The 5 Brain Chemicals That Govern Your Behaviors and Emotions
How to explain behavior using brain chemicals
The brain is a complex organ and while the chemicals that it induces don’t completely control our behavior, it greatly influences it. The reason behind some of our most unexplainable emotions and behaviors can be traced to the release of certain chemicals in the brain or the lack of these chemicals.
Knowing these chemicals one by one can help us understand why we fall in love, why we get addicted to some substances, and why we crave connection. It explains the fluctuations of our self-esteem and perhaps our anxiety when there’s no reason to be anxious.
1. Dopamine: The Anticipation Hormone
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that’s responsible for regulating mood, motivation, reward, and pleasure. It’s the hormone that we think makes us happy, but only in the short term.
That’s why it is usually the source of all our trouble.
Whenever you take a reward that you deem pleasurable, whether it’s eating a cake, a sexual cue, or a really good shower, your brain fires dopamine. It creates pathways in the reward system that reinforce the behavior that gave you the dopamine, thus creating a habit. The stronger the dopamine hit, the more likely you are to repeat a behavior in the future.
If you were presented with supernatural stimuli, like hard drugs, then you’d probably be flooded with dopamine, which will reinforce this behavior more than others. With more exposure, your brain starts to develop cravings for the behavior, which leads to addiction.
A fun fact about dopamine is that the higher you consume it, the lower the crash that’s gonna follow it. When you crash, you enter a withdrawal period. You can learn more about addiction from my article about why withdrawal, which is the brain’s way of adjusting to the lack of stimuli ‘dopamine and others’, is one of the worst feelings in the world.
Dysfunctions in the dopamine system have been linked to various psychiatric disorders, including Parkinson’s disease, schizophrenia, addiction, depression, and ADHD. That’s why we have to be aware of how dopamine influences us and why it may cause our low moods.
2. Serotonin: The Emotions Hormone
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that’s responsible for the regulation of our mood, emotions, social interactions, and many more things.
It’s inherently associated with mood regulation. Low amounts of serotonin have been shown to be related to depression and negative self-esteem. On the other hand, higher amounts of it have been associated with improved mood, higher self-esteem, and better ability to perform in social contexts.
Additionally, serotonin is linked to our emotional resilience. People with high levels of serotonin have a higher chance of coping with the negative outcomes that could come up in their lives. They are able to maintain a positive self-image that doesn’t depend on their current situation.
How to boost Serotonin?
- Diet: Enjoy foods that are high in omega-3 fatty acids, like fatty fish (e.g., salmon, mackerel, sardines), flaxseeds, chia seeds, and walnuts. Or take omega-3 pills, which is a great supplement to our usually empty-of-fish diet.
- Regular Exercise: 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise can boost our mood and boost our serotonin.
- Positive Social Support: Positive interactions with your family or friends can help us induce serotonin and will greatly improve our mood.
3. Oxytocin: The Hormone of Love
Oxytocin is often known as the “love hormone” or “bonding hormone” because of its role in promoting attachment and bonding between people. Its effects enhance our feelings of trust, cooperation, and empathy, which is a huge part of what makes us human. It’s the hormone that pushes us to go out in social contexts and bond with other people.
Generally, it has a great effect on our well-being and we should definitely pay attention to our needs for social connection and understand that it’s a chemical need as much as it is a desire.
When we are feeling lonely, it’s probably because our oxytocin levels are low. Some studies have found that administration of oxytocin through intranasal spray can temporarily reduce feelings of loneliness and increase social approach behaviors. But I’d not recommend taking a pill to feel less lonely, instead trying new hobbies and going out where you could meet new people is the best solution.
4. Endorphins: The Natural Painkillers
These hormones are produced by the body in response to stress and pain. They interact with opiate receptors in the brain to reduce pain and produce feelings of pleasure. We usually get them during activities like exercise, laughter, and certain foods.
They make us feel good, and they are in part responsible for what people call ‘the runner’s high’, which is the point at which the runner feels good about exercising. Endorphins are great and we can’t get too much of them.
5. Cortisol: The Stress Hormone
Cortisol is often released in response to stress and helps our body cope with stressful situations. It plays a role in making sure our metabolism, immune function, blood pressure, and inflammation are in the correct order. It also influences our mood, memory, and sleep-wake cycles.
We should always aim to keep our cortisol levels in a healthy range, not too high, which can cause us chronic stress, and not too low, which can cause us fatigue and low motivation.
We do that by getting enough sleep of 7–9 hours every day, exercising moderate-intensity exercise for 30 minutes a day, and practicing mindfulness through yoga or meditation.
It’s okay to feel stressed, but not chronically so.
Conclusion
In conclusion, maintaining a healthy balance in the secretion of our brain chemicals is key to having a happy and fulfilled life. While looking at the chemicals alone is just half the picture, since we have to consider our thoughts and willpower as well, they offer us an explanation for why we feel certain emotions sometimes.
The knowledge that the hangover you had from drinking too much yesterday night is going to go away once your brain balances back your dopamine levels is comforting. It also gives hope that anyone going through addiction withdrawal, feeling lonely, or stressed can feel better once he balances out his chemicals. In the end, the brain will nudge you in the direction of social activity, but it can’t force you to do it. That must be your decision and finally your behavior.
I’m Marco De Luca, born and raised in the bustling streets of Naples, where the echoes of history whisper through every cobblestone. As a sculptor, I chisel away at marble, capturing the essence of Italy’s rich cultural tapestry in every stroke.
But beyond the cool touch of stone, I find warmth in the dance of words across the paper. Writing is my sanctuary, a place where imagination knows no bounds. In the quiet hours of the night, I pen tales of love and loss, weaving narratives that mirror the complexities of life. Each word is a brushstroke, painting vivid landscapes of emotion and thought.
Through both sculpting and writing, I seek to leave behind a legacy that resonates with the hearts of those who encounter my work, a testament to the enduring beauty of the human spirit.
