Love bombing is a manipulative tactic whereby someone will “bomb” you with intense amounts of attention and affection with the purpose of manipulating the individual. An excellent shower of “love” can be nice at the beginning of a relationship, but love bombing may lead to gaslighting the other person involved or perhaps abuse.
As mental health professionals explain, in the era where people use the best dating apps for seniors, a person with narcissism or even a sociopath may use this tactic to control the other person. Here’s what you need to know about love bombing, including how it can feel, signs it may be occurring, and what to do if it is present.
How Does It Feel to Be Love-Bombed?
In the beginning of a relationship, love bombing frequently occurs. You may find this new person you might have found on one of the top Android dating apps in your life to be charming and very attentive when you get to know each other initially. They might shower you with compliments, express their love for you, and appear to emotionally bond rapidly.
It happens even with couples who have experienced a major tussle or breakup. While nothing is wrong with giving someone a second chance, if this is someone who has demeaned you and now comes crawling to beg for forgiveness, promising words like it will never occur again, and takes steps to a grand degree to demonstrate how sorry they are—like sending five dozen roses—be careful.
Phases of Love Bombing
Love bombing happens in three stages, namely, idealization, devaluation, and discard.
Idealization
A typical indicator of a love bomber is their lack of hesitation. They seem to elevate you during the initial stages of idealization. Although it may seem charming at first, they idealize you too soon. Actually, it feels like everything moves too quickly.
Devaluation
During the second phase, also known as the devaluation stage, one of the telltale indicators of being love-bombed appears. Your significant other juggles between showing kindness and cruelty. Although they are cunning enough to appear loving to others, especially in private, they can also become abusive.
Discard
The discard phase is the third stage of love bombing. The other individual doesn’t accept responsibility for their acts throughout this phase. Furthermore, they can stop interacting with you or break up with you if you try to confront them or set appropriate boundaries.
Is Love Bombing a Good Thing?
“Love bombing” is a term used to describe an excessive amount of affection and attention that is frequently used as a kind of manipulation in unhealthy relationships. Although the term usually carries a bad connotation, some claim that under specific circumstances, love bombing can be beneficial. Giving a partner lots of love and support when things go hard can help to fortify emotional ties in a healthy relationship where both parties have clear limits and intentions. The aim is what matters. A brief outburst of affection may increase trust and intimacy without turning destructive or manipulative when sincere concern and respect for one another are the cornerstones.
What to Do Post Love-Bombing
Following love bombing, it is important to stop and look around critically at the environment and the actions taking place. At first, being bombarded with love feels like being excited, but later one finds themselves in a toxic web of control. The first step is to understand the excessive praise, material objects, and attention received at the beginning of the relationship.
Right after you understand that you’ve been love bombed, you should set some lines. Tell your partner that you want to take a break and that things need to move slowly. It is also advisable to listen to your inner voice in these cases. For instance, in case something is wrong, it is wise not to disregard the warning signs. In this case, it is advisable to have friends or family members who can give you a different perspective.
It can also mean that if the individual pursues you after the boundary setting or begins to use emotional distress tactics, it is best to disengage from the particular relationship. At times, enlisting the services of a trained therapist can help you understand the situation better and allow you to be in charge of your emotions once more.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, love bombing can be thrilling at first, but it frequently results in emotional control and manipulation. It’s critical to identify the warning signals early on—intense attachment, quick bonding, and subsequent devaluation cycles—in order to save oneself. Setting limits, following your gut, and getting help from family or experts are crucial if you find yourself in a love bombing situation. In a relationship, love and affection are necessary, but they should never be employed as means of control. You can handle relationships with clarity and confidence if you stay alert and maintain a good emotional balance.