The science behind falling in love

You know those warm fuzzy feelings that make us want to be with a person more than anything? These do not come from our hearts, as popularized by romantic folklore, but mostly from our brains. We fall in love for a number of reasons, and our body responds accordingly with a cocktail of hormones strong enough to get us hooked. Click through and let's talk about love.

Why we fall in love

The main reasons why we fall in love come from our ancestors. The need for pair bonding and reproduction were essential for the evolution of our species.

Three stages of falling in love

When we fall in love, we go through three stages: lust, attraction, and attachment. All three stages are associated with different hormonal responses.

Lust

Estrogen and testosterone are the main hormones responsible for this feeling.

Attraction

This is where all the fun begins. This stage happens after the first biological response and it triggers a number of hormonal responses.

Reward system

Love essentially triggers a feedback loop in our brain's reward system, making us want more. It kicks in mostly during this phase.

Attraction: adrenaline

Yes, the first rush comes from adrenaline. Falling in love with a person will actually cause a stress response in your body.

Attraction: dopamine

Being in love induces our bodies to produce the neurotransmitter dopamine. Also known as the "feel good" hormone. Dopamine is responsible for feelings of pleasure and happiness.

Effects of high dopamine levels include increased energy, increased focus, and feeling less hungry.

Attraction: serotonin

Women tend to produce slightly higher levels of serotonin than men when falling in love.

Attachment: oxytocin

Oxytocin is also the hormone that makes us bond as humans. It's key in the relationship between mother and child immediately after birth.

Attachment: vasopressin

Vasopressin is mostly known as an anti-diuretic. It works in the kidneys and it controls thirst.

Vasopressin is an essential hormone that promotes healthy, long-lasting relationships.

Love hurts

We feel withdrawal symptoms when we break-up with our partner.

When the cocktail goes wrong

Unbalanced hormonal levels can lead to a series of issues, particularly because our brain's reward system is involved.

Too much dopamine and the reward pathways in our brain can start seeking for excitement elsewhere. Addiction, jealousy, and erratic behavior can be a result of us trying to get the next dopamine "fix."