Infidelity:Is it love or love addiction?

Is it Love or Love Addiction?

By Jeffrey D. Murrah

When people start a new relationship, even an affair, there is excitement. In the case of an affair, there is the excitement of learning about someone new along with the excitement that goes with engaging in activities that are seen as forbidden. The Bible even mentions that “bread eaten in secret is sweet”. There is something about engaging in the forbidden that is alluring. This double dose of excitement makes the experience very emotionally intense.

The strong intensity of emotions, besides making the person feel good, has some other effects. The extra strong intensity often triggers reactions in the brain chemistry. Modern science is finding that the ideas that have been known in addiction communities for many years does have solid biological foundations. The changes in brain chemistry begin a process where the person wants that level of stimulation again. Without a lengthy explanation of the brain chemistry involved in “falling in love”, the simple explanation is the person enjoys the sensation and wants more of it.

The desire for ‘more’, is what often leads people to develop addictions to love and affairs. Although it sounds extreme to some segments of the population, there is a phenomena known as ‘love addiction”. Those afflicted with it are often seeking the strong blast of feel good brain chemicals associated with falling in love rather than the long term commitment. When they see a perspective person, they begin fantasizing. The fantasies are often accompanied by purchases associated with a new relationship. Even before they meet the ‘love of their life’, their adrenalin and other brain chemicals are working overtime after being triggered by expectations. Their fantasies about what the new lover will be like, propels them into an emotional frenzy. These people find themselves reacting without thinking. Their thinking often becomes obsessive. While in this state, they are in a form of hypnotic trance. These love addicts are more focused on romance than sex.

With the love/romance addict, there are often periods when they will swear off relationships. This is only temporary. Soon they find the right person and they are once again in the midst of extreme behaviors. They never seem to learn from their mistakes and repeat a relationship binge and purge cycle.

Understanding love addicts and sexual addicts is important in dealing with affairs. Often times the affair is not driven by a dislike of the spouse, but rather by the addictive processes that are going on with their spouse. Responding to such compulsive behavior as in the love addict or sex addict requires a different approach than dealing with someone who is looking to scratch a seven year itch. Although the public often jokes about sex addicts, those afflicted with sex or love addiction suffer miserably. Sexual acts are about performing and seeking a release as part of a cycle rather the enjoyment of enjoying another person in the act of love.