8 Stages Of Love And Affection You Should Know About

Human interaction is not as simple as it seems. Everything we do is connected to both our brain and body. The most basic functional unit of our body might just be the answer to why, how, and when we fall in love.

We’re taught the basics of chemistry in school, like how oxygen and hydrogen make up water. But if we advance our learning and understanding of the minute processes that make up simple objects, we may be able to better understand our relationships.

# When you start to like a person

This is driven by the hormones testosterone and estrogen, for men and women respectively. No matter what your sexual orientation is, these are the two most basic substances that get you riled up about someone you like.

When you start to like someone, there will be a surge in the amount of the hormone your body produces. This is most likely triggered by visual stimuli *i.e. their physical appearance* but it can also be triggered by the pheromones that they emit.

# When you feel infatuated

This is what you initially assume to be love. It can be love at first sight, or love that happens in a longer span of time. We can’t readily confirm that it is, indeed, love, since there’s no scientific basis for that yet.

For now, certain parts of your brain are secreting adrenaline, dopamine, and serotonin because of your infatuation. Adrenaline gives you a heightened and intense feeling. It’s what you can call a rush of emotions.

# When you fall in love

Without having to confirm the science, you can develop romantic feelings identifiable as romantic love. This phase is when your body has grown accustomed to the increased levels of the hormones mentioned above.

Scientists believe that the hormone oxytocin is involved in the development of romantic feelings between two human beings. It is the hormone that allows you to create a romantic bond with your partner.

# When you feel horny

Once you’re all lovey-dovey and googly-eyed, the next step in the relationship is to become intimate with each other. It’s not mandatory, but your body might feel otherwise. When you feel highly attracted to your partner, your body will start to undergo the first stages of sexual arousal.

# When you feel heartbroken

When your heart gets broken, the first thing your brain does is find ways to protect itself. That’s where the five stages of grief come into play. These are denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. In terms of brain chemistry, the pain that you feel starts to trigger a massive dump and surge of different hormones.

Dopamine levels gradually decrease, which causes a person to undergo theoretical withdrawal. This is what causes the stages of denial and anger. The bargaining stage is caused by the loss of dopamine. That’s because your brain is itching to get its fix. During this time, you might start acting *for lack of a better word* crazy.

# When you feel unappreciated

Feeling unappreciated is almost the same as feeling rejected. The same chemical processes are happening in both circumstances. The most active substances that are involved are dopamine and cortisol.

Dopamine doesn’t just affect people who are in love. It can also be secreted when you feel happy about other things. One such thing is being appreciated by the people around you—more specifically, the people you love.

# When you fall out of love

According to some scientists, many people experience the feeling of “mate rejection” when they fall out of love. This is when your brain starts reprogramming your emotions to prepare for a breakup.

This theory was tested by giving subjects serotonin-suppressing antidepressants. This type of drug interaction can cause the dopamine production in the brain to decrease.

# When you realize that it’s okay to fall in love again

When your brain has fully recovered from the heartbreak you’ve experienced, it’s finally ready to repeat the cycle of falling in love.

There may still be some aftereffects of the trauma you’ve experienced, but it’s safe to say that you can just as easily fall in love again. It may be a little slower this time around.