Facets of love and lovesickness

Abstract

Love has been ignored in group analysis for too long. This article describes different forms of love and attachment love styles. Techniques to assess and work with love are introduced. The social unconscious of love and lovesickness must be made conscious to prevent it from becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy. Technologies impact on dating, relationships and love. Groups can help patients address feelings and behaviour arising from these. Love can be curative provided psychotherapists allow loving feelings to emerge in therapy and work with them. Frequently, being in love or unrequited love results in irrational, destructive behaviour, sorrow and disenfranchised grief. Why love can be disappointing is discussed. Since lovesickness may be diagnosed as depression, using the term lovesickness for emotions and behaviour arising from love related difficulties is proposed. This reduces stigma, because lovesickness is normal.