Credits: Social Media
How ‘Boyfriend Sickness’ can steal your social life without you realizing it
Dating experts are warning couples about ‘Boyfriend Sickness’ which, despite its name, can affect people of any gender.
The unofficial condition is more common than you’d imagine and, perhaps, each one of us has suffered from it at some point in our dating journeys.
‘Boyfriend Sickness’ theory explained
TikTok influencer, Tinx, is credited for the term ‘Boyfriend Sickness’, first coined in 2021. It seems the theory has caught people’s interest yet again and it isn’t surprising given a lot of people dream about their exes around Valentine’s Day.
Tinx describes it as a phenomenon of getting overly invested in your romantic relationship at the beginning and losing other valuable relationships in the process, although temporarily.
Any dater would be familiar with butterflies in the stomach at the start of a new relationship and the intense connection you may suddenly feel.
Although this is extremely common and fades away with time, those affected by Boyfriend Sickness are infamous for canceling plans with friends and always prioritizing their new partner.
What causes the condition in people is the attachment style our brain develops in a new relationship, according to a psychiatrist at Columbia University.
The human brain is naturally built to form deeper connections with people you consider your “safety mechanism”, thus you’re drawn more strongly to your potential future partner.
The feel-good factor around your romantic partner only makes it harder to stay away from them, even if it means you have to distance yourself from your friends and family.
However, the Boyfriend Sickness only lasts for a couple of months and once the couple has gotten to know each other better after spending plenty of time together, they will start to share their social circles.
What are the symptoms and how to cure them
Boyfriend Sickness in itself isn’t harmful and the chemical reactions that occur in our brain when we are in love somehow make us all vulnerable to the condition.
However, it can negatively effect your health if one can’t overcome the symptoms after months and years into a relationship. You may be suffering from Boyfriend Sickness if you find yourself doing the below.
- Canceling plans with friends to hang out with your partner.
- Ruminating about your dates and constantly thinking about your significant other.
- If you find yourself talking about your special someone all the time.
- If you make plans solely based on your partner’s schedule to always be together.
Although the symptoms come across as common and even cute, one must be alarmed if you suspect that your friend must be suffering from a severe form of Boyfriend Sickness – isolating themselves completely and not letting others know what’s happening in their relationship – a telltale sign of unhealthy dating.
It’s important to check on your friends or family members as they may be sucked into a toxic relationship. But if you’re the one to weather the sickness, do the below.
- Make sure you meet your friends once in a couple of days without fail, even if it’s for a short duration.
- Indulge in self-care and try to spend solo time doing activities you like.
- Avoid being consumed by romantic thoughts by distracting yourself with other productive things.
