Content note: This piece is about love addiction, and also touches on other addictions such as alcoholism and gambling.
Have you ever felt like you needed the love of a specific person in order to survive, and without it, you would die?
It’s sort of a trick question, because we have all been through this experience – in childhood, when the love (or at least care) of our parents or guardians was literally key to our survival. When that loving care is withdrawn or inconsistent, though, we can sometimes carry that pain with us into our adult lives: the pain of needing love so badly you could die, and of fearing that you’re not “worthy” or “good” enough to deserve that love anyway.