THE ESSENTIAL
- Some people can become addicted to falling in love.
- This prevents them from stabilizing in the relationship because they constantly need to seek that passion from the beginning.
- In most cases, this form of addiction to amorous pleasure develops on fragile ground in terms of self-esteem with a need for recognition and valuation through the eyes of the other.
If of course falling in love triggers a cascade of neurobiological reactions of pleasure, certain personalities can tend to become addicted to it and ultimately suffer from it.
What do we call “addiction” to love?
The feeling of pleasure and euphoria provided by the feeling of love can in some people slip into a constant search for this feeling of the beginnings. They thus fall into a form of addiction that prevents them from stabilizing in the relationship since they constantly need to seek out this passion from the beginning.
From a neurobiological point of view, it is mainly the reward circuit, via dopamine, serotonin and oxytocin, which causes these people to have a compulsive need to fall in love.
A form of addiction that has various causes
In most cases, this form of addiction to amorous pleasure develops on fragile ground in terms of self-esteem with a need for recognition and valuation through the eyes of the other. Loneliness can also be involved with the impossibility of being alone with oneself and the need to be stimulated by this feeling of love.
Finally, like all kinds of addictions, people who suffer from it fall into permanent dissatisfaction which can lead them to despair and require psychological support.
Find out more: “Overcome emotional dependence: To no longer live solely by the gaze of others” by Sylvie Tenenbaum.