9 replies to this topic

[phadl]

Love is just another chemical high. So is it possible for them to bottle it someday, like they said they had with trust a while ago? I don't know what happened with that, but they said there was a chemical that made you feel like you trusted other people while around them. Total strangers. They wanted to make a perfume of it or something. So if they can make you trust a total stranger, why not love a total stranger, romantically, affectionately, whatever type you want.

And I'm not just talking aphrodisiacs, I'd like to know if it's possible to get a high that mimicks the feeling of being with someone you're in love with with no other people needed for it? What is it about that that makes it so special? Is it the social context, aka just the way you think about it, or is there some chemical effect that you just can't get from the drugs that are out there right now? What's going on in the brain?

Edited by phadl, 19 September 2012 - 11:53 AM.

[DaneV]

I Think the "Trust spray" you are referring to is oxytocin. Not so long ago a copmany called Verolabs started marketing it as something as something that increased people`s trust, but obviously this is never proven and very likely to be completely false.

When a person is in love, a lot of complex processes are going on in the body. Various neurotransmitters and hormones are involved and these "changes" will be impossible to mimick using a drug.

Edited by DaneV, 19 September 2012 - 01:39 PM.

[phadl]

Yeah, that was the name. I don't doubt the spray thing was a fraud/wishful thinking, but chemicals are chemicals, and I thought it was proven that they could manipulate the brain's chemicals in a way that created a feeling of trust in a person.

I'm not talking about the body or hormones, though, it all comes down to the brain, still. And the brain can be fooled in all sorts of ways. I'm just asking what might be needed/what exactly goes on in terms of chemicals and receptors etc...As far as current knowledge goes, of course.

And, impossible? No way. Too complicated right now, definitely, or we'd already have it:D I'm talking speculation here.

[Marios Kyriazis]

Based on the existing research regarding calorie restriction mimetics, exercise mimetics and even sex (intercourse physiology) mimetics, I wouldn't be surprised if there are suggestions regarding products which can mimic the neurophysiological aspects of 'love'. Regarding other aspects of love such as social, mental, etc, I am more skeptical though.

[nupi]

And I'm not just talking aphrodisiacs, I'd like to know if it's possible to get a high that mimicks the feeling of being with someone you're in love with with no other people needed for it? What is it about that that makes it so special? Is it the social context, aka just the way you think about it, or is there some chemical effect that you just can't get from the drugs that are out there right now? What's going on in the brain?

I think its a sort of positive obsession (hence the theory that SSRIs can prevent you from falling in love) so dopaminergics might go along the way (I sure as hell got a really bad case of infatuation in my second month on Bupropion, looking back, I partially blame the drug, not just myself anymore). There's also the idea that PEA might do it but I never tried it. Aside of that, opioids probably come close ("Take the best orgasm you ever had, multiply it by a 1000 and you are not even close" - Trainspotting) but I have only very hazy memories of the one time I got IV morphine (frankly that's probably better because I hurt like hell)... And then there's MDMA which has often been described as being in love with the whole world. Again, no personal experience.

Edited by nupi, 19 September 2012 - 03:28 PM.

[deon10]

Why would you want to artificially love or trust people?

[phadl]

Because the natural way leads to wrong people getting together? Bad relationships, not to mention the divorce rate. And that excludes those only together for kids or financial reasons.

Ok, actually why isn't the point. What I really wanted to know was how to artificially get that good love feeling, whether someone else is standing there or not.

[Galaxyshock]

PEA + MAO-B inhibitor

[deon10]

Because the natural way leads to wrong people getting together? Bad relationships, not to mention the divorce rate. And that excludes those only together for kids or financial reasons.

Ok, actually why isn't the point. What I really wanted to know was how to artificially get that good love feeling, whether someone else is standing there or not.

Well, a drug that makes you fall in love with everybody is not gonna solve those problems

The hormone capable of making us feel that love and connection is oxytocin... so you might wanna look in that direction

[phadl]

I never said it was going to make you fall in love with everybody:D

I know oxy but it's all over the place, it's in play with all human bonding. I'm thinking of what is specific to romantic love in particular.