From the first time you lay eyes on your crush to a simple handshake with someone you barely know, oxytocin is a hormone created in our brains that rewards us for interacting with other people. It plays a bigger role in what we do on a daily basis than most people give it credit for.
Valentines day is over, and it got me thinking "what is this celebration of love really all about"? Maybe, in fact it's the holiday that is most in tune with our innate primitive brains, our primal desires. Far more than Christmas or Easter.
Let me explain why. Oxytocin is a chemical that our brains crave, it makes us feel content, complete, it melts away stressors and anxiety so we feel naturally more relaxed. It's triggered by almost any positive contact with another human being, from a smile from a stranger, getting a hug from a friend to that mind blowing sex with your partner. We're hooked on it!
Of course, it's triggered in different quantities dependent on the level of intimacy involved. I believe it's a big part of why people crave sex, and rightfully so. It's clear it's part of out biology simply because it encourages us to mate and helps us proliferate the species.
You know when someone asks "did you get laid"? Because someone suddenly seems more relaxed and content? That is how blatantly powerful this hormone is.
Some people even capitalize on that. Have you ever heard a partner that uses sex to manipulate an other to get what they want? It's not the sex it's self but more the oxytocin hit that they're bargaining with. People like that are a pain but realistically they're losing out too by also denying them selves that feel good oxytocin. People deserve real love not to have their need for love to be toyed with.
So realistically, I think Valentines Day is less a celebration of love and more a celebration of a chemical that contributes to what makes our species so successful.
So keep loving, being kind to strangers and your friends. You're making the world a happier place.
I really enjoyed reading this! I love science it’s always interesting to think about why we do the things we do!
Yea you're right. I love this stuff, I'm always reading the latest articles about the latest discoveries. :)