Intimacy can really do a number on people. It’s more than just a physical act that you engage in. There’s so much more to it. It has the power to really alter the way that you think and the way that you go about making decisions in life. There are some people who get pulled into being in romantic relationships just because of intimacy. There are those of us whose relationships get destroyed because of intimacy that we shouldn’t be having. Intimacy really is this amazingly complex thing that can compromise a person’s better inhibitions.
There are a lot of people who get tricked into becoming attracted to people they wouldn’t typically be attracted in just because of intimacy. Sometimes, the rational part of the brain can get taken over and compromised by the mere act of being intimate with someone. Why is it that intimacy can somehow create attachment and intimacy between two people? What is the science behind this phenomenon?
Again, it’s important to note that intimacy is more than just a mere physical act. It’s also an emotional and a mental one. There are some very innate needs that we have as human beings when it comes to intimacy. And a lot of times, we’re going to do whatever we can to satisfy our intimate needs. However, do you ever wonder why you have these needs in the first place?
Well, what you have to know is that intimacy is a physical act that can stimulate some serious chemical activity within the body. It’s scientific. It’s not just something that people make up when they say that people need intimacy in their lives to feel fulfilled and happy. But how does intimacy affect overall attachment, fulfilment, and happiness in life? How does intimacy actually strengthen the bond between two people in a relationship? Let us count the ways, shall we?
1. The love hormone is definitely real – and it can be very powerful.
You might have found yourself in this position already at least once in your life. You are just starting to have intimate relations with someone and you find yourself getting more and more attached to them each time you do it. Is this something that just happens by accident? Nope, it’s not. There is definitely a rhyme and reason to all of this.
When you be intimate and you reach peak moment, it triggers a release of oxytocin in your body. And that oxytocin floods your entire body to the point that it makes you feel the urge to really connect and bond with another person. Oxytocin is also responsible for forming a feeling of trust and comfort; it’s what is responsible for making you feel relaxed and at ease with another person. And so when oxytocin is released whenever you are with the same person over and over again, it’s no wonder that you are growing more and more attached to one another.
Another interesting thing to note about oxytocin and intimacy is that it tends to be released in greater amounts for women than it does for men. That’s why it’s more likely for women to catch some very serious feelings of attachment during intimacy as compared to men.
2. Some parts of your brain shut down at the moment of peak moment.
Yes, it’s very much possible for you to go crazy over intimacy. And that’s not just some hyperbole that people use on a very loose basis. When you reach the point of peak moment during intimacy, there are certain parts of your brain that just cease to function. Specifically speaking, the lateral orbitofrontal cortex actually shuts down at the moment of peak moment.
But why would this matter, you ask? Well, this is the part of the brain where your supposed logic and reason is found. This is the part of the brain that you use to make some serious decisions about your life. This part of your brain largely controls how you conduct yourself. And so, if this part of your brain is just overflowing with intimacy hormones, it’s likely that all of your sense of reason is compromised.
3. It’s possible for a person to become addicted to love.
You might be familiar with this scenario already. Perhaps it has happened to you or a close friend. There are just some people who seem to be addicted to being in relationships. They jump from one relationship to the next as if they were playing hopscotch. Well, that person might actually be suffering from a very specific and distinct kind of addiction. That condition is called oxytocin dependency and it’s very much real in the lives of so many people. Oxytocin has a way of activating certain parts of the brain that feel valued, validated, and rewarded. Whenever that happens, it can act as a form of a drug for people. A person can grow very accustomed to being validated and rewarded like that – and they will seek it from a variety of agents.
