Io, te, l’amore. Vivere le relazioni nell’era del narcisismo

“Doc, how do I know if I love him/her?”, “Doc, when do I know for sure that a love affair is over?”…These are just a few of the questions that psychotherapist Stefania Andreoli has been asked in her office, on Instagram in the #martedìdelleparole and in her divulgation activities on psychology and mental health. They are questions that speak of an uncertainty regarding relationships and feelings, but first and foremost tell of the all-too-contemporary struggle to open up to the encounter with the Other and the emotions he arouses in us: an essential condition for a We to be born from Me and You. The author has once again chosen to take up the challenge and, starting from the stories of her patients, with lucidity and empathy has investigated the origins of these questions: the fear of putting oneself on the line and letting oneself be truly seen, the tendency to theorise love instead of going through it, the choice to avoid conflict so as not to displease anyone but oneself. This journey into love opens up a much broader view of the frailties, fears and doubts of our society. And it is a precious compass to go back to investing in relationships, “true and unique privileges”: living them with courage, authenticity and fullness all along the way will allow us to arrive at the end different from how we started.