“Could ‘Rebecca Syndrome’ Be the Hidden Toxicity Destroying Your Relationships?”
The always-online nature of modern life has made people’s pasts more accessible than ever, with some studies revealing that more than half of people in relationships have looked up their partner’s ex at some point.
“Some individuals become obsessively preoccupied with their partner’s past relationships, even if there is no rational basis for their jealousy,” psychologist Dr. Louise Goddard-Crawley told Newsweek.
Psychologists explained how the Rebecca Syndrome, jealousy towards people’s exes, is becoming increasingly prevalent
Image credits: Volodymyr/stock.adobe.com (Not the actual photo)
While the syndrome has not been officially recognized as a psychological disorder, it has nevertheless ingrained itself into pop culture after being adapted for media productions by the likes of Alfred Hitchcock and Orson Welles.
For Goddard-Crawley, however, the phenomenon has become increasingly relevant in recent years due to the ease with which the internet allows people to compare themselves to others’ often unrealistic standards.
“It’s irrational,” she explained. “One common sign is an obsessive preoccupation where the affected individual constantly thinks about their partner’s previous relationships.”
As the unpleasant feeling evolves, it can often translate into controlling and intrusive behavior by the one experiencing it as they try and fail to manage their jealousy on their own.
“They may harbor suspicion or paranoia regarding their partner’s past, believing that the ex-partner remains a threat to the current relationship,” Goddard-Crawley added.
