For some people, obsessive love disorder is a debilitating condition that they want to control independently. Finding mental health treatment for this condition can be hard to do, too. Often called OLD, this condition occurs when a person becomes obsessed with one person they think they are in love with and often feel driven to protect or control. If you are facing the reality of this condition, know you are not alone. Our trusted counselors at Bayview Recovery can offer support to get you to a healthier place in your relationships. Please reach out to Bayview Recovery today at 855.478.3650 if you’re ready to overcome this condition.

Recognize the Signs of Obsessive Love Disorder

How do you know you have this condition? OLD does not have its own mental health classification or specific diagnosis criteria. However, it is a type of behavioral disorder that can spiral out of control if you do not seek help. It can be hard to know if you care about someone and you’re worried about them, or you’ve developed a disorder like this. Some of the most common signs of this condition include:

• An overwhelming attraction to a person
• Possessive-like thoughts or actions
• Constantly thinking about this person, often so much so that it disrupts other areas of your life
• Feeling a strong need to protect this person
• Having low self-esteem
• Feeling jealous over others interacting with this individual

If you are trying to determine if a loved one may have this condition, look for signs of possession. That may include constantly texting or calling, being constantly reassured about the relationships, and the individual monitoring your behavior or actions excessively.

Often, a person who has this condition struggles with rejection, which can worsen symptoms and lead to what seems like an emotional breakdown. It can become frightening to the individual that is the object of the person’s affections as well.

Why Is This Happening to You?

If you take a long, hard look at what’s occurring within your mind, you may realize you have OLD. It’s hard to understand how it develops, and researchers continue to work on this. However, it may be due to other mental health disorders, such as other attachment disorders, such as reactive attachment disorder, or disinhibited social engagement disorder. It may also be related to a borderline personality disorder. Some people also have signs of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) or erotomania, in which a person is obsessed with someone of a higher social status, such as a famous individual.

Get Help at Bayview Recovery Today

Recognizing the presence of obsessive love disorder is the first step. Once you realize there is a concern, it’s time to get help.

At Bayview Recovery, our team of mental health disorder counselors will work to understand what’s happened to you and why you may have this condition. It could be a past trauma or another undiagnosed mental health disorder. Once that is done, we can create an individualized treatment plan that addresses what’s happening in your situation. This treatment plan adequately addresses your needs and creates an opportunity for you to start working on symptom improvement. That may include the use of psychotherapy and medications. It nearly always involves therapies such as:

• Individual therapy programs
• Group therapy programs
• Trauma therapy programs
• Dialectical behavior therapy
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy programs

Do you feel you or a loved one has an obsessive love disorder? Could it be hampering your life? Let our team at Bayview Recovery provide you with insight and solutions. Here, you’ll have compassionate counselors who want to help you build a robust and healthy future. Reach out to us online for a chat or call 855.478.3650 to get the support you need.