" The first girl I dated was named Cammie Anthony. She was a year older than me. She had failed eleventh-grade calculus and had to take
it again with my class.
The specific chemicals that are released when we have a crush are called norepinephrine, dopamine, and endogenous opioids.
I remember Cammie reaching to hold my hand in a movie theater.
We went to see a horror movie, and it was unclear if we were going as friends or on a date.
Norepinephrine is what causes our bodies to have sweaty palms and increased heart rates.
I remember lying awake in my bed texting Cammie until three in the morning.
Dopamine is energizing; it makes us feel motivated and attentive.
I remember every time my phone pinged with a text from Cammie, I felt happy.
Endogenous opioids are part of our reward system. It's what makes having a crush feel enjoyable rather than just crushing.
Oxytocin and vasopressin are the chemicals that make us feel calm, secure, comfortable, and emotionally attached to long-term partners. "

― Emily Austin, , Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead