Is Love at First Sight Actually Possible? The Answer Will Shock You

There are two types of people in the world: those who wait until six months into a relationship to say “I love you,” and those who fall in love at first sight.

There are variations in between, but we can pretty much separate people in either group.

But, if you’ve never fallen in love so fast that you almost felt like you blacked out and woke up next to the love of your life, then maybe you haven’t found the right one yet.

We understand that love is complicated and terrifying. It’s easier to be wary of who you give your heart to than to hand it out to every person who walks through the door.

But love at first sight actually exists.

I know, I was just as shocked when I first found out, too.

But, if you don’t believe us, here are five reasons why love at first sight is real.

1. Love at first sight is still love.

Aaron Ben Zeév Ph.D., former President of University of Haifa and philosophy professor, wrote in Psychology Today about the philosophy of love at first sight. Zeév lists two arguments people make against the possibility of love at first sight. The first argument is that you can’t know enough about someone to fall in love with them at first sight. So, whatever you’re falling in love with is wishful thinking.

But, this argument assumes that romantic love is not physical attraction. It assumes that you can’t love someone if you don’t know any of their characteristics. But, we spontaneously attribute characteristics by using stereotypical evaluations. So, if you see someone you’re attracted to who looks a certain way, you give them characteristics you assume they have based on what they look like.

Zeév calls this the “attractiveness halo,” as in what is beautiful is also good. Ultimately, the more attractive a person is, the kinder, happier and nicer we believe they are.

“Love at first sight can often mislead, since it is based more on imagination than on sight; however, it can still be love, and is often very intense,” Zeév wrote.

The second argument claims two people have to spend time together to fall in love, so it can’t be romantic love.

But this argument assumes that love is not just feelings.

“The fact that love at first sight may be based upon unreliable information does not mean that it is not an instance of intense love,” Zeév wrote.

Ultimately, love is love.

2. Love at a first sight has a lot to do with DNA.

I’m so sorry to break it to you, but the classic “love at first sight” moment in a movie where the girl falls in love with the guy the minute he walks through the door isn’t realistic. Love at first sight mostly refers to their first interaction.

So, factors such as how they talk, move, smell and touch play a role in falling in love with them, according to the DailyMail. Also, if you’re more open to the idea of falling in love, then chances are you’re more likely to fall in love.

And while you’re not noticing, your olfactory systems are smelling the person to see if they’re a good genetic DNA match.

So, yeah, your body is helping you pick the one, so if you feel some type of way about someone, then go with your gut.

3. People have truly experienced love at first sight.

Ben Bryant, author of “Waiting for Elizabeth,” talked to Bustle about what it was like when he first met his wife. He told them it initially felt like everything in the room faded away.

“As we were eating our sandwiches, I told her that I felt like I knew her,” Bryant told Bustle. “I just had the feeling that I knew her. This was the absolute truth. I knew that day she was my woman.”

And you can’t deny true love like that.

4. We’re genetically wired to be able to fall in love at first sight.

According to eHarmony’s website, scientists have discovered our brains can make decisions about attraction in one-tenth of a second. So, when we see someone we think we might love, our brain releases oxytocin, also known as the love hormone, during human contact. This affects how we bond with that person.

Ultimately, our brains are capable of falling in love at first sight even if not everyone has experienced it.

5. There are even stories of people literally falling in love at first sight.

A reader told Cosmopolitan about the first time she looked her husband in his eyes.

“Nearly 11 years ago, I walked past my now-husband in one of the hallways in our high school and was drawn to his eyes.  They say the eyes are the window to the soul, and that’s exactly the case here. His eyes were just a sample of his incredible qualities, both inside and out. His eyes captivated me in the high school hallway, and I wanted to know him from that moment. We have been together since that time and have been married for three years.”

If this doesn’t prove love at first sight exists, then I don’t know what will.

As much as love at first sight may sound ridiculous and impossible, science has proven that it’s a real occurrence. So the next time you find yourself staring at someone from across the room, don’t knock your attraction to them as just lust.