Someone who feels romantic attraction toward another person may crave physical affection, desire relationships with the person, and desire romantic contact, such as handholding, showing love, or expressing affection. Romantic attraction may or may not accompany sexual desire and a sexual relationship.
You want to feel things together.
People reporting romantic attraction will often express a strong desire to experience deep emotions with the other person, says Zrenchik, or otherwise have some sort of emotional connection.
Romantic attraction: attraction that makes people desire romantic contact or interaction with another person or persons. Aesthetic attraction: occurs when someone appreciates the appearance or beauty of another person(s), disconnected from sexual or romantic attraction.
Sexual attraction feels similar to having a crush — it's instantaneous. Romantic attraction, on the other hand, takes longer to develop, Healthline states. As you spend more time with a person, you learn you're attracted to them differently than you thought.
But if you want your relationship to involve physical intimacy and affection, your feelings are romantic. If you don't want that, but you want a close friendship, your feelings are platonic.
Jitters and feelings of excitement are typically signs of physical attraction. Many people find that they begin to plan for the encounter long before it's supposed to occur. You may realize your heart rate increases when you hear their voice, or you smile when they walk into a room.
Infatuation is often a fantasy-based, passionate longing for someone else. It can prevent you from acknowledging their weaknesses, and may even land you in an unhealthy situation. Love is often based in reality and is fed on closeness and knowledge of the other person.
Sexual attraction involves a desire to become sexually involved with another person. While it often occurs alongside romantic attraction, the two are not the same. Sexual attraction can occur without romantic attraction, and vice versa.
You can definitely be in love even if you're not sexually attracted to your boyfriend or girlfriend. Love and attraction are two separate things, and while it's great when they go together, it's not a complete deal breaker if the sexual attraction is missing.
It can also feel like your heart does a leap when you see your crush and you feel warm and giddy. Do you suddenly feel nervous but excited at the same time? Maybe you feel like you want to hug that person or be with them all the time. These are all normal reactions to having a crush.
There's no limit to how long attraction can last. It might be brief, or might last for the rest of your life. Some people become less attracted to their romantic partners over time, or the kind of attraction they feel might change—especially when the other person changes—but this doesn't always happen.
When you are truly like someone, you really look forward to any connection you may have. You constantly check your phone for texts, calls, emails, etc. Just thinking about your next conversation makes you smile ear to ear. If you are dating them just to kill time you might be too lazy to reply to their messages.
You probably like someone for more than just their attention if you think of them all the time, even when they aren't around. If you ask them to do things on the weekend and initiate conversations because you are thinking about them, you're likely having strong feelings about them.
This feeling is what we usually call chemistry between people, or "the spark"—a twinkle in the eye, a skipped heartbeat, or flushed cheeks that indicate two people are truly connecting.
According to science, men find women more attractive when they are smart, intelligent, caring, confident, humorous, kind, independent, and supportive.
People gravitate towards you
Aside from captivating the attention of strangers, you might notice that a lot of people easily warm up to you and try to get closer to you when you first get to know them. This could be because they find you attractive and admire the way you carry yourself.
If you have been wondering, “When you feel attracted to someone do they feel it too,” you might be under much stress. Well, the simple answer is, “Yes!” Many times, people can sense when someone is attracted to them. This feeling that exists between two people is frequently referred to as “chemistry” or a “spark.”
Platonic cuddling is a unique way to connect with someone without having to engage in any kind of physical or romantic contact. It's a safe way to express closeness and comfort, and can provide a much-needed sense of security and belonging.
It is possible for a platonic relationship to evolve into a romantic one, as emotional intimacy and shared experiences can spark romantic feelings over time. Any transformation should be approached with open communication, mutual consent, and a clear understanding of each individual's desires and boundaries.
Difficulty in feeling attraction to someone could be due to various factors, including sexuality, depression, side effects of medication, or a lack of confidence in the ability to choose a partner wisely. Or, it could mean you haven't found the right person to inspire feelings of sexual desire yet.