To recap, it’s totally normal to feel like your significant other is taking up a large chunk of your brain space, particularly in the early stages of a relationship. Of course, if it becomes concerning or begins negatively impacting other areas of your life in any way, you can also take steps to manage the obsessive thinking. If you’re wondering whether you’ll always be consumed with thoughts about your boo, consider this: studies have shown that as a relationship progresses into a long-term partnership, thoughts about one’s partner begin to activate brain areas associated with attachment more than those linked to obsessive thinking. That means you can get back to work, listen to your BFF’s bar story from last night, and focus on things other than the love of your life (phew!).
Studies referenced:
Fisher, H. E., Xu, X., Aron, A., & Brown, L. L. (2016). Intense, Passionate, Romantic Love: A Natural Addiction? How the Fields That Investigate Romance and Substance Abuse Can Inform Each Other. Frontiers in Psychology, 7. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00687
