Hi! Could make some writing notes regarding what happens to the human body when making out? Like the temperature increase and dopamine release, stuff like that? Or maybe just how the body reacts when you're nearby/interact to/with a loved one.
I hope you're doing well! I love your posts!
Writing Notes: The Physiology of Love
Love can be distilled into 3 categories: lust, attraction, and attachment.
Though there are overlaps and subtleties to each, each type is characterized by its own set of hormones:
Testosterone and estrogen - drive lust
Dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin - create attraction
Oxytocin and vasopressin - mediate attachment
When we are falling in love, chemicals associated with the reward circuit flood our brain, produce a variety of physical and emotional responses:
Racing hearts
Sweaty palms
Flushed cheeks
Feelings of passion
Anxiety
Two decades of research shows that when it comes to early-stage intense romantic love—the kind we often think of when we talk about being lovestruck—a very primitive part of the brain’s reward system, located in the midbrain, is activated first.
Some Physiological Reactions to a Kiss
Pulse and blood pressure increase
Pupils dilate
Breathing deepens
Rational thought retreats, as desire suppresses both prudence and self-consciousness
Lust
Driven by the desire for sexual gratification.
The evolutionary basis for this stems from our need to reproduce, a need shared among all living things.
The hypothalamus of the brain plays a big role in this, stimulating the production of the sex hormones testosterone and estrogen from the testes and ovaries. While these chemicals are often stereotyped as being “male” and “female,” respectively, both play a role in men and women.
As it turns out, testosterone increases libido in just about everyone. The effects are less pronounced with estrogen, but some women report being more sexually motivated around the time they ovulate, when estrogen levels are highest.
Lust and attraction shut off the prefrontal cortex (includes rational behavior).
Attraction
Dopamine
Produced by the hypothalamus, is a particularly well-publicized player in the brain’s reward pathway – it’s released when we do things that feel good to us:
E.g., Spending time with loved ones and having sex.
High levels of dopamine and a related hormone, norepinephrine, are released during attraction. These chemicals make us:
giddy,
energetic, and
euphoric, even leading to decreased appetite and insomnia – which means you actually can be so “in love” that you can’t eat and can’t sleep.
Norepinephrine, also known as noradrenalin, may sound familiar because it plays a large role in the fight or flight response, which kicks into high gear when we’re stressed and keeps us alert:
Released more often at the beginning of a couple's relationship when many unknowns are present, putting the brain in a ‘proceed with caution’ mode.
Early in a relationship, there is heightened adrenalin, which causes feelings like butterflies in the stomach and a faster heart rate. There is also reduced activity in the parts of the brain that help us to make judgements, which is why you may be 'blinded' to another person’s faults in early love or infatuation,
Brain scans of people in love have actually shown that the primary “reward” centers of the brain, including the ventral tegmental area and the caudate nucleus, fire like crazy when people are shown a photo of someone they are intensely attracted to, compared to when they are shown someone they feel neutral towards (like an old high school acquaintance).
Attraction seems to lead to a reduction in serotonin:
It is a hormone that’s known to be involved in appetite and mood.
Interestingly, people who suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorder also have low levels of serotonin, leading scientists to speculate that this is what underlies the overpowering infatuation that characterizes the beginning stages of love.
This explains why people in the early stages of love can become obsessed with small details, spending hours debating about a text to or from their beloved.
Attachment
The predominant factor in long-term relationships.
While lust and attraction are pretty much exclusive to romantic entanglements, attachment mediates friendships, parent-infant bonding, social cordiality, and many other intimacies as well.
The two primary hormones here appear to be oxytocin and vasopressin.
Oxytocin
Often nicknamed “cuddle hormone” or “hormone of love”.
Produced by the hypothalamus.
Released in large quantities during sex, breastfeeding, and childbirth.
This may seem like a very strange assortment of activities – not all of which are necessarily enjoyable – but the common factor here is that all of these events are precursors to bonding.
