Love evokes a host of feelings that range from butterflies and warmth to jealousy, pain, and rejection. It impacts your social relationships and causes changes in your body chemistry, including neurotransmitters. It can take on different forms, ranging from romantic to familial to platonic. It can also change with time, and the way you feel about one person will differ from the way you feel about another. The word love is also used in many religious traditions to describe a special bond with God.
The various types of love may seem contradictory, but scientists have found a few common elements:
A primary feature is emotional intimacy, or the feeling of closeness with someone. Another is passion, which may include physical affection, intense feelings of desire, and/or a sense of intoxication. Finally, commitment is an important element in love. The commitment may be to a person, to a cause or organization, or to something intangible, such as a belief system or a higher power.
Scientists have studied this complex emotion in a variety of fields, such as evolutionary psychology, biology, anthropology, and neuroscience. They have compared the experience of being in love to other emotional states and found that it is uniquely challenging to consistently define.
Philosophers have analyzed the idea of love from a number of perspectives, and have proposed that it is comprised of several different aspects. Some biological models of love see it as a mammalian drive, similar to hunger or thirst. Others see it as a psychological phenomenon, influenced by hormones and neurotransmitters, like oxytocin.
In addition to the feeling of affection, the idea of love also carries a moral dimension. This is seen in the fact that people may be willing to give up their own life for those they love, and even to die for them. It is also evident in the acts of self-sacrifice and service that occur among friends, families, and church groups.
Throughout history, philosophers and thinkers have debated what it means to love. The ancient Greek philosopher Plato, for example, believed that love was more than just a feeling, but that it was an active choice to help another become their best self.
Today, scientists are studying the complexity of these human emotions by measuring brain activity with MRI scanners and looking at what’s happening inside the body.
For example, a recent study showed that when you are in love, your body releases the neurotransmitter oxytocin, which has been referred to as the “lover hormone” or the “cuddle chemical.” Oxytocin reduces cortisol levels, which helps keep you calm and decreases stress, and can also lower blood pressure. This is why many experts believe that loving relationships are associated with a reduced risk of heart disease and other health conditions. But, they also note that this relationship element alone is not enough to fully explain the benefits of being in a loving relationship. Other factors, such as a low stress level, healthy eating habits and regular exercise are also involved.
