Obsessing over a crush floods our brains with feel-good hormones, so it can be “a little addictive,” she says, and a hard habit to break. However, over-indulging in fantasy is not so great for a number of reasons, and it can be helpful to remind yourself of that next time you start fixating on someone.
If you're someone who spends too much time imagining that 'perfect' person and you want to break that pattern, psychologist Dr Jarrod White says you should first accept that this behaviour is normal. "It's something that a lot of people go through."
What is obsessive love disorder? “Obsessive love disorder” (OLD) refers to a condition where you become obsessed with one person you think you may be in love with. You might feel the need to protect your loved one obsessively, or even become controlling of them as if they were a possession.
You can't stop thinking about them:
But if you find yourself thinking about them too much that you can't even pay attention to any other important aspect of your life and anything remotely associated with them reminds you of them then this is a sign that you might be obsessed with your crush.
If someone is in love with you, they trust you. They want you to be the best version of yourself and only want good things for you. That includes giving you space when you need it. On the other hand, someone who is obsessed with you will be jealous and possessive.
Many people who experience obsessions show a genetic predisposition to it. One thought is that obsessions may be something that we inherit through our DNA. Other experts think there may be chemical differences within some peoples' brains that might make you more likely to have obsessions.
To start, when you have a crush on someone, the stress and reward systems in the brain are activated, which are "associated with stimulation, action, and revving up the mind and body in some manner," Freeman tells Elite Daily. "The actions of those systems cause us to feel 'giddy, excited, and nervous. '"
Consider crushes are of two kinds – identity crushes and romantic crushes.
The reason you can't stop thinking about your crush is because your brain's motivation system has become hypersensitive. You've accidentally trained yourself to associate thinking about your crush with reward, and it is a lesson it has learned very well.
We become obsessed with certain people because we have fundamental neural systems that drive us into a state of infatuation, and these can be overactivated at times in our lives when we are vulnerable to the romantic potential of a person who matches our subconscious template of a desirable mate.
It starts with a crush
That first spark of attraction ignites a region buried deep inside the brain called the ventral tegmental area, or VTA. Recognizing a potential reward in the making, the VTA begins producing a chemical called dopamine, often called the “feel-good” neurotransmitter.
Limerence is a mental state of profound romantic infatuation, deep obsession, and fantastical longing. The experience can range from euphoria to despair.
Crush is a brief and intense infatuation with someone while love is an intense feeling of deep love. While crush occurs instantly, love develops gradually. Moreover, crush is mainly based on physical attraction while love is based on trust, understanding and affection.
Cary Elwes is 14 years older than Alicia Silverstone.
First crushes may occur at any time, but generally start at around 10-13 years of age. They are an important step in developing normal and healthy romantic relationships, and provide opportunities to learn how to compromise and communicate.
Psychologically speaking, crushes occur when a person of any age projects their ideas and values onto another person whom they believe possesses certain attributes and with whom they want to be associated. Then, the person with the crush attaches strong positive feelings to this magical image that they have created.
A Crush Will Not Last Forever. Most crushes are short-lived--they either progress into a romantic relationship or dissolve within a few weeks or months. Often a person can experience heartache, helplessness, loneliness, stress, regret, embarrassment, fear, and frustration after a crush does not work out.
It can last hours, days, weeks, months, or perhaps, even years; there is no set timeframe for a crush. A crush is a fantasy of what you imagine that person to be like—you like the idea of that person. It is pure attraction.
Distract yourself by doing an enjoyable activity.
Think of a few activities that you find interesting and enjoyable. Keep a mental list of things to do when you start to obsess. If you have a list of go-to activities in mind, you can quickly redirect yourself when necessary.
However, as mentioned above, obsessive-compulsive traits never truly go away. Instead, they require ongoing management. General life stress is often the main factor for the worsening or subsiding of obsessive-compulsive symptoms.
Overview. Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a common, chronic, and long-lasting disorder in which a person has uncontrollable, reoccurring thoughts ("obsessions") and/or behaviors ("compulsions") that he or she feels the urge to repeat over and over.