Do you ever fall in love? Have you ever think about why love and affection can appear within yourself? Do you know how you can feel these feelings? And have you ever asked why love and affection are so strong when you were teenager? How can love appear and why you can feel love and affection?
Fall in love is considered as one of the most common things that occur in human’s life. Everyone certainly ever has been in love once. Some people even fall in love over and over again with the same person or different person. Most people think that fall in love has nothing to do with brain. Most people think that fall in love is purely caused by instinct and it’s only a feeling just like anger, sadness, or even fear.
What most people didn’t know is that love and fall in love are related to the work of your brain. When you fall in love, it’s your brain that works. There are several brain chemicals and hormones that work when you fall in love. So, fall in love is not just an instinct or feeling. It’s basically chemical reaction in your brain and the work of several hormones. What chemicals and hormones that play role when you fall in love? Below are the short explanations about chemicals that affect you brain when you’re in love.
You may also search:
Types of Chemicals That Makes You Fall in Love
Meanwhile, here are the love chemicals that reacts when you are in love:
1. Pheromones
One of the chemicals that play parts when you’re in love is pheromones. This chemical is considered as one of the most responsible chemicals when you’re in love. Pheromones came from Greek word ‘phero’ which means ‘bring’ and ‘mone’ which means ‘sensation’. Pheromones are chemical compound that is secreted by endocrine gland. Endocrine gland can be found in every complex organism and the chemical compound that is secreted by this gland plays role in identifying that organism’s kind, its opposite sex, organisms outside it, and other group of organisms. Pheromones are very useful in reproduction process of complex organism.
In human, pheromone is secreted by endocrine gland that is located on the armpit, face, skin, and genital. Pheromones will be activated when a person reaches his/her puberty. Pheromones are invisible, don’t have any measure, can vaporize easily, and can’t be sensed by your senses. Pheromones are commonly released by your body when you are sweating. This chemical compound also can stick on your clothes as well. This is why there are some women who like to keep the clothes of their partner since pheromones from their partner still stick to the clothes.
There are many scientists consider that pheromones play major role in resulting feeling of attraction to opposite sex. Love, affection, sexual arousal, and nostalgia are all triggered by pheromone. Pheromone works like initiator in chemical reactions. This chemical compound can make you attract to opposite sex, whether it’s sexually or not. When you make eye contact with opposite sex, you might release pheromone and it can be smelled by Vomeronasal Organ (VNO) which is located inside the nose and connected to brain through nervous system. Thus, this is the first chemistry of love.
When pheromone is smelled by VNO, it will be sent to hypothalamus which is an area in brain that control human’s emotion. After received the stimulate, brain will send feedback that will affect the physiological condition of the body such as the changes in heart rate, the irregular breath, the increases of body temperature, and sweating. This stage is called impression stage and it’s considered as the first stage of fall in love.
2. Testosterone
Testosterone is hormone that can be found in human and other animals. Testosterone is basically produced by testicle in male. Ovaries also produce testosterone even though the amount of testosterone in female is not as much as in male. The level of testosterone will increase significantly during puberty and will decrease after age of 30 years or more.
Testosterone is the type of hormone that is commonly associated with sexual arousal and this chemical compound plays a very important role in the production of sperm in male. On the other hand, testosterone is also a chemical compound that will affect bones and muscles mass as well. This hormone also might affect the production of red blood cells. The amount of testosterone in male can affect his moods. In the process of fall in love, testosterone will work together with other chemicals such as dopamine and oxytocin.
3. Estrogen
Estrogen is sexual hormone that is produced in female. This hormone is mainly produced by ovaries. However, estrogen might also be produced by fat cells and adrenal gland as well. Just like testosterone in male, estrogen is a hormone in female that plays major role in sexual activity. This chemical compound also plays major role in the process of fall in love as well.
Just like testosterone, estrogen will be produced in high amount when female reaches her puberty. Estrogen is basically a term that is used for chemical group that consists of estrone, estradiol, and estriol. All of these chemical compounds play a role when a female fall in love, just like testosterone did.