It also makes it pretty clear why having separate areas for attachment, lust, and attraction is important: we are attached to our immediate family, but those other emotions have no business there (and let’s just say people who have muddled this up don’t have the best track record).
The Brain During a Kiss
The brain goes into overdrive during the all-important kiss.
It dedicates a disproportionate amount of space to the sensation of the lips in comparison to much larger body parts.
During a kiss, this lip sensitivity causes our brain to create a chemical cocktail that can give us a natural high.
This cocktail is made up of three chemicals, all designed to make us feel good and crave more: dopamine, oxytocin, and serotonin.
Like any cocktail, this one has an array of side-effects.
The combination of these three chemicals work by lighting up the 'pleasure centres' in our brain.
The dopamine released during a kiss can stimulate the same area of the brain activated by heroin and cocaine. As a result, we experience feelings of euphoria and addictive behaviour.
Oxytocin fosters feelings of affection and attachment. This is the same hormone that is released during childbirth and breastfeeding.
Finally, the levels of serotonin present in the brain whilst kissing look a lot like those of someone with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.
No wonder the memory of a good kiss can stay with us for years.
Love happens less in the heart and more in the brain, where hormonal releases and brain chemicals are triggered.
Dopamine, serotonin and oxytocin are some of the key neurotransmitters that help you feel pleasure and satisfaction.
So, your body often approaches love as a cycle.
It feels good to be with that person, so your brain says, "Do that again."
Sources: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Thanks so much for your kind words. Hope you're doing well yourself! Would love to read your writing if these notes inspire you.
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7. tempestuous
Tempestuous: characterized by strong and turbulent or conflicting emotion.
Previous Chapter
Trigger Warning: Violence, mentions of SA
Saturday December 5, 2020
As much as you hate to admit it, Rio was right as soon as Cure relaunched it didn’t take 3 months before you found yourself busy with the bar. You were hoping it would be a flop. You didn’t like the fact that people were so eager to come back. It was as if Gracie meant nothing to them all they wanted was the food and drinks.
“Fuck you!” you feel the rage spilling over
He scoffs “Fuck me?!”
“Why am I collateral damage for whenever shit goes wrong?”
He sighs “You're not”
“So then why does it keep happening? What happened this year? What happened last year? Why am I bearing the brunt for shit I don’t even ask to be involved in?”
“You're a boss, you know that sometimes..”
You slap him with all the strength you can muster “Gracie is dead because of him” You point to Alejandro “and you want to talk about being a boss?” he had told you to stop by the warehouse tonight
“Are you done?” he asks
“No Fuck you!” You say shoving him causing him to stumble back a little, when you go to push him away again he grabs onto your arms “What do you want from me?! Have I not given you everything?”
“Chill out Y/N!” he raises his voice holding onto your arms
“Why is Alejandro here?” You ask him, struggling against his strong grip
“He’s here because he works for me now”
“At what expense?”
“You don’t dictate who i work with”
You nod “so its not a partnership then, it’s never been one”
“It is”
“So why is he here? I don't want to work with him, do you know what he used to do to me?" he just scowls at you "I can’t sleep because of him and you employed him?!”
“I told you I’m taking care of it so chill”
“NO! Fuck you Rio, I can’t believe I was stupid enough” You pause “Why not just kill me?" you ask voice breaking "Why are we even pretending here?”
“Why you asking so many questions? Stop overreacting”
“Fuck you I’m not overreacting!” you maneuver your way out of his grip “What did he tell you that you’re so eager to work with him?” You turn to face Alejandro “What did you say to him huh? Told him how big your dick is? Tell him how you can’t wait to feel his lips around it? Did you shove it in his face?”
