Don't ruin your sex life with this!

People who worry about whether their partners love them - or whether they love their partner - could have a damaging impact on their own sex lives, the study warns.

"ROCD symptoms are often overlooked by family and couple therapists," said researcher Guy Doron of Interdisciplinary Centre (IDC) Herzliya in Israel.

Those who question their love life, thinking about whether they would be happier with someone else or requiring repeated reassurances from their other half, may simply be experiencing a natural level of insecurity.

"When these worries start to have an impact on everyday life, particularly on someone's ability to do their job, it could mean they are suffering from a condition known as "relationship obsessive-compulsive disorder" (ROCD)," Doron was quoted as saying.

The researchers said that it may actually be better for people showing ROCD symptoms to have these symptoms treated before entering couples therapy for sexual and relationship problems.

The study was published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine.