Category: General
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Happy Chemical Series Part 7 (final): The Brain Behind This Hot Mess
A Summary of the Happy Chemicals and How They Have Shaped My Life Content warning: This article discusses addiction, trauma, domestic violence, grief, death, anxiety, depression, and unhealthy coping mechanisms. Please take care of yourself while reading. 💜 Over the past several weeks, I have written about the chemicals and systems that influence motivation, mood,…
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Happy Chemical Series: Part 6
Cortisol: The Survival Chemical We Mistake for the Enemy For the last several weeks, we have talked about the chemicals connected to motivation, pleasure, confidence, connection, and pain relief. Part 1: went over the Happy Chemicals in general: Part 2: Dopamine helps push us toward rewards. Part 3: Serotonin plays a role in mood, confidence,…
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Happy Chemicals Part 5: Endorphins — The Brain’s Natural Pain Relief
Introduction: The Final Chemical Before the Stress Chemical *Content Warning: This post discusses addiction, trauma responses, emotional pain, unhealthy coping patterns, and survival mode. Please read with care and take breaks if needed. Throughout this series, so far, we have talked about the chemicals in our brain that influence happiness, motivation, connection, mood, attachment, survival,…
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Part 4 Of The Happy Chemical Series: Oxytocin
Why Humans Need Humans 💜 Content Warning This article discusses trauma, addiction, depression, grief, isolation, and unhealthy relationship patterns. Introduction When most people think about happiness, they think about excitement. They think about achieving a goal, getting a promotion, buying something they’ve wanted, falling in love, or experiencing a moment of joy. Those experiences certainly…
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The Happy Chemicals Series Part 3: Serotonin
More Than Just Happiness When most people hear serotonin, they think of happiness. At least I did. When I heard serotonin, I thought of comfort, happiness, feeling good, and not much beyond that. It is often called the happy chemical online, in conversations about mental health, and even in casual jokes. But the more I…
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