When you fall in love, your palms may sweat, your heart thumps, and your stomach flutters. It’s an intense, complex emotion that can change your body chemistry and impact your social interactions in unique ways. You might feel it for a friend, your partner, or a family member, but some studies suggest that you may also fall in love with a country, a hobby, or even food. Scientists are studying how love affects the brain and the body, but what exactly does it mean to love?
Despite its complexity, love can be easily understood by breaking it down into three components: intimacy, passion, and commitment. These vertices form the triangle of love, and it’s how much of each is present in a relationship that determines what type of love it is.
Intimacy
This is the feeling of closeness, trust, and affection that arises from familiarity, mutual attraction, and shared values and interests. It’s often associated with feelings of safety and security, and it’s the component that allows for forgiveness when you make a mistake or when life events throw a curveball. Intimacy is a major component of romantic love.
Passion
The emotional intensity of love is fueled by the hormone oxytocin, which increases when you’re near someone you like and decreases when you think about them. This triggers the “reward centers” of the brain, which in turn sends messages to other parts of the body that produce feelings of pleasure and desire. It’s what causes your mouth to water when you see a delicious meal or why you can’t help but look at the person you love.
Commitment
When you’re in love, your brain changes to create new neural pathways and connections that strengthen over time. This is what makes it possible to maintain a long-term relationship and to keep your emotions in check despite challenges. In addition, it’s what makes us able to sacrifice for the sake of our partners.
Some scientists believe that love is a primary drive, just like hunger or thirst, while others argue that it’s more of a secondary emotion that derives from a combination of other feelings. Either way, research shows that love does have a profound effect on our behavior and can motivate us to do some pretty crazy things.
Love has been known to have a variety of physical and psychological impacts, from changes in blood pressure and the gut microbiome to heightened immune system activity and lessened pain perception. It’s a powerful force that can be both positive and negative, but it also gives people a sense of purpose and meaning in their lives.
It can help you overcome obstacles, inspire you to achieve your goals, and make you a more giving and compassionate person. It can also be an important part of your spiritual practice, whether you love God, nature, or humanity. Just think of the selfless love demonstrated by great leaders like Martin Luther King Jr., Mahatma Gandhi, Oprah Winfrey, and more.
