 Hi there, Psych2Goers! Before we begin, we'd like to thank you for your support on our channel. We aim to create psychology and mental health content for you in an accessible way, and we hope you learned something new from our videos. Let's begin. Have you ever had an intense crush on someone before? Maybe you couldn't stop thinking about them, or you felt giddy every time they texted you back. According to psychologist Dr. Balfour Awa, the average length of a crush is 4 months, but these feelings of infatuation can last anywhere from a few hours to a few years. If your crush lasts longer than a couple of years, it may be a sign of limerence, a term used to describe an addiction to the feeling of being in love. But limerence is rare. Only 5-10% of the US population will ever experience it. Love sickness is a more common, less intense form of limerence that occurs when our brain releases feel-good chemicals like dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, and vasopressin as the reaction to the person we have a crush on. So are you suffering from love sickness? Here are 6 signs you're love sick. 1. You fantasize about them. Do you make up detailed scenarios about your crush in your head? If you often find yourself daydreaming about them or having imaginary conversations with them, this may be a sign of love sickness. When you're infatuated with someone, there's a level of uncertainty surrounding them that makes you giddy and excited. Imagining a chance encounter with your crush or future with them is one way of processing your feelings. But if these daydreams persist and interfere with your productivity, you may be dealing with love sickness rather than a simple crush. 2. You idealize them. According to the American Psychological Association, idealization is exaggerating someone's positive traits without seeing or acknowledging their negative ones. When you're love sick over someone, it can be easy to imagine them in a perfect light because you feel good around them. When this happens, you might not notice or might ignore your crush's flaws, even if your friends point their flaws out. But if you find yourself talking and thinking only positive things about your crush, even if you know deep down that they're not perfect, you're still in the infatuation phase. If these feelings persist, it could turn into love sickness. 3. You can't stop thinking about them. It's normal to have your crush on your mind, especially when you first realize your feelings for them. But if you can't get them out of your head, even when you really need to focus on other things, you may be experiencing love sickness. Albert Walken, a psychologist and professor at Sacred Heart University, compares brain processes of those experiencing limerence to those in people with OCD. Love sickness is not as extreme as limerence. If you're dealing with love sickness, you might still have repeated, intrusive or distracting thoughts about your crush that may interfere with your daily routine, but you can usually overcome them with effort. 4. You read into everything they do. Do you re-read every text your crush sends you looking for a hidden meaning? Do you catch yourself paying closer attention to the slight changes in their tone of voice rather than what they're actually saying? If so, this could be a sign of love sickness, in the same way that you might idealize someone you're infatuated with. If you obsess over your crush's every word and action, you can quickly become attached to the idea of them rather than their actual personality. If your crush is sending you mixed signals, or you don't know them well enough to read them yet, you may feel especially giddy or on edge, riding the roller coaster of happiness and disappointment, which is a symptom of love sickness. 5. You are extremely nervous around them. Do you experience increased heart rate, flushing, shaking and sweating when your crush is nearby? With love sickness, these feelings are more intense. If you are love sick, you might also experience heart palpitations, heightened anxiety and nervousness. A strong fear of rejection can also come with love sickness, which might make you feel afraid to be yourself around your crush. So if you feel weak in the knees whenever your crush walks by or speaks to you, you may be dealing with love sickness. 6. You get a rush when they message you back. An emotional rush or sudden feelings of euphoria are signs that your brain has released high levels of dopamine into the body. Do you feel a rush of excitement and nerves every time you think about your crush or get a notification that they have replied? When you crush on someone new, there is an element of unpredictability because you don't know much about them. When you learn something new about your crush or think about how little you know about them, the uncertainty is linked with positive feelings of newness and excitement. So, you might be experiencing love sickness if you feel happier every time you are reminded of your crush. If you feel like your crush on someone is unhealthy or lasts longer than a few years, it's important to seek guidance from a licensed mental health professional. Have you ever been love sick? What of your experiences with love sickness being like? We'd love to hear your thoughts. Leave your comments below and give the video a like if you enjoyed it. Don't forget to subscribe to Psych2Go and hit the notification bell icon for more content. 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