Lust and love are usually related to the world of the most intimate interpersonal relationships, although not in the same dimension. One implies sexual intimacy, almost exclusively physical and carnal interest, while the other implies a much deeper, emotional and personal intimacy.
There are several differences between lust and love two feelings that although they can manifest themselves in all relationships at the same time, the truth is that there is always more of one than the other.
Below we are going to look in depth at the definitions of these two feelings, in addition to highlighting each of the main keys to distinguishing between lust and love.
Lust and love are two feelings that often come together. It is not that they are considered synonyms, since In the collective ideology, lust is understood as something related to pure sex, while love implies a much deeper and more personal relationship But, although it is known that they are two different things, sometimes it is difficult to establish where a lustful relationship ends and where a loving one begins.
There can be lust within love and there can be love within lust, it all depends on the point at which you look at it. However, we can completely separate both concepts, clearly delimit what lust is and what love is, highlighting their differences as we are going to do below, but not before seeing the definitions of these two words.
Normally, lust is understood as the feeling strongly related to the desire to have sexual relations, without committing to the person with whom you have sex.
In the purest lust, the only thing sought is carnal pleasure and the relationships maintained with sexual partners are not expected to be long-term The only desire you want to satisfy is the physiological desire of sex, nothing more.
However, this does not mean that in the long run you cannot develop a certain appreciation for who you have sex with, and the spark of love begins to emerge. In that case, we would not be talking about pure and simple lust but rather we would be talking about a transition period between staying with a sexual partner and becoming a loving couple. If this is not the case, if only sexual relations are had without any type of love interest or concern towards the other person, we would talk about pure and simple lust.
In this feeling, the only interest there is in the other person is about their physical appearance It could be said that both involved in the sexual relationship only see the other as a mere tool to achieve their most immediate pleasure, a sexual object, although this does not necessarily have to be bad if the two have agreed that it is only sex that they have. among them.
Signs of lust are desire, passion, and intense physical sensations. It is a feeling based on pleasure that only needs the gratification of one’s own needs.
Love is a strong feeling that usually involves affection and care Culturally, it is understood that in a loving relationship there is a high degree of commitment between two people, who share desires and have genuine intentions to make the other feel good.
When you are in love, you want with all your might for the relationship to last, for there to be an expectation of being together in the long term, and for the emotions of the two lovers to increase over time.
When someone loves another person, they give them respect and desire them in all aspects of their being and even is capable of sacrificing his own desires in order to satisfy and bring happiness to the other person
Thus, we can see that in love there is fidelity, loyalty, commitment, trust and sacrifices for each other, basing their relationship on the need to be in the company of the other person and feel that they are happy. Love is that feeling that inspires you to give your best.
A healthy love relationship provides peace, security and trust. It demands nothing more than the benefit of the other. He is more interested in the emotional and psychological than in physical appearance.
Main differences between these two feelings
Now that we have seen the definitions of lust and love, let’s proceed to compare their main differences:
1. Fundamental difference: sentimental involvement
Love is a strong feeling, which is related to emotions such as affection and care for the other person. Lust is, almost exclusively, the desire to have sexual relations with another person regardless of their emotions and well-being
2. Commitment
Love involves a commitment between two people with genuine intentions, while in lust no one commits to anything.
3. Duration
Love is a feeling that is expected to last long term, even being present throughout life. Instead, lust implies a short, merely temporary interaction between two people, a relationship that will last as long as sexual desire lasts.
4. Intensity over time
True love tends to increase with the passage of time, while lust decreases as sexual pleasure is satisfied or, also, it ends up becoming love.
5. Signs of these emotions
As we have seen, The signs of love are fidelity, commitment, trust, loyalty and sacrifices of both members of the couple On the other hand, lust is more related to carnal desire, passion and intense emotions at the time of satisfying sexual need.
6. Needs
Love is based on the feeling that the person wants the best for the other person. In the case of lust, however, it is based on the pleasure of satisfying one’s own gratification, which is sexual desire.
7. Personal satisfaction
In a loving relationship you obtain peace, security and the feeling that you can offer and enjoy an ideal environment to generate trust. Lust has as its only effect sexual satisfaction although, if this need is not satisfied, can bring with it feelings of frustration and tension
8. Value of physical appearance
In love, the physical appearance of the couple is more secondary, prioritizing their mental health, emotional well-being and internal needs. Instead, In lust one only cares about physical appearance leaving aside the emotions and concerns of the other.
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9. Feelings towards the other
When you love a person, you see the other as a person who deserves respect and you wish the best for him or her In the relationship of lust, although it does not mean that any harm is desired towards the other, the other person is simply perceived as a tool with which to obtain sexual satisfaction.
