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Happy Chemicals and How to Hack Them

Updated: Mar 12

There are four neurotransmitters that are linked to feelings of happiness. Some people are deficient in these, leading to mental illness. If you have mental illness, seek expert help, which may include medication from your psychiatrist that influences these neurotransmitters, and therapy.


There are also some things that you can do to positively influence these happy chemicals...

Meet your happy chemicals: Oxytocin, Endorphin, Serotonin, Dopamine


Oxytocin — Love Hormone

Oxytocin is labeled the love hormone because it’s a hormone and neurotransmitter heavily involved in childbirth, breastfeeding, and how we deal with our relationships. This chemical has the power to regulate our emotional responses and pro-social behaviours, including trust, empathy, gazing, positive memories, processing of bonding cues, and positive communication. Basically, every action you can think of related to love.


Here are some of the ways that you can increase oxytocin:

  1. Spend time with your pet - I walk daily with my two dogs in Nature

  2. Physical touch

  3. Talk to someone — whether my family and friends

  4. Serve others

  5. Give a compliment as often as possible

  6. Listen to positive music

  7. Yoga - I do yoga 5 times per week


Endorphin — Pain Killer

Endorphins are a chemical released by the body to relieve stress and pain. Scientists have found that endorphins work similarly to opioids which block pain signals and can produce a feeling of euphoria. Endorphins are involved in our natural reward circuits and are related to important activities like eating, drinking, physical fitness, and sexual intercourse.


If we are in pain we will not be happy at all and so endorphins are very important to our body. Here are a few ways to increase endorphins:

  1. Eat dark chocolate

  2. Dance

  3. Laugh or watch a funny film

  4. Create music, art and writing from the heart

  5. Listen to music that you like

  6. Exercise


Serotonin — Mood Stabiliser

Many people have heard of this chemical before because it is strongly linked to depression. However, studies have shown that it can also link closely to anxiety, suicidal behaviour, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. This chemical will impact your entire body (e.g. eating, sleeping and, digestion).


SSRI (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) is the drug most commonly prescribed to those who unfortunately cannot increase their serotonin naturally. Some people will have serotonin releasing very slowly in their brains which will cause a deeper depression. Here’s what worked for me as well as medication:

  1. Meditation and mindfulness

  2. Spend time in Nature

  3. Exercise

  4. Healthy supplements

  5. Avoid sugar and junk food


Dopamine — Reward Chemical

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that is very important for roles in the brain and the body. For example, reward, motivation, memory, and even body movements. Too much dopamine can cause serious mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and too little dopamine is linked to serious physical illnesses such as Parkinson’s Disease.


There are ways to increase your dopamine levels through taking medication. Ways to increase dopamine naturally include:

  1. Complete a task

  2. Celebrating goals and wins

  3. Try something new

  4. Eat lots of protein and eat healthily

  5. Get enough sleep

  6. Get enough sunlight


Happy chemicals and how to hack them - this is a poster from an NHS therapy clinic


Namaste.


Sending you love, light, and blessings brothers.


Olly



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Hello,

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