# What is the opposite of falling in love? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 20, 2012, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-opposite-of-falling-in-love/628886 "2012-07-20T20:58:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-opposite-of-falling-in-love/628886/1 "2012-07-20T20:58:48Z")
If falling in love is really just loving the way we feel about ourselves while in the presence of that other person, what would we call the feeling we get when being in the presence of someone makes us feel very bad about ourselves? Are love and hate really opposites? ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-opposite-of-falling-in-love/628886/2 "2012-07-20T21:16:26Z")
There are many different types of love but I think you are describing the early stage of romantic love or infatuation. That is based on everything that makes up attraction. The opposite of attractive isn’t hate, it is repulsion. ---
**Author:** ![D-bear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@D-bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D-bear)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-opposite-of-falling-in-love/628886/3 "2012-07-20T21:53:15Z")
Love and hate both are passionate emotions. I would say indifference is the opposite of love. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-opposite-of-falling-in-love/628886/4 "2012-07-20T22:50:15Z")
Rising out from hate? ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-opposite-of-falling-in-love/628886/5 "2012-07-20T23:05:35Z")
> [@D-bear](#): > > Love and hate both are passionate emotions. I would say indifference is the opposite of love. This. To feel \*\*\*nothing \*\*\*in someone’s presence, and for him to have no effect on how you feel about yourself. This isn’t the same as the “nothing” you might feel toward a stranger. To feel this way about someone you know, that’s pretty bad. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-opposite-of-falling-in-love/628886/6 "2012-07-20T23:55:38Z")
I think this is better suited to IMHO. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2012, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-opposite-of-falling-in-love/628886/7 "2012-07-21T00:07:53Z")
What would we call the feeling we get when being in the presence of someone makes us feel very bad about ourselves? **Marriage.** ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2012, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-opposite-of-falling-in-love/628886/8 "2012-07-21T01:04:47Z")
Apathy. Falling into apathy is the opposite of falling into love. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2012, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-opposite-of-falling-in-love/628886/9 "2012-07-21T02:13:08Z")
Life as usual?