China sees boom in ‘love brain’ advice industry for the heartbroken which offers companions to scold and comfort clients
- ‘Love brain’ is a condition which renders sufferers incapable of making rational relationship judgements
- Business owner says staff working as ‘chat companions’ for lovesick customers must have high emotional intelligence
A chat support service for people who are so fixated on romance that they have lost the ability to have a rational perspective on their relationship is booming in China.
The condition, which has become known as lian ai nao, or love brain, has spawned a myriad of online shops offering “chatting” companions who will “berate and wake up a person” suffering from it.
According to The Paper news site, some online outlets earn up to 70,000 yuan (US$9,600) a month from providing the service.
A woman, surnamed Lu, whose online shop offers chatting companion service, said the demand for help dealing with “love brain” is surging and accounts for half of her business.
She said many customers were inspired to seek help after seeing the recently released Lost in the Stars blockbuster.
The film is about a woman from a wealthy family whose penniless husband murders her to pay off debts from a gambling addiction. Many filmgoers were deeply affected by the tragedy and the fact it was caused by the blind trust in love.
“Most of my customers are aged between 20 and 25, and 98 per cent are women,” Lu said.
“But I should say they are not yet deeply affected by a serious love brain. They still are still aware that they need to rid themselves of the condition. They hope to come out of their love fixation.”
Lu described one customer who was angry with her boyfriend because he often replied to her messages hours after receiving them. The woman kept on wondering what he was doing and why he did not respond to her in a timely manner.
“This girl ordered our service and hoped we could persuade her to be independent and not to rely on her boyfriend too much,” said Lu.
Such chat consultations cost around 10 yuan (US$1.4) for five minutes, 20 yuan for 10 minutes, and 40 yuan for 20 minutes.
Lu said her staff working as chat companions for customers must have high emotional intelligence. Sometimes the companion will become friends with their customers, but no romance has arisen between staff and customers so far.
“When the market is good, my shop’s profit will reach as high as 2,000 yuan (US$275) a day,” said Lu.
One of her customers praised the advice she received.
“Little Sister’s guidance is effective. She hit the nail on the head. I realised that what I did before was a waste of time and money,” the woman said.
Another satisfied customer said: “Thanks Little Brother for listening to my story patiently. You ended my confusion. I was also soothed by your gentle voice.”
Videos scolding people with love brain have also been trending on video platform Douyin.
“I want to ask those who get down on their knees to beg their ex to be with them again, ‘Do you regard yourself as a human being? Do you respect your dignity?’” said an influencer known as Long Jing Zhu in a love brain video with 190,000 likes and 80,000 comments.
She added: “Other people are not obligated to love you. If you don’t love yourself, you are belittling yourself.”
Love brain services have become the subject of widespread discussion on mainland social media.
“I think I have a clear mindset. I understand what you said. But I just can’t stop missing him,” said one online observer.
“I don’t think people with love brain can be woken up,” said another.
