In today's expert episode, I'm joined by journalist and author Amanda McCracken to dive deep into the topics of longing and limerence—those intense, ruminating crushes or obsessions that can stick with us for years, even decades. Amanda shares her very personal journey with limerence, what it was like to struggle with it long before the term became widely known, and how it intersected with her romantic life and late-in-life virginity. We talk about the addictive pull of longing, why emotionally unavailable people can feel so magnetic, and how societal influences like rom-coms and social media can amp up these feelings. Amanda also shares practical advice and her road to recovery, including how she eventually shifted out of these patterns to find real intimacy with her now-husband. If you're going through a breakup, struggling to let go, or finding yourself stuck in obsessive thoughts about an ex, this conversation will hit home and give you hope that healing—and even real love—are possible.

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