I’m pretty sure everyone has had this experience. Why is it so common to suddenly not have the ability to show your best self when around someone we are attracted to in those early crushy days? What’s actually happening? Any social scientists have a decent explanation? Do animals do this? I want to know more!
In: Biology
Believe it or not, just seeing someone you’re attracted to has major effects on the brain. There is some evidence that it immediately deactivates the parts of your brain dedicated to 1) decision-making and reasoning, and 2) processing negative emotions. This might explain why you get giddy and excited and stupid whenever this person gets close to you. Not just that, but it also seems to affect which neurotransmitters, or chemical messenger molecules, are sent back and forth and being used to communicate within your brain. You’ll get hit by a surge of dopamine, which is sometimes called the “feel-good” hormone. Other ways of triggering dopamine release in your brain include by eating and/or drug use. You’ll also get a blast of adrenaline, which is the fight-or-flight hormone that makes your heart rate go up. I’m sure a scientist or clinician can expand on this but it is truly remarkable what happens in the split second that you see someone you like!
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