Obsessive Love Disorder

EXACTLY WHAT YOU NEED

If you and your spouse seem to coexist in a state of constant conflict, with a marital relationship that's sinking faster than a capsized ship, your therapist could someday attach a formal diagnosis to your domestic dissension. 

The American Psychiatric Association (APA), the National Institute of Mental Health, and other agencies have raised the possibility that a new diagnosis -- called "relational disorders" -- might someday describe your spousal squabbling.

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The proposed new diagnosis defines a relational disorder as "persistent and painful patterns of feelings, behaviors, and perceptions" among two or more people in an important personal relationship, such a husband and wife, or a parent and children.

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According to psychiatrist Darrel Regier, MD, some psychiatrists and other therapists involved in couples and marital counseling have recommended that the new diagnosis be considered for possible incorporation into the professional bible of mental illnesses -- called the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders(DSM).

This can lead to Obsessive Love Disorder that impact your healthy relationships and daily lifestyle.

We are trying to determine if there is enough evidence and support for the diagnosis, says Regier, director of the APA's division of research. "Right now, it is just a 'condition' that is a reason for clinical contact, as opposed to a 'disorder' defined by explicit criteria."