What exactly do people mean when they say, "I am in love"? What do they feel that makes them say that?
From a biochemical standpoint, the feeling of being "in love" is the feeling of dopamine. It's the neurotransmitter that makes you feel obsessive where you "can't stop thinking about her." (reference: every love song ever) The problem with that definition is that it also refers to infatuation. I would argue that being in love means that a person has had persistent infatuation for sufficient duration to become biochemically "addicted" to the beloved. Breaking up with someone that you are in love with can cause true physical symptoms, not unlike a heroine addiction.Not to be confused, the feelings of "comfortable love" are tied to the neurotransmitter oxytocin (and physical "love": testosterone). And while this oxytocin feeling is necessary for a long-lasting relationship, and for marriage, it's not the one that makes a person say "I am in love" for the first time; but it may be the one that keeps a person saying it 20 years later. That is because oxytocin can be maintained long term, whereas dopamine nearly always drops off after the first couple of years (but can be cultivated by doing new experiences together -- separate topic).In any case, all of this neurotransmitter talk may be seen by some to cheapen the experience of being in love; but those who have felt it know that could never be true any more than the knowledge of rain droplets and refraction could cause a rainbow to be any less beautiful.
When people say mean and hurtful things to you when they are angry, do they really mean all those things?
They call it emotional abuse. You should avoid those who abuse you.At the moment, they mean it and they want to hurt you just as if they kicked you in a sensitive spot. They may feel attacked or defensive or just angry. The anger may have been prompted by anything including something you said.People often do not know how to deal with negative emotions. They are taught to classify the world into good and bad. Life is not so simple but TV and some movies would have you believe there are only good guys and bad guys and the line is clear. The truth is we are both and there is a lot of gray.Because we can't acknowledge the bad in ourselves, we deny it. We pretend it doesn't exist and we accuse others of the traits we have disowned. Our negative emotions build and fester until they explode. It is immature and irresponsible to blame others for our problems.These are defense mechanisms and they are there to protect us from pain but they may also keep us from truth and the ability to solve our problem. It's our job to become self aware and conscious and mature and not unload on others. Many fail.Generally, avoid such people. Know that by engaging with them you actually enable them. Don't even try to figure out if they mean it. Just walk. Never let anyone abuse you. Hope they will become more self aware and conscious and will find their way to maturity.
What does it mean when someone says i feel empty?
Emotionless, exanimate, numb, "dead inside." These are all ways to describe that "empty" feeling we get inside of us whenever we're stressed out, anxious, depressed, ect. If you feel overwhelmed by something in your life, you can get this feeling in your chest, like there's an empty space inside. Other feelings might be loneliness, grief, longing, hatred, etc. To get rid of this feeling, you just have to deal with whatever is causing it. Hope this helps and best wishes!
Why do some religious people say they can "feel" God?
There's a difference between a kind of high which is mostly self-induced and is all fuzzy feelings, and a peace which comes from being in grace and feeling God's presence. Sometimes the lines can be blurred because we don't realize that humility is the key to being close to God. If we're focused on getting a spiritual high because we want to feel good and happy, we're being prideful and it isn't truly from God. True peace comes from knowing that you are doing God's will and living morally. You can also feel God's presence, but not all the time. Sometimes God want to test how faithful we really are and He allows us to feel as though He isn't there so that we learn to love and serve God for Himself, not just because we want Him to give us warm, loving feelings. You know how you can sometimes sense the presence of a person in the room even if you can't see them or your back is turned to them? That's kind of what it's like when you truly feel the presence of God. It's nothing glamorous; it doesn't have to be a rush or speaking in tongues; just the quiet certainty that God is present.
What does it mean when someone says they feel "off" today?
My friend seemed a little different than usual. She told me that she today was one of her "off" days. So what did she exactly mean by feeling off today? I'm just trying to understand her more.