We've all hear of the whole "love at first sight" phenomenon.
You bump into a mysterious stranger for the first time, and within seconds, you are struck by Cupid's arrow and are suddenly overcome with a powerful mix of emotions.
The person's charm sends you spiraling into an inexplicable state of intoxication.
Your head spins. Your heart races. You start to sweat.
A million thoughts run through your mind, as your clumsy tongue fumbles around in your dry mouth and struggles to form coherent words.
You don't even know this person, but you are certain this complete stranger is "the one" just by looking into his or her eyes.
Yep, being hopelessly drunk in love can sure be a magical thing.
But have you ever wondered exactly how long it takes to be swept off your feet and fall head over heels in love? Can it happen with just a look or even a kiss?
That's what "Love At First Kiss," TLC's newest reality show, is setting out to discover.
From the creators of "The Bachelor," the dating show's premise is pretty much exactly how the title sounds: Two strangers kiss, see if they feel anything close to love (or at least mutual attraction) and then decide if they'd like to either go on a two-minute speed date or peace out.
It premiered this past Wednesday, and reviewers have already called it "awkward."
But thanks to researchers at Syracuse University, we may already have the answer to this age-old question, "Can you find love at first sight?"
That's right, a 2010 study found that after looking at someone, it takes only one-fifth of a second for the brain to release a cocktail of chemicals — including things like adrenaline, dopamine and serotonin — that put you in a love-induced state of pure bliss.
The physiological response of falling in love actually has the same effect as doing a line of cocaine, which may explain why the euphoric feeling of love can actually feel like a drug at times.
But that's not all. These complex chemical responses can actually make you feel different types of love, depending on which area of the brain they affect.
By reviewing the results of magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies, researchers identified the cortical networks associated with passionate love and compared these findings to the regions of the brain affected by other forms of love, such as companionate love.
Apparently, passionate love is the initial lovestruck feeling of being swept off your feet, while companionate love is the deep emotional connection that grows stronger as couples bond over time.
According to the researchers,
These results show that love is more than a basic emotion. Love is also a complex function including appraisals, goal-directed motivation, reward, self-representation and body image.
So yeah, I guess "Love At First Kiss" might actually be onto something.
And if you're not into the whole dating show thing, you should probably ditch the dating apps and hit up a bar to find your future bae in person.
Citations: This Is Exactly How Long It Takes to Fall in Love (Brit Co.)
