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Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

Limerence Thread

75 replies

IsThisMeToo · 02/02/2018 07:58

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/relationships/2414204-Does-anyone-know-much-about-limerence-or-ever-experienced-it?pg=27

So I read the whole thread and it was like reading about how I felt for the past ten years, all 27 pages.

It does, in a strange way, make me feel better that apparently I am not the only one who suffers from this all-consuming intense unexplainable feeling/obsession.

I'm wondering - how are the limerent posters doing now, three years later?

OP posts:
MichaelaS · 03/02/2018 12:19

I totally agree with the channeling and transference. I started writing and basically told myself the story of how ideal me and ideal him might have been. I also transferred some of the obsession onto other people I don’t actually know and will likely never meet. Between the two, plus trying to enjoy life and get on with being happy, it has waned. Not totally gone, but a low ember.

It is a kind of madness, it’s not real and what you desire is not achievable. Take the path of least harm whenever you can, avoid, distract yourself and get on with living as happy a life as you can.

sonjadog · 03/02/2018 12:53

I was on that thread and it changed my whole way of thinking. I suddenly realized that what I thought was love was limerence, and that I didn't actually know what love was. It seemed as soon as that sank in, I realized it was the pattern I had followed for most of my life, and it was where I had been going wrong.

I've met a few people I have been attracted to since and it has been completely different. When I start getting limerent feelings, I recognize them as such and which that realization a lot of their power is lost. I haven't "fallen" for someone since then, but I have someone in my life now who I am getting to know slowly, becoming fond of, etc. Its great. No drama, no angst, no worrying.

helhathnofury · 03/02/2018 17:00

Trying to get over mine currently. Had a brief fling 20 odd years ago, then reconnected 3/4 years ago through Facebook. Initially just messages every couple months, but then a sudden increase to almost daily, didn't live locally. We met up at a festival and fair bit of kissing, didn't sleep with him though.
I have cancer, he made me feel alive. Problems with dh, he made me feel wanted and gave me attention.
I knew with both our situations we wouldn't be together, but in my head he was on a pedestal and everything I wanted.
Then the messages tailed off (for a valid reason), though he assured me I was still important to him. Beginning of this year he moved to other side of world....I found out via facebook...clearly not that important after all.
I have unfollowed him on Facebook (can't quite unfriend yet) and set so he can't see my posts any longer. Removed number from my phone. Uninstalled messenger to stop checking when he was last online and so far have had self control to not look at profile page.
I did love him first time round in a healthy way, this time very unhealthy and probably more limerance than love.
It's hard weaning yourself off. Love the transporting clip.

IsThisMeToo · 03/02/2018 19:58

Dreamt of my LO and his gf. I woke up. Fell asleep and dreamt of them again. Aaargh even my dreams are not safe!

OP posts:
IsThisMeToo · 03/02/2018 20:42

This is embarassing but because I was stalking, I was able to talk to the girl he dated after I left the country (I was just visiting). I did some sleuthing and messaged her and befriended her. I got so guilty that I stopped talking to her and let them be.

Months later, I talked to her again and this time they were not together anymore. The girl told me they broke up because the LO asked was selfish and asked her to do disgusting things sexually (like anal sex, cum on the face, threesome). He also got mad when a position they did hurt her pelvic joints and blamed her because she did not exercise. She said she hated having sex with him because it seemed he watched too much porn and if she found out after marriage, she'd want to kill himself.

You'd think knowing this would end the limerence no?

Well obviously it didn't. And now I'm berating myself for not having whatever the current girl has because it seems he's serious about her.

OP posts:
IsThisMeToo · 03/02/2018 20:46

I forgot to mention the LO and I never had sex because he was always insisting to have sex without condoms. I was not on the pill, I was a virgin, and it would have been my first time. I was scared of pregnancy and STD. So I never had sex with him, just making out.

OP posts:
adayatthebeach · 03/02/2018 20:56

I think is a pattern of behavior and will be repeated if we don’t learn from it. I look back in my past and see I’m prone to this.

IsThisMeToo · 03/02/2018 21:00

So maybe this limerence is still here because we never really had sex. The girl after me seems to loathe him.

But then if we did have sex, he would have been my first and maybe I'd have ended up more...limerent?

OP posts:
Huntinginthedark · 03/02/2018 21:20

Have you spoken to someone professional. It seems illogical to a lot of people.
But you’ve heard the worst side of him and it’s still there.
Most people would just say snap out of it, but I understand that it’s not that simple
I often think it’s because there is a huge chunk missing in our life somewhere

IsThisMeToo · 03/02/2018 21:27

Yes it is illogical. And what's more illogical is - I am going to be flamed for saying this because it sounds horrible - the LO is considered by most to be an ugly person. The girl he is with is also, well, objectively ugly. Yet I am so envious of her and can't seem to accept he does not want me.

OP posts:
Huntinginthedark · 03/02/2018 22:27

Therapy! It’s the only way. It’s holding you back from something. Living a real life. Having something real which might be scary?
I know how you feel.

