How Do You Know You're in Love?

by SodaHead Living Posted 2012/02/24 14:00:00

Related Topics: Love, Signs, falling, dating, Relationship, Pet, College, Lust, Racing, New York, State, Brain, In Love, Medicine, Heart

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1,084 votes
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	You can't stop staring at him/her	194 votes	18%
	You feel high	121 votes	11%
	You can't stop touching him/her	45 votes	4%
	You can't stop thinking about him/her	638 votes	59%
	You want to be "exclusive"	86 votes	8%

When it comes to love, they say you "just know." But YourTango.com reports that there are actually five key signs to look for when you think you may be in love: You can't stop staring at them, you feel high, you can't stop touching them, you can't stop thinking about them and you want to be exclusive. Sound about right?

1. You can't stop staring at him/her: Dr. Lucy Brown, neuroscientist and professor at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, tells YourTango that when you fall in love, you can't stop staring at the object of your affection. Just be sure not to creep him/her out!

2. You feel high: There's a reason why you're so blissful when you're in love -- the brain produces more feel-good dopamine, as well as norepinephrine, which makes you feel nervous (e.g. the racing heart sensation).

3. You can't stop touching him/her: Dr. Bianca Acevedo, Visiting Scientist at the State University of New York at Stony Brook, tells YourTango that your body will subconsciously lean toward your love object's body, mainly because you want to feel emotionally closer to him or her.

4. You can't stop thinking about him/her: Shockingly, people think about their love object about 85 percent of the day.

5. You want to be "exclusive": If you're really in love, you don't want to be with anyone else ... and you want the relationship to be long-lasting, Dr. Brown tells YourTango.

Do you think these five signs stick? How do you know when you're really in love, as opposed to in lust or in like?

+40

Add a comment above

Sister Jean 2012/02/24 21:22:56

You want to be "exclusive"

+22
when you no longer have to ask that question
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More polls by SodaHead Living

sally 2012/02/26 04:31:01

You can't stop thinking about him/her

+1
Actually you can never really know.

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q.a.t 2012/02/26 03:54:47

You can't stop thinking about him/her

+1
My problem is, I can't make eye contact with the person who I love. I hate it when I’m so shy >< :(

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KristinnC: 2012/02/26 03:39:24

You can't stop thinking about him/her

+1
like me right now i cant stop thinking about this guy named robert!:D
im so in luvvv LOLC:

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ALofRI to KristinnC: 2012/02/26 15:36:11

If that was a song, it would be a perpetual #1. So many have sung it. Good luck to you

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KristinnC: to ALofRI 2012/02/26 19:27:24

hahaaC: lol and thkxz!:D

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Marc Allen 2012/02/26 03:29:48

You can't stop thinking about him/her

+1
When your whole life flashes before your eyes,..when you still think their beautiful 20 years later...when you don't want to look at anyone else...That's love.

.

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Harold 2012/02/26 02:45:45

You can't stop thinking about him/her

+1
It was a difficult decision when there is not an "All of the above" choice. There also is usually some great commonality that connects two of you, which is undeniable. And yes, it could be what you stated or something completely different.

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Sinister Ken Doll™ 2012/02/26 01:15:02

You feel high

+2
and it aint the weed lol

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Civic Minded 2012/02/26 00:51:39

You can't stop thinking about him/her

+2
These answers can be misleading. Some would say these are obsessive behaviors rather than symptoms of love. One can be drawn to someone by attraction that is sexual, but not love, or neediness.
True love one does recognize. It is defined in the Bible in 1 Corinthians 13:4–8a:

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Deona 2012/02/26 00:37:48

You can't stop thinking about him/her

+1
and and when ever corny thing they say makes you smile, no matter how mad youre mad them. lol "if you were trash and i was a hoader, then you'd be the trash i'd never throw away"

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☮ Ron ☮ Paul ☮ 2012! ☮ 2012/02/26 00:31:39

You can't stop thinking about him/her

And you realize that life without that person is not an option. This person is someone you would sacrifice everything for... even your life!

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Lydecho Rain (Лидия) 2012/02/26 00:01:05 (edited)

You feel high

I always feel high when I find someone attractive :). And I'm so shy so I never talk to them.

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☮ Ron ☮... to Lydecho... 2012/02/26 00:33:02

+1
Remember, attraction and love are two totally different things. :)

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Lydecho... to ☮ Ron ☮... 2012/02/26 00:35:02

I know. But I've only been in love once, so I'm not an expert. For me it feels like I'm on the drop of a rollerchoaster every time they looked at me. And then it ends in heartbreak for me

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☮ Ron ☮... to Lydecho... 2012/02/26 05:54:05

+1
Been there. Many, many, many years ago. :-D You're still young yet, try not getting too involved at your age... you have plenty of years ahead of you to worry about that stuff. :-)

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thalice 2012/02/25 23:39:43

You can't stop thinking about him/her

I feel like im in my dream place with him beside me

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Inquisitve Kat 2012/02/25 23:10:24

You want to be "exclusive"

+1
The rest of the choices just seem more like infatuation...

