|
|
| Information |
|
|
Are You Hooked On Love?
When you're in love your eyes and your face light up. And so do four tiny portions of your brain. "Falling in love" is a brain condition! Neurobiologists Andreas Bartels and Semir Zeki of University College in London used fMRI brain scans to peer into the brains of college students in the throes of that crazed, "can't-think-of-anything-else" stage of early romantic love. When the subjects were shown photographs of their sweethearts, the fMRI images showed that four parts of their brains "lit up." The researchers compared the MRI images to brain scans taken from people in different emotional states, including sexual arousal, feelings of happiness and cocaine-induced euphoria. But the pattern for romantic love was unique. Interestingly, looking at a picture of their loved one also reduced activity in three portions of the brain active when one is upset or depressed. ** Is Love Addictive? When you fall in love your skin flushes, you breathe heavy, and your palms tend to sweat. Why? Because your brain is experiencing a biochemical rush of dopamine, norepinephrine and phenylethylamine - all close chemical cousins to amphetamines. But it's easy to build up a tolerance to these stimulating biochemicals. Then, as with any other tolerance, it takes more of the substance to get that special feeling of infatuation. Some neuroscientists theorize that folks who jump from one new relationship to another are biochemically "hooked" on the intoxication of falling in love. But interestingly, in the case of enduring romance, the presence of one's partner stimulates the production of endorphins. Endorphins are the "feel good" biochemicals that also generate "runner's high." They are also natural pain-killers. ** The Biology of "Romance" Recent research suggests that romantic attraction is actually a primitive, biologically-based drive just like hunger or thirst. The biology of romance helps account for why we might travel cross-country for a single kiss, and plunge into hopeless despair if our beloved turns from us. It's the drive for romance that enables us to focus on one particular person, although we often can't explain why. "What we're seeing here is the biological drive to choose a mate ? to focus on one person to the exclusion of all others," claims Helen Fisher, an anthropologist at Rutgers University. Research has proven that romantic attraction activates portions of the brain with high concentrations of receptors for dopamine, Fisher explains. And dopamine is the brain's "chemical messenger" connected to states of euphoria, craving and addiction. Other scientific studies have linked high levels of dopamine (and a related agent -- norepinephrine) to heightened attention and short-term memory, hyperactivity, sleeplessness and goal-oriented behavior. Sound like love? When they first fall in love, Fisher explains, couples often show the signs of surging dopamine: Increased energy, less need for sleep or food, and highly focused attention. ** The Psychology of Love Poets and song writers have long claimed that the power of the biochemical state we call "romantic love" is enough to blind one's judgment. And we all know how new lovers tend to idealize their partner -- magnifying their virtues, and explaining away their flaws. But although "love may be blind," take hope! Pamela Regan, a Cal State LA researcher, believes such "idealization" may be crucial to building a long-term relationship. "If you don't sweep away the person's flaws to some extent, you're just as likely to end a relationship," she claims. "This at least gives you a chance," Regan feels. "If you think of romantic attraction as a kind of drug that alters how you think, then in this case it's allowing you to take some risks you wouldn't otherwise take." Not a bad thing! But if passionate romance is like a drug, as the MRI images suggest, then it's bound to lose its kick. But perhaps viewing romance as a biologically based, drug-like state can at least provide some balm for a broken heart. ** Healthy Romanticizing In a 1996 experiment, psychologists at the State University of New York at Buffalo followed a group of 121 dating couples. Every few months the couples answered questionnaires to determine how much they idealized their partner, and how well their relationship was doing. The researchers discovered that the couples who idealized each other the most were closest one year later. © 2004 All Rights Reserved The author, Dr Jill Ammon-Wexler, is a doctor of psychology, pioneer brain/mind researcher, and former advisor to the Pentagon, a Presidential Commission, and numerous top executives and executive teams. The author of several books and hundreds of articles, she is also the co-founder of quantum-self.com, and the Creative Director of the Self Discovery Community. She can be reached at: drjill@quantum-self.com Come visit the exciting Self Discovery Community. Discover the most interesting, unusual, stimulating and creative methods of self discovery on the web today! Free sizzling weekly ezine, and the web's first Brain Gym ezone. http://www.quantum-self.com
