Why do we feel extremely happy or pleasant when we think about someone or something you like or love?
In: Biology
Because feelings of happiness, pleasure and contentment are how evolution programmed us to pursue behaviours that improve our chance of propagating our genes. Brains are complicated and need the ability to improvise in order to survive, but that means we can’t be built like machines with mechanical behaviours – evolution can only try to coerce and tempt us with the promise of reward. It can’t demand we eat food. It can’t demand we have sex. It can’t demand we protect and nurture our offspring. It can’t demand we accumulate wealth or find shelter or learn about the world. But it *can* make us want to do those things of our own volition by making us feel pleasurable sensations when we do them. And when we feel happiness just thinking about those things, that’s part of fostering a desire to do them.
It’s called Serotonin and dopamine. They are chemicals that your body produces which affect your brain.
When you see or think of something that brings you happiness, your body triggers the production and utilization of these chemicals, making you happy.
These are frequently learned responses. Our brains are wired to make us do things that we enjoy. When something or someone triggers those events that we enjoy, almost addictively, your body craves it more.
Additional fact: clinical depression is the lack of ability for your body to make these chemicals in as high amounts as a neurotypical person.
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