10 Psychological Facts about Love

Love the most important thing we do. in 2015 a 75-year study collected data on the lives of 268 people researchers wanted to find the secret to a happier life and the answer was love love changes you guides you and destroys you it's mysterious and powerful in ways science can hardly explain to help you understand this extraordinary feeling here are 10 psychological facts you may not have known about love.

1. Love literally hurts. In 2017 taman and ahmad found that love increases your perception of pain without injury or disease love can create and enhance physical pain all on its own but how is this possible anatomically pain and love blend together in your brain the areas responsible for pain and love overlap so these feelings become entangled psychologically the relationship between love and pain is even more confusing for example heartbreak can fool you into feeling pain that doesn't exist we've felt the pressure and aching of a broken heart your heart isn't actually broken love and pain are simply woven together.

2. Love relieves pain. Love can hurt you but love can also heal you the same 2017 study found that love can diminish mask or numb both physical and emotional pain this powerful emotion activates areas of the prefrontal cortex which feel comfort safety and intimacy when these areas of the brain activate love dulls your pain almost like a painkiller ultimately love is a double-edged sword sometimes it keeps us safe and happy other times it cuts us up and cuts us down

3. Love works quickly. How long does it take to fall in love most people say somewhere between three and five months but your brain falls in love faster than you think in 1997 aaron and others discovered a shocking revelation about love in your brain your brain only needs an hour to fall in love in rare cases it only needs five minutes lasting love requires time to grow and mature but that spark can ignite almost instantly

4. Love is addicting. In 2010 a neuroimaging study by ortik and others found many similarities between love and substance abuse when falling in love your brain experiences a blinding euphoria that euphoria stems from a cocktail of neurochemicals such as dopamine oxytocin and adrenaline turns out several different drugs trigger the exact same response in your brain not only does the experience mimic drug use but love is just as addicting your brain loves to be in love and it craves love when that feeling is taken away that's one of the many reasons why breakups create stress and raise your risk of depression passionate love is like an addiction for better or for worse

5. Love likes conflict. We've all heard the phrase opposites attract but is there any truth to this old adage being similar is not always a recipe for love. Love needs conflict to survive conflict creates interest passion and curiosity it breeds compromise and allows you to learn from your partner not only does this strengthen your connection but it also keeps your love on its toes

6. Love plays fair. Do you wonder if your partner is out of your league love is a universal equalizer in lasting relationships partners are drawn to people with an equal level of social desirability sometimes two parts are physically equal other times one is more attractive but the other is more successful altruistic or creative this balance is fundamental to any lasting relationship if you're worried your partner is too good for you give yourself a bit more credit

7. Love is universal. People fall in love develop relationships and search for our soul mates but humans aren't the only species looking for their perfect match a 2018 study by lamber and others found that countless species lead lifelong relationships swans and wolves find soul mates who they share their entire lives with that means love isn't something people made up it's ingrained within our dna

8. Love inspires creativity. Love has inspired countless writers and artists throughout history but that's no coincidence in a 2009 study forster and others found that love actually changes how you think it opens your mind by stimulating creative thought this new way of thinking shapes the way you analyze and process both emotions and experiences so art forms like writing and painting become ideal mediums to express those new and complicated feelings

9. love relieves stress. After a long day one act of love can transform your mood studies have shown that small interactions with a loved one can significantly reduce stress something as simple as holding your partner's hand can unravel a week's worth of tension the power of physical touch gets stronger the longer you and your partner are together that person becomes a beacon of safety and comfort in your life that's why a small touch can melt away all of your stress and

10. Love plays tricks on you. How do you feel after a breakup sometimes the absence of love creates an even stronger attraction this surprisingly common experience stems from envy nostalgia and idealization in other words you want something only because it's gone, in those moments your brain pulls a veil over your eyes you feel like you're still in love even if you know deep down it isn't real.