Can love over text be real?

It can. Lots of couples meet on apps and social media these days, and for many of them it all started with long late-night messages. But meeting online and loving only online are different things. Couples who stayed together sooner or later heard each other's voices, saw each other's faces and found out what it's like to be quiet side by side.

Texting is a great start. The trouble begins when it becomes the only form of the relationship for months: the longer it's just text, the more of an imaginary person lives in your head, and the more it hurts to let that person go.

Why people fall faster over chat

  1. You're both showing your best selvesIn a chat you can rewrite a message three times, delete a bad joke and reply only when you're in a good mood. They see you as witty and attentive, and you see them the same way. Nobody sees you scowling in line at the store.
  2. Your brain fills in the blanksNo tone of voice, no facial expressions, no scent, so imagination fills the gaps. And it fills them with what you like. "He texts in short messages" turns into "he's reserved and dependable," when maybe he's just typing on the subway.