Abstract
Love addiction (LA), also termed as pathological love, is characterized by a maladaptive relationship behavior encompassing excessive longing for one or several romantic partners. Even though LA is not currently recognized by 5th Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) as a specific diagnostic category, it seems to represent a specific type of behavioral addcition. In this chapter, we critically analyze available literature and data regarding LA as a diagnostic construct, its putative biological basis, and its diagnosis and treatment.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Ainsworth MDS, Blehar MC, Waters E, Wall SN (2015) Patterns of attachment: a psychological study of the strange situation. Psychology Press and Routledge Classic Editions. Taylor & Francis Group, New York
Anda RF et al (2006) The enduring effects of abuse and related adverse experiences in childhood. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 256:174–186. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00406-005-0624-4
Anderson SM, Pierce RC (2005) Cocaine-induced alterations in dopamine receptor signaling: implications for reinforcement and reinstatement. Pharmacol Ther 106:389–403. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pharmthera.2004.12.004
American Psychiatric Association (2013) Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596
Aragona B, Wang Z (2009) Dopamine regulation of social choice in a monogamous rodent species. Front Behav Neurosci 3. https://doi.org/10.3389/neuro.08.015.2009
Arias-Carrión O, Stamelou M, Murillo-RodrÃguez E, Menéndez-González M, Pöppel E (2010) Dopaminergic reward system: a short integrative review. Int Arch Med 3:24. https://doi.org/10.1186/1755-7682-3-24
Burkett JP, Young LJ (2012) The behavioral, anatomical and pharmacological parallels between social attachment, love and addiction. Psychopharmacology 224:1–26. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-012-2794-x
Caldwell HK (2012) Neurobiology of sociability. In: López-Larrea C (ed) Sensing in nature. Springer US, New York, NY, pp 187–205. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-1704-0_12
Cook DR (1987) Self-identified addictions and emotional disturbances in a sample of college students. Psych Addict Behav 1:55–61. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0080429
Dreyer JK, Herrik KF, Berg RW, Hounsgaard JD (2010) Influence of phasic and tonic dopamine release on receptor activation. J Neurosci 30:14273–14283. https://doi.org/10.1523/jneurosci.1894-10.2010
Earp BD, Wudarczyk OA, Foddy B, Savulescu J (2017) Addicted to love: what is love addiction and when should it be treated? Philos Psychiatry Psychol 24:77–92. https://doi.org/10.1353/ppp.2017.0011
Feeney JA, Noller P (1990) Attachment style as a predictor of adult romantic relationships. J Pers Soc Psychol 58:281–291. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.58.2.281
Hostetler C, Ryabinin A (2013) The CRF system and social behavior: a review. Front Neurosci 7. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2013.00092
Inagaki TK (2018) Opioids and social connection. Curr Dir Psychol Sci 27:85–90. https://doi.org/10.1177/0963721417735531
Lee JA (1973) The colors of love: an exloration of the ways of loving. New Press, Ontario
Lorena A, Sophia EC, Mello C, Tavares H, Zilberman ML (2008) Group therapy for pathological love. Braz J Psychiatry 30:292–301. https://doi.org/10.1590/S1516-44462008000300019
McGregor IS, Bowen MT (2012) Breaking the loop: oxytocin as a potential treatment for drug addiction. Horm Behav 61:331–339. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yhbeh.2011.12.001
Parsaik AK, Abdelgawad N, Chotalia JK, Lane SD, Pigott TA (2017) Early-life Trauma in hospitalized patients with mood disorders and its association with clinical outcomes. J Psychiatr Pract 23. https://doi.org/10.1097/PRA.0000000000000202
Prescott CA, Kendler KS (1999) Genetic and environmental contributions to alcohol abuse and dependence in a population-based sample of male twins American. J Psychiatry 156:34–40. https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.156.1.34
Ross HE, Young LJ (2009) Oxytocin and the neural mechanisms regulating social cognition and affiliative behavior. Front Neuroendocrinol 30:534–547. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yfrne.2009.05.004
Sanches M, John VP (2019) Treatment of love addiction: current status and perspectives. Eur J Psychiatry 33:38–44. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejpsy.2018.07.002
Shaver P, Hazan C, Bradshaw D (1988) Love as attachment: the integration of three behavioral systems. In: Sternberg RJ, Barnes ML (eds) The psychology of love. Yale University Press, New Haven, pp 68–99
Sussman S (2010) Love addiction: definition, etiology, treatment. Sex Addict Compuls 17:31–45. https://doi.org/10.1080/10720161003604095
Sussman S, Lisha N, Griffiths MD (2011) Prevalence of the addictions: a problem of the majority or the minority? Eval Health Prof 34:3–56. https://doi.org/10.1177/0163278710380124
Swendsen JD, Merikangas KR (2000) The comorbidity of depression and substance use disorders. Clin Psych Rev 20:173–189. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0272-7358(99)00026-4
Thege BK, Hodgins DC, Wild TC (2016) Co-occurring substance-related and behavioral addiction problems: a person-centered, lay epidemiology approach. J Behav Addict 5:614–622. https://doi.org/10.1556/2006.5.2016.079
Timmreck TC (1990) Overcoming the loss of a love: preventing love addiction and promoting positive emotional health. Psychol Rep 66:515–528. https://doi.org/10.2466/pr0.1990.66.2.515
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2022 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Bockmann, T., Sanches, M. (2022). Love Addiction. In: Pontes, H.M. (eds) Behavioral Addictions. Studies in Neuroscience, Psychology and Behavioral Economics. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-04772-5_6
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-04772-5_6
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-031-04771-8
Online ISBN: 978-3-031-04772-5
eBook Packages: Behavioral Science and PsychologyBehavioral Science and Psychology (R0)