The Pathology of Love
Below is a MRR and PLR article in category Reference Education -> subcategory Psychology.
The Pathology of Love
Summary:
Recent studies reveal the unsettling reality that falling in love is much like a severe pathology. Behavioral changes can resemble psychosis, and biochemically, passionate love closely mimics substance abuse.
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Article:
Recent research highlights the unsettling reality that falling in love shares similarities with severe pathology. Behavior seen in love resembles psychosis, and, on a biochemical level, passionate love mirrors substance abuse. Dr. John Marsden, head of the British National Addiction Center, likened love to being as addictive as cocaine and speed, especially since sexual activity serves as a "booby trap" to bond partners.
Using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), Andreas Bartels and Semir Zeki from University College London found that the same brain areas are active during both drug abuse and love. The prefrontal cortex, often hyperactive in depression, becomes inactive when one is infatuated. The paradox of low serotonin levels being a sign of both depression and infatuation remains unexplained.
The initial stage of love, or lust, is driven by a surge of sex hormones like testosterone and estrogen, sparking an urgent need for physical satisfaction. Once a suitable partner is found, attraction occurs, accompanied by various sleep and eating disorders.
A University of Chicago study revealed that testosterone levels rise significantly even when chatting with a female stranger. Strong hormonal reactions lead to noticeable behavior changes, suggesting a broader "mating response." Testosterone is linked to aggression and risk-taking in animals and is notably lower in married men and fathers compared to single males.
Helen Fisher of Rutgers University proposes a three-phase model of love, each involving different chemicals. As the BBC dramatically put it: "Events in the brain when we are in love resemble mental illness."
Moreover, we often feel drawn to people who share our genetic makeup and pheromones reminiscent of our parents. Dr. Martha McClintock's research at the University of Chicago showed women are more attracted to the scent of T-shirts worn by men whose smell (pheromones) resembled their fathers, echoing Freud's Oedipus and Electra complexes.
In the February 2004 issue of NeuroImage, Andreas Bartels described similar brain reactions in young mothers looking at their babies and individuals viewing their lovers. According to Bartels, "Both romantic and maternal love are rewarding experiences crucial for species survival, sharing an essential biological function."
Psychologist David Perrett from the University of St Andrews further demonstrated that people are drawn to faces resembling their own. Participants preferred opposite-sex faces morphed from their own parents' features.
Contrary to common belief, love often involves negative emotions. Professor Arthur Aron from the State University of New York at Stonybrook explains that people frequently misinterpret fear and thrill as love during their early encounters. Intriguingly, anxious individuals, especially those with the "serotonin transporter" gene, tend to be more sexually active and fall in love more often.
Obsessive thoughts about the loved one and compulsive behaviors are prevalent. "Love is blind," with cognitive distortions similar to pathological defense mechanisms like "splitting." Narcissists, for example, idealize romantic partners, revealing cognitive-emotional impairments common in many mental health conditions.
Neurotransmitter activity?"such as Dopamine, Adrenaline (Norepinephrine), and Serotonin?"intensifies during infatuation, resembling Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and depression. As relationships stabilize, these levels normalize, replaced by endorphins like Oxytocin and Vasopressin, which promote bonding and affection.
Love, in all its stages, becomes an addiction to neurotransmitters like PEA. Essentially, love is a form of substance abuse, and withdrawal can severely impact mental health.
Dr. Kenneth Kendler's study, published in the Archives of General Psychiatry, shows that breakups often lead to depression and anxiety.
Yet, love transcends biochemical and electrical aspects. It isn't just our bodily processes; it's the interpretation of these experiences?"a pure form of poetry.
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