“Allergy to a Partner”: When the Body Reacts to Toxic Relationships 0 9

In unhappy, toxic relationships, a person's mental health often suffers significantly, and restoring balance may require time and professional help. But what about physical health?

Body Reactions to a Toxic Partner

A trend has emerged on social media: people are talking about "allergy to a partner" and sharing symptoms that manifested during relationships with unsuitable individuals, writes Doctorpiter. Doctors believe there is some truth to this.

By the Way

Science has long studied how the body reacts to emotional closeness. Falling in love increases dopamine levels, causing dizziness, insomnia, and loss of appetite. Strong affection can reduce attention, while sexual arousal temporarily shuts down areas of the prefrontal cortex responsible for rational thinking and self-control.

Real-Life Stories

28-year-old Louisa shares that in her past relationship, she experienced severe anxiety, chest pain, and thrush from the very beginning. Over time, the symptoms worsened, and the girl began to lose her hair. Doctors attributed this to severe stress. Medications did not help, but six months after the breakup, all symptoms resolved on their own.

"Throughout the relationship, I did not consider my partner to be the cause of my health problems. But looking back, I realize that my body was intuitively signaling that the situation was dangerous," Louisa admits.

A similar case occurred with 25-year-old Deni. During her relationship, she developed severe dermatitis: her skin itched, swelled, and peeled. The symptoms appeared 8–9 months after the romance began, just when the couple separated. At first, the girl thought the cause was a chemical allergy, but over time she understood that it was all due to severe stress and her reluctance to move in with her partner.

"After the breakup, I felt relief, and the dermatitis went away within a few weeks," Deni shares.

Doctors' Opinions

Psychologist Lalita Suglani explains that it can be difficult to pinpoint the exact cause of discomfort, but the body does indeed react to the feeling of insecurity around a partner.

Deep anxiety about a relationship—whether it’s lifestyle incompatibility, lack of trust, or stress from poor treatment—can reflect on health. Chronic stress negatively affects various systems in the body, specialists confirm, writes Dazed.

At the same time, psychiatrist Judith Orloff warns that one should not attribute all symptoms solely to relationships. The causes of discomfort can be varied—from illnesses to many other factors.