Relationship addiction has nothing to do with setting your intention for the year to meet someone to form a romantic connection that makes your heart melt. There is nothing wrong with setting intention in your life, in any area that you want to see change. However, relationship addiction is toxic to your mind and wellbeing. Just like any addiction, wanting something so bad to where the “wanting” consumes your daily life in a negative manner that inhibits homeostasis is toxic to your overall well being. Relationship addiction is not the route you want to go.

At the start of the new year, so many look back over the prior year and establish what differently they want to do the current year differently than the prior year. Most times singles who were not able to meet someone special romantically the prior year set their sites and dreams once again on meeting that special someone who will sweep them off their feet in the new year. While there is nothing wrong with intentionality, relationship addiction is hazardous to your health.

So below are some questions to ask yourself to determine are you suffering from relationship addiction.

Are you relationship addicted?

When you wake up in the morning are you sad most (if not all) mornings when you look at the other side of the bed and see no-one there and this thought causes you anxiety?
Do you see other couples together and get angry and say to yourself “I wish that was me. Why can’t I meet someone to make me happy like that? And this thought makes you depressed?
When you meet someone do you find yourself “always” falling in love and wanting to be with the person before you really get to know the person and find yourself in one unhealthy relationship after the next to avoid being alone?
Do you feel that you need a relationship to be happy?
Do you find yourself waiting on the relationship to show up before you do certain things that you would enjoy?
When you are in a relationship, do you find yourself, silencing yourself from expressing your needs, desires, goals because of the “fear” of losing that person even if it’s at the price of risking losing your own self confidence, self respect, self worth in you?
Do you meet someone and over time your gut tells you this person is NOT good for you, but you want a relationship so bad that you ignore the “red flags” and go into the relationship anyway to then find yourself doubting yourself to a place that being with the person causes you to have inner conflict but you keep dating the person because you feel like this may be your last chance at love?

If you would like to learn more about relationship addiction and like to schedule a session with Stacii Jae, click here to connect: https://www.doutecounselingservices.com/stacii-jae-johnson-lmft-intern/