DOI: 10.36347/sasjm.2023.v09i03.002

Pages: 161-165

Introduction: in recent years, scientists have looked into the subject of love addiction given the neurobiological, psychological and behavioral similarities of people who have experienced this feeling, which is described by some as a mystery and by others as a disease in its own right. What about the psychiatric and scientific point of view? Does an addiction to a person or an emotion exist? Is love addictogenic? Objectives: Evaluate the notion of love addiction and its prevalence, assess the severity of addiction and dependence on the “loved” person and finally determine if this entity really exists? Material and methods: descriptive study including 507 people who were able to answer our online survey (Google forms) and patients consulting or hospitalized in the addictology department at Arrazi Hospital in Salé Morroco, this survey was inspired by the diagnostic criteria of substance use disorders of the DSM 5, and the statistical analysis will be done through the same tool. Results: Female gender was the most to participate (79.9%) as well as young age between 21 and 40 years (80.5%), all with a university school level. 80.5% had no psychiatric history and 80.9% had no history of addictive behaviors. The questions that were asked to the participants correspond to the DSM 5 criteria of substance use disorders applied in the context of love addiction, and they were asked to answer each of them with yes or no: The 2 criteria out of 11 essential to make the diagnosis of an addictive behaviour were found in: 70% of the participants! Of which 44.4% had 6 or more criteria and therefore the intensity was severe. Conclusion: love addiction is a disorder that can cause suffering as intense as substance use, therefore, it needs to be treated with as much interest as drug use.