Being delusional in love often stems from psychological factors rooted in your past experiences, leading to unrealistic beliefs about relationships and partners.
Understanding Delusional Love
Delusional love, or erotomania, is a type of delusional disorder where a person holds a fixed, false belief that another person is in love with them. While clinical erotomania is severe, the term "delusional in love" can also refer more broadly to holding strongly unrealistic or unfounded beliefs about a romantic situation or person.
Key Psychological Factors
Based on psychological perspectives, the development of these unrealistic beliefs about love can be significantly influenced by your history.
- Past Trauma: Experiencing trauma can impact your perception of safety, connection, and healthy attachment.
- Rejection: Previous experiences of being rejected in relationships or social situations can create vulnerabilities.
- Abandonment Issues: Fears or past experiences of abandonment can lead to intense clinging, idealization, or misinterpretation of others' actions.
As highlighted by Dr. Priyadarshini, these past difficulties are crucial:
“This can happen to someone who has not had many healthy relationships in his past. They are more susceptible to having unrealistic beliefs about love,” says Dr Priyadarshini.
Individuals who haven't had the opportunity to build a history of stable, healthy relationships may find it harder to gauge what is realistic and appropriate in romantic contexts, making them more vulnerable to developing unrealistic expectations or delusional thoughts.
How Past Experiences Contribute
These past experiences can shape your internal working models of relationships, leading to:
- Idealization: Believing someone is perfect or entirely different from who they are.
- Misinterpretation: Reading signs of affection or interest where none exist.
- Ignoring Red Flags: Overlooking negative behaviors in pursuit of the idealized fantasy.
- Intense Focus: Becoming excessively preoccupied with the object of affection, neglecting other aspects of life.
Essentially, a lack of a solid foundation in healthy relationship dynamics from the past can create fertile ground for unrealistic beliefs to take root, manifesting as what might be perceived as being "delusional" in love.
