Love addiction is real and you may have it. Read on to find out the signs of love addiction and what you can do about it.
We all want to be loved. Reality is, the desire to love and be loved is one the things that make us human. And if you’ve ever been in love, you know how powerful and intoxicating it could be. You wish the euphoric feeling would never end. But when it does, you get devastatingly heartbroken and soon are out to search for that feeling again.
All this can lead to a cycle that can develop into addiction. While the blissful feeling of love doesn’t really last forever, not many people want to face that fact, making them more prone to love addiction. They develop destructive cycles, one of which is jumping from one relationship to another whenever the initial high of being “in love” wears off.
Understanding Love Addiction
Addiction can be anything: from drugs, alcohol, prescription drugs, cigarettes, shopping, gambling, sex, and even love. Addiction develops when people no longer function normally due to the substance or behavior. There is also a compulsion involved that makes them engage in the substance or behavior despite negative consequences.
With love addiction, the condition doesn’t really have so much to do with love. While love addicts say they are in search for love, it’s not really their motivation. While love involves intimacy, connection, commitment, and a willingness to be vulnerable, addicts are far from those things. They just seek the feeling being “in love” brings them.
So how do you know if you or someone you know has love addiction? See the signs below:
Signs of Love Addiction
Love addicts can be male of female, but it’s the women who are more prone to love addiction. This is because they are relationship oriented. Those who suffer from love addiction may also have a history of childhood trauma, abuse, neglect, or abandonment.
Those who have love addiction often display the following:
- Life has no direction when they’re alone or single
- Low self-esteem
- Low sense of worth
- Lack of motivation when not in a relationship
- Swift to consider or believe that attraction is “love”
- Easily sexually attracted to another person
- Unrealistic romantic notions
- Regards romance as a requirement in life
- Easily and frequently falls in love
- Jumps from one relationship to another
- Goes to great lengths to avoid abandonment
- Has huge fear of rejection
- Possessive
- Controlling
- Overly pleasing
- Needs a relationship to be happy or feel whole
- Preoccupied with “finding love” when not in a relationship
- Using relationships to avoid emotional pain
- Depressed when relationship ends
- Confuses sex with love
- May stay in an abusive relationship
- Romanticizes being taken advantage of in a relaltionship
Do you know someone who may be a love addict because of the signs above? When this behavior leads to many negative consequences, perhaps you may need to talk to a professional. For all other types of substance or behavioral addictions, Bridges of Hope is here to help. Call or text us at 09175098826.
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