9 Differences Between True Love and Emotional Addiction

What exactly is love? Can we call it love, the constant state of anxiety that leads us to exhaustion, suffering, madness?

It can be hard sometimes, but there is a difference between loving and being dependent on someone. Many people see their partner as the second half. Although it sounds romantic, the fact that we feel incomplete and unable to live independently is not at all so.

Before stepping into a long-term relationship, we need to be confident, loving and accepting ourselves as we are. The loved one does not appear in our life to fill us, to fill our empty reservoir of affection, to make us happy, or to increase our self-confidence. A relationship that is based on codependence instead of love goes in the wrong direction.

1. Is your goal to give or receive?

True love is about "giving" and not about "receiving." It's about bringing happiness to the life of the person you love. If you are more concerned with what you get from this relationship, this is a sign that your relationship is based on emotional dependence and not on love.

2. Who is responsible for your well-being?

If you put the responsibility for your happiness, security, and well-being on your partner's shoulders and not your own, you don't know how to live without your loved one and be happy, this is a sign of emotional dependence.

3. Are you stuck in a fairytale world?

Have you ever imagined a prince riding a white horse in your head? If you see your partner as a flawlessly fantastic character, the embodied perfection that has come to save you and take you out of the gloomy world you live in means that you are in a relationship with an invented character and not the true version of that person, which we can by no means call love.

4. Do you know how to see or just look?

Do you see your partner as he is, with all the pluses and minuses? Be honest when you look at your partner. Do you see an idealized image of what you would have wanted to be? Or do you love him for what he is?

5. Do you have a list of expectations from your loved one?

Have you compiled a list of expectations that your partner should meet to be satisfied? It's good to have standards, but making a list of exaggerated expectations for the one next to you to feel loved, satisfied, or safe confirms once again that you're emotionally addicted.

6. Do you focus on the inside or the outside?

Physical attraction is important in a relationship. But you can't build a solid relationship based on physical attraction alone. When you truly love, you love the way your partner makes you feel and not necessarily the way he looks.

If appearances matter more to you than the emotions you experience again and again when you are together, it means that you are more focused on addiction than on love.

7. Do you feel empty inside and anxious when your partner is not with you?

If you feel lonely, with a high level of anxiety, you are afraid when your partner is not near you, chances are you are addicted to his presence. It's OK to miss you when you're apart. But, this time spent without each other is important for your mental and emotional state. It is a time when you can focus on your personal development and become better for yourself and your partner.

8. Do you realize the difference between "I want" and "I need"?

We all want certain things from a relationship, but is the list of your personal needs at the top? If you have not yet achieved inner peace, you will most likely be looking for someone who will meet all your needs and make you happy.

9. Who am I?

Who are you? What are your passions, dreams, and goals? What things are important to you? Before we can start a strong relationship, we need to know ourselves first and foremost, to begin to love and accept ourselves as we are.

Only then will we be able to offer our unconditional love to those around us. Love does not demand anything in return, because when you truly love someone, you want to see them happy with all your heart!