98 | When Longing Becomes Your Lover: Understanding Romantic Obsession And Finding Your Way Back To Authentic Love With Amanda McCracken

98 | When Longing Becomes Your Lover: Understanding Romantic Obsession And Finding Your Way Back To Authentic Love With Amanda McCracken

From Pleasure in the Pause: Midlife Conversations About Menopause, Sex & Pleasure by Gabriella Espinosa

April 8, 2026 · 45 min · Episode 98

About this episode

Gabriella Espinosa interviews Amanda McCracken about romantic obsession and how to find authentic love.

Have you ever been so consumed by someone just out of reach that you checked your phone obsessively, fantasized endlessly, and somehow wanted them even more because they weren't fully available? There's actually a name for it — and in this episode of Pleasure in the Pause, Gabriella sits down with journalist, author, and limerence expert Amanda McCracken to talk about why so many of us get stuck chasing love instead of receiving it. At the heart of this conversation is a truth so many midlife...

People in this episode

Host: Gabriella Espinosa

Guest: Amanda McCracken

Topics covered

  • romantic obsession
  • limerence
  • authentic love
  • midlife
  • relationships

Keywords

  • romantic obsession
  • limerence
  • midlife love
  • relationships
  • authenticity

Mentioned in this episode

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