THOUGHTBOX

We all feel it. We all know it. But what is love really all about - chemically and physically? What we call love comes not from the heart, as is most often depicted, but from the brain. In fact, while you're in love your brain functions in a very similar fashion to people on cocaine. "No, you hang up!" Surprised? You shouldn't be. You see, love is quite literally a drug. When you're in love, your brain orders increased production of Dopamine and Epinephrine, substances that regulate arousal, craving and desire - which is why early stages of romantic relationships are all about obsessing over the other person and having an increased desire to be with your loved one more and more. Your brain also releases Oxytocin, a neuromodulator associated with commitment. Conversely, your Serotonin levels drop dramatically - just like people with OCD. And the result is the same: an obsessive infatuated person. Ah, life's many healthy cycles. Ho...

I’ve always thought that humanity as a species has reached its apex in the food chain of the planet due to evolution. Objectie natural selection and the challenges our species faced along the eons has shaped its body and pshychology. Evolution gave us our brains, and it was our most succesful tool. We have our civilization now, as our darwinian reward. Yet in may ways, we’ve broken free from the chains of natural selection and are now a sufficiently powerful element on our plan to dictate our own evolution. Now – why the introduction? Well, it’s people like Susanne Eman  that make me realize just how badly evolution (more importantly, natural selection) can be mocked and toppled by our civilization. You see, morbid obesity isn’t a survival trait. Yet we have Susanne here, an 32 yeard old American woman that weighs in at 340 kilos and is proud of it. „ . Deep down I had always known I wanted to be fat, but I thought I was alone in this feeling. ” Says Susanne on her offici...