Latest News:Site: Yahoo! News Search Results for news Myanmar's Suu Kyi to get family letters, news mags (Reuters via Yahoo! News) Detained Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has managed to wring small concessions from the ruling generals in the form of letters from her family and some international news magazines, her lawyer said on Friday. SEC Looks Into UAL Stock Scare; Implications For Online News? (CBS News) A ton of digits have been devoted to this in other spots but the SEC's decision to investigate takes it to another level. The backstory: a six-year-old news story about UAL declaring bankruptcy made it into the Tribune-owned Sun-Sentinel 's current news flow, was picked up by a Google (NSDQ: GOOG) News bot and, via a reporter for a newsletter, made it onto Bloomberg News. After a lot of buck ... JCDecaux in talks for News Outdoor Group in Russia (AP via Yahoo! News) French outdoor advertising firm JCDecaux SA said Thursday it is negotiating to buy Russian rival News Outdoor Group from global media company News Corp. News Corp tightens grip on Premiere with new CEO (Reuters via Yahoo! News) Rupert Murdoch tightened his grip on German pay-TV broadcaster Premiere by appointing News Corp executive Mark Williams as CEO in a move to get the company back on track. Phila. mayor to announce grim budget news (The Philadelphia Inquirer) The Nutter administration is expected to announce grim budget news today, which is all but certain to lead to significant spending cuts - perhaps as high as 10 percent - in some city departments, according to three sources familiar with the budget. Help News pick Stadium's greatest moment (New York Daily News) The News is marking the countdown to the final game at The House That Ruth Built by reflecting on Yankee Stadium's greatest moments - and we're asking you - the reader - to help us pick out the best of the best. JCDecaux and News Corp. in talks to combine outdoor ad groups (International Herald Tribune) The News Corp. chief executive, Rupert Murdoch, has recently expressed nervousness about investments in Russia, where News Outdoor generated the bulk of its revenue last year. SEC Looks Into UAL Stock Scare; Implications For Online News? (paidContent.org via Yahoo! Finance) A ton of digits have been devoted to this in other spots but the SEC's decision to investigate takes it to another level. The backstory: a six-year-old news story about UAL declaring bankruptcy made it into the Tribune-owned Sun-Sentinel's current news flow, was picked up by a Google News bot and, via a reporter for a newsletter, made it onto Bloomberg News. JCDecaux in talks to buy News Corp. billboard unit (AP via Yahoo! Finance) In a deal that would create the world's largest outdoor advertising company, French conglomerate JCDecaux SA said Thursday that it is in talks to buy Russian rival News Outdoor Group from global media company News Corp. News Corp says Mark Williams interim Premiere CEO (Reuters via Yahoo! News) News Corp. executive Mark Williams has taken over as chief executive of German pay-TV broadcaster Premiere in an interim capacity, News Corp. said after the move led to renewed takeover speculation. Site: news - Google News Palm Shares Soar As New Smartphone Wins Wall Street Praise - CNNMoney.com
MORE RESOURCES: Site: Yahoo! News Search Results for happiness 'Harvest Moon' sows little happiness at 10 (USA Today) Originally launched on the Super Nintendo, the "Harvest Moon" series of video games is celebrating its 10th anniversary with the release of "Harvest Moon: Island of Happiness" for the Nintendo DS. Unfortunately, unless you have extreme patience, you will not experience much happiness with this software title that suffers from difficult controls and tedious game play. Gretchen Rubin: Balanced Life: Happiness Project: Dig deep. (HuffingtonPost) I'm working on my Happiness Project, and you should have one, too! Everyone's project will look different, but it's the rare person who can't benefit.... Taller people have the edge when it comes to happiness (Reuters via Yahoo! News) Taller people are happier on average than shorter people, with each extra inch in height giving as much satisfaction as a four percent increase in income, according to a U.S. study. The price of happiness? £365 a year I'd say (Times Online) In Birmingham once, I was given a peek inside a majestic Victorian bank that had been closed for years. It's probably a dodgy nightclub now. In which case, its new punters may be a little startled by the stern admonishments emblazoned on its marble walls. ?Thrift radiates happiness? one declared. Pursuit of Happiness (The Moscow Times) The upcoming theater season is guaranteed to be full of the usual thrills, spills and creative performances. John Freedman reports. Ben Lewis proposes that jokes had a role in the end of the U.S.S.R. Famous Comedian's Cousin Says Happiness is Half Genetic (PRWeb) Rima Rudner, first cousin of top standup Rita Rudner, says the reason some people are happier and more fulfilled than others is at least 50% in their genes. "This does not necessarily mean that a woman who wears size 4 jeans is happier than one who wears size 16 jeans," says Rudner, author and happiness coach. "It means that happiness can be as hard to achieve for a genetically unhappy person ... Happiness and Wellbeing at Work Conference (Australian Policy Online) Follows the success of last year's conference including seminars and workshops facilitated by some of Australia's leading experts on psychology, leadership and workplace relations, The aim of this conference is for our expert speakers to provide strategies that will allow the mindful leader to create solutions for generating increased productivity through the dominant value of employee ... Happiness is a daily special at Island Soul Caribbean Cuisine (Seattle Post-Intelligencer) A visit to Island Soul will put a smile on your face thanks to its friendly servers and a menu that plays like a greatest hits of the Caribbean. When happiness means more than money (The Kansas City Star) Midcareer job changers may be the nation's best hope to fill an estimated 1.5 million teaching vacancies expected in the next 10 years.But $50,000 a year may be the magic number to entice most of them to the profession. The science of happiness (Los Angeles Times) Being happy has always seemed like a good idea. But now science, with research to back it up, can finally show us how to get there. True or false: Site: happiness - Google News Spirituality, not religion, makes kids happy - MSNBC