“Chinga tu....” before he finished you punched him he laughs “hit like a girl“ You continue punching him the men go to stop you but Rio stops them from rushing to you
“What did he tell you?” You ask Rio out of breath
With a bloody mouth Alejandro speaks “that’s for me to know carino” you punch him once more and he falls to the ground “chinga” you stomp on his head knocking him out ultimately
You chuckle cynically "I'm fucking stupid" you speak to yourself. Rio says nothing. You pick up your purse and walk away.
Tuesday December 15, 2020
“Where’s Rio?” You ask gripping the bag tighter
“Sorry carino, boss is busy you now have to work with me” he smiles showing his two gold canine teeth
“I’m not” you say getting up
“OYE! Where you going? You owe us money loca!”
“Nope I owe Rio money if he wants it, he knows where to find me” you say defiantly getting in your car
Thursday December 17, 2020
“Glad you made it back home darling” he speaks as he takes a sip of beer after your shower
“Oh you’re home!” You smile sarcastically although he did break in after you got in for the night “Can you just knock? I’ll let you in just fucking knock”
“Where’s my money?”
“Oh you know where that is, Mick is very aware of the layout of my home”
“Y/N”
“Go get it” you look at him with a confused look “isn’t that why you’re here?”
He sighs “Why did I have to cut my trip short?”
“Why you asking soo many questions?” You throw back at him pointing to the time he wasn’t responding to you over Alejandro
“Just because you wanna throw a tantrum” he speaks
“It’s not a tantrum”
“No? Then what is it mama?” he stands up and walks to you “You refusing to give Alejandro the money”
You throw your hands up “I told you I’m not working with him, someone needs his listening ears” you tap your ears
“Well you’re gonna have to”
“Looks like you’re gonna be making a lot of house calls. I would give you a house key but seems like my door is always open for you”
“Y/N”
“Christopher
“You gon have to work with him”
“I’m not”
“This ain't up for debate!"
“I’m not debating you,” you scoff at the thought “I’m telling you. You do not get to pull this shit with me and expect me to just sit there and be happy about it. So you have 2 options get someone else to pick up the money or kill me and get someone else to do this shit” Mick walks back with the duffle bag “Oh look Mick got the money get the fuck out of my house!”
He pauses to look at you before leaving
Thursday January 7, 2021
Y/N: Where are you?
Rio: Tied up
Y/N: I’m going home
Rio: It’s a one time thing, just deal with it for today
Y/N: One too many
“OY! QUE TAL WHERE THE FUCK YOU GOIN?” he screams at you as you walk away
“Home”
He catches up to you “No no no mi novia” blocking your path
“Fuck you!” you say moving around him
He grabs your arm “I tried”
“Let GO!” you demand
He turns to face his friends making light of the situation “Esa mujer, puta!” He struggles with you and some time during the struggle you get slapped. You pause for a second before unleashing on him there's some commotion people are trying to pull you off of him
He laughs proudly “you fucking bitch you think you’ll ever run anything you’re nothing but his perrito you're no boss acting like you can do shit you...” you kick him, he groans in pain falling to the floor
“Pinche puta!” The other men say with their hands in the air you had reached in your purse and pulled out your gun
Alejandro looks up to you “What are you gonna do shoot me?”
“Yes” you say calmly before aiming and pulling the trigger
Sunday January 10, 2021
“You called?” You say to Rio as you stand by the door of his office. He puts a finger up and continues to talk on the phone. You step into the office, closing the door behind you. You take in the environment; it's not what you expected, it was even better than your office. The tones of green, mahogany, and black complimented the exposed red brick. You take a seat by the chair on the opposite side of the desk as he finishes the conversation.
“Soooo” you begin after the call ends
He puts up a finger again, not looking at you but down at his phone. You huff in response and pull out your phone to keep you busy.
“What happened?” He asks when he is done
“Here’s your money” you say placing the duffle bag on his desk
He doesn’t glance at it, his glare dead set on you “What happened Y/N?” he asks again
“We fought and I shot him” you state matter of factly
“That's not the story I got”
You open your hands as you shrug “Well seeing that you have no care when it comes to me why should I bother convincing you otherwise? You were never gonna believe me anyway” you pause “it is what it is huh?”
