Pleasure and happiness are often used synonymously, yet they signify different emotional experiences.
Are you aware of the distinction between happiness and pleasure? Understanding this difference could be crucial for your life choices. Although these terms are often used interchangeably, their meanings might be quite similar. Here’s how to consider each concept.
Dopamine v. Serotonin
By mixing up pleasure and happiness, we misunderstand two key hormones and two distinct states of being.
Our brains produce hormones such as serotonin and dopamine, which can enhance our physical and mental well-being.
SEROTONIN – a crucial neurotransmitter that plays a role in regulating mood, social behavior, appetite, digestion, sleep, and memory—all functions that I find become especially unpredictable during my period.
DOPAMINE – a stimulating hormone responsible for feelings of pleasure, desire, and the drive to learn new things.
Serotonin and dopamine both move between neurons, yet they have distinct impacts on them. Serotonin slows down neurons, creating a sense of contentment or happiness. On the other hand, dopamine stimulates neurons, causing them to become less responsive over time, making it harder to achieve the desired feel-good sensation. Additionally, dopamine can downregulate serotonin, meaning that by pursuing dopamine-driven pleasure, you might be hindering your capacity to experience true contentment and happiness.
“The more we chase after pleasure, the less happy we become.“
Social media is highly addictive because it provides a dopamine surge, the hormone responsible for delivering pleasure. This brief burst of enjoyment leaves us with a short-lived high, but the satisfying sensation prompts us to crave more, leading to an ongoing pursuit of that high, which can ultimately result in addiction. This is precisely what happened to Bella.
The Seven Differences Between Pleasure And Happiness
Consider how companies and brands market their products by linking them to happiness, aiming to entice us into purchasing them to ‘enhance’ our lives. This is far from a naive strategy; these companies are well aware that they are exploiting our craving for instant pleasure to influence us as consumers, ultimately having a disruptive impact on our well-being.
“Money can purchase pleasure, but true happiness must come from a different source.”
How can we learn to distinguish between pleasure and happiness? There are seven main distinctions between these two states of being:
- Pleasure is fleeting, while happiness endures.
- Pleasure is a physical sensation; happiness is more intangible.
- Pleasure involves receiving; happiness involves giving.
- Substances can induce pleasure, but they cannot generate happiness.
- Pleasure is often encountered individually; happiness is shared within social groups.
- Excessive pleasure can lead to addiction, whether through substances or behaviors, whereas it’s impossible to be addicted to too much happiness.
- Lastly, and most critically, pleasure is linked to dopamine, the neurotransmitter for pleasure, whereas happiness is associated with serotonin, the neurotransmitter for happiness.
How to Enhance Your Happiness
Now that we understand the distinction between pleasure and happiness, and how the chase for dopamine can diminish the impact of serotonin, how can we elevate our sense of happiness and contentment?
PRACTICE GRATITUDE – There’s a powerful link between gratitude and well-being. This makes sense because focusing on the positive aspects of your life is likely to lift your spirits more than dwelling on past disappointments. Individuals who engage in gratitude practices are more likely to make progress toward their goals over a two-month period. Among young adults, daily gratitude practices lead to heightened levels of alertness, enthusiasm, determination, attentiveness, and energy. Incorporating gratitude into your routine doesn’t have to be complicated.
TAKE SOME TIME OUT FOR YOURSELF – Taking a break, whether it’s a brief pause during the day or an extended vacation, provides numerous advantages for both physical and mental well-being. It helps reduce stress, improve focus, boost creativity, and enhance productivity upon returning to work. Time off also promotes better sleep, encourages healthier habits, and strengthens relationships with loved ones.
CONNECTION – As one of the most fundamental human needs, connection helps us manage stress (hence the saying, ‘a problem shared is a problem halved’). A lack of human connection can pose greater health risks than obesity, smoking, and high blood pressure. Isolation can elevate anxiety or depression ‘within days’ as it creates a significant gap in our natural way of being—something deeply ingrained in our human nature. Connection is vital for our well-being and, ultimately, our happiness.
PRACTICE KINDNESS – At its essence, kindness is an action driven by sincere, warm feelings towards others. It goes beyond mere emotion and is defined by what we do. Kindness can significantly benefit our mental health and well-being. The positive feeling that follows a kind act is not only psychological but also chemical.
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