Lacking self-confidence, waiting for approval from another to make a decision, fearing any conflict... Here are some signs that may indicate that you are suffering from emotional dependence.
This can impact our romantic, friendly, family and even professional relationships.
This is what Christèle Albaret, psychosociologist and founder of La Clinique e-Santé, an online therapy platform, describes.
In a video published on Instagram on February 12, the specialist lists the main characteristics of emotional dependence.
To discover
Podcast
> Gwyneth Paltrow: the strange guru from the Upper East Side
Download the Le Figaro Cuisine app for tasty and authentic recipes
Also read “I saw myself becoming this aggressive, bitter, dependent woman”: when emotional insecurity ends up ruining the romantic relationship
Emotional insecurity
“Does waiting for a message make you anxious?
Do you often sacrifice your needs and desires for fear of being alone?” asks the specialist at the start of her video.
If we add to this a constant search for approval from others, it is likely that we are emotionally dependent.
This dependence is characterized by “an excessive need for affection, recognition or validation from others,” she explains.
“A form of addiction which is based on an obsession, that of emotional need.”
According to the psychosociologist, such dependence “relies on a deep quest for emotional security”, which is never satisfied.
A quest which can “significantly impact well-being and individual autonomy”, warns Christèle Albaret.
The resulting waiting, insecurity and fear of abandonment can be truly painful.
Also read: How to “emerge alive” from a conflict when you fear confrontation?
To get rid of it, the first step is to become aware of it.
“Understanding emotional dependence opens the door to better self-knowledge and healthier relational dynamics,” assures the psychosociologist.
All while asking yourself this question: “And you, have you ever felt a form of emotional dependence?”