Basically, estrogen is very active during puberty. This chemical compound also plays major role in developing the secondary sexual characteristics in female such as the growth of breast and the growth of pubic hair. Estrogen also helps control menstrual cycle and control the growth of uterus wall during the beginning of menstrual cycle. Estrogen commonly works with progesterone.
Both testosterone and estrogen play a role in the process of fall in love. The stage where testosterone and estrogen take part in the process of fall in love is called the lust stage. This stage is the second stage in the process of fall in love.
4. Dopamine
Other chemical compound that takes part in the process of fall in love is dopamine. Dopamine is chemical compound that plays a role in creating the feeling of happiness. When you’re in love, the production of dopamine in your body will increase. This is why you will feel so happy when you’re in love. That’s the dopamine works.
Dopamine is also known as the chemical compound that is responsible in your behaviors when you’re in love as well. This hormone will trigger you to do many things when you feel happy due to love. Dopamine also can make your heart beats faster as well. On the other hand, this hormone will also make you feel anxious and happy at the same time.
Dopamine is basically a chemical compound that is produced in your brain and it’s known as neurotransmitter. Dopamine has a very important role in transferring signals that are sent from one synapse to other synapse. Dopamine not only can make you feel happier but it also can make your moods better as well. This is why when you fall in love you will have motivation to do many things since you’re in very good mood. All of these are because of dopamine as dopamine is the chemistry of love.
When you’re in love, you will not be able to think about anything else besides your loved one. You might also loss your appetite when you’re in love. In some cases, you might think that you need less sleep when you’re in love. You choose to spend your time daydreaming about your loved one. All of these are the effects of dopamine. Dopamine can also be triggered by nicotine and cocaine as well.
5. Norepinephrine
Besides dopamine, other neurotransmitter that takes part in the process of fall in love is norepinephrine. Basically, norepinephrine is a hormone that is also known as adrenaline. Norepinephrine is produced by adrenal gland that is located on your brain. Norepinephrine has several functions. This hormone can make you stay focus and awake during stressful situation. When this hormone works, you will be more aware, can’t sleep, and will focus to certain things. When you in love, you will focus on your loved one.
Norepinephrine can help divert the blood stream from areas that don’t need blood too much to areas that are more important such as muscles or brain that will make you can deal with dangerous situation in better way. Norepinephrine is neurotransmitter in limbic system of brain that control emotions such as euphoria and depression. This is why when you fall in love you will feel so happy and depressed at the same time.
Norepinephrine usually works together with dopamine. When you fall in love, both of these hormones will work together to create the sense of euphoria. You will become happier and will only think about your loved one. Norepinephrine is also a hormone that will make you sweat more and makes your heart beats faster when you’re in love.
6. Serotonin
Serotonin is considered as one of the most essential chemicals that are responsible in the process of fall in love. Serotonin is also considered as the type of chemical that can make you temporarily insane during the process of fall in love. Serotonin is basically a neurotransmitter that can be found in pineal gland, digestive tract, central nervous system, and thrombocyte.
Serotonin is made through the unique process of biochemistry conversion. The main component of serotonin is called tryptophan which is also the component of protein. About 80% of total serotonin in your body is located on intestines in enterochromaffin cells that play a role in controlling the movements of intestines. The rest of serotonin is made in serotonergic neurons in central nervous system.
As neurotransmitter, serotonin can help transfer the impulses from one area to other areas on your brain. Serotonin also can affect many psychological functions on your body. From about 40 millions of brain cells, most of them are affected directly or indirectly by serotonin. The work of serotonin is related to mood, sexual arousal, sexual function, appetite, sleep, memories, and temperature control.
Serotonin also affects the function of cardiovascular system (heart and veins), muscles, and various elements in endocrine system. In pregnant women and women that giving birth, serotonin also plays a role in milk production as well. Serotonin also can affect the feeling of love. According to study, people with lower serotonin activities have feeling of love that is not as good as people who have normal serotonin activities.
Dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin are the neurotransmitters that play role in the third stage of the process of fall in love. This stage is known as attraction stage in chemistry of love.
7. Oxytocin
Oxytocin is hormone that is produced by the posterior of pituitary gland. This hormone plays a very important role in birth process. Oxytocin came from Greek word that means ‘the fast birth’. Oxytocin is known as hormone that can help the process of birth by increasing uterus muscles contraction so that the birth process became easier.
Oxytocin not only can be found in female but also can be found in male as well. The oxytocin in male has a slightly different function that oxytocin in female. In female, oxytocin works together with other sexual hormones such as estrogen and progesterone. Besides can help the birth process, oxytocin also has other functions as well.
Both in male and female, oxytocin can affect emotions. Oxytocin came as respond to positive emotions that came and responded by hypothalamus. The effect of the secretion of oxytocin is the feeling of happiness. When oxytocin is secreted, you will feel happy and calm. Oxytocin is also known as love hormone as well since it will work actively when you’re in love.
When you fall in love, oxytocin will be released so that you will feel happy. Oxytocin is released by hypothalamus during orgasm as well. This hormone can promote bonding when two adults are in intimate situation.
8. Vasopressin
The last chemical that takes part in the process of fall in love is vasopressin. This chemical is considered as essential chemical in long-term relationship. Vasopressin is natural hormone that can help control various functions in your body. Vasopressin can support proper cellular function by maintaining the volume of water that surrounds cells.
Vasopressin is also known as hormone that plays a major role in circadian rhythm regulation. This hormone can affect your sleep. Other function of vasopressin is to help maintaining internal temperature of your body. This hormone also controls blood volume and urine flow from the kidney as well. Vasopressin can be found both in male and female.
Vasopressin is also considered as chemical that plays important role when you fall in love. Together with oxytocin, vasopressin plays role in the fourth stage of fall in love. This stage is known as attachment stage. Attachment stage is considered as the stage that can indicate that the relationship will last.
Attachment is considered as longer lasting commitment in the process of fall in love. The bond that is created in this stage will keep couples together in longer term. Thus, there are eight chemicals love that reacts when you are in love.
The Stages of Falling in Love Reactions (Love Chemicals) Based on The Scientist
Basically, there are four stages of falling in love according to scientists. Each of these stages involves different chemicals or hormone. To understand what chemicals that take part when you’re falling in love, you need to understand these stages first.
According to scientists, when you’re in love, there are several chemicals that plays major role. Most of these chemicals are produced in your brain and might affect your psychology function. Scientist said that the processes that occur on your brain when you’re in love are similar to the processes that occur on brain when there is mental illness.
When you are attracted to someone, it’s not only about your feelings but it also about chemicals and biological aspects as well. You can attract to someone because subconsciously you like his/her genes. The rest of process in fall in love will involve chemicals in your brain or hormones.
Most people think that they attract to someone due to his/her look. But scientists explain that smell also plays important role in the process of falling in love as well. You tend to like the look and the smell of a person who has similar look and smell to your parents.
The four stages of fall in love are including the impression stage, the lust stage, the attraction stage, and the attachment stage. In impression stage, the chemical that plays main role is pheromone. In lust stage, the chemicals that play main role are testosterone in male and estrogen in female. There are three chemicals that play role in attraction stage. They are dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine. In the fourth stage, the attachment stage, the chemicals that play main role are oxytocin and vasopressin.
Conclusion
Falling in love can occur to anyone. You can attract to someone and other people might attract to you. Falling in love is not only about feelings but it’s basically the works of several hormones and chemicals in your brain. These chemicals might affect your feelings and make you feel happier when you’re falling in love. There are love chemicals that takes the role play. On the other hand, these chemicals might also cause other effects as well such as loss of appetite, lack of sleep, and anxiety. Understanding the works of these chemicals and hormones will help you understand what really happened to your body when you’re falling in love.
You may also search: