Love is a Drug

I have a friend of mine going through some things right now with her S.O.(significant other).   I have been trying to help her, trying to talk them through possible solutions.  But it seems that maybe their “grass” died prematurely, as they have only been together for 18 months.  That it may be time for her to remove herself and start over.  Unfortunately I know that often this is easier said then done.

I’ve known that she has suffered from depression for a while.  I asked if she had discussed it with her SO before they got serious.  She said yes, and mentioned that the SO also said that they don’t want to deal with it and that my friend can’t be that way.  However it seems they put that aside that major issue and continued the relationship.

I went on to tell her that I too from time to time suffer from it , but I have worked really hard to find ways to pull my self out of it. To try and let her know I understand.

Today she mentioned that her depression has been really bad lately.  I said that it’s probably because she had been having problems in her relationship.   That she relied on her S.O. to keep her out of it.  Whether she realized it or not.

She said that she doesn’t rely on her S.O. and that her S.O. has never helped it with it.  That most of the time they don’t even know.

I told her that her S.O. has been her drug, and because of the recent issues they are going through, she is not getting the same doses that she once had.  However she didn’t get it.  I don’t think she reads my blog, I am actually pretty sure she doesn’t.  But if she does, maybe she will see this post and see what I am talking about.

When your falling in love your body is on cloud nine, feeling all kinds of wonderful things both mentally and physically.  I know that it’s our body releasing all kinds of natural chemicals.  Many of those work as a natural anti-depressant.

I found this article, that I’m going to copy and paste some information from.

Chemicals released when in love

• Phenylethylamine or PEA: This is a chemical that naturally occurs in the brain and is also found in some foods, such as chocolate. It is a stimulant, much like an amphetamine, that causes the release of norepinephrine and dopamine. This chemical is released when you are falling in love. It’s responsible for the head-over-heels, elated part of love.
• Norepinephrine: When PEA causes this chemical to be released, you feel the effects in the form of sweaty palms and a pounding heart.
• Dopamine: Dopamine is a neurochemical that appears to be associated with mate selection. An Emory University study found that voles (a type of rodent) chose their mate based on dopamine release. When female voles were injected with dopamine in the presence of a male vole, they could select him from a group of voles later.
• Oxytocin: Dopamine triggers the release of oxytocin, which is sometimes called the “cuddle hormone.” In both genders, oxytocin is released during touching. In women, oxytocin is released during labor and breastfeeding.
• Serotonin: A chemical that is more prevalent among people with compulsive disorders, serotonin can increase our dependence on another person.
• Endorphins: Your brain acquires a tolerance to the love stimulants and starts to release endorphins. Endorphins are associated with feelings of attachment and comfort. Endorphins are like opiates. They calm anxiety, relieve pain and reduce stress.

Since I was talking about love being like a drug, I felt I should close my post with this song