Doctors say dopamine - the drug released by the brain when it is aroused - has
similar effects on the body and mind as cocaine or speed.
"Attraction
and lust really is like a drug. It leaves you wanting more," the National
Addiction Centre head said.
Pounding
heart
"Being
attracted to someone sparks the same incredible feelings no matter who you are.
Love really does know no boundaries," he said.
According
to doctors the brain which processes emotions
becomes "fired up" when talking to someone it finds attractive.
The heart
pounds three times faster than normal and causes blood to be diverted to the
cheeks and sexual organs, which causes the feeling of butterflies in the
stomach, he says.
However,
as with cocaine and speed, the "hit" is only temporary, though it can
last between three and seven years, he added.
Perfect
partner
Research suggests people look for
similar features to themselves in a partner as they are searching for
characteristics in their mother and father, who have already successfully
raised a child.
"It
might look like we are all after the perfect partner to wine and dine but
underneath, our animal instincts are seeking out an ideal mate to share our
genes with."
"We
tend to go for the smell of somebody who has a very different immune system and
that stops you fancying your family.
"Our
biology drives us to find a perfect compromise between sameness and difference
and we strike that balance all the time when it comes to choosing faces and
smells," the expert said.
sex
trap
The
research also suggests sex is booby-trapped to make partners bond.
"Your
body has evolved over millions of years with one aim - to go forth and
multiply, so while having kids may not be on the agenda just yet your body has
a few tricks up its sleeve to drag you in that direction," he said.
According
to the research the more two people have sex together, the more likely they are
to bond.
"We
all know you can have sex without falling in love but if you have enough sex
with the same person there's a good chance you will hit the body's booby-trap
which is there to tip you head over heels into love," said Dr Marsden.
"So your body goes all out to make you bond
with your partner and that makes love highly addictive and the withdrawal
sucks."