NewYearNiki · 03/02/2018 22:50

My obsession was an ugly git too. A weasel of a man with no backbone. He was sexually deviant too. He did things I dont care to repeat on here. But none of them made me snap out of it.

He dumped me in the summer a couple of years ago and I was still truly suffering at Christmas and into the next year despite their being no contact between us. I think I finally let go of him in the next summer so it took a year. But now I still think of him but the obsession is gone and I have accepted we will never be together and dont actually want to see him again.

Ive been in the fog of.obsession and I can see all the tricks.

When you've pissed your friends and family off too much and they wont hear of it, you turn to the net for advice. Hey presto find an old discussion where someone felt the same and start a new one.

It can be a way of indulging your desire to talk about your obsession and keep it in the forefront of your mind when no one else will listen. I know because Ive done it.

Interestingly from that thread and limerent people all you hear is, I can't, it doesnt work, or I wont.

Psychological disorders and addictions have treatments but the patient has to engage in it and they never want to because it means forgetting the LO.

In a way the obsession keeps them in your life even though they arent physically there.

I was terrified of letting go but now my only regret is ever getting involved with him in the first place.

GertieMotherwell · 04/02/2018 10:47

My DH had an affair.
From the evidence and messages I saw the OW was obviously suffering from this with my DH. She was undoubtably obsessed for many years and looking back, I can now see all the signs were there.

I don’t hold her responsible, he chose to cheat and it nearly destroyed us.

NewYearNiki · 04/02/2018 11:17

That's sad @GertieMotherwell

The thing that causes limerance (or it did in me anyway) is the uncertainty.

Normally either your in a relationship or you're not when it breaks up.

What caused it with me is this guy never went as far as dating me properly but never dropped me either. Kept future faking etc.

Your dh probably dangled a carrot with the ow and kept saying he'd leave you hence causing the obsession.

You say it nearly destroyed you. Why would you want someone capable of treating 2 women so badly.

IsThisMeToo · 04/02/2018 11:20

My LO keeps saying if I didn't leave, he would have dated me. And kept saying things like what if we got married when I was there etc. So yeah, dangling carrots.

I don't smoke (I did occasionally back in college during night outs or when I had problems but never alone and never as a habit) but darn I am really tempted to buy some cigarettes.

OP posts:
MrsJoshDun · 04/02/2018 18:54

This really strikes a cord with me.

I’m slightly obsessed with someone I know. We’re friends on fb, see each other quite a lot. I think he likes me, he seems to flirt with me but he knows I’m married.

I keep telling myself if I could find the courage to dump dh he would ask me out. I think about him a lot, play over conversations in my head, imagine me and him being together in a relationship, being soul mates, etc.

I think I have a perfect, fantasy relationship which when I’m being sane tell myself is stupid....even if we did get together it would not be like this. But right now when I think about him I feel like my heart will burst out my chest.

GertieMotherwell · 04/02/2018 22:40

It really wasn’t like that NewYearNiki

My DH took full responsibility for his actions but never told her he would leave me. We have known her for many years, she is younger than us, I used to hate her but reading about linerance and piecing together everything that happened I feel quite sorry for her now. It was an obsesssion and she went to great lengths over a long time to instigate contact.

DH only blames himself.

Huntinginthedark · 04/02/2018 23:04

I hate to say this GertieMotherwell
But the likelihood is he gave her some hope, oh I love being with you. Oh I’m so unhappy, that routine. He’s hardly going to go and be with her and tell her he’s had a great weekend with the wife and kids and all she is a someone to have sex with. So even if he didn’t say it out loud, he probably implied it. Or minimised his real life.

Which in my opinion is pretty despicable, probably more so than wanting to leave and not being able to because of kids or guilt or fear. though of course I might be entirely wrong

She’s not Glenn close.

Or he was totally upfront with her and she’s a nut job... I guess only he knows that.

Huntinginthedark · 04/02/2018 23:06

Actually I feel really fucking sorry for her. Limerance or not, he made her feel a certain way. And then just trotted off Home I guess. No wonder she struggled

GertieMotherwell · 04/02/2018 23:19

Honestly, you don’t know the facts.
I have seen the facts in black and white and heard it from a concerned close friend of hers.

Typical MN opinion. The man is always a predator and the woman a victim. But, I suppose by posting on a support thread for people experiencing limerance I shouldn’t expect a positive response.

IsThisMeToo · 04/02/2018 23:20

I was actually crying this morning, wishing and praying for this to end.

I was talking to a friend last night, who told me she's stuck in a 10-yr on/off hot/cold relationship with an older guy. I told her to leave the guy. Told her she's waiting her time. All along, I was thinking I was a hypocrite.

OP posts:
Huntinginthedark · 04/02/2018 23:32

So he didn’t have sex with her? Or he had a one night stand ?
Maybe in those situations I might give him the benefit of the doubt

GertieMotherwell · 04/02/2018 23:37

Yes he had sex with her and it was obviously all his fault.

GertieMotherwell · 04/02/2018 23:38

I will leave you all to support the OP now

Crushedwhite · 04/02/2018 23:48

What do you do when you can’t avoid your LO? :(