Although finding love has often been compared to taking a rollercoaster ride, this comparison may now be taken in a more literal way.
One may easily quip that “A rollercoaster ride is a sure way to make someone fall head over heels for you”. Well, that may indeed be true.
When a person is “in love”, their brain chemistry changes. Certain neurotransmitters and hormones are released, giving them a sense of euphoria. One of these hormones is called phenylethylamine. Chemically related to amphetamines, it has the effect of raising blood pressure and blood glucose levels. The result is a general sense of well-being and contentment. The hormone’s pleasurable effects are derived from the fact that phenylethylamine in high amounts triggers the brain to release endorphin. This sudden increase in endorphin termed as “endorphin rush” gives you the exhilarating feeling of being in love— your cheeks become flushed, your heart beats faster and stronger, your mouth goes dry, and you start to sweat.
Having similar chemical properties to addictive drugs like cocaine, it is no wonder why people often refer to their euphoric states as “addicted to love”.
How do you increase phenylethylamine levels in your partner? How can you change their brain chemistry to mimic a cocktail of love hormones?
The hormone is known to be released when the body experiences excitement. And what can be more exciting than a rollercoaster ride? Being upside down will literally make your date fall head over heels for you.
In fact, high levels of phenylethylamine have been associated with some mental disorders, which would be an apt explanation for why some people are often described as “madly in love”. But before this hormone can turn your date into a psychopath, it is also rapidly metabolized in the body. Just like the speed of a rollercoaster going down, phenylethylamine only results in a temporary high. That doesn’t mean the effect of falling in love will be completely reversed though. Other hormones will still continue to be at play to keep the connection between you and your partner alive. But it doesn’t hurt to turn on the switch to love, right?
For some people who might find rollercoaster rides a bit too extreme in finding romance, chocolates are also well known to contain the chemical compound phenylethylamine. That’s why chocolates are known aphrodisiacs because they elevate your mood to give you a euphoric state, much like when you are in love!
With these facts at hand, you can now chemically engineer your way into finding love or can you?
