Although “love addiction” is not formally recognized as a mental illness, some — but not all — neuroscientists and psychologists have said it can be just as powerful as other forms of addiction. But recovery from what has been informally called “love addiction” is possible.
Underlying Reasons
Genetics, trauma, and upbringing can play a factor in love addition and addiction in general. Love addiction stems from several places like low self-esteem, or other underlying problems. For example, a partner lacking self-esteem may lean on their partner to give them that.
Love addiction, also known as “pathological love,” is typified by a pattern of behavior that includes maladaptive, pervasive and excessive interest towards one or more romantic partners. This behavior can result in a lack of control, loss of other interests, changes in overall behavior, and other negative consequences.
They often have unhealthy fixations with their partners and seek to control them. Like with other forms of addiction, a person who is addicted to love may exhibit behavior and impulses that are out of their control.
Love Addiction often results from an Adult Attachment Style that was created by adopting survival patterns in order to tolerate feelings of abandonment or neglect. Often love addicts will resonate with the term attachment disorder when they start to look at the abandonment and neglect they experienced in childhood.
The symptoms of BPD may resemble love addiction. While love addiction is not medically diagnosable, addictive behavior is difficult to live with. Relationships build quickly and intensely. They are unable to see the faults of their partner, and cannot tolerate changes in intimacy.
The Avoidant Love Addict type is the partner Typical Love Addicts most commonly and repeatedly fall for in relationships. They become dependent on their partner's neediness and are only attracted to people who they can control.
With care and understanding and therapy-based treatment, even the most obsessive love addict can enjoy a healthy and fulfilling romantic relationship.
The love addict's experiences intense emotional withdrawal from the fantasy and experiences depression, rage, panic and shame. The love addict experiences boundary failure, dependency, and has problems containing self in moderation.
It may seem counterintuitive that someone addicted to love would cheat on a partner, but it happens more than you might think. Love addiction and cheating too often go together.
Signs of Unhealthy Love
This is not an equal, respectful, and honest relationship. It is a relationship where one person dominates the other. Unhealthy love and attachment can also result in the love "addict" becoming clingy, passive-aggressive, and highly anxious about the relationship and their future.
People with love addiction often put up with all kinds of unhealthy behaviors, such as cheating or physical or verbal abuse by their partner. Codependent individuals convince themselves they can change their partner. It's important to know you can walk away or get support if you are in an abusive relationship.
In fact, love addiction can be as devastating as any other addiction, culminating in broken relationships, damaged careers, parenting problems, financial woes, legal issues and health problems, including increased risk of sexually transmitted diseases.
While love addicts require constant emotional reassurance and attention as proof of a loving relationship, the love avoidant person often feels that their love is proven simply by supporting their partner on an economic and physical level. For the emotionally avoidant person, love becomes an obligation.
I believe love is mutual self-less giving that is based on a deep trust. The characteristics of addiction are craving of a person, severe mood swings if unable to feel secure in the relationship, inability to function normally, obsession of your partner and severe withdrawal symptoms if your lover leaves you.
Love: Relationship deals with all aspects of reality. Toxic love: Relationship is based on delusion and avoidance of the unpleasant. Love: Self-care by both partners; emotional state not dependent on other's mood. Toxic love: Expectation that one partner will fix and rescue the other.
Relationships that involve physical or verbal abuse are definitely classified as toxic. But there are other, more subtle, signs of a toxic relationship, including: You give more than you're getting, which makes you feel devalued and depleted. You feel consistently disrespected or that your needs aren't being met.
The fear of rejection, loneliness, retribution, abandonment, change, or even making the wrong decision are all valid reasons that someone might give for staying in a toxic relationship.
People who are seeking addiction treatment often describe themselves as nonconformists. They consider themselves as fundamentally different from their peers due to their interests, values, and goals.
No single personality type sets someone up for addiction, but there are a few personality traits common among people who have a substance use disorder: an inability to handle stress, impulsivity, unaccountability and a lack of empathy.
Many people with narcissism may also have an addiction to alcohol, sex, drugs, or social media. However, not everyone with narcissism has an addiction and vice versa.
Typical signs of love addiction include: Mistaking intense sexual experiences and new romantic excitement for love. Constantly craving and searching for a romantic relationship. When in a relationship, being desperate to please and fearful of the other's unhappiness.
Make a list of hobbies and interests you enjoy, no matter what they may be. Acknowledge them and think about what else you'd like to try. Engaging in these hobbies can provide a sense of personal fulfillment, happiness, and self-sufficiency, reducing your need for validation and affection from others.
Abstract. Objective: The pathological love is characterized by being a behavior of taking care and paying attention to the beloved partner in a way which is repetitive and careless of control in an amorous relationship.