The physical reactions of love are a neurological condition where we feel bonded to something or someone else. When we feel attached to someone else, our brain releases chemicals such as serotonin, oxytocin, vasopressin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. All of these chemicals cause us to think loving thoughts and feel the physical sensations that we associate with love. These hormones include:
– Serotonin: This hormone increases your mood; in fact, if you take drugs such as Ecstasy, you cause a huge rise in serotonin levels. You might as well just find someone to love instead – it’s healthier.
– Vasopressin: Along with oxytocin, experts believe that this hormone is responsible for feeling attached to someone.
– Dopamine: This hormone is responsible for desire and reward, which means you feel an immense amount of pleasure when you are rewarded with loving actions, such as kindness, touch, date night, or whatever makes you feel fulfilled and happy.
– Norepinephrine: This is released when you are falling in love and feel stress for things to work out and go well. It gives you the physical sensations you feel while falling in love, such as sweaty palms or a racing heart.
In other words, among many other things, hormones regulate our behavior in mating and falling in love. Does the fact that feelings of love are a hormonal process make love not as impactful as we think? No! The feeling of love is a powerful emotion that benefits us in a big way. It helps us maintain relationships, do good things for others, do good for things for ourselves, protect others, and feel a sense of belonging and safety in life. Without the emotion of love, we would feel lonely, scared, selfish, and abandoned.
