Euphoria is a state of emotional uplift, felt as a powerful and sudden feeling of elation, joy, happiness. It is manifested by an increase in mood, an experience of bliss, well-being. Simultaneously with positive emotions, motor retardation, slowing down of intellectual processes, and expressiveness of speech are observed. The euphoric state can be physiological - short, due to natural causes, and pathological - long, frequent, provoked by illness or intoxication. Diagnostics is carried out by the method of conversation, observation, psychological testing. In some cases, drug therapy is indicated.
general characteristics
The word "euphoria" comes from the Greek language, translated as "fertility", "giving a good harvest." This emotional state gives a person a feeling of unreasonable happiness, makes him more courageous, confident. It does not last long, is accompanied by a decrease in physical activity and a deterioration in the purposefulness of behavior. Euphoric experience often becomes a trigger for any activity - it helps to make decisions, gives short-term motivation, which in the future should be supported by volitional efforts.
At the physiological level, euphoria is the result of a sharp activation of four hormones: endorphin, dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin. Depending on their ratio and concentration, the feeling of happiness is less or more pronounced, has different shades. The highest degree of pleasure in euphoria is ecstasy. Such experiences quickly form a state of dependence: when a person feels the desire to feel euphoria again, he purposefully recreates the conditions that provoke it.
Normally, euphoria occurs infrequently, since it is an energy-consuming, debilitating state. After intense experiences, the body needs time to restore the functioning of the nervous system and endocrine glands that produce “happiness hormones”. After prolonged euphoria, fatigue, apathy, and depression develop. Frequent artificial provocation of euphoric states leads to addiction, when the previous levels of hormones no longer cause happiness. To maintain balance, it is necessary to use safe natural methods of stimulating the hormonal system - physical activity, listening to music, eating delicious food.
Causes of euphoria
Euphoria is the result of internal and external factors. Its causes are divided into three large groups: natural, toxic, pathological. Natural euphoria develops during the period of falling in love or after physical exertion. Intoxication causes - alcohol, drugs. Pathological factors include certain brain diseases and mental disorders.
natural causes
Euphoria is familiar to every person, because it refers to natural emotional states. Natural neurochemicals that create a sense of joy and happiness are produced in response to pleasant external stimuli and as a reaction to positive changes in the internal environment of the body. Medical researchers are actively developing ways to achieve euphoric experiences by physiological methods. The following methods work most effectively:
- Pleasant events. The causes of euphoria can be any situations that are subjectively assessed by a person as joyful, positive. Intense positive emotions come from receiving an unexpected gift, passing the last exam in a session, completing a difficult work project. Spiritual uplift is possible when meeting with loved ones after a long separation.
- Intense physical training. A feeling of sudden happiness arises when an athlete performs an extra effort, when an athlete overcomes his own limitations for a short time - weakness, fatigue, pain. There is a feeling of joyful intoxication, super strength, readiness for victories. A similar condition is often described by runners, cyclists, athletes involved in interval training. To achieve positive emotions, training must begin at a moderate pace, and after 30-4 minutes make a jerk, doing 3-1 minutes at maximum capacity
- Listening to music. Musical euphoria is a feeling of happiness caused by listening to rhythmic melodies. Often it grows against the background of meditation compositions, with the sounds of a tambourine, drum, rattles. In the process of listening, certain centers of the brain are stimulated, which are responsible for positive emotions and feelings of pleasure. There is a feeling of "goosebumps" on the skin, chills, slight trembling. Lightness, openness, grace are experienced subjectively. Sensitive people start laughing or crying.
- Love. The period of strong love lasts several months, includes three components: romantic feelings, sexual attraction, the formation of psychological attachment. All processes are accompanied by intensive production of hormones, increased activity of the central nervous system. This explains the emerging feeling of slight intoxication, joy from meetings, thoughts about another person. Euphoria is periodically replaced by sadness, longing, fear of parting. As the body is exhausted, feelings become less pronounced, more stable.
- Creation. Creative activity, not limited by social boundaries, can become a source of joy. When engaging in creativity, people are able to reveal various aspects of their personality - to broadcast kindness, love, get rid of fears. Concentration on favorite activity, positive experiences from its process and result are expressed by a state of euphoria. For this reason, artists can paint with only occasional breaks for sleep and food, and writers wake up at night due to the influx of new ideas.
