Take our Limerence Test

Find a therapist near me.

Limerence involves fixation and obsession, which are stalking-type behaviors.

Fixation can evolve into obsessive rumination driven by a combination of doubt and hope.

Limerence may be a precursor, but does not always evolve into stalking.

Having prosecuted stalkers for 30 years, I am familiar with the recognizable evolution of problematic perpetrator behavior. Some stalkers are motivated by job-related conflict or neighborhood disputes, while others are overcome with feelings of lust, longing, or unrequited love. In all cases, the best plan is not prediction, but prevention. The first step is spotting the red flags.

Uncovering Hidden Obsession

Paula Bradbury et al. (2025) investigated limerence as a precursor to stalking in a piece entitled “Limerence, Hidden Obsession, Fixation, and Rumination.”[i] She defines limerence as an “obsessive attachment” to another individual coupled with an overwhelming longing for his or her attention. She notes this state of unrequited and intense emotion involves fixation and obsession, which are stalking-type behaviors, and recognize that limerence-fueled behavior can progress to harmful external conduct that can develop into stalking.

Bradbury et al. describe........

© Psychology Today