Is Love At First Sight Real? What The Research & Experts Say | mindbodygreen

Nearly 34% of people claim they’ve experienced love at first sight, according to the 2017 Singles in America survey of 5,500 singles conducted by the dating site Match. Broken down by gender, 41% of men and 29% of women said they’ve experienced it. But many marriage therapists and other relationship experts are less convinced that people can really fall in love at first sight.

“I think people can feel intense attraction and connection that they can mistake as love,” licensed marriage therapist Racine R. Henry, Ph.D., LMFT, tells mbg. “We all like to believe that love is only magic, but a lot of it is actually choice.”

How long it takes to fall in love can vary depending on the individual and what their personal definition of love is. But as psychologist and sex therapist Lauren Fogel Mersy, PsyD, explains, romantic love requires actually knowing someone and their full self—something that’s impossible to do just by looking at a person.

“If you see someone and never speak a word to them, do you truly feel love? Not if you define love as deep caring, understanding, support, and affection,” Henry says.

That said, sometimes the initial chemistry between two people who’ve just met can feel so strong that it leaves a lasting impression, according to licensed marriage therapist Weena Cullins, LCMFT. “Two people can feel a deep sense of knowing each other along with an unexplainable level of connection and attraction upon first meeting each other. It’s possible to sense that those feelings will remain regardless of what unfolds beyond their first encounter.”