Is Love at First Sight Real?

CLEVELAND – Valentine’s Day has finally arrived, and you may hear some people say they knew they were in love at first sight – but is that actually possible?

“Over 60 percent of individuals indicate that they have felt love at first sight at one point in their life. However, infatuation and attraction may be a more accurate term to describe this phenomenon,” explained Susan Albers, PsyD, psychologist for Cleveland Clinic.

Dr. Albers said according to the triangle theory of love, there are three components to true love: intimacy, passion and commitment.

Love at first sight is only one aspect of the triangle, which is passion.

Dr. Albers said when someone says they fell in love at first sight, it could also be a case of selective memory bias.

Meaning, they rewrote their love story to match their expectation of how they believe people fall in love.

That’s not to say the feelings they had when they first met aren’t necessarily real.

She said certain chemicals are released when you are attracted to someone.

“Once we become aware of that attraction, all of a sudden our bodies become flooded with dopamine, that pleasure neurotransmitter, and oxytocin, that chemical that makes us feel close and bonded to other people,” said Dr. Albers. “So although we may not have a genuine connection with someone, the chemicals in our body are sending us signals that we feel close to someone.”

Dr. Albers said if you think you are experiencing love at first sight, it’s important to pause and make sure it’s going to be a lasting connection.

She recommends thinking about whether you have similar values and hobbies. Those types of things are important in building a strong foundation.