Don't worry, you're not in love...just going slightly bonkers
Posted: Mon Feb 07, 2005 7:41 am
Falling in love used to be fun. Now doctors are warning that the throes of passion should be seen as a potentially fatal medical disorder.
Psychologists say that ''lovesickness'' is a genuine disease that needs more awareness and diagnosis.
And those little habits which are normally seen as symptoms of the first flush of love, buying presents, waiting by the phone for a call or making a bit of an effort before a date, may actually be a sign of deep-rooted problems to come.
Dr Frank Tallis of Psychologist magazine, said modern research suggested that the effects of being lovesick could be described in the latest diagnostic terms. Symptoms can include mania, such as an elevated mood and inflated self-esteem, or depression.
Aspects of obsessive compulsive disorder can also be found in those experencing lovesickness, such as preoccupation and obsessively checking for text messages and emails.
The average clinical psychologist will not receive referral letters from GP's and psychiatrists mentioning lovesickness, Dr Tallis said, However, careful examination of the sanitised language will reveal that lovesickness may well be the underlying problem.
"Many people are referred for help who cannot cope with the intensity of love, have been desabilised by falling in love, or their love being unrequited."
"Although there is much modern research into the treatment of relationship and psychosexual problems, there is little dealing with the specific problem of lovesickness".
"Perhaps now is the time for us to take it more seriously and take a lead from those ancient clinicians who diagnosed and treated it like any other complaint:-4
Give me Love in the old fashioned way.....................
Psychologists say that ''lovesickness'' is a genuine disease that needs more awareness and diagnosis.
And those little habits which are normally seen as symptoms of the first flush of love, buying presents, waiting by the phone for a call or making a bit of an effort before a date, may actually be a sign of deep-rooted problems to come.
Dr Frank Tallis of Psychologist magazine, said modern research suggested that the effects of being lovesick could be described in the latest diagnostic terms. Symptoms can include mania, such as an elevated mood and inflated self-esteem, or depression.
Aspects of obsessive compulsive disorder can also be found in those experencing lovesickness, such as preoccupation and obsessively checking for text messages and emails.
The average clinical psychologist will not receive referral letters from GP's and psychiatrists mentioning lovesickness, Dr Tallis said, However, careful examination of the sanitised language will reveal that lovesickness may well be the underlying problem.
"Many people are referred for help who cannot cope with the intensity of love, have been desabilised by falling in love, or their love being unrequited."
"Although there is much modern research into the treatment of relationship and psychosexual problems, there is little dealing with the specific problem of lovesickness".
"Perhaps now is the time for us to take it more seriously and take a lead from those ancient clinicians who diagnosed and treated it like any other complaint:-4
Give me Love in the old fashioned way.....................