Central Florida mental health counselor explains research linking romance to risk-taking
Lake Mary-based counselor Shantala Boss joins WESH 2 to explain key findings and potential ways to stay grounded amid a research study by the Scandinavian Journal of Psychology
IT IS 946, AND VALENTINE’S DAY IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER. WE’VE GOT A COUNTDOWN CLOCK FOR YOU. JUST OVER SEVEN DAYS TO GET THOSE PLANS IN ORDER BEFORE NEXT WEEKEND. AND OF COURSE, WE’VE ALL HEARD THE SAYING, LOVE IS BLIND. THAT SHOWS THERE’S A LINK BETWEEN LOVE AND RISK. THE SCANDINAVIAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLOGY FOUND THAT ROMANTIC FEELINGS INCREASE A PERSON’S DECISION MAKING, IMPULSE CONTROL, AND RISK TAKING BEHAVIORS. A LOT TO UNPACK THERE. SO WE’VE GOT LOCAL LICENSED MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELOR CHANTAL ABBAS JOINING US THIS MORNING. THANKS FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. SO IT’S THE SEASON OF LOVE. WE’VE GOT A WEEK TO GO UNTIL VALENTINE’S DAY. AND THIS NEW STUDY HAS EMERGED. CAN YOU WALK US THROUGH IT AND WHAT SOME OF THE BIG TAKEAWAYS WELL, BASICALLY WHEN THEY HAD CERTAIN CONTROL GROUPS LOOK AT WORDS OF LOVE OR TRY TO UNDERSTAND FEELINGS OF LOVE, THEY WERE MORE IMPULSIVE AND MADE DECISIONS MORE QUICKLY AND DIDN’T THINK THROUGH THINGS AS MUCH. AND I THINK WE ALREADY KIND OF KNOW THAT WE SAY LOVE IS BLIND, BUT IT’S JUST ANOTHER STUDY. THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL STUDIES THAT HAVE SHOWN HOW HUMAN PSYCHOLOGY WE’RE SO DRAWN TO LOVE BECAUSE WE WANT IT SO BADLY. I MEAN, IT’S IT’S THE WHOLE REASON THE WORLD GOES AROUND IS IT GIVES MEANING AND HOPE. AND SO SOMETIMES, THOUGH, WHEN WE ARE IN THAT STATE, WE’LL RISK EVERYTHING FOR IT. AND WE DON’T ALWAYS THINK THROUGH LOGICAL STEPS. AND SO WHEN THESE WHEN THESE PEOPLE WERE IN THIS STUDY, THEY WERE KIND OF IN THAT STATE OF MIND. AND IT KIND OF PROVED RIGHT THERE THAT WE DON’T ALWAYS THINK THROUGH THESE THINGS LOGICALLY. YEAH. IT’S VERY INTERESTING. AS YOU SAID, LOVE IS WHAT MAKES THE WORLD GO ROUND. ON A MORE LIGHTHEARTED NOTE, IT’S, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE SEE IN ALL OF THESE ROMANCE MOVIES. BUT ON A MORE SERIOUS NOTE, THIS IS HOW SCAMS HAPPEN, AND THIS IS HOW PEOPLE ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF WHAT IS IT ABOUT LOVE OR ROMANTIC REMINDERS THAT MAKE OUR INHIBITIONS DROP SO MUCH THAT PUTS US IN A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION? WELL, IT’S THE DOPAMINE IN THE BRAIN. IT’S THAT REWARD CENTER THAT YOU KNOW, AUTOMATICALLY. WE WANT MORE OF IT, JUST LIKE ANY OTHER ADDICTION. LIKE WOULD IT BE SUGAR OR ANYTHING? THE MORE WE SEE IT, THE MORE WE WANT IT. AND THAT CAN COME IN SO MANY DIFFERENT FORMS. AND I THINK THE STUDY KIND OF SHOWED US THAT THROUGH MEDIA OR FOR EVEN LOOKING AT SOMETHING, WE CAN FEEL THOSE INCREASED FEELINGS OR