Researchers have scanned the brains of people who are madly in love and found a heavy surge of dopamine, a neurotransmitter in the brain's reward system that helps people feel pleasure. Dopamine, along with other chemicals, gives us that energy, focus, and obsession we feel when we're wild about someone.
That first spark of attraction ignites a region buried deep inside the brain called the ventral tegmental area, or VTA. Recognizing a potential reward in the making, the VTA begins producing a chemical called dopamine, often called the “feel-good” neurotransmitter.
Dopamine rushes provide general motivation— not just romantic eagerness, so the presence of a crush can help us perform better at work, feel more creatively productive, or even be more active. And what's more, that norepinephrine will often help us feel more awake, alert, and attuned to the world around us.
Crushes may stem from psychology, but they end up presenting in our physiology too. Hormonal changes associated with infatuation include increased levels of the stress hormone cortisol, for example. Our heart rates are elevated, our cheeks flush, our sympathetic nervous system enters the “fight or flight” response.
Psychologically speaking, crushes occur when a person of any age projects their ideas and values onto another person whom they believe possesses certain attributes and with whom they want to be associated. Then, the person with the crush attaches strong positive feelings to this magical image that they have created.
Interest is the initial stage of having a crush. It starts with the locking of eyes and ends with butterflies in your stomach. You feel giddy as soon as you see them, and you are eager to know their name.
The most common sign of having a crush is the feeling that you have a million butterflies flying around inside you when that special someone is around. It can also feel like your heart does a leap when you see your crush and you feel warm and giddy. Do you suddenly feel nervous but excited at the same time?
Crushes are About Projection
One way to look at crushes from a psychological perspective is that they are all about projection. When you crush on someone, you imagine the best things you wish about them. This is why you need not know the person very well to crush on them.
You might be thinking about them so much because they seem so rare. They might have a unique combination of traits that you admire and desire. You don't know how, but this new person is just pulling you in, with all of their positive qualities, vibe, and charisma. The more you are around them, the better you feel.
That's because feelings of a crush and feelings of love release the mood-boosting hormones dopamine and oxytocin to the brain, Stephanie Cacioppo, an assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral neuroscience at The University of Chicago, told INSIDER.
What is the difference between Crush and Love? Crush is a transient feeling of intense attraction towards a person of the opposite sex. Love is a deep and emotional feeling of attraction that is unending. Love is not necessarily between a man and a woman whereas crush takes place between opposite sexes only.
Crush injuries are extremely dangerous due to the risk of sepsis and multiple organ failure. While first responders try to reduce the risk of infection and restore the flow of blood to the affected body parts, doing so can result in crush syndrome.
If you're someone who spends too much time imagining that 'perfect' person and you want to break that pattern, psychologist Dr Jarrod White says you should first accept that this behaviour is normal. "It's something that a lot of people go through."
At the height of limerence, you will find your thoughts of the individual are persistent, involuntary and intrusive — all at once. Yes, even if you don't want to be thinking about them, you might find the thought entering your mind consistently without your control.
You could be suffering from Limerence — a cognitive state of obsession and infatuation. You may be fixated with having your feelings reciprocated. You refuse to give up because you know it's meant to be. Very common in the world of Twin Flames.
Smiling subconsciously without knowing
You try to resist the urge to smile, but you smile from ear to ear. These sweet smiles happen when the mind experiences a sudden surge of positivity. Maybe someone is thinking about you and is trying to connect on a subconscious level.
You Are Infatuated With Him
Infatuation is an instant feeling of gravitation and love towards a person. You may call it 'love at first sight. ' It leaves you constantly thinking about the person and the moments you spent together. Infatuation is skin-deep – you may not know him well but might have an impression of him.
According to psychologists, crushes often last a few months, with a minor percentage developing into a relationship. This statistic may stem from the fact that many crushes are founded in infatuation instead of an attachment.
Generally speaking, you should want to be around the person you're in love with. "You want to be with them more and get to know them better," says Firstein. Crushes fade and you may get bored after spending time with the same person, but with love, you're never disinterested.
“We know that we get a big hit of dopamine (our pleasure and reward hormone) and also a big hit cortisol (our stress hormone),” she explains. “So we're kind of wired to act on our attractions. We want to engage with this person, whether that's to reproduce or find a mate or just be connected...
It's often your physical appearance that guys notice first before anything else, such as your eyes, laugh, and smile. However, what gets them to keep talking to you is your personality and charisma. Physical attraction gets their attention, but it's your personality that gets them to want to know you more.