What is 'love bombing', the relationship manipulation trend gaining popularity with Gen-Z

Love bombing is a term that recently became popular in the modern dating world. It is described as an manipulating tactic where an individual overwhelms another person with excessive love, attention, affection, and gifts to gain control over them.
"Manipulators use tactics by overly sharing their desire to be with you, showering you with affection and prioritizing you — all before they truly get to know you," Leanna Stockard, a licensed marriage and family therapist with LifeStance Health told Fox News.
The purpose of these actions is to create an illusion of love and affection for the new partner, causing them to lower their defenses and trust the manipulator. Once trust is established, the manipulator withdraws their affection, leaving the victim feeling as though they have done something wrong and must do anything to regain the love and attention they once received.
In the early stages of a relationship, potential manipulators may exhibit signs such as wanting to spend excessive time together, showering their partner with compliments, and displaying intense attachment. "If you feel like your partner is doing 'too much too soon,' it could be a sign of love bombing," the therapist warned.
Stockard futher explains that while it is normal for couples to eventually plan a future together, having these conversations too early in the relationship can be an indicator of love bombing. "Discussions about the future help build the false sense of security that the love bomber wants to create. The person wants you to believe in a future together," said Stockard.
Additionally, Stockard said that the first step to address this probelem is to recognize the pattern. She advises that if you feel uncomfortable with the level of attention you are receiving after only a short period of dating, it is important to establish boundaries with your partner.
"Additionally, if you're noticing in the relationship that your partner has drastically shifted the amount of affection and attention they provide to you, you can begin to recognise that you have been love bombed, and you can use this knowledge to bring it up to your partner," she said.
Despite its recent viral status, the phrase has been used in psychology since the 1970s to describe recruitment strategies used by cults and religious organizations.
Meanwhile, love bombing is not limited to romantic relationships and can also occur in business and friendship contexts as a means to gain favor and avoid trouble.