Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • Untitled

    Uploaded by

    Ketti Manne
    17 views5 pages

    Copyright

    © © All Rights Reserved

    Available Formats

    PDF or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    Report this Document

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    17 views5 pages

    Untitled

    Uploaded by

    Ketti Manne

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    of 5
    WHAT 4 IS —? C ) eZ YF From biochemical addiction to evolutionary perks, discover the science behind our most powerful emotion he word love'is often thrown, around and associated with almost anything we feel drawn, to. Whether it isa person, an objector an abstract idea ‘youu can love them all But what does i really mean to love? Films often feature romantic loveas part ofthe main plot Its Lunpredictabilty intensity and power make for an exciting storyline ust ast does in reality, While fiction often plays with an overly simplified, romanticised view oft, Jove is more thana fairytale dream. Love experienced in real ifeis a complex affatr ‘Where inthe body do you fee love? Itcan fee ike it taking over your entirebeing, and ‘most of your body does actually experience physical changes Your hearts just one of the ‘impacted organs bt itisalso the one that we romanticise the most. As we come to terms withthe uncontrollable feelings of inital attraction to another person, our hearts can setoverstimulated, At the core of our being it isone of the most obvious effects we notice The heatt has become the symbol of ove, dating back as far as the Middle Ages The st feeling wemay associate with, being inlove is usually euphoria but from the moment you discover an attraction to someone to the later stages of love.a range of sensations take over From compassion and desire to obsession and anxiety, both positive and negative emotions can come into play ‘What makes this feling even more overwhelming its uncontiollable factor Love's felt subconsciously, othe extent tat same people whoare in love dont even realise they are But love doesnit exist purely toadda touch of excitement to your life Your body responds to further meaning > 37 relationships n order to keep the human racealive Although less important in our modern World of 78 blion people. when survival ‘as more ofa priority before the dawn of Civilisation, the human body evolved to kee reproduction levels high. The abihty to form this intense connection and attachment t another human being led to procreation ‘and a parental team who were able to work happily together to protect ther offspring anc ure that they thrive While the science behind love s intriguing to study, translating th ons in the body into feelings is kel diferent for each person based on their body and unique cpeniences Lave has connotations cf ‘ternal happiness but not everyoneis ult ‘tomanage these feelings For two people to establish a trusting and growing relationship, open to accepting love is essential In the early stages, the body become: nerableas physical and chemical changes Inducea Tightor fight response. This 1s due to emotional strain being outside of comfortable levels In some people who have experienced trauma, thisfightor-fight function becomes overdeveloped. as their bodies are used to danger Each individuals brain needs to get used to rewarding the body with the chemicals of love From there. ‘onnections with other humans can grow and be explored What happens to our bodies? 2 feelings of love. the following hormones and chemicals get to icin our bodies: TESTOSTERONE The male sex hormo —_ During lust, this hormone is foun to be at high levels in males, while during the latter stages levels are reduced to normal. This chemical, which increases desire for physical connection, is essential {for reproduction, ADRENALINE The heart-racer Released in the body to prepare you for ‘fight or flight, this natural stimulant is responsible for the rapid heart rate you may develop. Produced during times of excitement, it causes more blood to flood to the heart. OXYTOCIN The contentment creator This chemical establishes a deeper connection. Skin-to-skin contact causes the neurotransmitter to be released and creates the close bond long-term partners share. This isn’t exclusive to romantic love, and is also used to create a connection between parents and children, NORADRENALINE The attention-setter Similar to adrenaline, noradrenaline gets the heart beating faster and induces feelings of excitement. However, it also inereases your attention on one person and. prioritises your short-term memory to keep you living in the moment through love. VASOPRESSIN The monogamy maker Similar to oxytocin, vasopressin establishes part of the attachment phase. This particular chemical has been linked to loyalty between couples. ESTROGEN The female sex hormone Produced by the ovaries as well as the adrenal glands and fat cells, estrogen increases a woman's desire for physical contact during the lust stage. Abnormally low levels of this hormone can negatively impact ‘general mood. DOPAMINE The rewarder This neurotransmitter is used by your nervous system to send messages through the body. When in love, this SHEN Tiedt tand ereates a sense of pleasure from being in love SEROTONIN The under-performer During the attraction phase, production of this chemical has been shown to reduce. Creating a chemical ——— psvcniorecy now ee SNIFFING OUT THE PERFECT PARTNER You might discover a lover based on initial visual attraction, their beaming personality that comes through during the first conversation you shore or maybe even through o recommendation from a mutual friend. However, what you may not have known, is that you are subconsciously onalysing their genetic moke-up. This might not be the first thing you grow to love about someone, but your sense of smell creates ‘an attraction to people with a different immune system to your own. As