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Serotonin vs Dopamine

Differences between pleasure and happiness

By Violet MuthoniPublished 2 months ago 5 min read
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Serotonin vs Dopamine
Photo by Catalin Pop on Unsplash

Neurotransmitter that promotes learning is dopamine. It's a neurotransmitter known for positive reinforcement. The transmitter is the one who reports, "This feels good." I'm craving more. Serotonin, meanwhile, is the reverse. This neurotransmitter is responsible for the pleasurable feeling. I no longer need or desire it. Those two things are not the same. The issue is that you run the risk of always trying to reward yourself if you don't recognize the difference.

There is now a third, crucial element in this approach. It goes under the name cortisol. Thus, the stress hormone is cortisol. Cortisol acts on the prefrontal cortex, a region of the brain located directly behind your forehead and above your eyes. This function of cortisol is very significant in the narrative. The area of your brain that prevents you from making foolish decisions is called the prefrontal cortex. I refer to it as the Jimminy Cricket portion of your mind, a la Pinocchio's last remark. You cannot look into the future if your prefrontal brain is malfunctioning. Your existence is fleeting. It is prefrontal cortical dysfunction that makes a person into a reptile.

Alright? It makes no difference what occurs in the future. Right now, I need my prize. Furthermore, there is no way to mentally suppress that sense of accomplishment, which accelerates the release of dopamine. And in the end, neuronal cell death is dependent upon that. Addiction is caused by the interaction of cortisol and dopamine. A reward is always worthwhile. Furthermore, it is not, which is why we are all currently experiencing chronic stress. Because of this lizard brain, persistent stress causes you to crave rewards.

It also primes you for addiction. However, prolonged stress also has a cortisol-related influence on the serotonin side of things. By binding to its receptor, serotonin inhibits the subsequent neuron. The issue is that cortisol inhibits the activity of the serotonin receptor. Depression is caused by a decrease in serotonin and its receptors. Depression and addiction are both real. One attributed to dopamine, the other to a deficiency in serotonin, but both in the context of cortisol and long-term stress. Chronic stress, then, is the thing that undermines these two significant human ailments. One reward scheme is in place. One. The incentives program is now really crucial. You cannot exit the situation if you are not rewarded.

That's what happens when you lie in bed and die. And transgenic animals have been used for it. The animals no longer have any desire to survive as they have destroyed the incentive system. To be able to get out of bed in the morning, go to work, earn a living, bring home a paycheck, eat, and so on, you need a reward. Fine. The survival of the species is a reward. You can't accomplish anything without the benefit. Reward and contentment, however, are not synonymous.

Pleasure and reward go hand in hand. Happiness and contentment go hand in hand. These two ideas—pleasure and happiness—have been confounded and mixed together by people in our culture. There are, in my opinion, seven key distinctions between the two, and in order for people to discern how the globe and number two are being controlled, they must be aware of these distinctions.

Seven distinctions, a single delight, a brief phrase akin to a dinner. Similar to how a lifetime of pleasure is visceral, happiness is long-lasting. Your body is aware of it. Ethereal happiness transcends the three joys that are taken from a casino.

Happiness is given to us as a place to live. Fourth, one can experience pleasure on their own. similar to chocolate cake. Happiness is attained in social gatherings, such as birthday celebrations. Substances can be used to achieve pleasure number five. Substances like cocaine and heroin, for example, cannot bring enjoyment. Sixth, enjoyment. the extremes of pleasure, in terms of drugs or actions. drugs such as heroin, cocaine, alcohol, nicotine, sugar, or habits. Thus, excessively pornographic online gaming, social media, gambling, and shopping are all addicting. Every shopaholic, sexaholic, alcoholic, chocoholic, and so on has a "aholic" behind them, but there's no such thing as an addiction to too much happiness and number seven. And lastly, possibly the most significant for this discussion. Dopamine causes pleasure, whereas serotonin causes happiness.

Thus, two distinct neurotransmitters in two distinct brain regions. There are two distinct drivers, two distinct modes of action, and two distinct regulatory pathways. You may ask, "So what?" or "Why should we care?" This is the reason we are concerned.

Dopamine attaches to its receptor and functions as an excitatory neurotransmitter. The following neuron fires. Alright. Ah, the stimulation of synaptic receptors. Neurones now like to be stimulated—no, to be tickled. They dislike being physically assaulted. Chronic overstimulation of any neuron in the body results in the death of neuronal cells.

The reason for this is that neurons are so metabolically active and neurotransmission so metabolically demanding that a neuron will eventually exhaust itself and die. Therefore, the postsynaptic neuron with dopamine receptors has a backup plan. It has a safeguard in place to prevent overloading. It functions by inhibiting the dopamine receptor.

As a result, there is a reduced likelihood that any one molecule will bind to a receptor even though you have a large number of lignans and dopamine molecules. In human terms, that means that you have to use more and more in order to obtain less and less. And that's what we refer to as tolerance. Tolerance is caused by dopamine. Addiction occurs when those neurons actually begin to die.

This second neurotransmitter, serotonin, is now rejected. It inhibits. Given that you are inhibitory and inhibiting the subsequent neuron, is it necessary to down-regulate the receptor in order to prevent the neuron from dying from not being overexcited? If anything, it's being unduly cautious. Thus, while it is impossible to overindulge in happiness, there is one substance that lowers serotonin and dopamine levels. You become more sad the more pleasure you pursue. And if you're not aware of the distinction between happiness and contentment, or if you're misled by phrases like "open happiness," "it's five o'clock somewhere," or any of the other catchphrases and memes that have crept into our collective consciousness suggesting that consuming this substance will make you happy, you're sadly mistaken and it will eventually take a toll on you.

And during the past 50 years, it has been particularly detrimental to hundreds of millions of individuals as public relations and the internet have become more prominent.

fact or fiction
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