Is love real? Wait, is love at first sight real? Why does it happen, and how can you know that you’re experiencing it?
Whenever I hear the concept of ‘love at first sight,’ I can’t help but imagine two people who instantly fall in love through deep eye contact.
Through the years, I’ve realized that I’m not that far from the truth, but still, the concept of love at first sight is not that simple.
Some people link this belief to a fairytale, while others swear that they’ve experienced it.
If you belong to the former, below you’ll find all you need to know about love at first sight, why it happens, and whether you’re experiencing it (without even knowing it)!
What Is Love At First Sight?
Love at first sight indicates an instant connection and initial attraction to another person. Every single one of us experiences it differently.
Some people feel as if the world stops when they meet for the first time, while others describe it as a strong feeling inside them equivalent to fireworks.
Even though there isn’t one definition of love at first sight, one thing is sure: Love at first sight is an “intense electricity type of feeling” that happens when two people share strong chemistry.
This euphoric moment can make you feel as if you’re drunk, but you actually aren’t (unless you’re at a party).
Such love is best described as an instant reaction to the person’s vibe, appearance, voice, and how they look at you. You feel in your gut that there is something special about that one person you’re strongly attracted to.
After some time spent with them, three main types of chemistry (physical, intellectual, and emotional) kick in.
You find yourself on cloud nine once you realize that they feel the same way about you. You’re convinced that they are the One for you.
Is Love At First Sight Real?
Love at first sight is a real thing. At least, that’s what relationship experts and therapists say.
Here’s one real-life example: Prince Harry claims that he knew Meghan Markle was the one for him the very first time they met.
However, there’s one “catch.” You cannot know whether you’re a good match or not based only on your “first sight meeting.”
You need to get to know each other better after that, and only then will you discover whether you’re compatible, and eventually, you’ll understand the meaning of love.
Love at first sight is much more than an instant attraction between two people.
It is a strong feeling of attraction, but it cannot be perceived as love. You’re totally crazy about each other, the sex is out of this world, and no matter how much time you spend together, it simply isn’t enough. Still, it’s not love (well, not yet).
After going on a couple of coffee dates, getting to know each other better, and falling in love with each other’s minds, values, and personalities, you’ll create a basis for experiencing something more meaningful.
Why Do People Fall In Love At First Sight?
Well, that’s a good question. There are several reasons why people fall in love at first sight, so let’s see them:
Strong physical attraction
People are more prone to falling in love at first sight with those they find physically attractive. This intense physical attraction converts into infatuation.
All that happens due to the strong chemical reaction of dopamine and serotonin that works like a shot of love (at first sight).
Prolonged eye contact is one of the clear signs of unspoken attraction between two people. They say what our mind thinks and how our bodies feel, and they do it without even uttering a single word.
That’s why most people swear that they fell in love at first sight through their eyes, which is not far from the truth.
Being open to love
If you’re struggling to find love, you won’t be that optimistic about meeting your potential partner. But if you’re open to romantic love and free of any internal struggles, it will be easier for you to experience what’s known as love at first sight.
Your desire for love is strong within you, and that’s why you attract someone with minimal to no effort at all. All this creates space for experiencing instant love with someone who might be your soulmate as well.
The halo effect
The halo effect or “positive illusion” (as represented by a 2017 study by researchers at the University of Groningen) means believing that you and your partner instantly fell in love based on how you feel about each other months or years later.
If you’re wondering how this can happen, Dr. Helen Fisher (and her team of scientists) blame our brain for it. Our brain goes through stages of lust, attraction, and attachment.
Once we reach the final stage of a strong connection, our brain starts connecting the current feelings of love with the first time we met that one person.
We start feeling like we’ve always been in love with them, and the intensity hasn’t changed from the first day to today.
Eye contact
We can never underestimate the power of eye contact. When we look someone in the eyes (even if it’s a stranger), we can start to feel instant love and a connection.
We call that feeling love at first sight. Truth be told, you don’t meet anyone by accident. You could be in a crowded room and then accidentally lock eyes with someone special.