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GoreGirl 2012/02/25 23:06:57

You can't stop thinking about him/her

I also get a bit of euphoria when I'm around/talking to him. It's been a year and a half and 2 months after we started talking I was getting butterflies whenever he'd send me a text. A few months later he told me he loved me and we've been together ever since and are nearly inseparable. first time I've truly been head over heels in love lol

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wtxwoman 2012/02/25 22:52:14

You want to be "exclusive"

When I first read the answers I thought there needed to be an 'all of the above' choice. I made my choice and then read the article. I was right!

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Bigbrowneyes 2012/02/25 22:51:09

You can't stop thinking about him/her

+2
This is nonsense...This describes infatuations. I've been infatuated by many a man. I know what that's like. But when you push through hard times together, you bond in a way that is way past staring and butterflies. I'm not going to pretend that I know exactly what love is though.

If that all equals love, then a rapist is in love with his victim...

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Inquisi... to Bigbrow... 2012/02/25 23:18:11

I think this (this attitude about being in 'love') is why so many relationships fall apart... when all of this disappears, we think we've fallen out of love.

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Bigbrow... to Inquisi... 2012/02/25 23:22:55

+1
I know! :)

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Treasure ♥ijm♥ 2012/02/25 22:34:39

You can't stop thinking about him/her

I love that feeling!! :) Love is awesome!!

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whispering hands 2012/02/25 22:03:01

You can't stop thinking about him/her

+1
I have only been in love once and I still am. And that is with music. No one will probably ever fill the void or replace the love I have with music. And that's really all there is to it with me...

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Jessica ♥ Nick = foreva 2012/02/25 21:29:06

You feel high

weell you can fell in your heart and say it to him what you feel a bout him

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AstroZombie 2012/02/25 21:28:16

You want to be "exclusive"

I think all of this better describes infatuation than it does love. I know people who are in love but live independently, do not spend every waking moment touching or thinking of or staring at each other, and act more like best friends than "lovers".

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ReconMarine~AVA/POTL/JLA/PWCM 2012/02/25 21:26:13 (edited)

You can't stop thinking about him/her

+2
It is a feeling you have in your heart that is indescriable...the excitement when you talk or see each other, the desire for that person, no one else matters but them...the electricity you feel surge through your body just thinking about them...

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Treasur... to ReconMa... 2012/02/25 22:35:46

+1
Great way to describe it my friend!! :) It's the most wonderful feeling in the world!

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ReconMa... to Treasur... 2012/02/25 22:48:07

+1
Yes it is...an awesome feeling...

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Skar 2012/02/25 21:23:04

You feel high

From the rush of oxytocin flooding your brain

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NicoleWuv$Youu<3!!! 2012/02/25 21:01:48

You can't stop thinking about him/her

When u cnt get your minnd of that person and every time you see him/her you feel like your life is complete nd you dont have to worry bout anything else<3 When they wrap their arms around you your heart melts and you dont want them to let you go EVER!!

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**StarzAbove** 2012/02/25 20:58:20

You can't stop thinking about him/her

+3
You can't stop thinking about them.

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flrdsgns to **Starz... 2012/02/25 21:25:58 (edited)

+2
Them? Plural? And I thought I was the only one.... LOL

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**Starz... to flrdsgns 2012/02/25 21:36:32

+1
Ooops, caught again. lol

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ReconMa... to **Starz... 2012/02/25 21:30:22

+1
No you can't.....

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msteresa87 2012/02/25 20:51:47

You can't stop thinking about him/her

+1
I have def. been in love with someone before like this

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mazzy500 2012/02/25 20:39:59

You can't stop thinking about him/her

You can't stop thinkIng about them cuz ur in love! I know! You get caught up in them and can't think about anything else!

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Bill Sundling 2012/02/25 20:35:24

You can't stop thinking about him/her

+1
It's EASY to know when you're in love. The hard part is knowing when it's no longer infatuation and it's become love. I remember when that happened when my wife and I were dating.

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jflip 2012/02/25 20:33:29

You want to be "exclusive"

+4
When you can no longer can put how you love them in words. It's simply beyond human comprehension, natural and unconditional.

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john 2012/02/25 20:13:30

You can't stop thinking about him/her

+2
The person is in your thoughts 24/7

reply