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Infatuation
Feelin' the love, lovin' the crush.
Infatuation is something we all experience at some point in our lives. Many happy relationships start out this way. In fact, some would argue that a relationship couldn’t possibly work out unless infatuation is there at the beginning.
So, what is Infatuation?
Infatuation is that feeling of obsession about a particular guy/gal. It often starts with butterflies in the stomach and the strong feeling that the object of your affection is very attractive. With luck, you then get to hook up with him/her and the real fun begins. When you are infatuated your body becomes flooded with chemicals that actually give you a high. No wonder it feels so crazy sometimes, hence having a 'crush' -ahh!
When you are infatuated you may:
- See the person you like as being perfect.
- Want to spend all your time with him/her.
- Fall for him/her super quickly.
- Find that he/she occupies your thoughts constantly.
- Neglect other friendships and family relationships – suddenly you are not so eager to spend every night hanging round with your mates.
- Become dependent on the person you are infatuated with. This is NEVER A GOOD IDEA. All relationships need space and time to grow AND you also need time and space to develop yourself, work on your career/college/school work as well as see friends/family. As hard as it is to accept, having your life revolve around one person is really not advisable. Best case scenario: you may lose close friendships you have spent years building up. Worst case scenario: you are in deep trouble if you break up.
- Become irrationally jealous if anyone even looks at your super-human sweetheart, even if it they are just brushing past her to get to the bar! Bear in mind that even though she is perfect in your eyes, to someone else she is probably just a regular person.
By its intense, passionate and often times exhausting nature, infatuation tends to be a brief stage in a relationship. After a certain period of time (usually a few months), you will probably move onto a different phase altogether. A long term relationship tends to feature less jealousy and less obsession.
How to deal with it:
Infatuation can be a really fun and enjoyable experience. However, it can also be really stressful, like when you sit by the phone or constantly worry that this ‘perfect’ person will suddenly stop liking you. So, in order to keep some semblance of sanity, you might heed these tips:
- Keep up with your friends and family. Yes, we are hammering this point home. That’s because it is really true. Even if you want to spend every second of the day with your new love, force yourself to keep in touch with your friends. Whether you end up marrying this person or not, time spent with family and friends is never wasted.
- Continue to go to school/college/work. Again, it’s risky business to let your goals and dreams backslide because you are in the infatuation stage. Just get out there and get your work done, even if you have no interest in it.
- Look after yourself. Many infatuated people neglect very basic stuff such as food and sleep. This will impact your energy levels and can also feed any anxiety or worries you have about your relationship. So, try and get some good grub in. If you are sick to your stomach (a common infatuation ‘symptom’) try and eat little and often; say a big glass of milk, some fruit, cheese, soup or other nourishing but light foods. Sleep is also essential, so click here for some top tips on getting quality shut eye.
Further Information:
www.spunout.ie/health/Relationships
