I've often heard that love is as scientifically real as it is
emotionally real. Is that true? If so, how? And what happens
when you lose that love to death or separation? Everybody knows
what first love feels likes. Whenever you are in the presence of
the beloved, your heart pounds, your hands get clammy, and you
feel lightheaded. These very physical symptoms result from the
biochemistry that underlies falling in love. And biochemistry
can also help explain why people fall out of love. Scientists
believe there are three stages of love, each one characterized
by its own suite of hormones. The first stage is lust, and it is
driven by the sex hormones testosterone and estrogen. The second
stage, attraction, encompasses the process that we traditionally
think of as “falling in love.” During this stage you become a
little obsessed with the object of your affection—you would
rather daydream about him/her than sleep, eat, or do just about
anything else! The chemicals that play an important role in the
second stage i