TRUE LOVE CAN BE SICKENING

WRITER: FRED HILTON

When I was in the seventh grade, our class assignment was to give an oral report on Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s epic poem Evangeline. I am sure we based the report on a synopsis of the poem since Evangeline is a bit demanding for seventh graders. If, like most of the world, you are not up to speed on Longfellow, Evangeline was a sweet, young Acadian lass in Nova Scotia in 1755 who was madly in love with a chap named Gabriel. Sadly, before they could be married, the big bad British deported all the French-speaking Acadians from Nova Scotia.

Evangeline and Gabriel were separated. Heartbroken, they spent years fruitlessly looking for one another. Finally, as an old woman, Evangeline was working among the poor during an epidemic in Philadelphia and found the dying Gabriel. They embrace and kiss once before Gabriel dies.

I read what I thought was a brilliant report and concluded by saying: “She kissed him and he died.” At this point, my teacher collapsed into absolute hysterics. Between guffaws and giggles, she blurted out, “It sounded like he died of the kiss.”

The purpose of this episode of life’s most embarrassing moments is a somewhat tenuous segue to the question of the day: Can you literally be lovesick? And the answer is yes, you certainly can.

“Falling in love affects your brain about the same way as smoking crack,” said Ethlie Ann Vare, author of Love Addict: Sex,

Romance and Other Dangerous Drugs. “It has essentially the same effect on what’s called the reward center of the brain.”

Jennifer Nelson, writing in Today Health, said that scientists have “learned that a chemical cocktail of neurotransmitters — phenethylamine, dopamine, norepinephrine, and oxytocin — are at work when we fall for someone. This powerful love potion is secreted when we feel that initial attraction and serves as an amphetamine, elevating our mood, keeping senses on high alert, and helping us bond with another person.” an include are: insommnia; poor appetiite t ; ack of f co c ncentration; cheest pre r ssure; nausea; weeak k knees; ; y mouth; increased heaart rate; e and ligght hheadedness.

Among the symptoms that lovesickness can include are: insomnia; poor appetite; lack of concentration; chest pressure; nausea; sweaty palms; weak knees; dry mouth; increased heart rate; and lightheadedness.

Professor Alex Gardner, a Scottish clinical psychologist, said doctors need to be more aware of love sickness as a possible diagnosis in their patients.

“People can die from a broken heart,” the professor said. “You can get into a state of despair and hopelessness. You find yourself in such a state of despair that you just curl up and die.”

Professor Alex x Gardnerr, a Sccottish clinical said doctors s nee e d to be more awa w re of love sickness as a a possible diagnoosis s in theeir pat a ients. s can die e from a broken heart,” thhe e professo s r saaid. “You can a get into a st s ate e of and d ho h peless s ne n ss. Yoou u find yours r elf f n such h a state e of f desspair that yo y u s currl l up p and n diee.” ”

Maybe that’s what killed Gabriel instead of Evangeline’s kiss.

Ma M ybe thhatt’s s what t killed Gabbriel inste t ad d f Evaanggeline’s kiss.