Limerence

Imagine your brain is like a super-powered spotlight, and it's shining super bright on just one person! That's kind of what limerence is. It's when you feel super, super excited and maybe a little bit dizzy about someone. You think about them all the time, and you really, really hope they like you back just as much. It's like having a giant, happy crush that takes over your whole day!

A smart lady named Dorothy Tennov came up with the word 'limerence' a long, long time ago. She talked to over 500 people to understand this big feeling. She wanted a special word for this super-intense feeling of being in love, different from just liking someone a little bit.

She heard so many stories about people feeling really sad or super happy depending on if the person they liked felt the same way.

Limerence can feel like a roller coaster! One minute you feel like you're floating on a cloud because the person smiled at you. The next minute, you might feel a little sad if you think they don't like you back. It's a very strong feeling that can make you think and act in different ways. It shows how powerful our feelings can be when we really care about someone.

Think of a regular crush like a little spark. Limerence is like a giant bonfire! It's much bigger and can make it hard to focus on other things, like homework or playing with friends. It's a feeling that really grabs hold of you and makes you want to be close to that special person. It's a very intense way to feel about someone.