This page is all about what love bombing looks like and why it’s potentially dangerous in a relationship. This is a relatively new concept discussed among relationship therapists, and it’s not always easy to identify. But if you think you are being love-bombed in a relationship, it’s important to take a closer look at your situation. Love bombing is often a sign of anarcissistic partner.

What Is Love Bombing?Examples of Love BombingFour Signs of Love BombingCan Love Bombing Be Unintentional?Is Love Bombing a Red Flag?

What Is Love Bombing?

Examples of Love Bombing

Four Signs of Love Bombing

Can Love Bombing Be Unintentional?

Is Love Bombing a Red Flag?

Completely Isolated

Cindy matched with Jacob on a dating app and he immediately started offering to take her on vacation. At first, the vacations were exciting. They went on road trips, camped together, and enjoyed weekend trips out of state. Soon, every weekend seemed to be consumed with Jacob’s travel itinerary. Cindy had spent so much time with him that she lost touch with her good friends. Jacob convinced Cindy that her family and friends had been jealous of their travel-filled lifestyle, but he understood her. He would provide a fabulous life for her that she always wanted.

Love Bombing in Real Life (Example from Reddit)

A Reddit user on thedatingoverthirty subredditasked if they were being lovebombed:

“I met a guy only 3 weeks ago and I’ve experienced some “sweeping me off my feet behaviour”. So far the man has consistently taken me out to fancy dinners, dropped flowers off at my work, drove my car to have it fixed and paid for the bill, fills up my gas tank, completely bends over backwards to look after me so “I’m not stressed”, he seems to have morphed himself into stuff that I’m like so the conversations are always a “me too!” or “same!” Response from him. I love being looked after, but I find it very odd behaviour. Is this love bombing?

EDIT- more info:

There was one case last week where he mentioned he will visit after I finish my uni at 9pm, I didn’t confirm plans, he turned up on my doorstep at 9pm and I turned him away.

He cooks me food and drives it to my house when I study till 9pm.

I’m 25 and he’s 35. I work 80 hour weeks so I initially told him I have no time to see him, hence why “he wants to help me out and take the stress away”

Excessive Gift-Giving and Flattery

If a person’s lavish gifts or dramatic compliments are “too good to be true,” they probably are. Small compliments are normal, but sweeping proclamations of their commitment and love may make you feel uncomfortable for a good reason. If your gut is telling you that a person’s flattery is “too much,” consider telling them to tone it down.

Ignoring Your Boundaries

A partner should respect your comfort level, whether it comes to gifts, flattery, or your schedule. If you tell them that you are feeling uncomfortable and they insist on excessive flattery, consider their actions a red flag.

Isolation From Family and Friends

It’s nice to date someone who is attentive and wants to spend time with you. In the early days, it’s normal to spend extra time with a new partner. But if that extra time ends up consuming your whole schedule and prevents you from seeing your friends and family, it’smanipulation. You may find yourself isolated and more vulnerable to abuse. Like cults isolate members from their friends and family, narcissistic partners isolate partners.

Loss of Independence

Love bombers may make these grand gestures until you are at the point where you are dependent on their kindness, money, or time. These gestures can start small - a person will drive you everywhere or help you out with big purchases that you have a part in paying off. Without their help, they will convince you, you’ll be worse off and helpless. Maintaining a sense of independence throughout your relationship can help you create distance from a love bomber in case you need to make a clean break.

Love-bombing is only love-bombing if it’s done with a greater goal of “getting” or manipulating a person. However, a person may unintentionally show signs of love bombing. Only with open conversation will the “love-bombing” start and an equal, healthy partnership begin.

If you think your partner is love-bombing you, have an open conversation with them. You don’t have to accuse them of love-bombing, but you can share your concerns that their excessive flattery is making you feel uncomfortable. If you want to make the relationship work, you will need some breathing room.

Pay attention to their reaction. Do they acknowledge your feelings and promise to do better? Then they’re probably not a narcissist. Do they tell you that you’re overreacting and continue to display the behavior that is clearly making you uncomfortable? At the very least, they’re probably not a good partner. The worst-case scenario is they are potentially a narcissist who will go so far as committing abuse to get their way.

Constant love bombing is a red flag, especially if attempts to curb the love bombing are ignored. Here are some experiences that Reddit users on thedatingoverthirty subreddithad with love bombing…

​​Is Love Bombing Always a Sign of Narcissism?

Love bombing is frequently associated with narcissism because, unless the person is immature when it comes to romance, only a narcissist would be capable of love bombing. People who have empathy for others are less likely to smother a person with excessive gifts unless that is what the person asks for. These other signs of a narcissist also line up with love bombing.

Why would someone love bomb a partner for three months and then ghost them out of the blue? Simple - the person sees no need in using that partner anymore. Narcissists use people for their own personal gain. If the person is no longer of use to them, they have no issues with dropping them.

Those early gifts or gestures aren’t just done from the goodness of a narcissist’s heart - they are a setup for special treatment later on. When questioned or rejected, a narcissist will point to their early gestures as a way of saying, “I did all this for you. Why won’t you do something for me?”Love bombing is, at best, a sign of immaturity and at worst, a roaring red flag. If you think you are being love bombed, talk to your partner about their behavior and pay attention to their reaction. You don’t deserve to be treated poorly! Look instead for a partner who displayshabits of a healthy relationshippartner.

Related posts:How to Outsmart a Narcissist (8 Methods!)Covert Narcissist - How to Identify (Definition + Examples)Megalomaniac (Definition + Examples)Body Language Basics - How to Read SomeoneOvert vs. Covert Behavior (Definition + Examples)

Reference this article:Practical Psychology. (2022, December).Love Bombing (Definition + Examples).Retrieved from https://practicalpie.com/love-bombing/.Practical Psychology. (2022, December). Love Bombing (Definition + Examples). Retrieved from https://practicalpie.com/love-bombing/.Copy

Reference this article:

Practical Psychology. (2022, December).Love Bombing (Definition + Examples).Retrieved from https://practicalpie.com/love-bombing/.Practical Psychology. (2022, December). Love Bombing (Definition + Examples). Retrieved from https://practicalpie.com/love-bombing/.Copy

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