NEEDS FOR LOVE, OR SO IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME WITH MARKETING, WITH SCAMS. YOU’RE SO RIGHT. AND EVEN WITH ONLINE DATING, HOW DO WE KNOW WHAT WE’RE REALLY LOOKING AT? EVERYONE’S PUTTING THEIR BEST FOOT FORWARD, BUT IS THAT REALLY WHO THE PERSON IS? YEAH, IT CAN BE VERY RISKY. SO HOW DO WE STAY GROUNDED HERE? BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO OPEN UP YOUR HEART TO LOVE, TO FIND IT. RIGHT. BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE’RE STAYING SMART ABOUT THIS. WELL, WE REALLY NEED TO KNOW OURSELVES FIRST AND REALLY PRIORITIZE WHAT ARE OUR BOUNDARIES? WHAT ARE OUR LIMITS? YOU KNOW, IF WE’RE IN A RELATIONSHIP WHERE WE FEEL WE’RE GIVING UP PARTS OF OURSELVES OR, YOU KNOW, OUR FRIENDS ARE SAYING, YOU KNOW, YOU’RE PUSHING AWAY, YOU’RE NOT AROUND AS MUCH OR WE’RE NOT REALLY DOING THE THINGS THAT WE ONCE LOVE MAKING EXCUSES FOR SOMEONE REGULARLY. THOSE ARE ALL KIND OF WARNING SIGNS THAT MAYBE WE’RE SACRIFICING SOMETHING FOR A FEELING INSTEAD OF REALLY THE TRUE THING. YOU KNOW, WE DO FALL IN LOVE WITH HOW A PERSON MAKES US FEEL, BUT WE ALSO NEED TO LOOK AT WHO THEY ARE AS A PERSON AND AND OUTSIDE OF ALL OF THE THINGS THAT JUST MAKE US FEEL GREAT. AND MAYBE YOU DO HAVE THE SELF-AWARENESS TO RECOGNIZE THOSE CHANGES WITHIN YOURSELF, BUT MAYBE YOU’RE A FRIEND WHO’S NOTICING IT IN SOMEBODY ELSE. WHAT IS YOUR RECOMMENDATION TO, YOU KNOW, HAVING THAT PERSON GET SOME HELP? WELL, WE DON’T WANT TO BE TOO BLUNT ABOUT IT, BUT JUST TRY TO BE AROUND THAT FRIEND. TRY TO BE AROUND THEIR PERSON’S INTERESTS AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO SEEK OTHER THINGS THAT THEY ENJOY. YOU KNOW, IT’S SO EASY TO GET CAUGHT IN THAT RUT AND WANT TO HUNKER DOWN AND JUST SPEND TIME WITH ONLY THAT ONE PERSON. BUT IT IS IMPORTANT TO LOOK OUTSIDE AT OTHER THINGS, OTHER OPTIONS, AND NOT LOSE OURSELVES IN IT. SO JUST HELPING OUR FRIENDS IN THAT WAY AND GETTING TO KNOW THAT THEIR LOVE INTEREST AND SHOWING INTEREST IN THAT AS WELL, BEING PART OF THAT. ALL RIGHT. SHANE TAULA. THANK YOU. HOW CAN PEOPLE GET IN CONTACT WITH YOU
Central Florida mental health counselor explains research linking romance to risk-taking
Lake Mary-based counselor Shantala Boss joins WESH 2 to explain key findings and potential ways to stay grounded amid a research study by the Scandinavian Journal of Psychology
Updated: 10:15 AM EST Feb 6, 2026
A new research study by the Scandinavian Journal of Psychology links romantic triggers to risk-taking behaviors. Lake Mary-based counselor Shantala Boss joins WESH 2 to explain key findings and potential ways to stay grounded. Click here to learn more.
ORLANDO, Fla. —
A new research study by the Scandinavian Journal of Psychology links romantic triggers to risk-taking behaviors.
Lake Mary-based counselor Shantala Boss joins WESH 2 to explain key findings and potential ways to stay grounded.