A woman in China was diagnosed with “love brain” after she continued calling her boyfriend repeatedly, including a day when she called him over 100 times. As per reports, the 18-year-old woman would also badger her partner constantly about his whereabouts and “needed him to be around all the time”.
What is a love brain?
According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the woman, Xiaoyu, was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, colloquially referred to as “love brain”. Du Na, a doctor at The Fourth People’s Hospital of Chengdu and the person who treated Xiaoyu, said that the “condition might coexist with other mental illnesses such as anxiety, depression and bipolar disorder”.
Xiaoyu moved out of her home to start university where she met her boyfriend, reported SCMP. They soon became intimate, but it all changed when the man started feeling “uncomfortable and stifled”.
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As per reports, Xiaoyu demanded “constant attention” from her boyfriend and became entirely dependent on him. She also “wanted him to return her texts at all hours of the day and night.”
{{/usCountry}}As per reports, Xiaoyu demanded “constant attention” from her boyfriend and became entirely dependent on him. She also “wanted him to return her texts at all hours of the day and night.”
{{/usCountry}}SCMP reported that Xiaoyu's behaviour came to light when a video of hers went viral on a Chinese social media platform. In the clip, she texts her boyfriend to switch on his WeChat camera and calls him repeatedly.
On the day she called him over 100 times, she also smashed things around her home after getting no response from him, reported the outlet. The boyfriend, on the other hand, called the police. When the cops arrived at Xiaoyu's place, she reportedly threatened to jump from the balcony.
How did social media react?
People were not happy that her condition was being referred to as “love brain”, as per SCMP. One user on Douyin wrote, “Isn’t she just a control freak?”.
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Another person added, “I wonder if I have a love brain? I feel like I act like her,”
A third shared, “Love brain sounds horrible”.
Dr Du told SCMP that people with a mild form of this condition can recover independently. They can also learn how to manage their own emotions.