Love bombing

Love bombing is overwhelming someone with attention, affection, flattery or gifts early on, in a way that pushes the relationship faster than they would choose. The term began in cult recruitment and is now widely used for manipulative dating behaviour.

The longer explanation

According to Wikipedia's summary, the phrase was coined by members of the Unification Church in the 1970s and documented by psychologist Margaret Singer as a recruitment tactic. Cleveland Clinic describes it in dating as a form of emotional manipulation. Its listed signs include excessive gifts, rushing commitment, demanding your availability, and pushing back when you set limits. A small student study at the University of Arkansas (Strutzenberg et al., 2017) linked love-bombing behaviours with narcissistic traits.

What matters most is what comes next. Love bombing is identified by the pressure, control or withdrawal that often follows the early intensity.

Example

Within two weeks they've called you their soulmate, planned a trip, and sulked when you kept plans with a friend.

What it is not

Being excited about someone, or saying "I like you" early, isn't love bombing. Enthusiasm that respects your pace and your "no" is just enthusiasm.

Online use vs research use

Online, love bombing is sometimes linked to avoidants ("intense, then gone"). Clinical sources frame it mainly as a control tactic within abuse cycles. That's a different thing from attachment avoidance.

Fast isn't deep. I'm watching the follow-through.