You’re unable to stop looking at them, and they feel the same way. All of a sudden, you don’t see anyone around you except them. Your brain absorbs every single detail about them and signals to you that they might be your perfect match.
Yup, all that can happen just through maintaining eye contact, and that is when you start asking yourself: Is love at first sight real or just an illusion?
First impressions
When you first meet someone, you decide within the first 7 seconds whether you like them or not. That’s called a first impression.
Because of that, people can experience strong attraction or repulsion toward that one person. If you experience a strong attraction, you can connect it with love at first sight.
This is accompanied by our brain’s release of happy hormones like oxytocin, which is known as the ‘hormone of love.’ Basically, your brain is telling you that you’re in love, so there’s not much space for contradicting.
7 Signs You’re Experiencing Love At First Sight
Are you experiencing love at first sight, or is it just in your head? Here are some signs of love at first sight that will hopefully remove any doubts:
An instant physical attraction
We’re talking about a magnetic, instant attraction that shakes your whole body and spirit and renders you speechless. Also, it makes you forget what you were doing the moment you saw them.
This powerful attraction between two people is defined as love at first sight. Keep in mind that we’re not talking about signs of true love at this point.
But if you keep seeing each other, you have a great chance to deepen your relationship and dive into the sea of unconditional love.
You feel an immediate connection
You don’t even need to talk to them to know that there’s an instant connection. You could literally talk through your body language, and you would understand one another.
Once you find yourself in the middle of a conversation, you’ll soon start to finish each other’s sentences.
This immediate connection is not just about instant attraction. It’s when your mind, body, and soul match theirs.
Consistent eye contact
You know it’s love at first sight if you can’t stop looking each other in the eyes. Prolonged eye contact is your main means of communication.
There’s no awkwardness about it as is usually the case when you meet someone new. Instead, you feel totally comfortable maintaining deep eye contact for a long time on a first date and after that.
You feel as if you’ve known them for years (and vice versa). They say that our souls connect through the eyes, and I can confirm that it’s totally true.
You’re obsessed with knowing more
Do you know that feeling when you want to know everything about that one person? You’re interested in both serious matters and the most trivial things in the world about them.
Basically, you’re obsessed with knowing more, and you want to learn all about them NOW. It’s like you have a secret folder in your head where you store all the information about them.
You easily remember every single detail without even trying hard. That’s how you know that you’re experiencing the charms of love at first sight.
You feel drawn to this person
You want to spend all of your time with them. You want to do everything with them because it’s ten times more fun, and their presence is like a drug to you.
When you’re together, you feel energetic, awake, and free. Your adventurous spirit has never been more thirsty for new, fun activities.
When you’re not with them, you feel empty, like you’re missing something. All you can think of is when you’re going to see them again because they’re always on your mind.
Knowing they have flaws wouldn’t change how you feel about them
Even if you realize that they have lots of flaws, quirks, and imperfections, this wouldn’t change how you feel about them, and you wouldn’t see them as red flags.
You’d still like them for who they are, and you wouldn’t want them to change for you because you see them as a potential romantic partner.
When you love someone, you put them first. This kind of love is known as unconditional love, but it’s too early to talk about its concept at this stage.
You’d be devastated if you never saw them again
The fact that you might never see them again after a first meeting frightens you. You’d be totally devastated if you never enjoyed their presence again.
These intense feelings of attraction and connection make you think that they are the One for you, and you’ll never meet anyone like them ever again.
Because of that, you’ll do anything to win their heart and allow your connection to become stronger through time. If you feel like that, this is one of the great signs your love at first sight will last.
Final Thoughts
Love at first sight can sometimes be confusing because of its intensity. But keep in mind that it will take some time until you create a powerful connection with that person.
If you didn’t experience love at first sight, don’t worry. I know plenty of people who haven’t experienced it yet, but this doesn’t mean they won’t.
Once you do, you’ll know for sure because you’ll be unable to think about anything else from the moment you meet them.
And yes, if you want to expand your knowledge about the most powerful emotion in the world, love, be my guest: Is Love Real Or An Illusion? All You Need To Know About True Love.