“Limerence” in a relationship refers to a situation where individuals become deeply infatuated with a new romantic partner, often leading to a temporary neglect of other relationships, such as friendships and family ties. While this phase is considered a normal and natural part of the early stages of a relationship, akin to the honeymoon phase, it’s crucial to distinguish it from limerence, which warrants careful attention due to its potential negative consequences.

Limerence is characterized by intense infatuation and fixation on the new partner, referred to as the “limerent object.” It can disrupt daily life while hindering the development of positive relationships. This phase can be easily confused with the honeymoon phase of a relationship due to possible overlaps, but it’s important to differentiate between the two phenomena for better understanding and clarity.

While both limerence and the honeymoon phase involve intense feelings of infatuation and excitement, there are some key differences between the two.

Limerence intensifies emotional attachment and infatuation with the new romantic partner to an unhealthy degree for at least two reasons:

Beyond impacting your primary romantic relationship, limerence can also significantly affect your friendships and other professional/personal responsibilities. This brings us to the next point:

To navigate limerence effectively, adopting a proactive approach and prioritizing both your new romantic relationship and your existing frienships and responsibilities is essential. First and foremost, open communication with friends and romantic partners about needs and boundaries is crucial. Here are three steps to establish clear boundaries between your romantic relationship and your other social connections:

This article also appears on Forbes.com.

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3 Ways to Protect Yourself From Relationship Limerence

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03.04.2024

“Limerence” in a relationship refers to a situation where individuals become deeply infatuated with a new romantic partner, often leading to a temporary neglect of other relationships, such as friendships and family ties. While this phase is considered a normal and natural part of the early stages of a relationship, akin to the honeymoon phase, it’s crucial to distinguish it from limerence, which warrants careful attention due to its potential negative........

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