The Love at First Sight Psychology
Have you just looked at someone and instantly been attracted to him/her? How do you explain that rush? Is love at first sight possible? Or is it just another wild concept of the movies?
Who doesn’t like to imagine themselves falling head-over-heels for someone who is sitting opposite to your table in a coffee shop quietly drinking their coffee and engaged deeply in their book? Or maybe just when you are about to trip and fall down, someone really good-looking catches you before the fall, and there is this really intense eye contact. Sigh!
But, is it real or is love at first sight probably not love but just a strong attraction towards someone visually or physically appealing?
Scientists have an explanation for this instant love. There is a release of chemicals in the brain that affects the intellect and cognitive functions – producing a feeling of euphoria, causing instant attraction. Studies have stated that the quick release of chemicals such as dopamine, oxytocin, adrenalin and vasopressin, some of which act in a cycle, create a rush. There is a sexual desire with an increase in the frequency and intensity of thoughts and fantasies.
This desire is the basic emotion or instinct which is much different than the mental state of the person in passionate love. Also, it is more likely for a man to fall in love at first sight than a woman.
Love at first sight or the sexual desire or lust is more specific, as in, we tend to get attracted to a person instantly who appears to be exactly the way we want them to be. Love is much more than mere strong physical attraction.
It’s about being involved in the other person’s emotional and spiritual growth. In the initial stages, the beauty plays a role on a superficial stage, but after some time you have to work at deeper issues to keep the relationship alive.
Your life is not a Bollywood movie so chances of falling in love, at first sight, are pretty slim. The next time you feel strongly attracted to someone when you see them for the first time instead of categorizing it as instant love, try filing it under ‘need to explore more.’
You are clearly attracted but is it really love is the question. You will only ever be able to be sure about it is by spending time with them and getting to know them. No, amount of eye contacts and staring at each other will ever turn to a meaningful and mature relationship. Beauty can catch your eye, but it’s the person you have to live with.
While science doesn’t leave many chances of this happening, there are still people out there being exceptions to this with the perfect “love at first sight” stories. But, the thing to note is that the reason those stories came to fruition was because people took out time and put in the effort to explore the “love” they felt the first time they looked at the person which let them find their partner.
