They\u2019ll Feel \u201cHigh\u201d On Love<\/strong><\/p>\n At the start of a relationship, \u201cthe brain produces a very high level of a chemical called phenylethylamine (PEA),\u201d licensed professional counselor Dr. Jake Porter, LPC, tells Bustle, which is why falling in love often feels so addicting.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThis naturally produced amphetamine is what makes people \u2018high on love,\u2019\u201d he says. It also explains the feelings of joy, increased energy, and excitement associated with the early or honeymoon stage of a relationship.<\/p>\n \u201cThis naturally produced amphetamine is what makes people \u2018high on love,\u2019\u201d he says. It also explains the feelings of joy, increased energy, and excitement associated with the early or honeymoon stage of a relationship.<\/p>\n 2<\/strong><\/p>\n Judgment Is Impaired<\/strong><\/p>\n Ever notice how a love interest seems perfect in every way? That\u2019s the PEA talking. It contributes to a bias toward the positive, Porter says, and it also plays an important role in nature\u2019s \u201cmating sequence\u201d \u2014 aka the urge to stick with this \u201cperfect\u201d person long-term and maybe even make a baby.<\/p>\n \u201cThe high of PEA impairs our judgment causing us to overlook aspects in our new partners that we would otherwise find concerning or annoying,\u201d he says. \u201cIdeally, this clouding of judgment lasts long enough for us to form a more long-lasting bond, at which time those things start to bother us, but not enough to end the relationship.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 3<\/strong><\/p>\n He\u2019ll Form Positive Memories<\/strong><\/p>\n The brain is also busily working on forming good memories and cute associations in the early days of love. This is all thanks to the neurotransmitter oxytocin, Schiff says, which is better known as the \u201clove hormone.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cIt helps the brain form fresh, positive memories with a new partner and form new neural connections, which helps to get rid of some mental baggage from past relationships,\u201d Schiff tells Bustle. \u201cIt also helps deepen feelings of attachment towards your partner.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 4<\/strong><\/p>\n He\u2019ll Experience A Sense Of Euphoria<\/strong><\/p>\n Men in love tend to feel extra happy, which is also due to what\u2019s going on in the brain. \u201cWhen a man falls in love, high levels of dopamine \u2014 a chemical associated with the brain\u2019s reward center \u2014 is released so he will feel a natural high and sense of euphoria,\u201d Schiff says.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The release of dopamine also contributes to the physical sensations of love. “It may create a feeling of your heart racing and sweaty palms,\u201d psychotherapist Kimberly Hershenson, LCSW tells Bustle, as well as an attraction to all things romance.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 5<\/strong><\/p>\n Love Deactivates Their Fear Of Social Judgment<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cFalling in love also deactivates the parts of the brain that govern social judgment and fear,\u201d Schiff says. \u201cSo being in love and not caring who knows it is a real phenomenon.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In a man\u2019s case, Schiff says this may allow them to let their guard down just enough to be \u201cmushy\u201d in public \u2014 something that may typically be considered feminine and thus avoided.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n It\u2019s why your partner will want to hold hands, swing from lampposts, and\/or shout from the rooftops that they\u2019re in love.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 6<\/strong><\/p>\n Men May Fall In Love Faster Than Women<\/strong><\/p>\n If it seems like men typically fall in love faster than women, it could be chalked up to society\u2019s gender roles. \u201cMen may feel like they have to fulfill the expectation of taking a leadership role in a relationship,\u201d Schiff says, thus jumping into relationships quickly in order to settle down.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n On the flip side, a woman might take longer to fall in love because her focus is on selecting the best mate possible for reproduction, Schiff says. This is just a stereotype, however, as obviously doesn\u2019t apply to everyone.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 7<\/strong><\/p>\n A Man In Love May Feel Less Pain<\/strong><\/p>\n Here\u2019s a cool love fact: “Love is so powerful that in laboratory tests, it reduces pain by half,” says Dr. Jarred Younger, Ph.D., a neuroscientist and associate professor at the University of Alabama, Birmingham who has conducted brain scans on men and women when they’re in love. “It does so by sending messages down to the spinal cord to block the pain messages before they reach the brain.”<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 8<\/strong><\/p>\n Love May Help Men Quit Smoking<\/strong><\/p>\n As part of his research on the subject, Younger also found that a new romantic relationship may change a man\u2019s brain chemistry in a way that makes it easier for him to stop using addictive substances, like cigarettes. So if a dude suddenly ditches his smoking habit once he starts dating you, he very well may be falling in love.