an incredibly beneficial evolutionary tool, eur bodies aim to partner up with someone with the potential to create offspring with the best chance of survival This is possible because a person's unique smell is created by the same sets of genes that make up their immune system, enabling us to detect differences in genes through scent. The saying ‘opposites attract” couldn't be more applicable in this situation. While you may not notice the subtle scents of everyone around you, your brain does. More often than net, you will find yourself attracted to those who dor't smell ike you. PsvcHoLocy Now 99 balance similar to someone with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (CCD, this could be the reason ‘some people show obsessive qualities during love. ENDORPHINS The painkillers Released to create a soothing feeling, these are the body's natural painkillers. During physical contact with a loved cone, endorphins increase and create a positive mood. Long-term relationships are thought to rely on this chemical PHENYLETHYLAMINE The love dru Released by the brain, this molecule stimulates the entire central nervous system. Naturally creating addictive properties similar to those found in the drug MDMA and coffee, this chemical creates the initial, intense feelings during lust. The science of monogamy ‘When we think of monogamous creatures, ‘we tend to thinkof scarlet macaws or swans although despite swans forming ‘monogamous bonds thatlast for many ‘years (sometimes for life) they have been now to ivorce. OF the 5000 species at ‘mammal on the planet, between 3% and 5% are monogamous. This statistic means that species that remain faithful to only one mate or partner arein the minorty So why do so ‘many of us fallin love for fe? ‘We arenot as monogamousas some animals such as geese, who may not mate for the rest oftheir lf if their partner were to die However witha significant proportion of ‘our population looking to nd the one. what happensin our bodies to keep us going back tothe same person? Oxytocin, the hormone Often referred to as the lave hormone. is responsible for strengthening monogamous relationships Creating abond tothe person ‘youhave connected romantically with the hormone is used to reward the brain, The ‘more intense response created makes any ‘interaction with that one person feel better than interaction with anyone else Cases of a broken heart Lave can be the mest upliting feeling flooding the body with fee good. ‘chemicals and creating a strengthening bond of trust and infatuation While these feelings can emotionally connect two people, still doesnt change the fact that they are two independent bodies. Love cant be forced. and as many cases prove it doesnt always ast Heartbreak may be used to describe the ‘emotional rollercoaster that is rejection. but broken heart syndrome smuch more than simply feeling love its brought on by severe ‘emotional trauma or a physical event of high ‘tensity. While causesinclude some of the downfalls of ove, such as divorce infidelity, the death ofa loved one and serious arguments, the syndrome isnt limited to love ‘When the body is exposed to these situations an influx of stress hormones take ‘ver These are thought to cause the heart's ‘main arteries to constrict in size, reducing the flow of blood inthe heart The effects of this usually include pain in the chest and dlficulty breathing, but ina small number of ‘cases this heartbreak can lead fo death, DR MICHAEL MERZENICH ‘As a pioneering neuroscientist, Dr Merzenich hos been granted close to 100 patents. Using five decades of research into brain plasticity, he explains the brain's key role during love Islovearreal feeling, or aconcept based ona series of strong feelings in the brain? Lovet the real convergence of powerful neurological effects that distort your ‘emotional balance ina wonderful frm. (ur brains are designed to support that progression tolove of course. That critical progression to procreation and loyal partner support is key to the survival of > 59 HOW DOES LOVE AFFECT THE BODY? Love takes over our entire body, from the chemicals in our head to the position of our toes © PUPIL DILATION When you like what you see, your pupils ge wider to allow morelightin. This feature part ofthe ght-or fight response tohelp evaluate potenti threats However, thelove of your life ofan sn treat and ths responses usual Inked tothe production of xytacin anc dopamine, which are roe inducers of pupilellaton. © QUICKENING HEART ‘When you feel physically or emotionally stressed. heemones called cotecholamines fre sentinto the bloodstream, At the beginning of areltionshio, people often fact nervous excitement before secing thei partner In this higher emotional stat, the hormones released are responsible for increasing your hear rate and can cause your ‘senaes tobe on high alert. © PAIN REDUCTION Love's sometimes fered toasadrug, aeitcan quite tral acta painkiller ‘When thinking of or spending ime wth loved one, changes occur in areas of the brain that are impacted by morphine snd coesine, These effects usualy happen ring the eary stages. © EXPERIENCING BUTTERFLIES Conjuing the romanticimagery of delicate Rlttery eretures, the saying ve _fot butters refersto the connection between mind and stomach instigated byleve. Cranial nerves help ink the bain ‘toother areas of your body. nd being the longest of these, the vagus nerve connects to ‘the gut To create this feeling the nerve tigers involuntary contractions inthe stomach, caused bythe brain's chemical response tonervousness. Whileit’s not entirely known what the main purpose of tis is as a survival mechanism, it could be the bodys way of forcing out harmful toxins. “) HORMONE PRODUCTION Many ofthe hormones produced durnglove, while triggered by your brain, are produced by your adrenal glands. These 1x then rleacedinto the blood and pumped around ‘your body in order to cary out their speci roles. During

    You might also like