I know people who can’t go more than ten minutes without checking Twitter. In fact, I am almost one of those people, logging in to Twitter and Facebook numerous times a day to not only see what everyone is up to, but to share my every thought and moment with the world.

It’s like a drug…literally, and studies are comparing the feeling we get from social network sites to falling in love. Love? That’s crazy.

In a nine year study, neuroeconomist and Claremont University professor, Paul Zak, discovered the social media experience releases the hormone oxytocin. Oxytocin, often called the cuddle-hormone, is the stuff that forms emotional bonds between human beings. To give you an example of its power, oxytocin is released into the brain by both parties during sex, strengthening the feelings of love and intimacy between sexual partners.

One study Zak performed discovered that oxytocin levels spiked more then 13.2% while his subject tweeted. The interesting thing? That’s more oxytocin than a groom has just before he takes his wedding vows. Zak said, “Your brain interpreted tweeting as if you were directly interacting with people you cared about or had empathy for.”

Coming from someone who met the love of her life on Twitter (that would be me,) I can definitely see how this study has merit. The bond my fiance and I formed before we met in person was unshakable, as we were able to share emotional intimacy on a deep level without the sexual pressure often present in the person-to-person social scene.

So the next time people try to tell you intimate bonds and friendships cannot be formed online, laugh. They’re wrong, and Paul Zak’s study proves it. On the other hand, this startling research suggests we should be even more cautious than ever when doling out trust in social media circles. Just because we trust the people we are interacting with, it doesn’t make them trustworthy.