February 10, 2011

6 Things You Need to Know That Skew Attraction

Posted in attraction, chemistry, Communication, Dating, depression, health, intimacy, Love, Men, ovulation, psychology, Relationships, romance, Sex, success, Tips, Uncategorized, Women tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , at 7:45 pm by From Date To Mate

THE BIRTH CONTROL PILL

1)   This wonder pill which has provided women with reproductive freedom can also wreak reproductive havoc. Infertility has become increasingly more common. One reason for this is the use of the pill. We are instinctively attracted to potential partners whose genetic make up will compliment our own, as well as compensate for whatever genetic weaknesses we might have. This biological mechanism is designed to ensure the best possible health for our offspring. The healthier our offspring are the greater their chance of survival is, which in turn aids to preserve the survival of our species.

The pill alters our body’s chemistry, which skews our innate attraction mechanisms ability to accurately perceive a fitting genetic partner. A skewed ability to detect a genetically complimentary partner can inadvertently lead us to one who is genetically incompatible, thus creating problems with infertility, heightened rates of miscarriages and less healthy offspring.  Additionally, because the pill skews attraction by altering physiological chemistry, when a woman goes off the pill and her chemistry returns to its normal state the dynamic of sexual attraction between she and her partner will become altered as well. Couples may suddenly find themselves inexplicably less physically attracted to one another. Waning sexual attraction will often create conflict, hence negatively impacting a relationship.

Fix: If you are on the pill and considering making a life commitment to a partner that entails having children together opt for an alternate contraceptive. This will allow you to accurately test the biological compatibility of your relationship.


OVULATION

2)   Ovulation has a fascinating altering effect on a woman. It morphs her facial features by enhancing fullness, making her appear more feminine, a signal of fertility to potential mates. Ovulation  will influence a woman to dress in a more provocative, figure flattering way, an unconscious display akin to that of a peacock showing off plumage as a means to allure a mate. Studies have shown that a woman is most likely to have a girls night out, regardless of her relationship status, during ovulation. Ovulation heightens a woman’s sexual desire, making her more prone to one night stands, and straying. Ovulation also alters the type of man a woman finds attractive. When women are not ovulating they tend to prefer men with softer, rounder facial features. Such features signify lower levels of testosterone, which convey to a woman that a man is more apt to be a stable, faithful, nurturing partner and provider. However when a woman ovulates she becomes drawn to men with higher levels of testosterone, with heavier brows, and more angular lined facial bone structure, which convey heightened virility. Ovulation can skew romantic attraction by prompting a woman to act out sexually in way she otherwise would not.  It can also cause a woman to be drawn to, and become involved with  a man who will make a poor choice for a long term partner.

Fix: The best thing a woman can do is remain mindful of her hardwiring, and the driving motivations behind out of the norm sexually impulsive feelings and actions.

INEBRIATION


3)   Imbibing to excess can cause a toad to turn into a Prince, and an ogre into Princess before your eyes.  Proverbial beer goggles have lead to many coyote syndrome mornings. When you drink the reward areas of the brain known as the nucleus accumbens and ventral striatum, responsible for mediating sexual attraction, become superstimulated by dopamine. This release of dopamine makes you feel really good. Unfortunately it also makes those who otherwise would never strike you as such, appear to look really good. The compromising of cognitive abilities in this specific region of the brain is responsible for why people end up intimately engaged with those they would not normally look at, let alone touch when stone cold sober. Drinking to excess will skew your normal perception of attraction.

Fix: A simple fix is to not drink yourself stupid. It is also advised to be cautious of the company you keep when drinking, or you may well awake in the morning with breeders remorse, or worse.

D.O.A.  ATTITUDE

4)   Ironically sometimes a person who is interested in you romantically will exhibit the exact same signs and signals as someone who is completely disinterested in you romantically. Confusing right? This happens when a person has already counted them self out, by presuming the interest they have in you is not mutual. Much like the baseball player whose game was off the entire season isn’t going to be demonstrating on pins and needles anticipation, awaiting the announcement of the seasons MVP, the person who is convinced they have no chance with you romantically won’t display signals of interest. This presumption effectively kills off any romantic possibility through emitting signals of disinterest.  A D.O.A attitude will cause one  to miss out on potential romantic opportunities.

The Fix: Never put a nail in the coffin of romantic possibility based on presumptions. Stay open minded. A defeatist attitude typically stems from insecurities. It is important to remember not to compare yourself to others. Focus on YOU, and all the positive things you have to offer someone in a relationship. If you do not feel good about yourself take the time to invest in working on your self-esteem.



MISCONSTRUED FRIENDLINESS

5)   Studies have shown that our gender impacts our romantic perceptions. Women for instance tend to rate their physical appeal as lower than it actually is, while men on the other hand tend to rate their physical appeal as higher than it actually is. In fact men tend to inflate their perceived appeal all around, a proclivity which can lead to the misinterpretation of a woman’s romantic interest. Studies have shown that men commonly mistake women who are warm, and friendly as being sexually attracted to them. Whereas women on the other hand are more apt to write off a man who is attracted to her, as just being a warm and friendly, rather than being romantically interested in her. These gender skewed perspectives can easily lead to crossed romantic signals between men and women.

Fix: Be mindful of these inclinations when interacting with the opposite sex. Men, if you are interested in a woman and you can’t get a read on her you need to turn it up a notch, and let her know you are interested. Ladies, be mindful of the possibility that there may be more to his friendliness than meets the eye. If you are interested in him flirt with him and find out.

