Mental Health and a Good Disposition – How Can Smiling Improve Your Condition?



Smiling is a great way to feel better whenever you’re down. If you’re sad, chances are that seeing a movie that makes you smile or hearing a joke that rubs off you just right will make you smile spontaneously despite any problems you might be going through. But can smiling really help with more severe mental health issues such as deeply suppressed emotions, depression, chronic anxiety or even schizophrenia?

Dedicated anxiety treatment Denver psychologists seem to believe that the answer is a resounding “yes.” Together with neurologists, psychiatrists from around the country have began to conduct more and more scientific research to try to understand just how much smiling and a more joyful, positive attitude can affect the brain. Their findings might startle you, and they’ll definitely surprise you.

smiling group of people


Smiling activates the production of neuropeptides which allow neurons to communicate with each other. Also, dopamine, serotonin and endorphins are all released into the body as soon as we begin to smile, and they not only relax your entire body, but can also contribute to the normalization of your blood pressure and heart rate.

Emotions such as depression, anger and frustration are better released and managed through a simple smile than through the countless drugs that tend to imbalance our bodies and wreak havoc on our nervous systems. Many antidepressants work to activate dopamine or serotonin artificially. While not a substitute for medication prescribed by your doctor or therapist, smiling helps you achieve pretty much the same results, but without any of the side effects.

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