This article was co-authored by Liana Georgoulis, PsyD and by wikiHow staff writer, Ali Garbacz, B.A.. Dr. Liana Georgoulis is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist based in Los Angeles, California. She is the founder and clinical director of Coast Psychological Services. With over 12 years of experience, her mission is to provide clients with effective, well-studied, and established treatments that bring about significant improvements in her patients' lives. Her practice provides cognitive behavioral therapy and other evidence-based therapies for adolescents, adults, and couples. Additionally, she provides group therapy for social anxiety, social skills, and assertiveness training. Providing a space where clients feel understood and supported is essential to her work. Dr. Georgoulis also provides clinical supervision to post-doctoral fellows and psychological assistants. She received her PhD in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University and a BA in Psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles.
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Love and obsession are two extreme emotions; one’s rooted in feelings of deep affection, and the other is an intense infatuation. While obsession might feel like love sometimes, we’re here to explain exactly what sets these two emotions apart. We’ll also give you lots of examples of what love and obsession can look like in a romantic relationship. And if you think you or your partner may be showing signs of obsession, we’re here to walk you through some methods to cope with these feelings.
Things You Should Know
- Obsession is a feeling of intense infatuation while love is a feeling of strong affection.
- Someone who is obsessed often has a need for constant contact, acts possessive, and ignores their partner’s boundaries.
- Distracting oneself by spending time with other friends or pursuing personal hobbies is one way to help get rid of obsessive thoughts.
Steps
wikiHow Quiz: Am I In Love?
How Do You Define the Difference Between Obsession and Love?
Expert Q&A
Video
Tips
Warnings
- If you’re in an abusive relationship, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at (800)-799-7233, text “START” to 88788, or visit their website.Thanks
- If you think you may be suffering from obsessive love disorder or any other mental health disorders, consider talking to a therapist about possible treatment.Thanks
Expert Interview
Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about unhealthy emotions, check out our in-depth interview with Liana Georgoulis, PsyD.
References
- ↑ https://psychcentral.com/health/obsessive-love-disorder
- ↑ https://psychcentral.com/health/attachment-vs-love
- ↑ https://psychcentral.com/health/obsessive-love-disorder
- ↑ https://psychcentral.com/blog/healing-unhealthy-relationship-attachments
- ↑ https://psychcentral.com/health/obsessive-love-disorder
- ↑ https://www.domesticshelters.org/articles/identifying-abuse/possessiveness-the-precursor-to-power-and-control
- ↑ https://psychcentral.com/health/obsessive-love-disorder
- ↑ https://www.domesticshelters.org/articles/identifying-abuse/possessiveness-the-precursor-to-power-and-control
- ↑ https://psych2go.net/are-you-in-love-or-obsessed-5-differences/
- ↑ https://psychcentral.com/health/obsessive-love-disorder
- ↑ https://psychcentral.com/health/obsessive-love-disorder
- ↑ https://psych2go.net/are-you-in-love-or-obsessed-5-differences/
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/friendship-20/201812/what-does-healthy-relationship-look
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/friendship-20/201812/what-does-healthy-relationship-look
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/friendship-20/201812/what-does-healthy-relationship-look
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/friendship-20/201812/what-does-healthy-relationship-look
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/friendship-20/201812/what-does-healthy-relationship-look
- ↑ https://psychcentral.com/health/attachment-vs-love
- ↑ https://ibcces.org/learning/obsessive-love-what-to-know/
- ↑ https://ibcces.org/learning/obsessive-love-what-to-know/
- ↑ https://psychcentral.com/health/obsessive-love-disorder
- ↑ https://psychcentral.com/health/obsessive-love-disorder
- ↑ https://ibcces.org/learning/obsessive-love-what-to-know/
- ↑ https://ibcces.org/learning/obsessive-love-what-to-know/