Amanda McCracken dated over 100 men by her late thirties, certain she was doing everything right to find lasting love. She wasn't. At 39, her therapist handed her the word that finally made sense of it all: limerence — an obsessive, addictive longing that feels like love but runs on fantasy instead of reality. Ten years of research (and a lot of hard-won self-honesty) later, Amanda is a journalist and self-described "limerence expert" whose work has appeared in The New York Times, Washington Post, Vogue, National Geographic, and NPR. Her new memoir, When Longing Becomes Your Lover, blends neuroscience, cultural criticism, and raw personal story to unpack why we chase people who can't love us back — and how to stop. She hosts the podcast The Longing Lab, gave a TEDx talk on the subject, and coaches writers and speakers out of Boulder, Colorado, where she lives with her husband and daughter.
Social handles
<ul dir="ltr">
<li>Website: amandajmccracken.com</li>
<li>Instagram: <a href='https://www.instagram.com/amandajmccracken/'>@amandajmccracken</a></li>
<li>Facebook: <a href='https://www.facebook.com/AmandaJanaeMcCracken'>Amanda Janae McCracken</a></li>
<li>TikTok: <a href='https://www.tiktok.com/@thelonginglab'>@thelonginglab</a></li>
<li>Podcast: The Longing Lab</li>
</ul>

Amanda McCracken dated over 100 men by her late thirties, certain she was doing everything right to find lasting love. She wasn't. At 39, her therapist handed her the word that finally made sense of it all: limerence — an obsessive, addictive longing that feels like love but runs on fantasy instead of reality. Ten years of research (and a lot of hard-won self-honesty) later, Amanda is a journalist and self-described "limerence expert" whose work has appeared in The New York Times, Washington Post, Vogue, National Geographic, and NPR. Her new memoir, When Longing Becomes Your Lover, blends neuroscience, cultural criticism, and raw personal story to unpack why we chase people who can't love us back — and how to stop. She hosts the podcast The Longing Lab, gave a TEDx talk on the subject, and coaches writers and speakers out of Boulder, Colorado, where she lives with her husband and daughter.
Social handles
<ul dir="ltr">
<li>Website: amandajmccracken.com</li>
<li>Instagram: <a href='https://www.instagram.com/amandajmccracken/'>@amandajmccracken</a></li>
<li>Facebook: <a href='https://www.facebook.com/AmandaJanaeMcCracken'>Amanda Janae McCracken</a></li>
<li>TikTok: <a href='https://www.tiktok.com/@thelonginglab'>@thelonginglab</a></li>
<li>Podcast: The Longing Lab</li>
</ul>

Amanda McCracken dated over 100 men by her late thirties, certain she was doing everything right to find lasting love. She wasn't. At 39, her therapist handed her the word that finally made sense of it all: limerence — an obsessive, addictive longing that feels like love but runs on fantasy instead of reality. Ten years of research (and a lot of hard-won self-honesty) later, Amanda is a journalist and self-described "limerence expert" whose work has appeared in The New York Times, Washington Post, Vogue, National Geographic, and NPR. Her new memoir, When Longing Becomes Your Lover, blends neuroscience, cultural criticism, and raw personal story to unpack why we chase people who can't love us back — and how to stop. She hosts the podcast The Longing Lab, gave a TEDx talk on the subject, and coaches writers and speakers out of Boulder, Colorado, where she lives with her husband and daughter.
Social handles

Website: amandajmccracken.com
Instagram: @amandajmccracken
Facebook: Amanda Janae McCracken
TikTok: @thelonginglab
Podcast: The Longing Lab


Ep. 186: Grief & Longing with Amanda McCracken

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