The experience feels completely real.
The sense of recognition, the magnetic pull, the feeling that your world has been turned upside down. That is a real event and anyone who has gone through it will understand more than anyone who hasn’t possibly could.
There’s no scientific data to prove a soul can split into two, of course. It’s a spiritual concept. We don’t ask for a peer-reviewed paper on the Bible, yet that doesn’t stop millions of people around the world from believing in those teachings, which are arguably a lot more potentially problematic.
The important thing is to be discerning. Not every intense or painful connection is a twin flame. We also have karmic relationships, which are often turbulent and meant to teach a specific, temporary lesson. A twin flame connection is meant to be a catalyst for profound healing, but that concept can be twisted to justify staying in a toxic or codependent situation. The connection should ultimately lead both people toward more self-love and wholeness, not destruction.
Doesn’t mean that every moment has to be easy but it should be leading you towards improvement, not enabling you to stagnate.