Love Bombing

In this episode of The Dr. Laura Podcast, Dr. Laura delivers a fiery critique of 'love bombing'—a manipulative tactic often used in toxic relationships—while challenging the psychological narrative that self-esteem can be easily destroyed by others. She argues that love bombing is not romantic but a form of emotional abuse designed to control and dominate, where excessive affection, gifts, and constant attention are used to create dependency. Dr. Laura emphasizes that genuine self-esteem is built internally over time, not given or taken by others, and cites historical examples like the Holocaust to underscore that self-worth cannot be stripped away by external forces. She warns listeners to recognize red flags such as sudden disappearances, disrespect toward service workers, and the pressure to respond to messages instantly, all of which signal manipulation rather than love. The episode ends with her darkly humorous take on how she’d handle a love bomber—by keeping the jewelry—highlighting her self-reliance and unshakable confidence.