The crazy things a crush can do to your body
Is there anything more intense than the beginning of a crush? You might feel like you're actually going crazy ... and that's because many symptoms of infatuation fit the profile of a (temporary) mental illness.
The brain chemistry of a crush is similar to obsessive-compulsive disorder. Having a crush can trigger physical symptoms like faster heart rate, flushed cheeks and trembling.
Psychologically we classify that sort of response with the basic emotion of love. When a crush really kicks in, it feels like you're powerless to stop it. That's because actual chemicals are being released in your brain, including dopamine, oxytocin and cortisol.
The Dopamine rush is a chemical signal sending info in between neurons. Dopamine is the chemical that's released when someone does drugs or feels a jolt of happiness.
Dopamine can also heighten your connection to the world around you. A crush can alter your brain chemistry for up to two years.
When it doesn't go away, it's called limerence. Limerence sounds like a horror movie and it kind of is
Limerence includes: uncontrollable thoughts, extreme nervousness and shortness of breath.
All the scary stuff aside, crushes can be great ... especially when they're reciprocated.