DrRelationships.com

Everyone knows what it feels like – even if it’s happened a dozen times before. ‘Cupid has shot their arrow’ – you’ve fallen in love.

You can feel it – that’s how you know it’s happened. Your heart is going thump-thump – sweaty palms – racing pulse – and all the rest of the ‘symptoms’.

For most people, the physical sensations/feelings of being in ‘love’ are pleasant ones. For others the sensations may bring fearful feelings.

But real feelings/sensations they are.

Since time immemorial there have been arguments as to whether or not there really was a physical condition of ‘being in love’. It was the naysayers against the poets.

In the past decade, neurochemists (the scientists that study brains) have been doing remarkable research on what has become known as the ‘brain chemicals of romance’ – actual flows of trace (small) chemicals that are associated with time periods when we describe being in - what we refer to in our culture - as ‘love’.

The good news for ‘romance’ seekers – the poets won.

There are physical conditions that take place prompted by the different chemicals that flow involuntarily when we are ‘in love’. Meaning we don’t have conscience control of the flows – our brains have control.

In general, different brain chemicals flow during the two different phases of a ‘loving relationship’:

(a) First phase - ‘Attraction-Lust’
(b) Second phase - ‘Bonding’

The not so good news for romance seekers and the ‘happily ever after’ folks is - the flows of the chemicals only last for relatively short periods of time.

In the first phase – the brain chemicals flow for about 3 to 36 months - in the second phase, about 24 to 48 months. However, the flows can restart for a different individual (and often do).

Means the next time you meet a friend who tells you that they and their partner just ‘fell out of love’ – you can tell them, “Actually, you just ran out of brain chemicals for them.”

What’s your thoughts/feelings? Log-In/Sign-Up - express your opinion or explain your experiences.

This entry was posted on Friday, January 4th, 2008 at 10:39 pm and is filed under Your Brain Picks Your Lovers – Not Your Heart. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.