MIAMI, Fl., April 27, 202 - Like it or not it takes less than four minutes to decide if the person you just met is worth the effort in getting to know. It is theorized that 55% of attraction is through body language and appearance, while 38% is dependent on the speed and verbal tone of speech and only 7% through what is actually said. So even if that cheesy one liner doesn’t come out just right, with correct presentation your chances are still pretty good. Statistically speaking, of course.
So once we have made it past the first four minutes, what’s next? The recipe for lasting love consists of three stages: lust, attraction, and attachment.
Lust is easy. Lust is primal. Does the person across from you tickle your fancy on a physical level? This is driven by the main sex hormones testosterone and estrogen. Testosterone is the main driving force in both men and women and can be a first line treatment for those with decreased libido.
Attraction gets a bit trickier. Everyone knows the feeling of waking up totally enamored with their new ‘love,’ constantly consumed with thoughts and day dreams of them. When they see them their heart starts to flutter and palms begin to sweat. Their focus sharpens, there is a seemingly little need for food or sleep and just the inclination of being with them prompts that love drunk rush. Physiologically speaking lets break down these emotions. The continual day dreaming and thought invasion is linked to increased serotonin. The fluttering heart and sweating palms to nor-epinephrine, and the decreased sleep and food with a craving for that romantic fix to dopamine (which is the same sensation one receives from cocaine)! So we can thank our brain and not cupid for floating on cloud nine at the beginning of a relationship. But could these physiological changes be working to trick us into the ultimate romantic charade in hopes that we as a species will reproduce?
Attachment is the next and final stage of the love game where the bonds formed during the lust and attraction phases are cemented with our body’s chemical glue. Oxytocin, the main chemical released during an orgasm, child birth and breastfeeding is the key component in creating lasting bonds between those sharing them. It is said that the more orgasms partners share the stronger the relationship and bonds of intimacy will be. The same is true regarding breast feeding and the ultimate bond a mother and her infant share. This is probably why it has been dubbed the “cuddle” hormone. Oxytocin is also slowly becoming a new medication to assist with medically oriented sexual augmentation for couples as well.
Demystifying the emotion of love can in theory be done chemically but as life goes everything and anything is possible. Love can happen in any place and at any moment. But having the right balance of hormones and neurotransmitters coursing through your veins can definitely aid in the process!
“The best cosmetic procedure is adding a smile” - Dr. Ivan Rusilko
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