WHY DO PEOPLE BECOME HAPPY WHEN HELPING OTHERS?

Lee - This is an excellent and perplexing question. IN fact I had been thinking about it just yesterday. Usually I have a lot to say about most anything that captures my interest however right at the moment I think I am stumped. I do know that I enjoy helping but why it makes me feel good I am just not sure. Do you have any thoughts on the matter?

wish the same direction can be had with litter. actually, i think it does but only in organized teams (adopt-a-highway, etc).
When something presents danger, the need to be hero is always exciting for me. I know I will be remembered as 'the one' who saved someone or started something.
in that case, maybe it has something to do with wanting to be Kings/Queens. Helping others, then, is something that is selfish. But, such selfishness is overlooked. Its what is done that matters.

It is inherrent to our nature as humans to feel good when we help others. There is a release of endorphins into the system, causing a feeling of euphoria. This is the same substance that causes us to enjoy chocolate more than we should, and to become sexually aroused.

Well I help anyone anytime I can and I think it is needing to be needed and accepted by others and also it give us great satisfaction to help others when they need us and being happy in life in the first place I think makes you do that and it is a great feeling that we have helped someone and makes us feel worthy somehow,but it is hard for even me to explain it but I know how I feel when I help someone. I gives me joy to know I have helped someone do something being worthy of just being.
Did I explain that right? I am a happy person anyway so that just makes me feel happier to have done something good for someone else

I watched a movie about a year or two ago, in it was entitled "Play it forward," or something to that and it was about this boy that did good deeds. It became a community idea then a national idea. I enjoyed the movie a great deal. And have thought about good deeds done even when we don't intend to do so.
Myself, I have always tried to help a person when I found out they needed to help. And if I could help I would, never expecting anything in return. Over the years it seems whenever I have ever really needed help it came along without asking. Don't know what you would call it. But, I do know that what you give in this world it comes back in your need.

Maybe we should not try to hard to answer this question, but instead find a way that we all can help people. At least we can find happeness in our lives. I have a quest to help people as much as I can.

Thank you all for commenting on my question. I see we have some real deep thinkers in this group. By the way, Dan Z. I have dug rocks all over this world, but one that has a lot of rocks with people putting them in holes is "Republic of China (Taiwan).
How about another question to think about? No, I am too full of them. What say, one of you ask a question for all of us instead?

I came back to see what questions you have posted but seems quiet today. I have one for High Flying Spider Woman. Why would you choose that name? Are you a spiderman fan, or just like spiders?

We feel joy from helping others, because we are able to aleviate their pain and be Jesus to the world. This is what the true goal of a christian should be. It is a result of endorphins yes, but much more than that there is a spiritual aspect that trascends this, well at least it does for those who are doing the will of the Lord. Those who aren't can't experience true Joy.

You only get a rush of satisfaction that is only a pseudo satisfaction that will not last. God gives us peace that surpasses all understand to those who wait on him. He will renew your strength and shall mount you up on wings like eagles. An eagle searches out a storm why? So they can SOAR. An eagle can fly at speeds of 100mph and higher when he hits a storm. This is what christians should do, rather than avoid them. Spiritual storms mind you, I am not saying we should be like the fools who search out storms and try to film them. These people are acting on irrationality and endangering themself and others in the process.

Even the Satisfaction that comes from being filled with the Holy Spirit is limited, but it is the only source of life on this earth. One day there will be complete satisfaction, greater than anything this world has to offer. Everything will be conterfeits in comparison. It is a shame that so many have an earthly perspective and not an eternal: http://www.epm.org/randysbio.html

NWJ Keep up the good work and God bless (+=-)