We sing about it, write about it and watch movies about it, but when you think about it, falling in love is crazy and maybe even weird.
It makes us feel and do things we usually wouldn’t under any other circumstances.
First of all, it physically affects our hormones and brain. In fact, scientists have shown that love affects the brain in a way similar to cocaine addiction. Not only that, it also affects us psychologically and behaviorally.
Here are 10 crazy, weird symptoms you may experience when falling in love:
1. Your hormones go wild.
When you fall in love, your cheeks flush, your heart beats faster, your palms are sweaty and your head starts spinning. This is all thanks to a rush of chemicals and hormones that flood your brain and body when you fall in love.
This leaves you with feelings of euphoria similar to an endorphin-induced “runner’s high.”
There’s nothing you can do about this; love physically makes you crazy.
2. You wake up and go to sleep thinking of someone other than yourself.
From the moment you wake up in the morning to the moment you go to sleep at night, the person you love occupies at least some part of your mind. How does your brain even know to think of that person first thing in the morning? Doesn’t it have other more important things to worry about?
The truth is this phenomenon is usually subconscious and automatic, almost like your mind is programmed to do so. Even throughout the day, that person stays staunchly in the back of your mind.
As crazy as it may be, it is nice to think of someone beside you every once in a while.
3. You smile when you’re alone.
We’ve all seen them: the smile texters. Smile texting is the perfect example of what happens when you’re falling in love. You experience weird, giddy feelings of happiness, even when you’re not physically with that special person.
You might smile when he or she texts you, when you hear a certain song, see a picture on Facebook or when you just think of that person.
In general, little things like that will make you smile more than usual because you are just so blissfully in love (and because of all those happy hormones flowing through your bloodstream).
People may look at you funny and wonder why you’re so happy, but you don’t even mind.
4. You become a little obsessive.
I wonder what she’s doing right now. I wonder if she’s watching the game. She loves football, which is cool for a girl. But I forget what her favorite team is … I need to ask again. Or maybe I should ask now. I’ll mention it if she texts me later. Oh look, a bag of chips. She loves chips. But only the BBQ kind.
People in love, love to think about each other. They somehow manage to relate even the smallest things to the person they love. If your life is the universe, then chances are, your love is the sun, and everything revolves around that.
5. You do embarrassing things.
Ever heard those sappy stories of boys in the olden days throwing rocks at a girl’s window, and playing her songs on their guitar? That was then, but today, there are videos all over YouTube of men proposing to their fiancés with elaborate flash mobs that take place in front of hundreds of people.
Love will make you do embarrassing things because when you’re falling in love with someone, you will do almost anything to make him or her happy, no matter what other people may think.
6. You do things outside of your comfort zone.
Along the same lines, falling in love will make you do things you never even considered doing before. Boys, that may mean taking a yoga class or going to get a pedicure with your girlfriend (they feel really good, it’s okay to admit it).
Girls, that may mean watching "SportsCenter" for two hours or playing a couple games of FIFA. Of course, doing these things can open your mind to new activities you might enjoy. Doing them with the one you love is a great bonding experience, too.
7. You suddenly care more about your appearance.
Before, you may have rolled out of bed and thrown on some athletic shorts and a t-shirt, but you now have a reason to try to look good.
You might comb your hair more often, double check to make sure you didn’t forget deodorant, shave more meticulously and go to the gym, instead of falling asleep on your couch after work.
8. You sing.
When you’re falling in love, you feel so happy and carefree, you can’t always keep it inside. Whether you sound like William Hung or Ariana Grande, sometimes, you just have to sing at the top of your lungs to let it all out.
9. You go out of your way.
You may find yourself driving out of the way to pick up your love’s favorite dinner, or calling in sick to work just to hang out with him or her.
The crazy part is that even though these things may inconvenience you, you’re happy and excited to do them. You actually take joy in making that extra effort to please your SO and show him or her how much you care.
10. You go blind.
As the old adage goes, love is blind. When you’re falling in love, everything your love does and says is interesting and amazing. Every word uttered from his or her mouth, and every move he or she makes, is magical.
Love blinds you to faults and screwups, and even when you do notice them, you’re quick to forgive because your love can do no wrong. As it turns out, Ke$ha might be right about this one: Love is a drug.
It makes us crazy, but it also makes us happy. Love is exciting; it’s addicting, it’s confusing and it’s weird.
So, cheers to love: both our worst nightmare and our best friend.
