Love vs Infatuation

Love Vs. Infatuation

There are plenty of differences between being infatuated with someone and being in love with someone. A person knows in their heart what they feel but most of the time the two can be confused. Usually it takes a little while to know whether or not you’re infatuated versus being in love. You won’t know overnight but sometimes you have to figure it out for yourself. Both love and infatuation are crazy things, They are both led by something other than your brain which is why it’s so hard to distinguish the two. Love is led by your heart and infatuation, by the chemicals released in your body. Infatuation may have some similar “symptoms” of love but the differences overrule the small similarities. I myself still have trouble separating the two. It would be an amazing thing if a guide book just dropped down to help you figure out just what you were experiencing. Unfortunately that does not exist so I will distinguish the difference between love and infatuation in the next few paragraphs, with some help from some people experienced in the area.

“Love is friendship that has caught fire; it takes root and grows, one day at a time”, Ann Landers of the Chicago Tribune says. I love this quote because it really gives you an idea of how love should start. Love takes time to grow, it does not come overnight. It isn’t something like a fairytale. For instance in Cinderella, Cinderella leaves her glass slipper behind and the prince searches for her and they fall in love and get married in what seems like less than a month. Yes there may be some out there that do get married or “fall in love” in such a short time span. Usually those are the relationships that don’t last long or work out. “When you’re in love, you feel strong, full of life, and happy. You feel Secure and beautiful”, S.E Jones, Yahoo contributor beautifully puts her version of love. With love you don’t feel as if you have to worry about your mental state of mind; you feel great, like as if nothing can bring you down or get in your way. You might feel as if anything that comes your way you can handle. With love comes trust, you trust them quite literally with your heart. Some people may even trust their partner with their life, they would give their own life to save the other if it came down to it. Lastly I believe love is taking each other imperfections; every single one of them and saying wholeheartedly that you accept them. No matter how horrible they may be you can say that you still accept them, love them, and want to spend the rest of your life with them. You should not have really try when you’re in love. Love is mature, it is effortless.

Infatuation I feel is fairly, easily confused with love because when you think of love you think of this intense, strong feeling. Infatuation is a strong, deep feeling as well but there is a big difference between the two. The reason infatuation can feel so intense and strong feeling is because with infatuation it all comes at once, sort of like a bomb. However, unlike love the “bomb” goes off after a short time and does not last as long as love does. Infatuation does not grow over time because when you’re infatuated you need instant gratification. Also, when you are infatuated you are constantly wondering. Wondering if your partner is doing something behind you back to hurt you, if they like you as much as you like them, and simply what they think of you. To sum it up with infatuation come constant worrying and anxiety. Unlike love you do not feel secure or safe. “Infatuation lacks confidence”, Ann Landers simply puts it. In an infatuated relationship you fell as if disaster is around the corner. You feel like your partner is going to disappoint you or even that you are going to lose your partner at any point. In which most cases things are fine and you are just overthinking but that’s what comes along with infatuation, being in that obsessive state of mind. With infatuation there is no trust, just hope. Again using S.E Jones creative words “Infatuation is getting through today and hoping tomorrow will be good too”. Infatuation is a very interesting experience, fun to some. It is bound to happen at some point. Infatuation is the “evil twin” it’s nice looking on the exterior but it ends up being a little less than horrible when looked at a little closer.

Now as you can see there are big differences between love and infatuation. On the other hand see how easy it may be to mix up the two. It’s sort of like infatuation is the kid in you while love is the adult. It’s important to know sometimes it is inevitable to be infatuated with a person but once love comes around you’ll see just what you were missing out on. Love lasts and is sometimes quite literally your best friend; a lot of people in love view their partners as their best friend which is an amazing thing in itself. Unfortunately Infatuation can be compared to that friend you were best friends all throughout middle school but lost touch with when you entered high school. Some things just aren’t meant to last but that’s mostly because better things like love are waiting to happen.

References * Jones, S.E. "The top ten differences between love and infatuation." Yahoo Voices. Yahoo, 15 Sep 2009. Web. 1 Apr 2013. <http://voices.yahoo.com/the-top-ten-differences-between-love-infatuation-4234743.html?cat=41>. * Landers, Ann. "Love Vs. infatuation: Telling the difference. "Chicago Tribune A&E. Chicago Tribune, 01 Dec 1990. Web. 1 Apr 2013. <http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1990-12-01/entertainment/9004090531_1_dear-ann-landers-love-mature>.