Love Addiction & Rejection, Linked to Drug Addiction

July 26th, 2010 | Add a Comment

A recent study at Stony Brook University proves why it is so difficult to end a romantic relationship. Scientists found evidence that areas in the brain linked to motivation, reward, and addiction are activated after a break up.

According to the July 2010 issue of the Journal of Neurophysiology, people going through break ups showed brain imaging that revealed romantic love is a goal-oriented motivation as opposed to a certain emotion. The same brain imaging was seen in people suffering from cocaine cravings and addiction. Scientists believe this data reveals romantic love to be a specific form of addiction.

Feelings and behaviors of romantic rejection are difficult to control. Extreme behaviors such as, stalking, suicide, and clinical depression, can be seen in people suffering from romantic rejection all over the world.

In a study headed by Helen Fisher, a member of the Center for Human Evolutionary Studies at Rutgers University, participants who were recently rejected by their partners were shown a picture of that partner. All participants claimed to be still in love with their ex-partners. Participants were then asked to do a simple math problem in order to distract them from their romantic thoughts. Next, they were shown a picture of a familiar “neutral” person. Fisher found that key areas of the brain were stimulated when participants looked at the picture of their partner. These key areas were not highly stimulated when shown a picture of the neutral person.

The key stimulated areas of the brain were:
The ventral tegmental area, which controls reward and motivation
The nucleus accumbens and the orbitofrontal/prefrontal cortex, which are associated with craving and addiction (specifically cocaine addiction)
The insular cortex and the anterior cingulated, which are associated with physical pain

Fisher’s study concludes that romantic love functions as an addiction. The study also showed that as time passed there was less activity in the brain associated to attachment. Thus, time heals. However, this is not the case for drug addicts. Although cravings and obsession can be lifted with time, it is unlikely that an alcoholic will be able to regulate their drinking, even after years of sobriety.