The Psychology Behind First Love

All of us have our first love. We either fall in love too young or too old but we all have our first love. That special someone that makes us experience love in an intense and special way for the very first time. Also, is it the kind of love that made us experience a different kind of hurt and pain for the first time. But have you ever wondered why first love is always special and difficult to forget? As the famous quote says: ‘First love never dies.’

First love is the first dose to addiction

According to the study carried out by Helen Fisher in 2005 on the fMRI of couples in love, romantic love is primarily a motivation system, rather than an emotion, that can be similar to what we experience during addiction.

There are several hormones and neurotransmitters that are involved or are being released when we are in love. These are: oxytocin, dopamine, and norepinephrine.

Oxytocin, which is also called the ‘love hormone’ is responsible for feelings of attachment and intimacy. It helps bond people closer together; it’s what keeps some people monogamous, it can lower your inhibitions, and it can help you become more open and trusting of others. It is also the same chemical that bonds mothers and children.

Dopamine, on the other hand, is a neurotransmitter that is strongly associated with emotions, pleasure, and reward and in modulating the immune system. This is where the ‘addiction’ part of love comes in. When this hormone is released, it activates the reward centre of the brain that causes a ‘motivation-reward’ effect. Thus, we seek out the reward of love even through obstacles that may be dangerous or painful (a cheating partner, an abusive partner, etc.)

Norepinephrine is the drug that is used by medical experts to treat low blood pressure (hypotension) and heart diseases. It is similar to adrenaline and dopamine, which produces racing heart and excitement. It is released in the first stages of love either lust or infatuation. According to Helen Fisher, these two chemicals – dopamine and norepinephrine – produce elation, intense energy, sleeplessness, craving, and focused attention.