- Prayer. The influence of prayers and meditations on the functioning of the brain has long been studied by neurophysiologists. It has been established that with a long concentration on one thought or one feeling, the activity of certain brain centers is retained - a specific persistent response of nerve cells to the human thought process occurs. Praying and meditating people describe their experiences as grace, dissolution, unconditional love, joy. The emerging feeling of happiness serves as an incentive for the regular implementation of these practices.
- life-threatening events. Extreme situations (fire, road accident) are accompanied by temporary changes in the mental state. Immediately after the stressful impact, the phase of emotional shock develops, which is manifested by numbness or non-purposeful activity - screams, flight. The second phase is euphoric. It is found in victims who have not received physical injuries. There is a rise in mood, verbosity, laughter. Joy is provoked by biochemical processes and the realization that the danger has passed.
- Breathing exercises. Techniques of deep intensive breathing contribute to the saturation of brain cells with oxygen, increased blood circulation, and activation of endocrine organs. In combination with music and light motor exercises, they potentiate various emotional states - joy, sadness, happiness. An example of such a technique is holotropic breathing, which is performed under the supervision of an instructor, provokes euphoria or an experience of suffering.
Euphoria - an elevated emotional state
Toxic Causes
In narcology, euphoria is considered as a manifestation of pathological arousal that has arisen under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Usually it does not last long, is replaced by depression, sometimes - aggressive behavior. The desire to return to a state of lightness and joy is at the heart of addiction. The structure of euphoria includes pleasant somatic sensations and a mental component, that is, positive emotional experiences. Provocateurs can be:
- Alcoholic drinks. Euphoria is the main symptom of simple alcohol intoxication. It develops after a small dose of alcohol, lasts 1-3 hours. To maintain it, a favorable psychological environment is required, otherwise there is a quick change of joy with outbursts of dysphoria - pathological anger. Other manifestations of high spirits in alcohol intoxication are increased speech and motor activity, disinhibition of behavior, distractibility, and increased self-esteem.
- Cannabis drugs. When using cannabis derivatives, a feeling of carelessness, incontinence of behavior, and increased talkativeness appear. Drug addicts are in high spirits, laugh, experience severe hunger, thirst. With a small dose, relaxation prevails, the perception of sounds is aggravated, sensitivity to light increases. Simultaneous use of a large amount of the drug can lead to unbridled gaiety with impaired perception and coordination of movements or to lethargy, followed by aggressiveness.
- Amphetamines. Drugs of this group have an exciting, psychostimulating effect. Provoke a feeling of serenity, happiness. Increase heart rate, increase blood pressure, lead to dilated pupils, excessive motor activity, sexual liberation. Drug addicts become talkative, perform monotonous actions. With prolonged intoxication, sleep patterns are disturbed, appetite disappears. The consequences of amphetamine addiction are irreversible changes in the psyche, pathology of the cardiovascular system.
- Cocaine. The drug is a psychostimulant, has a plant origin. Causes an imperceptible, but persistent addiction. Intoxication is accompanied by an intense feeling of joy, serenity, increased efficiency, overestimation of one's own capabilities. Cocaine stimulates the central nervous system, after taking the pulse quickens, blood pressure rises, and sweating increases. Excitation is combined with anxiety, insomnia.
- Hallucinogens. Hallucinogenic drugs are a heterogeneous group of psychedelic drugs that change sensations, emotions, and thought processes. When intoxicated, the pulse rate rises, pupils dilate, trembling in the hands appears, dry skin. Drug addicts begin to see hallucinations, experience strong unreasonable happiness, overexcitation. Derealization is manifested through a violation of the image of one's own body, loss of control of movements, speech, thoughts.
- Opiates. These drugs have a sedative, inhibitory effect. Symptoms of use - a short euphoria, an increase in drowsiness at different times of the day, slow speech with stretching of some sounds. The person does not have time to keep up the conversation, answers questions late. Outwardly, he looks happy, good-natured, complaisant. Strives for solitude in darkness and silence. The skin is pale, the pupils are constricted, the heartbeat is slow.
Pathological causes
Prolonged euphoria, not associated with external causes or the use of drugs, is observed in some mental disorders, neurological diseases, and terminal states. The mood of the patients remains morbidly elevated, the behavior is characterized by complacency, serene bliss, lack of self-criticism. This syndrome is most typical for the following pathologies:
- Bipolar affective disorder. Another name for the disease is manic-depressive psychosis. It develops due to internal (endogenous) causes, characterized by a change in the phases of mania and depression. Causeless joy is typical for a manic episode, when there is an increase in activity, anxiety, unreasonably high spirits. Patients are excited, irritable, overestimate their own abilities. The hallmarks of the manic stage are euphoria that lasts most of the day, occurring every day for a week or longer.
