Why Do Teens Start to Love?

Falling in love is an emotional upheaval at any age, but for adolescents, the feelings can be even more difficult to manage. The bodies and brains of teens are undergoing rapid maturation, not experienced since infancy. This developmental phase involves significant physical and neurological changes, impacting their ability to navigate the complexities of relationships and emotions.

Physical and Neurological Transformations

Physical Changes: During adolescence, there is a growth spurt, and secondary sexual characteristics develop, leading to dramatic changes in appearance as young people transition from child to adult. This physical awkwardness often results from growth asynchronies, causing teens to feel embarrassed and self-conscious about the sexualisation of their bodies or their perceived inadequacies in terms of unrealistic body ideals.

Brain Development: The adolescent brain is often described as 'a work in progress', with certain areas maturing more quickly than others. This can create a mismatch between cognitive, physical, and emotional development. For example, there can be incongruities between the adult bodily appearance and increasing sex drive, and the brain development required for mature decision-making and self-regulation of behavior and emotions. The prefrontal cortex, which is among the last areas of the brain to fully mature, usually does so sometime in the twenties (Petanjek et al., 2011).

Hormonal Influences on Falling in Love

Brain and body developments trigger hormonal changes that are strongly linked to intense feelings of sexual attraction and falling in love. Sex hormones like testosterone and estrogen are associated with heightened sexual urges, while oxytocin and vasopressin are implicated in attachment and bonding. During puberty, the production of these hormones increases dramatically. In girls, the ovaries produce six times the amount of estrogen, while in boys, the testes produce 20 times the amount of testosterone.

Both sexes have both male and female hormones circulating in the bloodstream, but during adolescence, a boy's testosterone level becomes 20 to 60 percent higher than that of a girl, and her estrogen level becomes 20 to 30 percent higher than his. These hormones have strong effects on mood and libido. Young people are hormonally 'primed' toward being sexually attracted to others, but especially in early adolescence, they are not accustomed to the feelings associated with the rapid increases and fluctuations in their hormone levels. High concentrations of certain hormones for one’s age or rapid fluctuations of hormone levels may trigger more negative moods and greater mood variability (Buchanan et al., 1992).

The Brain on Love

The brain plays a crucial role in falling in love. When a person falls in love, 12 areas of the brain release euphoria-inducing chemicals such as dopamine, adrenaline, and serotonin. Adrenaline causes physical sensations like sweating, heart palpitations, and dry mouth, just from a glimpse of the new love. Dopamine stimulates desire and pleasure, with effects similar to the drug cocaine. Fisher et al. (2006) found heightened levels of dopamine in the brains of couples newly in love. Marazziti and Canale (2004) further examined serotonin levels in the bloodstreams of couples in love and those with obsessive-compulsive disorders, concluding that serotonin levels are associated with constant thoughts about the loved one, a hallmark of being 'love struck'.

Studies also illustrate how these effects manifest. For example, Brand and colleagues (2007) compared newly 'in love' adolescents with unpartnered controls. The 'in love' group scored higher than the controls on hypomania, a mood state characterized by labile emotions. Diary entries of 'adolescent love birds' showed they had more positive morning and evening moods, shorter sleep times but better quality sleep, reduced daytime sleepiness, and better concentration during the day.

Emotional and Psychological Growth

Falling in love poses both positive and negative aspects for adolescents. Through their romantic relationships, they have the potential for psychological growth as they learn about themselves and others, gain experience in managing these feelings, and develop intimacy skills. However, they also face new risks and challenges, such as navigating intense emotions, making mature decisions, and dealing with the inevitable challenges of romantic relationships.

Adolescent romantic relationships offer valuable learning experiences that can shape future emotional and social abilities, contributing to their overall development as individuals.

References:

tBuchanan M, Coburn NA, Granger DA, Doane L, Connell A, Genieva JM, Saraswati T, Kaplow J, Pollak SD. (1992). Stress in adolescence: biosocial influences. American J Clin Nutr, 55(6), 1288S-92S. tBraams, B. J., Von der Twer, B., van den Hout, M. A., Veltman, D. J., Ohl, M., van Honk, J., Naber, D. (2015). Brain imaging of romantic attraction in pubertal adolescents. Journal of Adolescent Health, 57(3), 267-270. tFisher, H., Aron, A., Brown, L., Mashek, D. (2006). Defining the brain systems of gender, love and romance: implications for neuroimaging studies of mental states. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 10(12), 533-539. tMarazziti, D., Canale, D. (2004). Alterations of the platelet serotonin transporter in romantic love. Psychopharmacology, 173(4), 314-319. tPetanjek, T., Bla?kovi?, H., ?iri?, B., ?imi?, G., Leskovec, J., Volcl, B. (2011). Changes in the prefrontal cortex during adolescence. NeuroImage, 54(1), 441-448. tSuleiman, D. Harden, P. (2016). Early adolescence and risky behavior. Journal of Adolescence, 42, 183-191.