Overthink Limerence
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Oct 21, 2025 Dive into the fascinating world of limerence, where love blurs with obsession. The hosts dissect the differences between love and limerence, exploring why social media can intensify these feelings. Discover how modern dating norms create an addictive framework around romance and whether such an obsession can truly shape identity. Personal stories shed light on the darker sides of limerence, including its potential consequences. Plus, they share practical strategies to navigate these intense emotions and cultivate healthier relationships.
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Limerence As A Distinct Mental State
- Limerence is a distinct mental pattern rooted in obsessive yearning for reciprocation.
- Dorothy Tennov framed it as compulsive, asymmetrical preoccupation rather than the same thing as love.
Reciprocation Versus Concern
- Tennov contrasts love as concern for another with limerence as conquest-seeking reciprocation.
- Limerence prioritizes getting the other's feeling back, not the other's welfare.
Obsessive Preoccupation Disrupts Life
- Intrusive thinking and preoccupation dominate limerence, hijacking daily life and function.
- Tennov likens its life-disrupting intensity to an addiction that can consume free time and relationships.