- Hyperthymic psychopathy. With a hyperthymic change in character, patients are dominated by increased mood, energy, and sociability. They are prone to mood swings, but less pronounced than those with bipolar disorder. Phases of mania dominate, depressions are always short-lived. Hyperthyms need new impressions, communication. They constantly need to maintain a state of cheerful excitement, so they often get involved in adventures, illegal activities, use alcohol, drugs.
- Schizophrenia. This disease is endogenous, chronic. Euphoric experiences are characteristic of various forms of schizophrenia in the initial stages, when the perception of the outside world, one's own sensory sensations, and thoughts changes. With the growth of personal disorganization, a cheerful state is replaced by depression and anxiety. With hebephrenic syndrome, persistent changes in emotions and behavior occur with a predominance of childishness and foolishness. Patients are emotionally inadequate, laughable. Their experiences are devoid of variety, superficial.
- Oligophrenia. Mental retardation is manifested by the lack of formation of cognitive activity, a decrease in intelligence and violations of emotional and volitional functions. Underdevelopment, instability of emotions is noted: the experiences of patients are primitive, superficial, quickly replace each other, cannot be controlled. Often there is joy, unbridled laughter for no reason, increased excitability. More often, such conditions occur in the absence of proper treatment, during puberty, in an unfavorable social situation.
- Pick's disease. With this degenerative disease, atrophy of the cells of the frontal lobes of the cerebral cortex occurs. As a result, a syndrome develops, including a decrease in motor skills, pronounced motor passivity, emotional dullness, impaired thinking and speech. Criticism decreases in patients - the ability to correctly assess their condition, behavior. They become disinhibited, euphoric, expansive. Do not feel embarrassed or ashamed, cannot control themselves.
- Tumor in the brain. When the tumor is localized in the frontal lobes, early clinical signs are headache, convulsions, mental disorders, among which unmotivated actions, inadequate humor, euphoria, physical inactivity predominate. Patients are often sloppy, unreasonably aggressive. Similar symptoms can occur if the frontal lobes are affected in a stroke, traumatic brain injury.
- terminal states. In severe diseases in the pre-agony stage, inhibition develops in the higher parts of the central nervous system. It is manifested by impaired consciousness, agitation, convulsions, euphoria. The patient is inhibited, the skin is pale, the pulse is weak, frequent.
Survey
Euphoria is a bright, emotionally expressed state. If it is caused by natural factors, no special diagnosis is required, a person experiences short-term inspiration and excitement, and then his mood becomes normal. A doctor should be consulted when unmotivated joy persists for a long time, is replaced by anger and depression, accompanied by disinhibited behavior. Examination of patients with such symptoms is carried out by psychiatrists, narcologists, neurologists. Applied diagnostic methods:
- clinical conversation. Usually patients are not critical to their own condition. They describe their mood as cheerful and joyful, but do not attribute it to symptoms of illness or intoxication. Their speech is accelerated or slowed down, emotional, with an abundance of interjections, perseverative repetitions. The doctor receives reliable clinical information from the patient's relatives. Signs of pathological euphoria are a long duration, the absence of situational causes, the exhaustion of the body, manifested by depression, anger.
- observation. Patients demonstrate an unreasonable feeling of contentment, carelessness, serenity. The mood is upbeat, but there is no increase in productive activity, verbosity is unfocused (fragmentary phrases), thinking is accelerated, but unstable. These features are manifested by the inability to maintain a conversation, plan behavior. Facial expressions reflect joy, gesticulation deployed.
- Psychodiagnostic tests. In a state of compensation for euphoria, special questionnaires and drawing tests can be used for diagnosis. The technique of V. V. Boyko “Tendency to euphoria” is used to identify hypomanic tendencies in the personality structure - SMIL. According to the drawing tests, the level of self-esteem, the presence of impulsiveness, expansiveness of behavior are determined.
Psychodiagnostic methods are used to examine patients
Symptomatic treatment
Symptomatic medical care is aimed at stabilizing the emotional state of patients. It involves the selection of drug therapy with a long-term intake of funds from several groups, the normalization of rest and activity. Traditional mood stabilizers are lithium preparations, which are effectively used to stop episodes of mania. Additionally, anticonvulsants, atypical antipsychotics, benzodiazepines may be prescribed.