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 9<\/strong><\/p>\n Everyone Else Fades Away<\/strong><\/p>\n When they\u2019re truly in love, it can be tough for many heterosexual males to \u201csee\u201d other folks in the dating pool, Younger says. This is yet another effect of good ol\u2019 oxytocin, which has been found to enhance the brain\u2019s reward system when a man looks at his partner\u2019s face. As their brain bathes in feel-good chemicals, they\u2019ll feel certain their partner is more attractive and desirable than anyone else.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 10<\/strong><\/p>\n Their Chemistry Changes As The Relationship Goes On<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Let\u2019s say you just started dating a man. If you somehow had access to a brain scan and were able to take a peek inside their head, Younger says you’d actually be able to tell whether or not they\u2019re going to stay in love with you long-term.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n “Over time, the brain chemistry in men may change as the relationship shifts from intensely passionate to more familiar, comfortable, and intimate,\u201d Younger says. \u201cHowever, some men and women remain intensely, passionately in love even 20 years later. Those individuals still show activation of the reward areas of the brain.”<\/p>\n 11<\/strong> Some may react by putting up an \u201cemotional armor\u201d in order to protect themselves from getting their feelings hurt. This is a direct response to a fear of vulnerability, clinical psychologist Dr. Josh Klapow tells Bustle, and it\u2019s often interpreted by others as disinterest.<\/p>\n That’s not to say men always put their guard up. Despite stereotypical notions about men’s inability to express emotions, Klapow says plenty of guys are able to embrace their vulnerability \u2014 and are plenty comfortable showing it.<\/p>\n 12<\/strong><\/p>\n He May Look For Ways To Provide<\/strong><\/p>\n Again with the gender roles, a man in love is more likely to look for ways to provide for the person he\u2019s falling for, Porter says. This is when he might take on extra hours at work, often to the detriment of his relationship. \u201cI do believe hard work can be an expression of love from men,\u201d Porter says. \u201cWhat is needed in these situations is some balance between work and home.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 13<\/strong><\/p>\n He May Be Hyper-Focused<\/strong><\/p>\n Another way a man might react, psychologically speaking, is by carving out more time in his day for the person he\u2019s falling in love with. “When men are dating, but not yet in love, the relationship will fit into their life,\u201d Klapow says. But once they\u2019re in love, they will find ways to fit themselves into yours.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n It could be argued that the change stands out more in men compared to women due to the way women are conditioned from a young age to put others first. \u201cWhen in love, a man will begin thinking of your [his partner’s] needs and wants before his,” Hershenson says. “He\u2019ll become willing to compromise and makes sure you [his partner] feel safe and supported.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The process of falling in love can be a powerful, life-changing thing. In those early days of romance, you may act differently, think differently, and<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":10571,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10569","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-relationship-gaols"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/storieshub.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10569","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/storieshub.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/storieshub.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/storieshub.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/storieshub.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=10569"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/storieshub.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10569\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10572,"href":"https:\/\/storieshub.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10569\/revisions\/10572"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/storieshub.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/10571"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/storieshub.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=10569"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/storieshub.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=10569"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/storieshub.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=10569"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"\"](\"http:\/\/storieshub.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/f38c53ff-dc97-4a84-84ee-573f48aaa3d7-shutterstock-2040549122-300x169.avif\")
<\/p>\n
\nHe May Seem A Bit Guarded<\/strong>
\nDiving back into the psychology of love, let\u2019s talk about how some men feel in the process, again based on society\u2019s expectations.<\/p>\n