Does sex bring Happiness?

[FreeSpirit1983]

I'll hold my answer until we get some responses. Thanks!

[Ecmandu]

Consensual sex can bring tremendous happiness.

That's why men are so pissed and women aren't

[anand_droog]

Yes, every act of sex, from making out to orgasm, is involved with the throughput of non-Dopamine neurotransmitters, like Serotonin and more importantly Norepinephrine, which is causally linked to a qualitative type of happiness described as elation [1], euphoria etc. Besides, the act of sex and love (or rather, maybe i should say over here lust) may seem causally associated with increased throughput of the neurotransmitter Dopamine, which is also behind a lesser (quantitative) type of happiness more accurately referred to as "pleasure".

1: http://www.csun.edu/%7Evcpsy00h/students/happy.htm

[surreptitious57]

True happiness cannot be maintained as it is only in the moment so the answer to the question is no
Contentment however can and that is not conditional on sex at all as I am both content and celibate

[Kriswest]

Pleasure yes, happiness no. At least for the average human.

[humunculus]

Not all by itself, but as part of a balanced life - work,fun, learning, friendship, athletics, aesthetics, dreaming, giving, +sex - yes.

[MagsJ]

Does sex bring Happiness?

To many, yes.

[A Shieldmaiden]

Kriswest wrote:

Pleasure yes, happiness no. At least for the average human.

Agree.

[Mr Reasonable]

You ladies gotta get your men to work harder.

[A Shieldmaiden]

Good observation.

On reflection what is the difference between pleasure and happiness?

None, right?

They dovetail, do they not?

Unless you see pleasure as a short term superficial category and happiness more long term and substantial.

[Kriswest]

Pleasure is short term, in the moment. Happiness is built from pleasure moments. Consider pleasure a brick and happiness the house built from bricks.

[anand_droog]

Good observation.

On reflection what is the difference between pleasure and happiness?

None, right?

May i correct you...

the term "Pleasure", as classically understood, is more linked to Dopamine, whose activity causes quantum bursts of pleasure
At least that's what the shrinks used to say. But they were wrong too, I find that it is a quantitative type of pleasure is what dopamine is linked to. As opposed to the other qualitative type of pleasure that we speak of next:
the term happiness, on the other hand, is similar to the term elation and is more linked to Norepinephrine (also look up "anandamide", which is a part of this Norepinephrine/endocannabinoid-anandamide complex, as one may call it)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anandamide
Do look up this link that I shared before: http://www.csun.edu/~vcpsy00h/students/happy.htm

[incorrect]

Pleasure is short term, in the moment. Happiness is built from pleasure moments. Consider pleasure a brick and happiness the house built from bricks.

So the path to happiness is lots and lots of sex? That's what I thought

[Kriswest]

Pleasure is short term, in the moment. Happiness is built from pleasure moments. Consider pleasure a brick and happiness the house built from bricks.

So the path to happiness is lots and lots of sex? That's what I thought

I do think pleasure would stop at a certain point even for males.

[Ultimate Philosophy 1001]

Only when you are a hot lesbian.

[Ultimate Philosophy 1001]

Pleasure is short term, in the moment. Happiness is built from pleasure moments. Consider pleasure a brick and happiness the house built from bricks.

So the path to happiness is lots and lots of sex? That's what I thought

I do think pleasure would stop at a certain point even for males.

Females have more pleasure than male. Sex, for males, is mainly an ego boost more than anything else.

Except for the 50% of females that cant orgasm.

[humunculus]

Sex, for males, is mainly an ego boost more than anything else.

Then, they clearly not doing it right.
For men, as well as women, sex as part of an affectionate, trusting relationship, can be extremely rewarding.
Far beyond mere pleasure and well on the way to happiness.
Most healthy people don't portion out their activities, one to each interpersonal relationship: football with this friend, validation from that one,
playing chess with him, studying with her, jogging with this one, sex with that one....

[surreptitious57]

Females have more pleasure than males

They certainly have the means to but whether they actually do is another matter

[A Shieldmaiden]

Except for the 50% of females that cant orgasm.

Why is that?

Female genital mutilation?

Ignorance on the part of the female?

Inability of their male/female partner to bring them to orgasm?

50% seems a high number considering this function is inbuilt and natural and

Where did you get this number from?

[WendyDarling]

Loving, shared intimacy brings happiness in whatever form it comes.

[Kriswest]

Does any male here understand the intimacy of touching?

[mannikin]

A lot of men havent been touched much since birth..so how would they understand the intimacy of it?

[Kriswest]

Physical is just a small part of true intimacy. It has to do with trust and faith. A man that just wants sex will eventually be seen and felt unless the female is an abandoned female.

[James S Saint]

Does any male here understand the intimacy of touching?

.. about the only question worth answering so far...
.. Yes.

[humunculus]

Does any male here understand the intimacy of touching?

Of course. Why wouldn't they?
People don't love their male babies any less than their female babies - more, in some counries. Mothers don't pay less attention to their sons than their daughters - more, in many families. Children in homes, playgrounds and sports fields don't discriminate.
Americans touch one another as much as anyone else - more than many cultures. Boys get petted, groomed, hugged, soothed, bandaged, reassured, congratulated, nudged, wrestled and consoled as much as girls - possibly more. Boys and men touch one another in just as many, if not more, friendly, affectionate and competitive ways as girls and women. Boys and girls start touch each other in kindergarten and having sex in middle school, if popular literature is to be believed. By senior year in high-school, boyfriends and girlfriends are all over each other, in public.
And for the truly repulsive, there is always massage with a happy ending.