Butterflies or blindness? Decoding love at first sight

We all know those meet-cutes: All it took was one gaze across a jam-packed event or restaurant and within seconds, they knew they had found “the one.” Of course, that sounds wonderful. After all, it is the subject of countless romantic books and movies. But, do people truly fall in love at first sight or is it an imaginary tale?
The term “love at first sight” usually refers to an immediate feeling of bond with someone. Some say it is like fireworks, while others say it is the exact opposite — a moment when you and the other person are completely absorbed in each other and the world around you halts.
“My boyfriend and I met at a mutual friend’s birthday party. I was not really a fan of romance in general. But that day, the moment we saw each other, I swear it felt like something out of a rom-com. Butterflies, frozen time, you name it,” reminisced Shaira Mobarak about her first love.
Naturally, love at first sight, is a powerful and passionate emotion that is a result of chemistry between two individuals — how a person appears, dresses, moves around, speaks, and glances at you.
Research suggests that love at first sight may have a biological basis. There may be a physiological component to the strong and sudden feelings of love at first sight. An immediate physical attraction may trigger the release of the feel-good chemicals dopamine and oxytocin.
As it questions the traditional idea that love takes time to grow and mature, this phenomenon is celebrated in films, novels, and media. So, powerful are these relationships that they may happen instantly without the stages of dating. Its enigmatic rarity, which not everyone can experience, makes it a sign of fate.
Ahmed Sarf, lover of comics and video games, aptly described it by sharing his experience, saying, “When I first saw Arita, I knew it was her or no one else. I actually came home and told my brother that!”
He then elaborated, “She always made me want to be better, which boosted my idea that she is the one for me.”
However, not everyone seems to carry such romanticism in their hearts. When asked whether love at first sight is real, pop/rock music and travel enthusiast Rahim Jahan Chowdhury, said, “In my opinion, love is deeper than first sight and takes time. To me, initially developing a crush has to do with the infatuation towards certain physical features that I find attractive.”
He further explained, “After getting to know the person, personality plays a big role. What people perceive as love at first sight might be more accurately referred to as an intense attraction to someone on a superficial level.”
Love, according to several experts, consists of three things: trust, intimacy, and commitment. Typically, it takes more than a look to find all three. Moreover, people’s red flags do not always show up right away, especially if they are linked to toxic habits or behaviour. Learning about another person and everything they may offer requires time and effort.
On top of that, in films and stories, love at first sight is portrayed as a perpetually happy ending. That may not hold true, however, in the real world. It is advised that you should go into a relationship with the mindset that it has the potential to become a sweet love tale, but that things will not always be as ideal as imagination.
“My love at first sight was with a senior because she looked beautiful but then I started noticing that she seemed very arrogant, which was a turn-off for me. Yet, my current relationship with my girlfriend was not an instant attraction. We talked, got to know each other, became friends and gradually feelings came into play, influenced by traits, not any physical appearance,” voiced Mahdir Khan about his love life.
According to researchers, there is a phenomenon known as positive illusion that may make individuals believe that they were in love from the start, even though sustainable relationships often need time to develop genuine feelings of love.
In some ways, the brain’s early phases of love are quite similar to those of addiction. The narrative of true love is about whether the bond develops and remains. After that, it stops acting like an addiction.
So, what does that mean for you? What are the odds of you discovering an enchanted occurrence like love at first sight? Is love something you should approach with extreme caution and practicality? Well, even while wise men say that only fools rush in, it does not imply that you should too.
Knowing the difference between real love at first sight and short-lived attraction requires some thought and time to decide if the relationship will last. Never allow a single look to dictate your actions until your rational and emotional selves are in complete harmony. Love and human connection, in all its manifestations, have the potential to surprise and uplift us when we least anticipate them.
So, this is your reminder to not be a hopeless but rather a hopeful romantic!