What a Feeling!

Joy, excitement, amusement, relief—these are all happy emotions. When you feel them, certain chemicals flood your brain, which makes you feel good. It’s our brain’s way of rewarding us for doing something positive, like accomplishing a goal or hanging out with a friend.

If you’re feeling down, many healthy activities, such as being kind to others, can trigger your brain to produce these mood-boosting chemicals. Exercising, spending time outdoors, and laughing also spark happiness and the release of feel-good chemicals.

Joy, excitement, fun, relief. These are all happy emotions. Certain chemicals flood your brain when you feel them. That makes you feel good. It’s our brain’s way of rewarding us for doing positive things. Maybe you finished a task. Or you hung out with a friend. Sometimes you might feel down. But many healthy activities can trigger these mood-boosting chemicals. Examples are being kind to others and exercising. Spending time outdoors and laughing can spark happiness too. They also release feel-good chemicals.

A classmate damages your Pokémon card. Your sibling turns off your video game during the final level. Now you’re mad!

People often feel angry when they encounter something that seems unfair, says Howard. In response, your body prepares for action. It releases a hormone called adrenaline into your bloodstream. This makes your heart beat faster and sends extra blood to your muscles and your brain.

These changes give you the energy to act when something isn’t right. But it’s important to express anger in a positive, healthy way, says Howard. “That means speaking up for yourself but still being fair,” she says.

A classmate ruins your Pokémon card. Your sibling turns off your video game during the last level. Now you’re mad! People often feel angry when something seems unfair, says Howard. Your body responds by getting ready for action. It releases adrenaline into your bloodstream. It’s a hormone. This makes your heart beat faster. It sends extra blood to your muscles and your brain. These changes give you a boost of energy. But it’s important to express anger in a positive, healthy way, says Howard. “That means speaking up for yourself but still being fair,” she says.

Sadness typically occurs with some type of loss, says Howard. ​Maybe a pet passes away, or a friend suddenly stops talking to you. When we’re sad, the brain produces less of the feel-good chemicals that are linked with happy emotions. We can feel tired and empty or even lose our appetite.

But sadness serves a purpose. It can remind us of the importance of staying connected to people who care about us. ​It can also boost our feelings of empathy for others.  ​

Spending time with loved ones can help you cope with sadness. ​“There’s an urge to isolate yourself when you feel sad, but that is not helpful,” says Howard. ​“I encourage people to do the opposite.”

Sadness usually happens with some type of loss, says Howard. Maybe a pet passes away. Or a friend suddenly stops talking to you. When we’re sad, our brain makes less of those feel-good chemicals. We can feel tired and empty. Or we might not want to eat. But sadness has a purpose. It can remind us to stay connected to people who care about us. It can also boost our feelings of empathy for others. How do you deal with sadness? Spending time with loved ones can help. “There’s an urge to isolate yourself when you feel sad,” says Howard. “But that is not helpful. I encourage people to do the opposite.”

Snot, vomit, rotting food. Certain things make nearly everyone go “Ew!” ​Disgust is an emotion that helps humans survive. ​It’s your brain’s way of keeping you away from things that might make you sick. ​Your senses trigger a reaction when something looks, smells, or tastes gross. Then you feel the urge to steer clear. ​

What people find disgusting varies among cultures and even from person to person. But sometimes a person’s disgust response gets stuck in overdrive. They may be grossed out by everyday things, like doorknobs. In such cases, Howard helps kids by slowly exposing them to things they find disgusting in safe ways. ​

Snot, vomit, rotting food. Certain things make nearly everyone go “Ew!” Disgust is an emotion that helps humans survive. It’s a natural reaction. Your brain is keeping you away from things that might make you sick. When something looks, smells, or tastes gross, your brain tells you to stay away. Different people find different things disgusting. But sometimes a person’s disgust response can be too strong. They may be grossed out by common things, like doorknobs. Howard helps kids in such cases. They slowly get comfortable with the things they find gross.

It’s totally normal to find some things scary. Fear starts a reaction in your body that feels similar to anger. Your heart pounds, your breathing quickens, and your thoughts race. When people are afraid, they usually want to avoid what scares them, says Howard. Fear can protect us from nearby threats.

But what if you’re afraid of everyday things, like going outdoors? ​This might be a sign of anxiety. Howard says to pay close attention to “thinking traps”—repeating thoughts that don’t make sense. ​As with disgust, Howard helps kids gradually face the things they fear. Over time, their fearful feelings lessen.

It’s totally normal to find some things scary. Fear starts a reaction in your body. It can feel like anger. Your heart pounds. Your breathing speeds up. Your thoughts race. People usually want to avoid what scares them, says Howard. Fear can protect us from danger. But what if you’re afraid of everyday things? One example is going outdoors. This might be a sign of anxiety. Howard says to pay close attention to “thinking traps.” That means thoughts that repeat and don’t make sense. Howard helps kids face the things they fear. Just like she does with disgust. They become less scared over time.