical Foundations of Happiness and Anxiety: Dopamine, Serotonin, Endorphins, and Oxytocin
Brain neurology is an exciting field of study that holds many mysteries, such as the cause of human happiness or emotional well-being. In recent years, science has discovered and studied primary brain chemicals related to happiness—dopamine, serotonin, endorphins, and oxytocin. Let’s take a look at what these brain chemicals are and how they can affect anxiety.
Dopamine
Dopamine is associated with feeling pleasure, having motivation to achieve goals, and generally staying upbeat in one's outlook.
Dopamine is often linked to positive emotions and rewards within the body. However, research suggests that in some cases, dopamine may also be linked to anxiety and other negative emotions.
Rather than increasing pleasure and rewarding behaviors, higher levels of dopamine can actually produce anxious and even paranoid thoughts. (Interesting, this is why ADHD medicine can sometimes trigger OCD episodes for clients with the dual diagnosis).
Neurotransmitter imbalances can lead to symptoms of anxiety, depression or other mental disorders in some people, making it important to understand how dopamine processes function in the body. Understanding these processes better may allow us to develop treatments and effective coping strategies for those with certain mental disorders related to dopamine production.
Serotonin
Serotonin is also associated with emotional stability and contentment.
Serotonin levels are believed to affect the way a person reacts to stressful events and impair their ability to self-regulate.
While scientists still only have an incomplete understanding of serotonin's exact role in anxiety, it is known that individuals with particularly low levels of this chemical messenger, or those with impaired serotonin receptors, are much more likely to experience bouts of extreme anxiety than those who have normal levels.
Although medications which target serotonin receptors often form part of an anxiety treatment plan, we still need more research into how the brain's chemical messengers interact with one another in order to create anxiety.
Fortunately, there are ways to naturally increase and balance your dopamine and serotonin levels in the body through activities like exercise, good nutrition, spending time outdoors, positive self-talk, seeking help from professionals such as psychiatrists or neurologists when needed, and practicing gratitude. By understanding how important brain neurology is to our overall emotional health, take steps to ensure that joyous days are not just few but plenty.
Additionally, neurologists are also researching how to boost happiness with oxytocin and endorphins.
Oxytocin
Oxytocin, known colloquially as the ‘love hormone’ is a neurochemical released during social interaction that results in an increased feeling of warmth and connection towards another person.
Specifically, research has found that oxytocin has a positive influence on the amygdala and hippocampus - two parts of the brain associated with emotion and memory.
By increasing levels of oxytocin in the brain, people can improve their ability to tag memories as neutral rather than fearful or anxious. Furthermore, studies suggest that an increase in oxytocin also enhances communication between brain cells, making it easier for people to process stressful situations in a rational manner.
Endorphins
Endorphins, on the other hand, produce positive feelings such as pleasure, general well-being, and even pain relief. Endorphins are a group of naturally occurring hormones that produce a sense of euphoria when released in the body.
Endorphins are responsible for the "runner's high," that indescribable feeling you get after pushing yourself to the limit physically.
They can also be induced by laughter, talking to close friends, and even meditation.
It is important to consider the impact of endorphins on anxiety levels. While endorphins can certainly provide relief from anxious moments, it is possible for endorphin surges to cause a type of panic associated with physical sensations such as increased heart rate and restlessness. These endorphin-induced panics often come along with fatigue and mental fog. Understanding endorphin biology is necessary in order to identify when endorphins are helpful and when they may be the cause of our anxiety symptoms.
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Learning about neurobiology can be an important step towards greater self-awareness, and an important intellectual connection between the mind and the body. I ask my clients to remind themselves during exposure exercises that “my body is scared, but I am safe,” because the chemical releases that anxious humans experience are not always correlated to actual danger. Our body’s hormone system can sometimes mislead us and be treatment-interfering. The more we know about our biochemical functions, and what power we have around these mechanisms, the more agency we can hold in our own happiness.
Please contact us at Kairos Wellness Collective to explore anxiety treatment to effectively manage your anxiety and paving the path to a rewarding life, full of happiness!