He sighs “This isn’t a joke Y/N”
“I told you I didn’t want to work with him”
“And I told you I’m working on it!”
“Yea you say that but...”
He cuts you off “You can’t just go around shooting people point blank”
You roll your eyes in annoyance “He’s not dead, don't be dramatic”
He bangs the table “Listen to me! This isn’t a game!” he lectures
You scoff “so what you called me into your office to reprimand me? Is that it? I got called to the office?” you mock
“No, I called you to ta...”
You stand up abruptly “Fuck this I’m done, there's your fucking money” you say standing up and walking away
“Get back here!” He bellows
“NO FUCK YOU RIO!”
You can hear the chair wheels squeaking followed by the sound of it hitting the wall behind. The stomping of his boots walking up to you echo in the room. The very short walk to his desk was now a very long walk to the door. Your heart races, you can’t hear anything besides your heart and Rio’s boots thumping on the floor quickly approaching you. It feels so intense that all the other noise, the TV, the chatting outside, the low mediation music ceases to exist. You feel like your heart is going to explode from your chest. You just need to get to the door. As soon as you reach for the knob he pulls you back roughly with no care to you falling, stumbling, tripping nothing.
There's a pain radiating from your left arm “LET” before you can finish he has pulled you closer you can feel the air passing through his nostrils
“Chill. the. fuck. out!” he grits out, his glare is so intense you can see the vein popping out on his forehead. You look up at him going to rebuttal “I told you I was taking care of it and that's what the fuck I'm doing!”
You feel yourself getting emotional “I told you...”
“I know what the fuck you said, but that don’t mean you go around shooting people Y/N! Throwing a fucking tantrum!”
You pull your arm only for him to grip tighter and pull you impossibly closer. The glare itself makes you stop struggling “Stop calling it a tantrum!”
“Then stop acting like a child!”
You try to push him off “NO! I TOLD YOU I DIDN'T WANT TO WORK WITH HIM!” you try another tactic, if you knew anything about Rio he hated people being in his business
He jerks you abrasively away from the door walking you to the middle of the room as you stumble to keep up “OW RIO! LET ME FUCKING GO! WHAT THE FUCK IS YOUR PROBL...”
“Be quiet” he commands authoritatively
“I..”
“NO! STOP TALKING!” He booms; it feels like the bass in his tone vibrates through you. You stand shocked speechless at what just happened. You’ve seen him angry when he was convinced you stole his money and this was giving you flashbacks. You stand reserved chest rising up and down rapidly as your lungs try to take in as much air as possible.
With a hushed tone he says “You painting a fucking target on your back, did you stop to think what this means for you now?”
Still in an argumentative mood you taunt “I had a target on my back the moment I started working with you! It doesn’t matter now does it?! Nooo so long as Rio gets his money! Fuck me fuck everything that has happened, he is loyal to no one but his fucking family and money." You snicker bitterly "What they say about the Serraño's is written in stone.”
He doesn't say anything just looks at you with a deep scowl after a minute he says “I’m trying to protect you."
You go to pull away “I’m not asking you to do that” He doesn’t say anything and just waits for you to give up “I’m not asking you to do that Rio” you stress
He loosens his grip but not enough for you to get out of it “I’m trying to protect you Y/N listen to me”
“By having me work with the man that killed Gracie? That burned me? That put out a hit on you? On Marcu...”
He cuts you off “There’s shit that you don’t understand and I'm not going to explain. Listen to me this is my last fucking warning, chill. the fuck.out!” and with that he lets go bumping your shoulder on his way back to his desk
You stand there watching him return to his desk before turning to leave
Authors Note: Please leave your feedback, again please don't steal. Only repost, like, or give credit.
XOXO Rose
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