[Pathological love: is it a new psychiatric disorder?].
OBJECTIVE
The pathological love is characterized by being a behavior of taking care and paying attention to the beloved partner in a way which is repetitive and careless of control in an amorous relationship. Although the available data is comprised of case studies, such condition (which is distinguished itself from erotomania or delusional love) seems not to be rare.


METHODS
We reviewed the available literature on the clinical characteristics of pathological love (PL), using the Medline, Lilacs and PsychoINFO databases.


CONCLUSIONS
It was verified that low self-esteem, feelings of anger and affectionate deprivation, and emotional distress can be important psychological factors in the evolvement of such clinical diagnosis. Similarly, some family factors could be associated with it, such as substance abuse, and history of physical and/or emotional negligence during childhood.


CONCLUSIONS
The progress of research may bring broader precision on the clinical, etiologic and comorbid features. Thus, this woud be favoring an effetive approach to the bearer, adding a potential repercussion on the affective life of a significant number of people.
Sophia
Eglacy C
EC
Ambulatório Integrado dos Transtornos do Impulso, Instituto de Psiquiatria Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina Universidade de São Paolo, Brasil. eglacy.sophia@uol.com.br
Tavares
Hermano
H
Zilberman
Monica L
ML
D000786:Anger; D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D003858:Dependency, Psychological; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008149:Love; D008297:Male; D009769:Object Attachment; D009770:Obsessive Behavior / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D011599:Psychopathology; D012649:Self Concept; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012725:Sexual Behavior