The "butterflies in the stomach" feeling is something that several people are familiar with, but what exactly causes this feeling?
Butterflies in the Stomach
One may notice that butterflies may surface when individuals feel anxious, nervous, or excited. For instance, one may feel jittery and experience that butterflies in the stomach feeling prior to having a big presentation. This could also be experienced by a person who is dating.
This sensation has been traced by scientists to various things. The first one is dopamine, which is known as the chemical for feeling good. This neurotransmitter gives the happy feeling when a person engages in pleasurable activities.
Aside from dopamine, norepinephrine could also contribute to the butterfly feeling. This chemical is both a neurotransmitter and a hormone. This neurotransmitter serves as an inter-nerve chemical messenger. The hormone is released during times of fear or stress, when such situations trigger the "fight or flight" response.
It is also released by the body during times of arousal or attraction. Though the feeling of being nervous or aroused may seem to be completely different from each other, the body is excited, even almost primitive, in both situations.
The third explanation is related to what is known as the gut-brain axis. When one has a gut feeling or butterflies in the stomach, it could actually come from the gut. In a way, the butterflies in the stomach could be a manifestation of the connection between the gut and the brain.
Do These Feelings Signify Love?
In cases where individuals describe love at first sight, they could actually be referring to the instant knowing or attraction they feel. They could also express feeling butterflies in the stomach, a euphoric sensation, or stomach distress.
While a study has shown that hormonal changes take place when individuals fall in love, these changes are just transient. The levels of cortisol significantly rose among those who fell in love recently compared to those who did not. Women who were in love also displayed higher levels of testosterone, while men who were in love exhibited lower testosterone and FSH. However, after 12 to 24 months after testing, their hormone levels were observed to go back to normal.
With this, the flutters may not signal love that lasts, as this feeling is usually temporary. These flutters typically signal a feeling of being thrilled or nervous about a specific situation. Love, on the other hand, takes time to be built upon respect, care, and intimacy. The bond involves going deeper as the relationship goes the distance.
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