Thinking About Your Partner 24/7 Is Pretty Typical In New Relationships
ost of us have been there: Your mind wanders at work, and you totally miss a chat from your boss because you’re daydreaming about the incredible makeout sesh you had earlier with your boo. You absentmindedly start to cross the street (barely noticing oncoming traffic just in time) while obsessing about the local food festival you’re hitting together this weekend. Later, you can’t concentrate on your philosophy reading for class because you keep replaying that hilarious thing they said the other day. Basically, you’re thinking nonstop about your partner — to the point where you’re wondering: “Why can’t I stop thinking about my boyfriend? Is this even healthy?”
It turns out, it’s actually a pretty common phenomenon. In fact, people in love have admitted to spending an average of more than 85 percent of their waking hours thinking about their objects of affection, according to 2016 research led by Rutgers University anthropologist Helen Fisher. So you can rest assured that you’re not alone if you often feel distracted musing and fantasizing about your SO. Still, does that mean it’s normal or healthy to be so consumed with these thoughts? When should you be concerned? And is there anything you can do about it? Fortunately I spoke with two relationship experts, who weighed in on the subject.
