If thoughts about your crush have become that intrusive, it is likely you are suffering with limerence. This is a mental state of obsessive infatuation that is characterised by intrusive thoughts that you just can't seem to turn off.
"During a crush, your brain involuntarily releases dopamine, a feel-good hormone," Natalie Mica, LPC, a licensed professional counselor in private practice, tells Bustle. Thanks to dopamine, when you see your crush you'll feel excited and giddy, Mica says.
There is a rumor that thinking about someone means that they were thinking about you, first, but unfortunately it's just that – a rumor. The thing is, psychologists have confirmed: there is no way of knowing whether another person was thinking about you, too.
A particularly potent reason why you might be unable to get them out of your head is because they remind you too much of who you are, or who you have been. What is this? Maybe you care for them and you just can't stop thinking about how they're repeating your mistakes.
Watch for Their Eye Gaze
Like touch, eye contact triggers the release of oxytocin. When someone is attracted to you, they subconsciously will try engaging in lots of mutual eye contact. They do this to feel closer to you, and because they are interested in you and what you are saying.
A person who has real feelings for you will want to stay up-to-date on what's happening in your life. If you're not in contact throughout the day, they'll make it a point to check in just to see how you're doing. They're also there for you if you need to vent, and they're more than happy to give advice if you ask.
Having a new crush can feel fantastic. You look forward to seeing them and feel energized, even euphoric, when you spend time together. Depending on the situation, there might even be a chance that the feelings are mutual. When your relationship with your crush doesn't go anywhere, you might feel, well,crushed.
Your feelings don't fade
One sign that this is more than a crush: "Your feelings don't dissipate over time but get stronger and deeper," says Irina Firstein, LCSW. So basically, if you've been feeling this way about your special person for a looong time, it's definitely possible that you're in love.
Psychologically speaking, crushes occur when a person of any age projects their ideas and values onto another person whom they believe possesses certain attributes and with whom they want to be associated. Then, the person with the crush attaches strong positive feelings to this magical image that they have created.
If a boy really has a crush on you, then he'll be likely to give you all of his attention. He'll turn his body toward you, make eye contact, and won't look around for his other friends or text them during your conversation (unless he uses his phone as a crutch because he's nervous).
It can last hours, days, weeks, months, or perhaps, even years; there is no set timeframe for a crush. A crush is a fantasy of what you imagine that person to be like—you like the idea of that person.
How To Identify Your Emotional State. Ask yourself how well you feel right now - do you feel good, does it feel good to be in your shoes right now? Or maybe it's not so pleasant? Rate your "emotional valence" on a scale from say -5 (unpleasant) to +5 (pleasant).
The short answer: yes. It is absolutely possible to get a sense of whether or not someone is in love with you based on physical and non-physical signs. “Usually, we sense this through their microexpressions or the others' behavior,” says relationship expert Parisa Bady.
Maintain eye contact.
Normal eye contact lasts for about three seconds. However, if you can hold your crush's gaze for four and a half seconds, they'll get a powerful cue that you're flirting with them. You can even hold it longer, if you like, as long as your crush doesn't look away.
Some studies have found that up to 94% of people report that they have experienced the feeling of eyes upon them and turned around to find out they were indeed being watched.
It starts with a crush
That first spark of attraction ignites a region buried deep inside the brain called the ventral tegmental area, or VTA. Recognizing a potential reward in the making, the VTA begins producing a chemical called dopamine, often called the “feel-good” neurotransmitter.
Flirt non-verbally.
If you feel nervous about approaching your crush, there are several things you can do to get her attention and appear interested. Make eye contact and smile. Eye contact and smiling shows that you are friendly and approachable, but you have to make sure not to overdo it.