But as Dr. Bates-Duford suggests, if you are the anxious in your relationships, then perhaps it’s better to work on your issues before you start dating. But take time to bring good things in your life in addition to whatever good vibes you put out. When you give and take like that, it helps you to see that you have value to add to the world and you can let go of the notion that all of your worthy was tied up in a potential relationship. 17. Get out of your comfort zone If you sense some confusing signals, like flirty behavior or affectionate gestures, from the person you’re interested in, talking about those things can help. It’s not always easy to interpret someone’s behavior, so you may not know exactly how they feel unless they tell you. You want the experience of “love,” not the relationship that comes with it. If you’re looking for “love” in an attempt to fill a void in your life, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment and failure. 3. You’re afraid of rejection

We grow up with stories embedded in our minds about romantic love. Often, we don’t realize that the dreams of romantic love become imprinted in our minds, influencing the decisions we make. It’s the same with love. When you’re experiencing unrequited love, at a deeper level, you are trying to experience the emotion of love with someone else. Even when we aren’t aware of the power of the myth of romantic love, it’s still having a big impact.He could take you from him and keep you in his arms forever, just so you wouldn't get away from his grasp. But some people are just affectionate and open, which can be confusing when you’re trying to gauge their interest in you.

It’s important to go about your life as you normally would, but understand that you’re not going to be at peak performance right away. Language: English Words: 633,239 Chapters: 128/128 Comments: 439 Kudos: 152 Bookmarks: 10 Hits: 13,925 Are you crafting grand gestures for your loved one, but being given the cold shoulder? This could be a key sign that your romantic interest is not interested in you. 2. You’re always finding ways to spend time around them It becomes particularly dangerous when these feelings-- maybe you could characterize them as intense crushes-- fester for a long period of time. I don't want to make this about gender, but it's especially scary to me when the person in "love" is a man that has the capacity to do harm to the woman they are pining over.

However, it seems to me that most people tend to glorify the phenomenon and celebrate it as if it's something that just happens naturally, and we all have to go through at some point. A cursory google (or reddit) search of the subject will show that many people sympathize with those that experience unrequited love, when the person that really deserves sympathy is the object of said person's intense affection (some might say obsession). These deeper reflections and ways of relating to love will help you to deal with the pain of unreciprocated love. They will also help you to create a foundation of fulfillment deep within. Kross E, et al. (2011). Social rejection shares somatosensory representations with physical pain. DOI: Instead of cutting bait and running, I just allowed myself to wallow in self-pity, hoping things would change. It was miserable. I was miserable.When I finally moved on, I felt free. It was liberating.