Speaking as someone who tends to be low-oxytocin by default, I’ve got to note that there are some serious drawbacks to quality of life without oxytocin-inducing activities. For me, my “true self” is more evident during the day or two of “afterglow” from high-oxytocin activities than in the dragging, “who cares about people and what’s the use of living anyway” tendencies of lower oxytocin.
So I would be rather doubtful of the utility of avoiding “normal” amounts of oxytocin induction. Am I a different person while riding an oxytocin high? Yep: cuddling and zoning out in a satisfied way goes to the top of my preferences, followed by playfulness and silliness. But this phase doesn’t last very long, and is quickly replaced by, “I feel/act like a normal human being again, with a greater sense of well-being”, while oxytocin deprivation leads to a decreased sense of well-being.
Based on my experiences, I would expect that chronic deprivation of oxytocin-inducing activities would produce significant physical and mental stress and illness. I can’t even imagine how I could have even survived the last two and a half decades without my spouse’s affection… or that I would have even wanted to.
Speaking as someone who tends to be low-oxytocin by default, I’ve got to note that there are some serious drawbacks to quality of life without oxytocin-inducing activities. For me, my “true self” is more evident during the day or two of “afterglow” from high-oxytocin activities than in the dragging, “who cares about people and what’s the use of living anyway” tendencies of lower oxytocin.
So I would be rather doubtful of the utility of avoiding “normal” amounts of oxytocin induction. Am I a different person while riding an oxytocin high? Yep: cuddling and zoning out in a satisfied way goes to the top of my preferences, followed by playfulness and silliness. But this phase doesn’t last very long, and is quickly replaced by, “I feel/act like a normal human being again, with a greater sense of well-being”, while oxytocin deprivation leads to a decreased sense of well-being.
Based on my experiences, I would expect that chronic deprivation of oxytocin-inducing activities would produce significant physical and mental stress and illness. I can’t even imagine how I could have even survived the last two and a half decades without my spouse’s affection… or that I would have even wanted to.