The Love Drug

Just simply hugging someone you care about will make your oxytocin levels increase. This can reduce amygdala activity, increase your social interactions, and reduce anxiety symptoms. Oxytocin is linked to positive emotional states and is the mediator of social and emotional behaviors such as attachment.

Pet and owner interactions result in increasing oxytocin levels in both the owners and the animal and also decreases cortisol levels in both. The activation of a common network of brain regions involved in emotion, reward, affiliation, and social cognition both when mothers view images of their child and when people view their pet. When your pet sees you smile it boosts their oxytocin levels and makes them happy. Your relationship with your pet makes them feel safe when they’re with you which helps increase their exploration and play.

Having pets is beneficial in many ways for humans. Your animals can help reduce the stress we all face day in and day out. Simply petting an animal reduces cortisol levels. Cortisol is a steroid hormone that is produced by the adrenal gland in response to stress. It belongs to a class of hormones known as glucocorticoids, which have a wide range of physiological effects on the body, including the regulation of blood sugar levels, blood pressure, and the body's inflammatory response. Cortisol plays a vital role in the body's stress response, and its levels in the blood typically rise in response to a stressor and then fall once the stressor has been removed. Elevated cortisol levels over a long period of time can have negative effects on health, including weight gain, diabetes, and suppression of the immune system.  To counter that, Interacting with animals increases your levels of oxytocin, which can help combat higher levels of cortisol.

84% of PTSD patients paired with a service dog reported significant reduction in symptoms and 40% were able to decrease their medications. Animals help lower your blood pressure by lowering cortisol and boosting oxytocin. Having a dog helps you stay physically active because you need to take them on walks every day. Animals can also help ease loneliness and depression. Pet owners have better self-esteem because your pets provide you with a sense of purpose. Pets provide greater social support than humans in easing depression. 

Oxytocin has also been found to have an effect on anxiety and stress, and low levels of oxytocin have been linked to certain mental health conditions such as autism.

Research also suggests that Oxytocin nasal sprays are used in treatment for social anxiety disorder, mood disorder and also autism.

So if you are looking for a “love Drug” we suggest pairing yourself with the right type of animal to call your own.