Breaking Toxic Dating Patterns
Those of us with a history of dating unavailable, narcissistic or just otherwise dysfunctional people usually are following a blueprint that had been drawn up decades earlier.
Recently I’ve been talking to(and went on 1 date) with a very nice, genuine guy. No red flags. He can keep a conversation going, isn’t boring, he’s attractive, but I’ve found myself bored. And I fear it’s because all my previous relationships were with toxic people. The way they treated me(ignored me and the gave me attention) gave me dopamine rushes. My question is, how do I get out of this cycle? Am I actually bored, because I’m not feeling these dopamine rushes where I was before? I don’t know how to find a connection with someone who hasn’t made me act out of desperation to be with them.
Let’s first talk about dopamine. Dopamine is a chemical that, among other things, is one of the chemicals that cause the butterflies we feel when we’re attracted to someone. It’s associated with the pleasure center of our brain. Don’t be fooled, though. That “high” we feel when we’ve received a hit of dopamine is also a contributing factor in how we get addicted to dr…
