What to Do When Love Is One-Sided

Having intense romantic affections for someone who does not return those sentiments is an example of unrequited love. It's a one-sided event that can leave victims feeling hurt, betrayed, and humiliated.

It's not always obvious if your feelings for someone are being returned, and that uncertainty can lead to a lot of emotional upheaval. Figure out what warning signs to look for and how to handle them.

Types of Unrequited Love

There are a few different manifestations of unrequited love.

Having feelings for someone who does not love you back

Having a strong desire for someone who is unavailable

When two people who are already in relationships feel attracted to one another.

A longing to reconnect with a former partner

It's crucial to keep in mind that feeling unloved is a common human emotion. If you can identify the symptoms of unrequited love, you may be able to discover healthier coping mechanisms and eventually move on.

Signs of Unrequited Love

There are indicators that can reveal whether or not your feelings for another person are being returned. Unrequited love can make a person feel as though they are receiving "mixed signals" from a romantic interest.

You Reach Out to Connect

Do you think you’re the only one trying to get a message across? Do you always seem to be the one that initiates contact to inquire as to how the other person is feeling or what's new in their life?

It may be an indication that your love is unrequited if you are the only one making the effort to connect with the other person, follow up on things, or ask about their life.

You Long for Physical Touch

Do you long to make physical contact with the other person, perhaps by kissing or hugging them? When two people are mutually attracted to one another and want to be intimate with one another, they will seek out opportunities to do so on a physical level.

This may be an indication of a one-sided longing if you discover that you are the one who constantly initiates physical touch, or if your attempts to connect physically are greeted with resistance or the other person pulling away.

You Put the Person on a Pedestal

Unrequited love often occurs when one person idolises the other. The object of affection is seen as nearly flawless, and any flaws are rationalised away. In cases of unrequited love, healthy boundaries are rarely established.

They Never Take Time to Get to Know You

It's possible that you'll find yourself constantly engaging the other person in conversation and making an attempt to include them in your experiences. It's also possible that the other person doesn't know anything about you, never shows interest in learning more about you, and never initiates any deep conversations with you about things like your hopes, dreams, and passions.

Possible Reasons for Unrequited Love

Ultimately, the other person is responsible for their own emotions, but your own reaction to theirs may be the result of the stresses and difficulties you're facing.

It's possible to develop feelings for someone even if you've only ever had a rosy mental picture of them. Your attachment to this idealised version prevents you from seeing them for who they truly are: a complex human being with flaws and even unattractive traits.

Impact of Unrequited Love

The pain and anguish of unrequited love is real. Unrequited feelings have been linked to a variety of negative outcomes.

Damage to one's sense of self-worth might result from harbouring romantic sentiments for someone who does not return them. It's natural to feel rejected and think you don't deserve their love.

Loneliness and isolation might result when someone you care about doesn't feel the same way about you. If you don't make an effort to connect with other people, this might become a major problem.

Protective buffer from the harmful effects of stress: healthy connections.3 The tension, sadness, and even worry and depression that can result from loving someone who doesn't love you back are all signs that the relationship is unhealthy or potentially toxic.