RELATED: POLYAMORY: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
Ever heard of love bombing? It's basically when someone showers you with affection to manipulate you! It may feel nice at first, but later it leads to gaslighting in 99% cases. And you know, narcissists and sociopaths are pros at this! So, know the signs and not fall for it.
Okay, Let's Talk About Love Bombing Experience!
"Love bombing can make your partner seem super charming and overly attentive at the very start of a relationship. They overwhelm you with compliments, affection, and try to build a deep connection way too fast," says Wilda Harrison, a relationship psychologist.
So, if you feel like they’re too good to be true, it could be a red flag for love bombing!
Love bombing can happen after fights or breakups too. Giving someone a second chance isn’t necessarily bad, but watch out if they keep putting you down and then asking for forgiveness.
The Danger of Love Bombing and Abusive Relationships
Love bombing is common in domestic violence situations, where abusers flip between being super loving and downright awful to keep control. They never actually change, just keep the cycle going, which puts the victim's safety at serious risk.
Two Stages of Love Bombing
The process of love bombing can be broken down into distinct stages:
Idealization
Love bombers excel at sweeping their targets off their feet. They flood the brain with dopamine, creating a euphoric feeling. During this stage, they idealize their partners, often too quickly and excessively.
Devaluation
The devaluation stage reveals a key indicator of love bombing. These love bombers can be super sweet one minute and cruel the next, usually hiding their abusive side from others. And they usually target vulnerable people. Like, those who just went through a breakup or have low self-esteem.
Are You a Victim of Love Bombing?
Wondering if you're being love bombed? Ask yourself these questions:
- Is the person excessively interested in your family, career, and hobbies?
- Do they compliment and criticize you simultaneously, claiming it's for your benefit?
- Are they constantly monitoring your whereabouts and becoming angry if you don't respond immediately?
- Do you feel comfortable around them? Or does their behavior overwhelm you?
- Any narcissistic traits? Lacking empathy?
10 Love Bombing Red Flags
Hey, just a heads-up — watch out for these red flags in your relationship. They might point to some serious manipulation:
- They don’t care about your time or schedule.
- They always say exactly what you want to hear.
- They put on a show with public affection to make it look like the perfect romance.
- They give you expensive gifts but use them to make you feel guilty or question yourself.
- They constantly need reassurance and might freak out if you don’t respond right away.
- You feel uneasy or scared around them.
- They blame you for everything, leaving you confused and doubting yourself.
- They gaslight you, making you question your reality.
- Their emotional abuse is causing you anxiety or depression.
- They isolate you from your friends and family, making you depend entirely on them.
The Bottom Line
Love bombing can be a risky way to get someone to do what you want, because it makes the victim question their own reality. If you think your partner might be doing something like this or keeping secrets from you, you need to talk about it and find proof to protect yourself and your mental health. Luckily, iFindCheaters gives you a way to find out any secrets your partner might be hiding without having to do anything too invasive.
Click here to learn more about our service and start putting your trust back in your partner today. Remember that honesty and respect are the foundations of a good and trusting relationship.
