Love addiction can be equated to the need to be in a relationship regardless of how potentially damaging, abusive or even potentially self-destructive it may be. Often, when people are in a relationship, maintaining the relationship becomes all important, even if the other person no longer wishes to remain together.

When a person is addicted to a relationship senses that a breakup is on the horizon he or she often responds by doing whatever possible to try to win back the other person. Unfortunately the other person in the relationship is already emotionally over the connection, really wasn’t in the relationship in the first place, or is simply a user that was taking advantage of the need of the other.

If you are in a relationship that is ending and you can’t seem to let go you may have a love addition. Think about the following and decide if these statements are accurate as to your behavior during the breakup:

1. As the relationship is ending you feel worthless, valueless and that your life is ending. You may have had thoughts of self harm or even suicide.
2. You are undergoing a major change in the way that you think, act and behave as a way to try to win back your partner.
3. You refused to accept the breakup and tell friends that you are on a break or that the relationship is on solid ground.
4. You are actively chasing the other person, arranging to “accidentally” run into them or even following them either in the real world or through social networking and media sites.
5. You think about the relationship all the time and feel constant anxiety about a future of being alone.

If you can answer yes to one or more of these questions it is important to get help from a coach, counselor or therapist to help you address the love addiction and learn better coping strategies for your future.

Sherry Gaba, LCSW, a psychotherapist and life, love, and recovery coach, is featured on Celebrity Rehab on VH1. Sherry is the author of  The Law of Sobriety, which uses the Law of Attraction to help people recover from addiction.  She offers a 10 week Certification for Psychotherapists, Coaches or for anyone wanting to deepening their understanding of using the law of attraction to recovery from any addiction at wakeuprecovery.com.    She is also a contributor to Chicken Soup for the Soul: Tough Times, Tough People and Conscious Entrepreneurs, and to several e-books: Empowerment Manual: Finding Purpose With Intention, Filling the Empty Heart: 5 Keys to Transforming Love Addiction. The e-books Relapse Prevention and Eliminate Limiting Beliefs can be downloaded free of charge at www.sherrygaba.com. Contact Sherry for webinars, teleseminars, coaching packages, and speaking engagements.