There is a clear disparity between happiness and pleasure. Pleasure is a temporary sensation brought on by something external.
Happiness is the outcome of treating yourself and others with kindness, compassion, and gentleness.
Here are some differences between happiness and pleasure;
1. Permanence
Pleasure is created when the monoamine neurotransmitter is generated in the brain. You continue to pursue it since it is a “feel-good” neurotransmitter.
However, after the encounter is over, the pleasure fades, leaving you yearning for more. Pleasure is temporary, and if it becomes addictive, it can be harmful in the long run.
Happiness is an outcome of the manufacture of serotonin in the brain. When you are happy, you maintain a steady state of mind for a long time.
Additionally, you become optimistic and content with your life, including your family and work.
Accessing your natural happiness and inner well-being is a significant accomplishment. It is constantly with you because it is self-contained.
It relies solely on you and has a beneficial impact on every aspect of your life. Meditation is the key to all these.
You acquire belief in your rightness and well-being as you meditate constantly. Meditation does not bring you happiness; instead, it unlocks the “happiness” that’s always been within of you.
Pleasure is fleeting, visceral, and experienced alone. It is also achieved with the use of stimulants.
Happiness is long-lasting, ethereal, frequently encountered in significant social groupings, and not attainable through substances.
2. How they are primarily felt
Pleasure has a visceral feel to it. It is possible to experience it when intoxicated or high. It is an emotional experience that frequently relies on the five senses.
It relates to the sensory-based thoughts and emotions from good food, massages, compliments, and sex.
Happiness is felt or manifested, implying that it is not always an internal or exterior feeling but both. It is comparable to pleasure or satisfaction.
Therefore, it should not be mistaken for joy, euphoria, bliss, or more strong feelings.
Happiness is long-lasting, ethereal, frequently experienced in significant social groupings, and not attainable through stimulants.
Laughter yoga is an emerging practice that involves laughing for lengthy periods. This yoga is founded on the concept that purposeful laughing has physiological and psychological advantages.
It is a popular movement and breathing activity to bring out your inner self. Laughter raises your pulse rate and oxygen supply, which improves blood vessel functioning and blood circulation.
Also, it lowers your blood pressure and prevents heart attacks and other cardiovascular issues.
3. At Extremes
The overcoming of the subject-object dualism causes extreme pleasure. At extreme levels of satisfaction, excessive dopamine is released.
A high dopamine concentration in some portions of the brain results in aggressiveness, competitiveness, and poor impulse control.
ADHD, addiction, and gambling are among the problems resulting from it.
Being extremely happy reduces the stress hormone levels and increases the production of serotonin and endorphins.
These hormones provide a sensation of contentment, which allows the brain to perform at its optimum.
According to Healthline, the release of serotonin in the brain causes you to feel happy. Serotonin levels are frequently low in patients who suffer from clinical depression.
Tai Chi is a Chinese movement meditation technique that I have performed for a long time.
It offers me several advantages, including improved balance, pain relief, and managing stress.
They release neurotransmitters, in the brain, during any exercise, which are related to improved happiness.
4. How to Obtain it
Happiness is a sense of satisfaction and the desire to live a life with meaning, direction, and depth.
It entails establishing close bonds with people and assisting others. Mindfulness is an effective tool for creating happiness.
It involves concentrating on the current situation and viewing thoughts and feelings rather than judging them.
The capability to let go of control and criticism is one of the reasons mindfulness promotes happiness.
5. Pleasure Takes while Happiness Gives
Pleasure is found by taking something external like a delightful meal, higher stock prices, listening to music, or pet cuddling.
Happiness is a sense of inner fulfillment, not the achievement of external ambitions. Sharing something may be pleasurable.
Gratitude triggers the release of neurotransmitters such as dopamine, which connect with pleasure and controls emotions.
It also stimulates the brain to produce oxytocin, a hormone that promotes social bonding.
Conclusion
The distinction between both happiness and pleasure is significant. The significant differences between happiness and pleasure are;
- Happiness is an inwardly driven condition, whereas pleasure is an outwardly motivated state.
- Happiness lasts longer, while pleasure is temporary.
- Dopamine (the pleasure neurotransmitter) is linked to pleasure, whereas serotonin (the happiness neurotransmitter) is connected to happiness.
- Extreme pleasure results in addiction, whether habits or stimulants, but there is no overabundance of happiness.
- Pleasure is a taker, whereas happiness is a giver.