[The “Trust Hormone” – an excerpt from Sense & Sexuality]

Intimate behavior floods your brain with a chemical that fuels attachment. Cuddling, kissing and sexual contact releases oxytocin, a hormone that announces: I’m with someone special now. Time to switch love on, and caution off.

When oxytocin levels are high, you’re more likely to overlook your partner’s faults, and to take risks you otherwise wouldn’t. So you certainly do not want your brain drenched in this hormone when making critical decisions like, What do I think of him? How far do I want this to go?

When it comes to sex, oxytocin, like alcohol, turns red lights green. It plays a major role in what’s called “the biochemistry of attachment.” Because of it, you could develop feelings for a guy whose last intention is to bond with you. You might think of him all day, but he can’t remember your name.

 


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