It is often said that humans are creatures of habit, and when it comes to our romantic lives, this can be especially true. We tend to form attachments to people who have similar personalities and interests to ourselves, and we seek out partners who make us feel comfortable and secure.
What happens when we become dependent on a partner for too much of our emotional needs? In this essay, I will explore how partial availability online creates cycles of emotional dependency and hope and how they can lead to unhealthy patterns in relationships.
Dependency
When we rely on someone else for emotional fulfillment, we can quickly become attached to them. This attachment is known as dependence, which means relying heavily on something or someone else for survival, comfort, or happiness. It can manifest itself in various ways, such as feeling like you need your partner's approval before doing anything or constantly checking their social media accounts. When you become dependent on someone, you start to view them as an extension of yourself - you may even start to think of them as your "other half." And while there is nothing wrong with being emotionally close to someone, it can become problematic if you begin to depend on them for all your happiness and fulfillment.
Hope
Hope is defined as expecting or wanting something positive to happen in the future. When you are in a relationship where you feel like you are not getting enough attention or validation from your partner, it can create a cycle of emotional dependency and hope. You might hope that your partner will change and meet your needs more fully, but this can lead to disappointment and frustration. The more you hope for something, the more likely you are to be let down.
Online Interest
In today's digital age, many people seek out romantic partners online. While this can be a great way to find potential matches, it also has its downsides. One of these downsides is partial availability: when one person is only partially available online, they might not always respond immediately to messages or be responsive to your needs. This can lead to feelings of anxiety and frustration, especially if you have come to rely on them for emotional support.
The more time you spend waiting for your partner to reply to your messages, the more invested you become in the relationship. You might start to wonder why they haven't responded yet or what they're doing instead of talking to you. These thoughts can quickly spiral into obsession, leading to feelings of insecurity and jealousy. You might even start to compare yourself to other women/men who seem to get more attention than you do. It becomes a vicious cycle where you keep hoping for more attention while also becoming increasingly dependent on their responses.
While it's natural to want to connect with someone emotionally, we must learn how to balance our expectations and self-sufficiency. If you find yourself constantly checking your phone for messages from your partner or feeling anxious without them, take a step back and evaluate the situation. Are you depending too much on them? Do you feel like you need their approval before doing anything else? Consider seeking out support groups or therapy to help you work through these issues. Remember that healthy relationships require both partners to give and receive love - don't sacrifice your own happiness for someone else's.
How does the partial availability of an online interest create cycles of emotional dependency and hope?
The partial availability of an online interest can create cycles of emotional dependency and hope because it encourages people to constantly check for updates or developments related to their interests, which may lead them to feel emotionally dependent on these updates or developments. This pattern can be reinforced by the fact that they often have limited control over when or how these updates occur, leading to feelings of anticipation, excitement, and even anxiety around potential future updates.