Whether it’s romantic love, parental love, friendship, or even love for your pet, love is a powerful feeling that can make your heart race and palms sweat. It’s an emotion that can also be complex, multifaceted, and a bit difficult to consistently define, especially compared to other emotions like anger or sadness. However, that’s what makes it so special, what arguably sets it apart from any other feeling you might experience in your life.
When we fall in love, key brain regions light up as if on fire and flood the body with the reward-seeking hormone dopamine, similar to how cocaine does. It’s a rush of excitement, anticipation, and joy, combined with a host of other complex emotions like attachment and empathy. These feelings are what create that sense of passion and euphoria that can feel irrational, but are so important to the human experience.
However, just because the brain chemicals that produce love are so intense doesn’t necessarily mean they’re healthy for us. In fact, research shows that if you love someone or something, you may become more likely to engage in unhealthy behaviors, such as substance abuse or overeating. This is why it’s so important to be aware of what you’re feeling and try to keep those feelings under control, instead focusing on the positives of the relationship.
There are a few different ways that psychologists and philosophers have understood love over time. Some view it as a feeling, while others have more of a spiritual or practical understanding of it. The conventional biological model sees it as a mammalian drive that’s influenced by hormones and neurotransmitters like oxytocin and dopamine, based on the same principles that lead an infant to become attached to its mother.
Other researchers have focused on how a person’s perception of their partner and the meaning they place on that relationship can influence the way their brain processes these emotions. They’ve found that when people think of the person they love in terms of companionship and commitment, their brains are flooded with positive emotions, while when they view them in the context of lust or attraction, they have a more negative reaction.
In the end, what’s most important is that you be able to differentiate between these different types of loves and choose the one that’s right for you. It’s also important to remember that you can love more than one person at a time, though this may change over time with misunderstandings or lifestyle changes.
Regardless of what type of love you’re in, it’s important to take the time to appreciate the good parts of the relationship and work on improving the things that aren’t working. It’s not always easy, but it’s well worth it to have a happy and fulfilling life. Happy people know this and train themselves to not make a big deal out of everyday hassles so that they can enjoy their experiences as much as possible. Then, when they do feel a little overwhelmed, they get up and move their bodies for just 10 minutes to release the stress-fighting neurotransmitter GABA and reset.