ANTIDEPRESSANTS

6)   Millions of people still in their reproductive years are taking antidepressants with selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors. In the United States, in 2004, sales of antidepressants were cited by Morais, to account for $14 billion dollars of wholesale pharmaceutical revenue. Use of these medications come at another price, the expense of ones romantic and sexual life. The use of serotonin enhancer’s has been reported to cause one or more forms of sexual dysfunction in as many as 73% percent of patients. These dysfunctions hinder sexual desire, lubrication, sexual arousal, genital sensation, erection, ejaculation and orgasm. In addition selective serotonin-reuptake inhibiting medications can cause weight gain, as well as cause emotional blunting.

However Dr. Helen Fisher proposes that serotonin enhancing medications can have a far more reaching effect on the neural correlates of the three primary brain systems for companionate love, male-female attachment, romantic love, sex drive, reproduction, courtship, mating, and pair formation. Serotonin enhancers  can not only jeopardize ones ability to fall in love, they can prevent them from being able to maintain a stable long term relationship, due to emotional blunting, and sexual dysfunction prohibiting essential biochemical bonding via intimacy and orgasm.The use of these medications can go so far as to literally sever romantic ties, and snuff out feelings for a long term partner, even in formerly happy relationships.

Use of such antidepressants can also negatively effect a woman’s fertility. “Serotonin increases prolactin levels by inhibiting dopamine activity and stimulating prolactin-releasing factors. Prolactin can impair fertility through several mechanisms, including suppressing hypothalamic gonadotropin-releasing hormone release, suppressing pituitary FSH and LG release, and suppressing ovarian hormone production.” (Hendrick, Gitlin Altshuler & Korenman, 2000) It should also be noted that clomipramine, a particularly strong serotonin-enhancing antidepressant, adversely affects sperm volume and motility, (Maier & Koinig 1994.)

Fix: Be cognizant of the ways in which serotonin-enhancers may be affecting your love life. Discuss medication options with your doctor. There are various antidepressants such as Wellbutrin, which have a very low incidence of sexual dysfunction. If you are already on, or going to go on an antidepressant with serotonin-enhancers make your loved ones aware of the potential side effects so they can inform you if they notice any of the aforementioned significant changes.

Written by Darlene Turner (c) 2011

Love@fromdatetomate.com

October 15, 2010

Insight to Attraction in Hindsight….

Posted in advice, attraction, chemistry, Communication, Dating, depression, dysfunctional, health, help, intimacy, Love, Men, psychology, Relationships, romance, self-esteem, success, Tips, toxic, Uncategorized, Women tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , at 7:00 am by From Date To Mate

What did I ever see in him/her? We have all looked back upon someone we once romantically paired with, or harbored a mega crush on, and wondered what in the hell was I thinking? What did I ever find appealing about this person? The answer to this question is quite telling. You will find it reveals more about you than the former object of your ardor. Past attractions whether aberrant  or not, are like a mental snap shot of the head space you were in at that particular place in time in your life. How you feel about yourself, where you are in your growth process in terms of maturity, and changes in direction you’ve made on wrong turn diversions from healthy love, on your imprinted love map, all have a powerful impact on the romantic choices you make.

At fist glance back it may not be readily apparent, but every former Mr. or Mrs. Right, now stripped of their title and banished into EXdom offered you a learning opportunity. If you didn’t seize it chances are you ended up repeating the course with another, or will.

Darlene Turner

Relationship & Communication Expert

(c) 2010



October 8, 2010

The REAL Lowdown on Alcohol and Your Libido…

Posted in advice, attraction, attractive, bias, chemistry, Dating, desire, dysfunctional, health, help, intelligence, intimacy, libido, medical, Men, neuroscience, Sex, Tips, Uncategorized, Women tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , at 12:57 am by From Date To Mate

Breeders Remorse…

When you drink the reward areas of the brain known as the nucleus accumbens and ventral striatum, responsible for mediating sexual attraction, become superstimulated by dopamine. This release of dopamine makes you feel really good. Unfortunately it also makes those who otherwise would never strike you as such, appear to look really good. The compromising of cognitive abilities in this specific region of the brain are responsible for why people end up intimately engaged with those they would not normally even look at, let alone touch when stone cold sober. A word to the wise, be cautious of the company you keep when drinking or you may well awake in the morning with breeders remorse.

Alcohols Effect on Testosterone…

Even moderate alcohol consumption spikes testosterone levels in women. This spike may cause some women to become more easily aroused, and act in a more sexually aggressive, promiscuous manner. Unfortunately there are unscrupulous men, who are only too happy to seize the opportunity to pounce on you like prey when in this compromised state of mind. Yet another reason women need to be aware of exercising caution when they drink. A reminder to men, it is never wise to have casual sex with an intoxicated woman. Even if she seems willing, you still run the risk of putting yourself in a dangerously ambiguous date rape situation.

For men heavy use of alcohol creates potential risks of another kind.When men imbibe too much alcohol it actually causes their testosterone levels to plummet, suppressing production of testosterone in the testes. So why then you might wonder, is it that men still feel arousal and remain desirous of sex when drunk? This is thanks to a surge in a secondary luteinizing hormone, released as a means to stimulate testosterone production when levels become low. As many a highly inebriated man has discovered, no matter how deep his desire it cannot fuel the physiological functioning required to achieve and maintain an erection when chemically cock blocked by alcohol.The repercussions of impotence can have a devastating effect on a mans ego, and in some instances his sexual partners as well. Fortunately for most this is a temporary impairment, and not reflective of a mans erectile abilities when sober.

However, chronic heavy drinking can cause some very unattractive consequences to the sexual appeal of a man, beyond frequent impotence. Chronic heavy drinking can make a mans testicles actually shrivel up. It can also cause his hips to widen, pronounced breasts to develop, and make his chin grow smooth and plump up. These feminizing effects are the consequences of low testosterone levels, caused by prolonged heavy use of alcohol. Sadly for some men this aesthetic damage is permanent.

Darlene Turner

Relationship & Communication Expert

(c) 2010