Is It Love Or Just Infatuation? Here Are 6 Ways You Can Tell The Difference
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Bollywood movies have taught us that when you can’t stop thinking about a person the entire day, or when you wake up and your first thought is of them, or if every place you go reminds you of them, then you’re in love. According to Bollywood, all these are sure shot sign signs that you’re in love. Sure, Yash Raj movies or the Karan Johar ones have shown us what it is like to fall in love with someone. But, we all know that there’s more to love than just the filmi style love.
Love is something that grows with time. At times, we feel a sort of attraction towards a person and we mistake it for love. Maybe, it was just infatuation. Wait, what does this mean now? Haven’t we all been in that confused state where we struggle to decide whether what we feel is actually love or just infatuation? The debate about this is honestly a never-ending one. Here, let us help you with the difference between the two.
What’s The Difference Between Infatuation And Love?
The difference between the two might seem extremely minute. However, it can make a lot of difference. Infatuation is an intense, short-lived passion or appreciation for something or someone in particular. Whereas love is a feeling of deep affection towards someone or something.
Okay, so, both the definitions don’t really sound very different, right? Wrong people! There is a huge difference. Here are a few ways in which you can identify that difference:
1. The Time Frame Matters
Infatuation is an overwhelming feeling that takes over you quite rapidly. You can actually associate it with the whole phenomena of love at first sight. It happens at a such a quick pace that you don’t even get a chance to know the person you are attracted to completely. It’s quite possible that you feel attracted to them as soon as you lay your eyes on them.
And immediately you’ll start to convince yourself that you’ve fallen in loveem. It happens that fast!
2. One Is A Process, The Other Is An Instant Emotion
It’s funny how both, infatuation and love, are so intimately interlinked and yet, we struggle to understand their unique facets. The truth is this — in the beginning, you can find yourself totally infatuated with the person whom you later proceed to fall in love with. What you need to understand is that love can happen, but much later.
To love someone, you need to know that person in and out. We’re not talking about things like their height or weight. You need to know how they function in their lives. Remember, you can never quite love a person you know nothing about.
3. Superficial Affection Is The Other Name For Infatuation
Because the affection occurs with such speed that you don’t look at the details of the person. Sometimes, even when you haven’t spent time with that person or met them in real life, all the feelings you’ve been feeling are only superficial. In simple words, your feelings have their base in superficial aspects such as the looks of the person. Get it?
4. Deep Connection Is The Other Name For Love
Love goes beyond one’s appearance. It’s about falling in love with the soul of the person to an extent that even their annoying quirks or faults make you smile. Love can be platonic, but infatuation is usually non-platonic. Love is much more than just mere physical intimacy. Infatuation can end with time, but love doesn’t really end.
5. If You Find Yourself Trying To Satisfy Another Person, It’s Infatuation
Trying to please a person is different from having to please another person. If it’s infatuation, you will start altering your life according to the whims and fancies of your partner. This, my friend, first of all, isn’t right. And secondly, it isn’t love. You are purely manipulating your emotions because of the attraction you feel towards them.
6. If You Find Yourself Wanting To Make Another Person Happy, It’s Love
You genuinely want a smile on your SO’s face. And you’ll do whatever your SO loves to make them happy. If you find yourself in a comfortable spot wherein you are happy doing whatever it takes to keep your significant other happy and smiling, then its love! If your partner feels happy with just your presence around him or her, then, surely even your partner loves you without any exceptions whatsoever.
We agree that all this might sound a bit confusing when you read it. The only way you’ll understand the difference better is if you relate this newfound knowledge with your love life. The next time you find yourself in a dilemma whether it’s infatuation or love, try to remember these differences. It will surely clear your mind. All we want to add to that is — remember to be yourself whether you fall in love or feel infatuated towards another person.
