I think when many people talk about "getting the ick", it's presented in the context that the "ick" destroyed what otherwise would have been a strong attraction to the other person. It's usually something silly, like seeing them trip, or run after a ping pong ball (no joke), but it's very real. Yes, people joke about them, exaggerate them, etc... but they are very, very real.

In my experience however, icks don't exist if the attraction is strong enough, and they are instead an indication of a lack of attraction.

Let me use an example. I've been pretty active in the dating scene for the past 5 months in nyc. I went on a few dates with girl A, and like her well enough and there was enough attraction that we slept together. I liked her enough that when she asked if she could stay and sleep there after sex, I was like "yea okay sure". She then proceeded to nuzzle up against me and meow like a cat to get my attention as I was trying to sleep. I got the "ick" and my attraction level to her went straight to 0.

I went on some dates with girl B, and same story. Enough attraction to end up bringing her back to my place. We had sex, and I invited her to sleep over because she was really cool and I enjoyed spending time with her. I mentioned my stomach was upset because the sex had jostled our dinner/wine and she proceeded to talk in baby speak to me about my "tummy wummy" hurting. Attraction went straight to 0.

Fast forward a few weeks to girl C. Same deal, except this time I'm wildly attracted to her. We go back to my place do the deed, and I invite her to sleep over. No meowing, no tummy wummy, but I wake up throughout the night with her open faced snoring directly into my nose/mouth with the worst morning breath I've ever encountered and clicking her tongue every so often. I wake her up when this happens to put her in a more comfortable, non snoring position, and she proceeds to ask if she was clicking her tongue. I say yes and she then starts clicking her tongue more jokingly while cuddling me harder and nuzzling me and...

... and I don't give a shit. I think it's the most adorable thing in the world. I get up to get her water to help with the snoring/dry mouth, tuck her in and then we clicked our tongues at each other jokingly until we fell asleep a few minutes later.

I was so attracted to her, and liked her so much, that these small things that would have been icks to me with other women were actually imperfections that made her perfect for me. I'm sure with girl A and girl B, they will find a guy that finds them so attractive that their meowing and tummy wummying is a feature, not a bug.

Silly icks don't exist if there's enough attraction. So don't worry about them. If someone gets the ick for something silly you did, don't kill that part of yourself. If you get the ick for something silly someone does, maybe it's an indication you weren't really attracted to them in the first place.

Find the person where icks are features, not bugs.

What are your thoughts on this?