This morning I read a talk by Elder Bednar about expressing and showing love, and so I have been thinking about substitutions for that kind of love. This children's book is about substituting warm fuzzies, which represents love, for cold pricklies.
In my study of human development and positive psychology, I have learned that feelings of love and social contact produce the same hormone-like substance, oxytocin, as when someone is high on cocaine. Therefore, if someone isn't getting that natural "high" from genuine love and affection then they are prone to addictions to substances and behaviors that duplicate that same temporary good feeling but that are ultimately damaging. These substitutions become our cold pricklies.
It is interesting to note that often times we think that in order to cure someone of an addiction that we must "punish" them by withholding our love and affection. We even throw people in jail for addictions and isolate them from their loved ones. This seems crazy given the fact that it could have been the absence of that love and contact in the first place that made them vulnerable. I for one am committed to express and show love more freely.
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