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Choose To Be Happy What if I told you that you have the ability to decide if you are happy or not. You would probably say that I'm crazy. Quick Steps On Being Happier Want to be happier?Edward W. Smith, motivational speaker, author and TV show host, who specializes in quick tips on how to move your life ahead even faster, offers the following advice. Forgive to Succeed - Im Talking to the You Behind Your Eyes If your blood is still pumping through your veins, you very likely have some forgiving to do. When you truly forgive, you serve yourself much more than you serve the person you are forgiving. Quick Tips On Staying Positive In A Negative World Looking for a way to stay positive in a negative world?Edward W. Smith, motivational speaker, author and TV show host, who specializes in quick tips on how to move your life ahead even faster, offers the following advice. Conversational Negative Self-Talk Most people don't even know they're doing it. Throughout the course of normal conversation, they bombard themselves with negative self-talk. Happy Buttons What makes you happy? What are the simple pleasures that bring you great joy? Review the following list slowly, taking time to savor each one and remember the emotions it evokes.What would you add to the list? What are your happy buttons?The first flower in the spring. Happiness - Work Now or Later? Long-term success and happiness follows hand-in-hand with strength of character.As I mention in my book, Fast Track Your Success and Happiness, If we want to achieve a certain goal, we simply must do things that are less pleasant now than other alternatives have the potential to be. Principles of Human Misery / Happiness Sometimes we are so occupied with our daily routine in life that we forget that "we" are the most important element of our existence. We need to be nourished in order to grow. The Great Opportunity I assume you want to be happier. Searching for greater happiness is a wonderful thing whatever level of happiness you are currently at. Why We Have Problems? A Coach Debates As a coach, I often ask myself the question why human beings have problems. With the exception of terminal diseases, serious illnesses that are REALLY life-threatening situations and serious stuff, we do have problems for a number of reasons I will present below. Having Fun with Life It was just a few degrees shy of swimming weather a few weeks ago at the beach. I walked along the shore in my jeans and a red tankini top, the salt air refreshing against my skin but not quite cold. Happy Talk and 3 Simple Secrets to Happiness What is the one thing you want more than anything else for the people you love the most? If you had a magic wand what would you grant your family and friends? What is it that everyone wants?To be happy!How can you make other people happy until you are happy? How can you be happy?Lester Levenson, creator of The Sedona Method, discovered the key to happiness. He searched for 47 years and nearly died in the process but he did find it. Many Blessings "Reflect on your present blessings of which every man has many, not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some." Charles DickensWe all have many blessings. How to Stop Attracting Negative People to Your Life Placing your attention, energy and focus on the negative aspects of some people in your life brings you more of the same. Simply put, that's the Law of Attraction at work. Can Money Buy You Happiness? Well, doesn't that depend on what's causing you to be unhappy, in the first place?If you've just lost a loved one, no amount of money will make you happy, only time and your own attitude will eventually lessen the pain and hopefully bring some joy back into yourlife.However, if a stack of unpaid bills is facing you each day, wouldn't enough money to pay them, not make you happy?If you are someone you love, needs expensive medical care and you can't afford it, would money not be the happy answer?So, before we adopt some of these truisms about money, we should see how they apply to the reality of the situation. 10 Survival Strategies to Overcoming Adversity and Being Happy If one thing is for certain, each of us will experience some form of adversity while we are still breathing on this Earth. Unfortunately, some of us will experience more than our fair share of adversity, either in the workplace or in our personal lives. SOLD! Again! Contrast Can Work FOR You Have you ever had an experience where everything you wanted had come to you and THEN you discovered something that seemed to spoil the entire event?That's what happened to me last week when everything I asked for regarding the sale of my house was granted--only the sale did not go through.I had been flying so high in the joy of selling my house to the perfect buyer, that I really 'hit the wall' at high speed, when the buyer failed to meet the closing deadline (even though we extended it a few days!). A Shortcut to Happiness -- Vote with Live 8 Did you see any of the Live 8 performances in support of stopping poverty in Africa? Here's your chance to create a shortcut to your own happiness by voting to help others. You can support the creation of the happiness of survival for them. Create a Balanced Lifestyle and Begin Living a Happier, Healthier and Enriched Life Are you living a balanced life?Many people are not. Their lives are horribly out of balance and their quality of life is being severely compromised as a result. Personal Alchemy, Turn Your Suffering into Gold I am sure it is safe to say that each of us has had times in our lives when we had hopes, anticipation, expectations and events where we desired a certain outcome.I am sure it is equally safe to say that when any of them did not turn out the way we had wished, we felt some measure of pain, disappointment, anger, sadness, or turmoil.
|
| Home | Site Map | Resource Links |
