'Romantic Love Is an Addiction,' Researchers Say

'Romantic Love Is an Addiction,' Researchers Say

Those who pine over a lost love might have a biological reason for their prolonged yearning. New brain research suggests getting over romantic rejection might be akin to kicking an addiction.

The study is one of the first to examine the brains of the recently broken-hearted who have trouble letting go of their relationship.

The researchers found that, for heartbroken men and women, looking at photographs of former partners activated regions in the brain associated with rewards, addiction cravings, control of emotions, feelings of attachment and physical pain and distress.

The results provide insight into why it might be hard for some people to get over a break up, and why, in some cases, people are driven to commit extreme behaviors, such as stalking and homicide, after losing love.

"Romantic love is an addiction," said study author Helen E. Fisher, a biological anthropologist at Rutgers University who studies love. "It’s a very powerfully wonderful addiction when things are going well and a perfectly horrible addiction when things are going poorly," she said.

The researchers speculate the brain's response to romantic rejection may have an evolutionary basis.

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Fisher and her colleagues scanned the brains of 15 college-aged volunteers (10 women and 5 men) who had all recently experienced a break up,

I like that they're doing studies like this, but they really need a bigger testing pool. 15 isn't much at all.

And this is new? We have known this for a long time.

Doesn't that no talent hack Ke$ha have a song like that..."your love your love your love is my drug". LOL

^^^ haha ya

and yes...I have heard this theory many times....love is like addiction.

I like that addiction because i love the feeling of being in love. And the feeling I get knowing that my honey is in love with me too.
Bring on the love drug