An 18-year-old woman in China, identified only as Xiaoyu, has been hospitalised after exhibiting obsessive behaviour towards her boyfriend. Doctors believe she may be suffering from borderline personality disorder, according to The South China Morning Post.
Xiaoyu’s behaviour began during her first year of university, according to local reports. She reportedly became overly dependent on her boyfriend, demanding constant communication and updates on his whereabouts. This behaviour caused significant strain on the relationship, leaving the boyfriend feeling stifled.
The situation escalated when Xiaoyu called her boyfriend over 100 times in a single day and he did not answer. She became extremely upset and began damaging household objects. Fearing for her safety, the boyfriend contacted the police.
The officers arrived just as Xiaoyu was threatening to jump from their balcony. She was taken to the hospital, where she was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, The South China Morning Post reported.
While not a medical term itself, “love brain” is used colloquially to describe this type of obsessive behaviour in romantic relationships. Dr Du Na, a doctor at the hospital where Xiaoyu was treated, explained that borderline personality disorder can sometimes co-occur with other conditions like anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder. Dr Du also suggested that such conditions might be linked to unhealthy childhood attachments.
“He was expected to reply to her messages immediately,” Du said.
Du did not disclose the cause of Xiaoyu’s illness, but said it often occurred in people who had not had a healthy relationship with their parents during childhood.
While some mild cases may improve with emotional management techniques, Dr Du emphasised that severe cases, like Xiaoyu’s, require medical intervention.
