Most lucky people fall in love at least once in their life.

But if you need to experience the symptoms of 'falling in love' on a regular basis, then beware - you could be addicted to love.

1. Do you often experience a feeling of emotional ecstasy when you begin a relationship - an emotional 'high'?

2. Do you tend to vastly overestimate that person's good qualities and virtually ignoring their faults?

3. Do you think obsessively and repetitively about that person throughout the day, even if you don't want to and those feelings are not reciprocated?

4. Do you have constant mood swings, from a feeling of great elation to deep depression?

5. Do these feelings intrude on other aspects of your life, including your work?

6. Do you always imagine that person to be 'the love of your life?

If you've said yes to three or more of these tell-tale signs, read on.

A once in a lifetime experience?
Falling in love can be such a wonderful thing. However, the initial excitement of the first few dates, sweaty palms and long, lingering kisses soon wears off and, when the love addict is forced to come down off that emotional high, he or she often loses interest.

Often mistaken for fear of commitment, love addiction is more complicated than a dread of settling down. The love addict often believes that the object of their desire is their 'soul mate' and, deep down, longs for a lasting relationship.

Relationship psychologist Emily Jones warns that the feelings and emotions that accompany falling in love leave the sufferer craving more. Research has shown that, when people 'fall in love', that is to say, when they meet someone and feel an instant attraction, certain hormone levels are increased. It's these hormones that cause the feeling of elation and butterflies in the stomach. These levels then fall again, after a period. Like any addiction that causes people to feel an initial high, love addicts don't want that feeling to end.'

Even the stars suffer from 'love addiction'. Pretty Woman star, Julia Roberts, dated a string of Hollywood hunks, including Liam Neeson, Kiefer Sutherland and Jason Patric, each time declaring it was 'true love'. Love addicts often don’t realise they have a problem and survive on the thrill and excitement of a new relationship.

Thirty-four year old beauty consultant, Maggie Evans, sought counselling after an eight-year spell of whirlwind romances that left her emotionally exhausted and on the brink of suicide.

‘I was so addicted to that feeling of having butterflies in my stomach, and feeling my heart beat so fast it was as though it was going to burst.’

‘Deep down I was desperate to fall in love and make it last, but as soon as I was in a relationship for a few weeks, I began to feel dejected and disillusioned. It was as though I was coming off an incredible high and having to face up to the realities of day-to-day life. I was never getting to know anyone properly and, as a result, they never lived up to the Prince Charming ideal I created for them, when I first met them.’

After yet another failed romance, Maggie sought counselling to help her beat her addiction: 'I was beginning to feel desperately depressed because I never thought I would find my perfect partner.'

'I eventually came to realise that just because that initial buzz didn't last, it didn't mean a relationship couldn't be fulfilling. I'm currently in a two-year relationship and, finally, I can say, being in love is everything I'd hoped it would be.'

Getting over love addiction can be a struggle. Emily Jones recommends that, once the sufferer realises they have a serious problem, they seek some form of counselling to overcome their addiction.

'Love addiction can be a serious affliction and not just a phase'. People who suffer from addictions to alcohol or drugs would never be told, 'just get over it', says Jones. 'The people who come to me with this problem often feel that, the constant process of falling in love again and again is taking over their lives. I would advise anyone who feels like this to seek some sort of help from a counsellor or psychologist trained to deal with relationship problems.'

'Of course, not everyone who has a love addiction will need this kind of help. For some it's just a matter of taking a long hard look at the kind of relationships they form, and realising you can't keep falling in love forever. They need to ask themselves why they fall in love so often without ever sticking it out with one person. Especially, if it's making them unhappy.' But then, some people can't help themselves.