ShupFace

I find it interesting that an important part of human happiness seems to be biological. Chemicals in our brain like Seratonin and Dopamine have a significant effect on our feelings of well-being. Certain drugs known as SSRIs (Selective Seratonin Reuptake Inhibitors) are prescribed for the treatment of depression. SSRIs work by inhibiting our brain’s natural process of reuptake which has the effect of increasing the level of Seratonin available. Interestingly, Cocaine has a similar mechanism of action on Dopamine but is far more effective (showing an increase of up to 150 percent).

Drugs like ecstasy and other amphetamines cause the brain to flush its stores of dopamine into the brain providing the user with a wave of euphoria. The difference between ecstasy and an SSRI is that the SSRI provides a stable and sustainable long-term increase of Seratonin absorption in the brain, whereas ecstasy provides a short term boost at the expense of long-term well-being. Furthermore ecstasy can actually be harmful to the mechanisms which it triggers, potentially damaging the areas that provide dopamine to the brain.

But if there was a middle-ground, a legal drug that was more effective than an SSRI without damaging the brain, would you take it? If scientific studies showed that feelings of happiness, contentment and well-being experienced significant gains with minimal side-effects would you take the drug?

I imagine some people would feel like artificially induced happiness is somehow false or fake, I’m not sure I agree. The levels of Seratonin and Dopamine in the brain vary from person to person, hence the need for SSRIs in the first place, and yet no one talks about the artificiality of the feelings enjoyed by those naturally happier folk.