Scratching a particular area of the skin is often rewarded with incredibly pleasant sensations. Sometimes they are so strong that a person continues to scratch the same place until serious damage occurs.

The reason for such destructive behavior is the gastrointestinal tract. This statement may seem absurd, but the gastrointestinal system is also responsible for the production of serotonin along with the brain. And serotonin is the main reason why we feel so good when scratching.

However, this pleasant feeling has a downside: the formation of a vicious cycle consisting of itching, scratching, pleasure; itching, scratching, pleasure; and so on. As a result, we get painful lesions on the skin.

Scientists easily explain the nature of this process: when we scratch, our sensations are mixed with pain, and the brain releases serotonin to suppress it. Serotonin then binds to certain receptors on certain neurons that cause the itchy sensation again.

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