We explain what euphoria is, when it is healthy and when it can be a problem. Also, differences with dysphoria and with joy.
What is euphoria?
The euphoria It is a mental and emotional state of overflowing joy in which joy, happiness, excitement and joy are experienced with unusual intensity. This word comes from the Greek word euphoriawhich in ancient times designated the ability of an individual to support a load or weight with vigor and strength.
Today, psychiatrists and psychologists classify euphoria as an affect, and recognize different possible causes, from personal situations that produce great satisfaction, to orgasm or even the consumption of different substances and narcotics.
Ordinarily, euphoria is transitory, and does not usually induce individuals to act in ways radically different from how they ordinarily behave. However, There are cases in which this sensation is a symptom of psychological disorders and mood disorders, when it occurs unmotivated or for too long a period of time.
Depending, then, on its duration and motivations, euphoria can be understood as a burst of happiness, or as an altered state of consciousness, in which individuals can put themselves or others at risk (mania or hypomania). ).
A person who experiences this sensation is known as euphoric or euphoric.
See also: Enthusiasm
Euphoria and dysphoria
If euphoria is an intense and continuous feeling of joy and well-being, dysphoria can be described as the exact opposite. That is to say, Dysphoria is a state of generalized and constant discomfort which may well encompass sadness, anxiety, irritability or restlessness, or some other unpleasant sensations.
Dysphoria is often experienced due to various everyday events, such as the loss of a loved one or other situations of grief or bitterness. In those cases, it is a momentary disorder of emotions.
But, like euphoria, If it becomes a permanent and, above all, unmotivated condition, it can be a symptom of some type of mental illness such as personality disorders. It is considered, in these cases, as a symptom of larger problems, such as bipolar personality disorder or even hypoglycemia.
Euphoria and joy
The boundaries between euphoria and joy are not always easy to locate nor universal in their appreciation. This means that for some people joy is more frequent and continuous, while for others it is more acute and occasional: everything depends on the internal and external conditions of the person's existence, and that is why it is not possible to quickly differentiate the euphoria (that is, excessive joy) of ordinary joy.
In any case, Medical criteria interpret the loss of emotional contact with reality as symptoms of euphoria that is, the appearance of peaks of joy and excitement that are unmotivated, persistent and, above all, capable of leading people to undertake more daring or risky actions than they would normally do.
Continue with: Hedonism
References
- “Euphoria (state)” on Wikipedia.
- “Euforia” in the Dictionary of the language of the Royal Spanish Academy.
- “Euforia” in Psiquiatria.com.
- “Dysphoria” on Wikipedia.
- “Happiness is more like serenity than euphoria” in ABC Educación.
