We feel emotions every day in our life. Some emotions can ruin people's disposition, and others can make them feel like they're on cloud nine. But, how do we actually feel emotions? And why did we develop them? These questions may seem simple and trivial, but by answering these questions, scientists have figured out that emotions actually regulate our lives.

In total, there are 4 hormones that create our emotions. These four are dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, and endorphin. All the hormones are formed in certain areas of the brain, one being the hypothalamus section. While all of these hormones are produced in the brain, others like serotonin are also produced in the gut. Each hormone works together to create our sentiments by acting as chemical messengers.

But why do we need these hormones in the first place? Well there are multiple reasons. First off all, we need dopamine to motivate us to achieve our goals. Additionally we need serotonin for our learning, memory, happiness, sleep, and even hunger. Oxytocin is imperative due to it allowing us to build relationships with others. And finally we need endorphins for relieving pain and improving someone's mood.

So if these hormones are good for us, how come we don’t feel “exceptional” all the time? Well to release these hormones a person needs stimulation. This stimulation can come from reaching achievements, exercising, being entertained, and even the weather. If you have less of one of the 4 hormones, it creates an imbalance which negatively affects one’s mood. This can cause depression. While the behavior that you exert from the complex interactions of the hormones is so diverse that it is hard to control, it is still manageable to harness your emotions with several techniques such as breathing practices and expressing your feelings to those who understand and sympathize with you. Try to explain how you feel and why you feel that way (what provoked you to make you feel bad/mad). While these strategies are good ways to prevent outbursts of emotions such as rage, not all of them will work for one specific person. Everyone is unique in their own way. Therefore each person thinks differently, acts differently, and has a different personality. So calming your body through breathing exercises might help some people, and it might just be utterly useless for others. 

However, some people simply think they cannot deal with their emotions and lose grasp of who they are. They start taking drugs and alcohol to “help their emotions”. Around 95,000 adults die each year under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. And that's not the worst part. Alcohol can result in chemical changes in your brain which can lead to even more negative feelings, such as anxiety, depression, and anger. As a wise person once said, “Alcoholism is to give up everything for one thing. Sobriety is to give up one thing for everything.” Don’t let your emotions get in the way of your life.

All this information is important because knowing this can lead to a happy and healthy  life despite sometimes feeling negative emotions. Charles Darwin stated that we have developed emotions because they are adaptive and can help us to survive and reproduce. Without emotions such as fear, we might not even be here due to the lack of willingness to survive. While there is a lot of science and history behind complex emotions, it's simple to understand that they make up who we are.