Relationships · August 7, 2019

Can you love someone who does not return the same feelings?

Love is a feeling, not a rational decision. There is nothing inherently logical about it.

If you grew up with healthy models of relationships and internalized the example of loving caretakers, your love for someone may align with rational choices. The person you love may be a good fit for a healthy, loving, and reciprocal relationship.

That is not always the case. Feelings are not based on reason. Many people love those who hurt them or who are unkind or uncaring toward them.

You can love someone and not even like them, because liking someone is often more connected with your rational side. This can be confusing and can result in loving someone who does not love you back or who causes pain through abuse or neglect.

One of the most important lessons anyone can learn is that if someone does not return your feelings, they are not a good match for you.

Learn about individual therapy for relationship patterns

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