Dear Anna,

I’m a 32-year-old woman with a problem I’ve recently learned is called “limerence,” and it’s destroying my life. Every few years, I become completely obsessed with someone — usually someone unavailable, like a coworker who’s married, a friend’s partner or someone who’s made it clear they’re not interested. It starts innocently enough: I think about them a little more than normal, replay conversations, check their social media. But then it spirals. Soon I’m manufacturing reasons to be near them, analyzing every interaction for hidden meaning, convinced there’s a mutual connection they’re just too afraid to acknowledge. The worst part? I know it’s not real. I know I’m building a fantasy relationship in my head while my actual life falls apart around me. I’ve sabotaged a perfect

See Full Page