Oxytocin, chemical addiction and the science of love

"...a relatively small area of the human brain is active in love, compared with that involved in, say, ordinary friendship. “It is fascinating to reflect”, the pair conclude, “that the face that launched a thousand ships should have done so through such a limited expanse of cortex.” The second surprise was that the brain areas active in love are different from the areas activated in other emotional states, such as fear and anger. Parts of the brain that are love-bitten include the one responsible for gut feelings, and the ones which generate the euphoria induced by drugs such as cocaine. So the brains of people deeply in love do not look like those of people experiencing strong emotions, but instead like those of people snorting coke. Love, in other words, uses the neural mechanisms that are activated during the process of addiction. “We are literally addicted to love,” Dr Young observes." 

FuturePundit: Love Like Addiction In Brain Scans

"Compared with the neutral photos, a lover's picture triggers the dopamine system in the brain -- the same system associated with pleasure and addiction. But the brain images of those scorned in love also give us clues as to why the breakdown of a relationship can trigger serious health problems. The subjects dealing with failed relationships showed activity in the dopamine system -- suggesting they maintained intense feelings for their loved one. But they also showed activity in brain regions associated with risk taking, controlling anger and obsessive compulsive problems. Notably, the scans showed activity in one part of the brain linked with physical pain. "

When love is the drug...

"It's based on fear. It could be fear of rejection, of being alone or fear of being made a fool of. It's trauma related. There's one type of trauma that we don't talk enough about, which is the trauma of omission. There are certain developmental paths and certain words we need to hear at each stage of development and none of us got everything we needed. There are literally holes in our psyche that we are trying to fill unconsciously."

The person who remembers they can always reach out and help others, Jane, never runs out of things to do, always has friends, and rarely needs advice.

"Give it away, give it away, give it away, give it away y'all,"
    The Universe

 

Thoughts become things... choose the good ones! ®
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 Jan. 19: "I went to a church training tonight and couldn't stay beyond the worship, but I got what I needed.  It was a training on how to do Sozo healing prayer. "

Feb 19: "Today is when the new boss starts at my work, but not at my particular office.  He'll be at our office tomorrow afternoon.  And it's a bummer because it's probably going to take a month or two before much pressure is off me."

Mar 18: "I haven't written for days because I hit rock bottom with grief and depression.  Yesterday was the baby's due date.  Over the weekend, I coped by sleeping."

April 20: "Still no Coco, this morning, but I am ok.  Yesterday I was nearly hysterical about the timing of her being missing right now, and not being able to lose her on top of everything else, but today I am more hopeful that she will eventually turn up... it's hard to be in limbo tho"  (she came home)

May 20: "I haven't posted for days.  This weekend I completely numbed out in front of the TV.  I am still numb, depressed and blah."

June 20: "I can't wait for it to be the weekend.  Work is driving me crazy.  My feelings have been stuck on hurt. "

Today: "I actually went to Vineyard today (because of all the stuff that got cleaned out by my Sozo).  I am experiencing a rejuvenation of using my connection with God to help improve the functioning of my boundaries."