Infatuation vs. True Love: Understanding the Differences
My perspectives on the emotions of infatuation and love
Hi and welcome to my blog. My topic for today is about Infatuation vs. True Love: Understanding the differences. I will share my perspectives on these two intense emotions and let you decide if yours is infatuation or real love.
Love is an emotion that can leave us feeling both exhilarated and terrified all at once. For many of us, the journey towards finding true love is a long and winding one, fraught with unexpected twists and turns. But how do you know when you’ve truly found it? Are you in love or simply infatuated?
Infatuation, by definition, is a short-lived passion for someone. It’s that initial spark of attraction that draws you towards a person, but it isn’t necessarily grounded in reality.
Infatuation is driven by physical desire, and it can fizzle out as quickly as it began. Infatuation also has a superficial quality to it and leaves you feeling giddy in the short term, but isn’t sustainable in the long term. The initial “honeymoon phase,” where you feel like you’re flying on a pink cloud, is usually short-lived and doesn’t necessarily lead to a sustainable, healthy bond.
On the other hand, falling in love is a deep and complex emotion that transcends physical attraction and shallow, surface-level qualities. It’s a more mature and profound experience, something that happens slowly over time versus the instant gratification of infatuation.
When you’re in love, you see the object of your affection for who they are, flaws and all, without the constraints of a detached or purely physical attraction. Love is about seeing your partner in both their best days and at their worst, and accepting both with kindness and empathy.
While infatuation is based on the excitement of being with someone, love is based on the desire to nurture and grow alongside your partner. Love is built on mutual respect and admiration, something that is not present in infatuation.
Yes, love is a deeper, more invested emotion that requires patience and hard work to cultivate. While infatuation can be beautiful in its own way, it’s not a sustainable force in a relationship.
Another distinguishing factor between infatuation and love is how they make you feel. Infatuation often feels like a high, akin to a drug. Intense feelings of euphoria and excitement are common as your brain is flooded with dopamine, the feel-good hormone. Yet, this high can crash all too quickly. In contrast, love is a more long-lasting emotion that can bring on a sense of calm, security, and stability. While love can definitely have its moments of exhilaration, it’s generally a subtler, more peaceful feeling.
So how do you know when you’re transitioning from infatuation to love? One sign is a growing sense of attachment. Love is built on attachment, while infatuation is fueled by detachment. So if you begin to feel more attached to your partner beyond just the physical, there’s a good chance that your feelings are shifting into love territory.
Another sign is the desire for intimacy, both physical and emotional. Infatuation may be buoyed by the excitement of the initial chase, but love can sustain and enhance intimacy in a more fulfilling, meaningful way.
In my humble opinion, I’d say that while infatuation can be an intense and thrilling experience, it’s not a sustainable foundation for a healthy, long-term relationship. Falling in love may take a bit more time and effort, but it’s a deeper, more profound emotion that can create a powerful and enduring bond between two people.
So take the time to get to know your feelings, and trust your instincts. When you do fall in love, you’ll know it — heart and soul. I hope this helps.
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