There is an extraordinary level of mental fortitude needed to fuel limerence. It is an obsession that knows no release when at its most intense. It follows a person into sleep with feverish dreams of the beloved, and the mind, ever busy in rumination, can find no rest even in gentle and restorative pursuits.
Often, pleasure in the real world feels impossible to grasp. Nothing satisfies. The brain is on fire, creating heightened experiences again and again, and ordinary life feels meaningless in comparison. This is utterly exhausting and can lead to limerent burnout. At its worst, this stage feels like complete atrophy, it is impossible to do any simple task, and there is a feeling of total powerlessness. This is often when people realise how problematic fantasising has become for them, and seek help.
It can feel overwhelming for someone experiencing limerent burnout to begin recovery, as their energy levels are already so depleted by obsession. The idea of giving up fantasy can feel impossible, as it does take enormous resolve to retrain the brain and let go of limerence.
It is, however, not an impossible task. It is a hard thing to do, and it is painful, but it is possible. As you remove energy from limerence, it returns to your life. You begin to feel more capable and your competency returns, or is perhaps discovered for the first time. The brain quietens, sleep becomes restorative, and pleasure in the every day returns.
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