Love addiction describes a pattern in which a person may become intensely focused on romantic connection, relationships, or the attention and validation of another person. The relationship may feel emotionally consuming, difficult to step away from, or central to a person's sense of safety, identity, or self-worth.
At the Institute for Relational Recovery, we approach these patterns with curiosity and compassion. Rather than simply focusing on the relationship itself, therapy can explore the underlying experiences, attachment patterns, and emotional needs that may contribute to the cycle.
Love Addiction Therapy in Dallas, TX and Surrounding Areas
At the Institute for Relational Recovery, we work with individuals experiencing relationship patterns connected to love addiction, attachment concerns, relational trauma, codependency, abandonment fears, and difficulty establishing healthy boundaries.
Our therapists provide trauma-informed care that looks beyond the behavior to understand the experiences and patterns underneath it.
We provide therapy for love addiction in Dallas and surrounding communities, including Highland Park, University Park, Plano, Frisco, McKinney, Allen, and Richardson. Virtual sessions are available throughout Texas, Arizona, and Florida.
Signs of Love Addiction
Love addiction can look different from person to person. Some common experiences may include:
Becoming intensely preoccupied with a romantic partner or potential partner
Repeatedly entering relationships that create distress or instability
Having difficulty being alone or feeling emotionally secure without a partner
Experiencing significant anxiety when a relationship feels uncertain
Seeking frequent reassurance, attention, or validation from a partner
Ignoring personal boundaries, values, or needs to maintain a relationship
Difficulty ending relationships even when they are harmful or no longer fulfilling
Experiencing one or more of these patterns does not necessarily mean someone has a love addiction. Therapy can help you understand what is happening beneath the pattern and determine what you want your relationships to look like moving forward.
Love Addiction and Attachment
Attachment plays an important role in how many people experience romantic relationships.
Early relationships can influence how we understand safety, closeness, trust, separation, and emotional needs. When attachment experiences have been painful or inconsistent, a person may develop patterns of pursuing closeness, fearing abandonment, avoiding vulnerability, or struggling to feel secure in relationships.
Therapy can help explore these patterns without blaming you or the people in your past.
The goal is not to avoid relationships or become completely independent from others. Instead, therapy can support the development of relationships that allow for both connection and autonomy.
FAQ about Love Addiction
Is love addiction a diagnosis?
Love addiction is not currently recognized as a formal diagnosis in the DSM-5-TR. The term is often used to describe patterns of compulsive or emotionally dependent relationship behavior. A therapist can help you understand the specific patterns you are experiencing without requiring a particular label.
What is the difference between love addiction and healthy attachment?
Healthy attachment allows people to experience closeness while maintaining a sense of self, personal boundaries, and autonomy. Relationship difficulties can occur when connection becomes the primary source of emotional stability or when fear of losing a relationship overrides a person's needs, values, or boundaries.
Can trauma contribute to love addiction?
Past relational experiences can influence attachment, emotional regulation, beliefs about relationships, and responses to separation or rejection. For some people, trauma may be one factor contributing to unhealthy relationship patterns. Therapy can help explore whether and how these experiences relate to current relationships.
Can love addiction be treated?
Yes. Therapy can address the underlying patterns contributing to relationship distress. Treatment may include work around attachment, trauma, boundaries, emotional regulation, self-worth, family-of-origin experiences, and developing a stronger sense of identity and autonomy.
Do I have to be out of a relationship to start therapy?
No. You can begin therapy while you are in a relationship. Therapy can provide a space to better understand the relationship, identify patterns, clarify your needs and boundaries, and make decisions that align with your values.
Begin Healing from Love Addiction
You do not have to navigate sexual concerns alone. Therapy can provide clarity, support, and a path toward greater connection and confidence. Our therapists offer specialized, trauma-informed care in-person in Dallas and virtually across Texas, Arizona, and Florida.
Explore our clinicians below to find the right fit for your care!