Love Addiction – In this book, Deborah J. Cohan, an associate professor of sociology at the University of South Carolina Beaufort, and Angela R. Robinson, clinical director of NorthNode Group Counseling in Dover, Delaware, offer strategies and practical advice for overcoming love addiction.
Relationships
Love addiction is a condition where a person develops an unhealthy attachment pattern to their romantic partner. This pattern can lead to unhealthy behaviors and feelings and can lead to a denial of reality. Love addiction is often a symptom of childhood trauma. This trauma often causes a person to project past trauma onto the person they love.
Research on love addiction and substance addiction shows that the two conditions are very much related. These two disorders are similar in many ways, but their underlying mechanisms are different. For one, addiction in love is very similar to the behavior that people experience when they become addicted to drugs. A person suffering from love addiction may experience extreme thoughts and behaviors.
Meditation
Meditation is a powerful tool for people battling with love addiction. It helps them cultivate self-love and a sense of worth. This is essential because love addiction is often caused by unresolved trauma and feelings of emptiness and shame. It also helps them develop healthy boundaries and set clear communication. In addition to meditation, love addiction sufferers may benefit from online therapy.
If meditation is not your thing, you may want to consider focusing on a higher power. Some twelve-step programs encourage people to focus on their Higher Power. This may help you become more emotionally stable. But it is important to understand that the “high” of love addiction is triggered by intense feelings. Ultimately, these intense feelings may cause you to neglect your own wellbeing.
Self-love
Self-love is an important part of recovery from love addiction. It can help you see yourself in a new way and set boundaries. Addiction is rooted in deep emptiness and unresolved trauma, and developing self-love is an essential part of recovery. Without self-worth, it’s impossible to communicate clearly or set healthy boundaries.
Self-love is essential for recovering from love addiction. A healthy relationship with yourself is essential for a fulfilling life. Self-love requires you to value yourself. If you don’t feel like yourself, you’ll find it difficult to build a relationship.
Many people who suffer from love addiction have distorted expectations of love. They often develop unhealthy obsessions with their partners and act out uncontrollably in their quest to find happiness. They may also engage in destructive behavior and seek control of their partners. Ultimately, this type of love addiction is difficult to overcome because it will be more difficult to have healthy relationships.
A more holistic view of love argues that even destructive forms of love are just a symptom of extreme emotional pain. The person suffering from such an addiction may not require treatment and may even be able to enjoy it. The aim of such treatment should be to moderate feelings of love without compromising the autonomy of the person in love.
Treatment
Treatment for love addiction aims to help patients move beyond their obsession with romance to develop a healthy relationship. This is a long-term process that requires support from others and the support of a treatment team. During the course of treatment, the patient will work on identifying and overcoming triggers that trigger relapses, and will set realistic goals for romantic sobriety.
During the initial stages of love, the brain produces neurotransmitters that stimulate the reward center in the brain. Love addicts are driven to seek out romantic connections to continue the high. However, this addiction becomes a disorder when the person continues to experience negative consequences. Love addicts have a very difficult time giving up their love habits despite the negative consequences that it causes.
If you suspect that you or someone you love may be suffering from love addiction, it is important to seek help as soon as possible. Therapy can help you develop healthier habits and form healthy relationships.