This topic is quite deep and may rattle a few feathers, but I think its worth discussing.
Lately, I’ve been diving deeper and deeper into various psychological concepts, and came accross an article, about how intermittent reinforcement is arguably the most powerful motivator in existence.
And this got me thinking…
Is it possible that we can use this concept to describe the journey in the same manner?
How many times have we all chased after inconsistent breadcrumbs to make some sense of what is actually going on?
How many times were we left dumbfounded when something we were outright convinced would occur, never did?
How many times have we all been strung along with vague and cryptic messages?
I’d like to open the floor for discussion into this matter.
Please comment below! I’m curious to find out what each of you believes.
(Note: I can’t link the article here because the system will not allow me to do so for some reason, but I’m sure you can find it if you do a quick Google search.)
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Hi, would you elaborate in what aspect the intermittent reinforcement you think will apply in TF journey? I want to understand your point of view first, because as far as I know this theory usually being used as one of the method of a behavioural treatment.
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So.. this sounds pretty similar to the twin flames vs limerance thread.
Unpredictable rewards create more persistent behavior than consistent ones. Someone said he could “turn a pigeon into a pathological gambler” using these schedules. Dopamine responds more to anticipation and uncertainty than to actual reward. When something becomes predictable, your brain stops releasing dopamine for it. But unpredictable rewards get maximum dopamine every single time. That’s why the “maybe” is so powerful.
So yes, for some, the dynamic is going to be nothing more than an addition to dopamine and drama. Not everyone has a twin flame and that won’t stop people from looking for it.
But is it just an addiction? No, I don’t believe so. That just takes us back to this thread.
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I have to say no, not truly. Psychology is a very keen interest of mine, and my twin suffers from some pretty heavy stuff, so I’ve had to educate myself to support them as best I can. This includes how different drugs can affect their conditions.
What’s most important to understand is that “breadcrumbing” is a form of toxic behavior. It manifests with ex-partners who just want to keep the door cracked open, and abusive partners in long-term relationships. Particularly narcissistic ones.
Now, is it possible it’s just hesitant and fearful behavior? Absolutely. But it’s not healthy, either way. Since every twin flame journey is very unique, if someone is experiencing this behavior with their twin, it might be time to sit back and re-evaluate if this is truly your twin, a false twin, or karmic relationship.
That said, my experiences with my twin feel very much like a drug. Euphoric when we’re together, like withdrawals when we’re separated. But I would not characterize it like I’ve formed a dependence on that drug. Which just circles the metaphor back to if you feel like you’re addicted/dependent, the drug is not working optimally and this is not how a twin should make you feel. The twin flame dynamic isn’t codependent.
That’s my two cents. I’ve definitely had to think about if my twin is really my twin, as I’m sure we all have given how tumultuous the journey is by nature. Your discernment is always key. 
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My twin flame connection helped with my depression more than years of therapy did.
I don’t know what to make of that. If this is supposed to be unhealthy, why did it help when other things didn’t? I guess I’m just confused about whether the addiction label even fits here and how this is a different conversation other than just questioning if the journey is real.
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