When crushes become crushing – how to know if you’re in a ‘limerent episode’

If you’ve ever spent countless hours thinking of a romantic interest, poring over your interactions for hints that they might reciprocate, and unable to imagine your life without them, you could be dealing with more than just a harmless crush. When these relentless romantic thoughts begin to affect everyday life, they’re considered what psychologists call a ‘limerent episode’. Unlike normal romantic feelings, limerence is a debilitating psychological disorder characterised by intrusive thinking, an intense desire for reciprocation and an over-idealisation of the ‘limerent object’. This animation from BBC Reel offers a description and very brief history of limerence, as well as some tips for helping to overcome the condition.