Euphoria (emotion)

Euphoria is a medically recognized emotional state related to pleasure and happiness. Technically, euphoria is an effect,cite web
url=http://www.gatewaypsychiatric.com/SFGH%20BEEC%20Course%20Material/key_dsmiv_mental_status_exam_ph.htm
title=Key DSM-IV Mental Status Exam Phrases|publisher=Gateway Psychiatric Services
accessdate=2007-06-02|date=2007-05-10] but colloquially the term is often used as a standard term of emotion to mean intense, happiness combined with an overwhelming sense of . The word derives from Greek polytonic|"εὐφορία", "power of enduring easily, fertility" [ [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0057%3Aentry%3D%2345426 Euphoria, Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, "A Greek-English Lexicon", at Perseus] ] [ [http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=euphoria&searchmode=none Online Etymology Dictionary] ] .

Euphoria is considered to be an exaggerated state, resulting from psychological or pharmacological stressors and not typically achieved during the normal course of human experience, although some natural behaviors, such as those resulting in orgasm, can consistently produce a brief state of euphoria.Euphoria has also been cited as a high connection with God. Prophets and those having seen visions and prophecies have claimed to have felt an indefinite sense of love and happiness, a state of mind that is usually associated with euphoria.

A common theme among a subset of drugs used recreationally is their ability to induce a state of euphoria. ["Note: this is likely not the best citation available - cite web
url=http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001945.htm|title=Drug abuse
accessdate=2007-06-02|date=2006-05-17|last=Ballas|first=Paul
work=MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia|publisher=National Library of Medicine (United States)] The classification of episodic mania by Emil Kraepelin recognized the degree of euphoric affect among the classifier axes. Drugs such as opiates, amphetamines, cocaine, methamphetamine, MDMA, and so on can induce chemically intense euphoria. [cite web
url=http://psychcentral.com/lib/2006/the-two-types-of-bipolar-disorder/
title=The Two Types of Bipolar Disorder
accessdate=2007-06-02|date=2006-10-31
author= Psych Central Staff|publisher=PsychCentral.com]

Notes & References