If it feels good, is it love?

Finally! You’ve met someone you are attracted to and it seems you are in love!! You feel dizzy, can’t get him or her out of your head and you can’t wait until the next time you see each other. Life is more beautiful and there’s a new spring in your step. That’s love, right?

But is it? Do you know how many chemicals are flooding your brain and body, conspiring to make you feel as if you’re “in love”? We routinely mistake attraction, chemistry, good sex, having fun, infatuation, feeling attached and any romantic or sexual feeling for love.

Below is a list of the bio-chemical stages we go through on our way to love:

Stage One – Lust

This is fun, exciting, stimulating. No matter what you think is happening, at this stage you are largely being driven by sex hormones, plus testosterone and estrogen.

Stage Two – Attraction

Scientists believe three main neurotransmitters contribute to feelings of attraction: Adrenaline, Dopamine and Serotonin.Adrenaline and Cortisol cause the nervous sweating, heart palpitations and dry mouth caused by seeing your love interest. Dopamine triggers intense rush of pleasure – we all know about those! And, Serotonin levels in new lovers are equivalent to the low serotonin levels in obsessive-compulsive disorder patients, explaining why you “can’t get him out of mind.” Still think this is love?
Stage Three – Attachment

Now for the ugly truth about feeling “connected” to your new guy or gal. Scientists have found there are two major hormones involved in creating feelings of attachment and longing: Oxytocin and Vasopressin. Oxyocin is released by both men and women during orgasm. This “cuddle hormone” deepens the feeling of attachment, making couples feel closer to one another after they have sex.

Vasopressin is also released after sex with the purpose of forming stable pair-bonds. In tests with animals, suppressing the effect Vasopressin resulted in a deterioration of bonding with mated pairs, such as failing to protect their mate from new suitors.

With all of these biological influences on our psyches, it’s no wonder we have trouble making good decisions about whether or not the person we are so attracted to is a good long-term match for us. Doubts or reservations don’t feel good. When the “rush” of good feelings returns, we convince ourselves we were wrong to doubt, but were we? This confusion often leads to pre-mature matches or what I call “mini-marriages” in which couples live together in order to confirm whether or not they are life mates.

So what’s the bottom line? How does this information help? How can we make sure it’s love – and make it last?

As much as we feel it’s “love,” we are deeply influenced by the intensity of these naturally produced chemicals. In order for relationships to survive real life challenges, couples need to rely on more than chemistry and attraction. The Mindful Dater is designed to do just that; help you sift through the fog of emotions to identify a truly sustainable relationship. For more articles and to check out this proven program visit www.theMindfulDater.com

LaDonna S. Kumar

Licensed Relationship Counselor