If someone seems incredibly funny to you, and they keep popping into your head for the fifth time in a day, you might be in love. What are other signs of being in love?
You constantly think about your partner
You’re talking to a friend, and you can’t wait to discuss your date with your loved one. Or throughout the day, you wonder what the person is doing right now. It turns out that constant thoughts about a person in the early stages of a relationship are normal. In 2016, anthropologist Helen Fisher conducted a survey in which lovers admitted that they spend 85% of their time thinking about their partner.
The main thing is to make sure that the thoughts do not become obsessive. For example, if thoughts about your partner interfere with work, it’s a warning sign. In such cases, remind yourself more often that in the near future you will still have time together and create new memories. Or you can meet up with friends more often and talk about unrelated topics. You may even try an independent online casino to forget about your partner for a while.
Don’t forbid yourself from thinking about your loved one altogether. It’s better to set boundaries. For example, allow yourself to think during lunchtime, but after it’s over, return to work.
You develop possessive feelings
Those in love usually want their object of affection to be involved with no one else but them. And the prospect of having to share their beloved with someone else is frightening and causes almost physical pain.
From a biological standpoint, possessiveness in relationships is quite justified. It increases the chances that your offspring will be with this partner. This is why we fall in love with each other, according to anthropologist and love researcher Helen Fisher.
Despite possessiveness being biologically driven, it doesn’t mean it must be expressed. It can offend and repel the person you have feelings for.
Feeling butterflies in the stomach
“Feeling butterflies” refers to the discomfort in the stomach, similar in sensation to anxiety. It can occur right before a date, during conversations or flirting with a loved one, especially when the relationship is just beginning.
According to psychiatrist Lori Kifer, there are about 100 million nerve cells in the intestines that send messages to the brain or receive them. For example, when a person is anxious that the date will not go as planned, their adrenaline and cortisol levels – stress hormones – increase. The brain sends a signal that reaches the intestines. Thus, the mechanism of “butterflies in the stomach” is triggered. “Feeling butterflies in the stomach” somehow proves that you are not indifferent to the person.
Wanting to touch someone more often
If you want to hold hands or hug someone, you might be in love with them. According to psychologist Kioundra Jackson, touching the object of your affection is particularly pleasant because it triggers the release of serotonin, dopamine, and oxytocin – hormones associated with feeling good. Therefore, the desire to touch arises again and again.
Touches are not always associated with sexual attraction and do not necessarily have an erotic undertone. It can be anything from stroking someone’s hair to wanting to tickle them. Sexologist Carolina Pataki asserts: if a person is naturally tactile, they will touch close people more often to show their affection for them.
You laugh at every joke your partner makes
Laughter shows romantic interest, attachment, and a desire to please your partner. One study showed that the more a woman laughs at a man’s jokes, the more interested she is in him. Furthermore, the romantic bond was stronger if both laughed during the conversation. The author of the scientific paper, Jeffrey Hall, suggests that a good sense of humor subconsciously may be associated with a pleasant character in our minds. That’s why we are more inclined towards jokers. Humor can also serve as a way for a person to test how interested their partner is in them.
Your feelings over time become stronger
Some people find it difficult in the early stages to distinguish between passion and love. But there is a difference: if you are in love, even when the attraction wanes, your feelings for your partner remain deep and strong. You genuinely enjoy spending time with them. You want to learn something new and discover more about your loved one. You may even make plans for the future (in your mind or discussing them with the person), taking into account not only your own opinion but also the opinion of the other person. In other words, love doesn’t go away, even if in the future you encounter flaws in your partner.
You notice only the positive sides
People who are truly in love typically focus on the positive qualities of their chosen one, paying no attention to their negative traits. It’s not surprising that relationships are quite strong in the early stages, as both partners idealize each other.
Also, people in love tend to concentrate on events and objects that remind them of their loved one. According to a study published in 2013, being in love hinders people from focusing on other information.
Changes in appearance
Contrary to stereotypes, we don’t always blossom when we fall in love. Some people truly make an effort to look amazing in the eyes of their beloved. While for others, due to excitement, it’s difficult to button up a shirt correctly or to style their hair properly.Sometimes, a person in love loses their appetite and loses weight. Or, due to increased anxiety, on the contrary, eats more and gains weight. In any case, strong feelings often provoke changes in one’s image.
