The reason why altruistic people are happier is not simply a matter of personality or morality, but because the brain is designed to work that way.
When a person helps someone or acts considerately, the brain’s reward circuit is activated and dopamine is secreted.
This creates feelings of “good” and “meaningful” in a similar way to eating delicious food or achieving a goal.
At the same time, oxytocin, which strengthens connections with others, increases, increasing feelings of stability and trust, and the response to cortisol, a stress hormone, is lowered, relieving emotional tension.
Additionally, altruistic behavior activates the prefrontal cortex, strengthening the sense of meaning and value in life. Simple pleasure disappears quickly, but the realization that ‘I am someone who is helpful to someone’ leads to long-term satisfaction and happiness.
There is also an evolutionary background here. Because humans are a species that survives in cooperative groups, our brains have developed to feel positive rewards for helping each other.
In the end, the reason altruism creates happiness is not because it is good, but because of biological structure. At the moment of helping others, circuits in the brain responsible for reward, connection, stability, and meaning operate simultaneously.
So, before being a moral choice, altruistic behavior can be seen as one of the most natural ways in which the human brain creates its own happiness.