Confusing Love with Obsession: When Being in Love Means Being in Control

So why are we sometimes obsessed with our partner? Why, for example, do we become instantly attached to them so early in relationship? How does our past influence our present? Nearly all of these behaviors are common for people who believe that being in love means being in control. One thing is for certain. Becoming a person who confuses love with obsession does not happen randomly. In fact, the clues to this phenomenon can be traced to the past, where child- hood memories that should be filled with love and support are instead filled with loneliness, fear, and deep sorrow. The following traits, characteristics, and behaviors are common among people who confuse love with obsession. Common Traits, Characteristics, and Behaviors of People Who Confuse Love with Obsession 1. We were emotionally abandoned and may have been verbally, psychologically, or physically abused (or all three) during childhood. 2. We trap partners into relationships by withholding emotions or finances, or through other means of manipulation. 3. We engage in acts of revenge against people we perceive as a threat to our relationships. 4. We are constantly preoccupied with our significant other's whereabouts, spending most of the day monitoring and tracking her physical and financial moves. 5. We restrict a partner's ability to communicate with and/or have friends. 6. We use food as a way of keeping a partner overweight, hoping that he will appear unattractive and thus undesirable to others. 7. We may be co-addicted to alcohol, other drugs, food, or sex.