To test the robustness of the results, the researchers repeated their analyses excluding participants with psychiatric diagnoses. The findings remained consistent. They also tested whether anxiety and depression might cause love addiction instead, but this explanation was not supported.
Beyond cognition, people with more severe symptoms tended to have lower levels of education, resilience, and coping strategies. They were also more likely to report a history of psychological conditions and to be using psychotropic medication.
The authors note that people experiencing love addiction often describe intense emotional suffering, particularly when relationships are marked by rejection or instability. This distress may not only harm well-being but also interfere with everyday functioning. From a clinical perspective, the findings suggest that targeting anxiety and depression in treatment could help reduce the cognitive complaints associated with love addiction.
Although based on self-reported data, the study highlights how emotional attachment, social media use, and mental health interact to influence cognitive self-perception. The researchers add that subjective cognitive difficulties in people with love addiction may serve as early warning signs, making them important targets for early screening and intervention.
