Oxford Dictionary defines href="http://www.oxfordadvancedlearnersdictionary.com/dictionary/love">love
as a strong sense of affection or physical attraction for someone (or something; i.e., a
pet, cooking, etc). According to anthropologist Dr.
Helen Fisher, Rutgers University (author of Why We Love),
love is the action of three basic brain functions that are triggered by hormones. The
predominant hormone in this function is dopamine. According to Fisher, dopamine
"produces feelings of euphoria, energy, sleeplessness, and focused attention on your
beloved." She also says that being preoccupied or excessively busy can dampen the
effects of hormones so that an ideal potential loved one goes unnoticed. On the other
hand, having free time, enough money to be comfortable, or interest in a family can
enhance the effect of love hormones as can, interestingly enough, moving to a new city
and struggling through a difficult situation.
From an
evolutionist perspective, people love because they need to fulfill the species' need to
reproduce. Fisher further says the three brain functions work together to activate an
individual to seek out a mate; to focus energy on one individual from among the
collective group; to develop feelings of attachment and security. Love acts like an
addiction because dopamine is also the hormone involved in developing chemical
addictions. Science has confirmed romantic love through artifacts of love poetry as far
back in time as 4,000 years ago in the Sumerian culture, as well as confirming "evidence
of romantic love in over 150 societies." Finally, while lust, which can be confused with
love, dissipates after consummation, love endures and, in fact, grows stronger following
consummation.
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