Addictive Love?

[ordos45]

So I was browsing about the web and hit www.drudgereport.com a news portal, and followed a link from it. This is an interesting story, because this topic has come up a few times in school.

Love could be as addictive as cocaine or speed, scientists have said.

According to Dr John Marsden, head of the National Addiction Centre at the Maudsley Hospital in London, when you are attracted to someone your brain releases the drug dopamine, giving the same reaction that taking cocaine or speed would create.

"Attraction and lust really is like a drug. It leaves you just wanting more," he said.

However like the drugs - the first flush of love is temporary.

"Scientific research reveals the first flush of love lasts only between three and seven years," he added.

The findings, which will appear in a BBC documentary next month, also investigate the link between people's smells, facial features and genes.

"Being attracted to someone sparks the same incredible feelings no matter who you are. Love really does know no boundaries," he said.

He explained that when we are attracted to someone part of the brain which processes emotions is fired up causing the heart to pound three times faster than normal and causes blood to be diverted to the cheeks and sexual organs, which causes the feeling of butterflies in the stomach.

"It might look like we are all after the perfect partner to wine and dine but underneath all that our animal

Dr Marsden's research also revealed that, "sex is booby-trapped" to make people bond with their partner.

"Your body has evolved over millions of years with one aim - to go forth and multiply, so while having kids may not be on the agenda just yet your body has a few tricks up its sleeve to drag you in that direction," he said.

According to the research the more people have sex together, the more likely they are to bond.

"We all know you can have sex without falling in love but if you have enough sex with the same person there's a good chance you will hit the body's booby trap which is there to tip you head over heels into love," he said.

"So your body goes all out to make you bond with your partner and that makes love highly addictive and the withdrawal sucks."

Body Hits: Love Story is on BBC3 on Thursday December 4.

Story filed: 20:12 Monday 24th November 2003

From http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_841263.html?menu=news.latestheadlines

Any thoughts on love being an addiction?

[Andrew]

I think that may answer a lot of questions. :D

So remember, don't have sex with one person too often as it's a booby trap. Try and spread it around until you find the right person. ::)

[Mahdi]

Yeah, that's been out for awhile, although it's being pretty simplistic regards the dopamine connections.

A more recent (and interesting, imho) study suggests that the emotional pain caused by heartbreak is the same as physical pain.

[Big D]

hello (bonks on head), wake up call, love is a lie! :D :O ::)lol

[nemafakei]

"Body Hits: Love Story is on BBC3 on Thursday December 4."

NB: BBC3 is a digital channel, and most people don't have any means of watching it.

"Scientific research reveals the first flush of love lasts only between three and seven years,"

"Dr Marsden's research also revealed that, "sex is booby-trapped" to make people bond with their partner"

Andrew, my interpretation would be 'Once you've known someone and felt this way for over seven years, then your can be trusted enough for you to do something about your feelings.'

"A more recent (and interesting, imho) study suggests that the emotional pain caused by heartbreak is the same as physical pain"

Mahdi, that makes no sense whatsoever. The same in what way? Unless your'e talking psychosomasis (or self-inflicted wounds), what you have said does not quite tally.

[Mahdi]

Physical and emotional pain is created the same way in the brain. Same area of the brain, some chemicals, same everything. I should have been more specific.

[nemafakei]

Ah, I see what you mean. Thankyou. I had thought you were referring to the initial nervous response.

[Inoculator9]

I'll agree that love is "addictive" in the sense that... I suppose it's great, lol. But I want to say two things about that article:

1) I think it's the stupidest thing I've ever seen. Not to challenge it's validity of course, just the mere fact of it's existence.

2) I'd feel like an idiot publishing/writing/conceiving of such an article.

[lost_child]

I don't think "love" is addictive. Sex can be addictive though.

[Acriku]

Love is a bunch of chemicals, and there is chemical addiction, so I don't see a problem.

[Scrinlord]

I do beleive that love can be addictive. Not at all sure how, but it definatly is.

[nemafakei]

I've just seen an advert for the programme (yes, we get adverts for programmmes we can't see) the other day. It looks very tacky.