Love, Sex, Attachment: Three Different Brain Systems?
Posted By jss on May 20, 2009
Biological anthropologist Helen Fisher says so.
… And I’ve also come to think that it’s one of three, basically different brain systems that evolved from mating and reproduction. One is the sex drive: the craving for sexual gratification. W.H. Auden called it an “intolerable neural itch,” and indeed, that’s what it is. It keeps bothering you a little bit, like being hungry. The second of these three brain systems is romantic love: that elation, obsession of early love. And the third brain system is attachment: that sense of calm and security you can feel for a long-term partner.
Fascinating stuff. More for the ever-expanding reading list …
The implication, of course, is that it’s difficult to keep all three systems happy at the same time.
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"Into Temptation" is a usually-but-not-always safe-for-work forum about evolving social-sexual networks and how they have changed and are changing lives. It will also loosely chronicle the research, writing and publication, I hope in 2010, of a book by the same name.
I LOVED this lecture! I’m so glad she is anti happy pills (anti-depressants) – she says long term use disrupts our ability to enjoy naturally occurring happiness and sex – does more harm than good.