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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.
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Rituals and celebrations
A beginner’s guide to a joyful Persian tradition of spring renewal and rebirth
3 minutes
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Love and friendship
Love looks a bit different for a chain-smoking couple in a small apartment
11 minutes
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Work
A Swedish expat in the Philippines wonders: what’s up with people sleeping at work?
14 minutes
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Biography and memoir
The unique life philosophy of Abdi, born in Somalia, living in the Netherlands
29 minutes
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Cognition and intelligence
What’s this buzz about bees having culture? Inside a groundbreaking experiment
8 minutes
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Earth science and climate
The only man permitted in Bhutan’s sacred mountains chronicles humanity’s impact
22 minutes
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The ancient world
An ancient Roman’s hilarious (and perhaps relatable) response to a social snub
2 minutes
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Love and friendship
After his son’s terrorist attack, Azdyne seeks healing – and his granddaughter
25 minutes
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Art
More than breathtaking, ‘The Birth of Venus’ signalled an aesthetic revolution
19 minutes