Thanks, Alexa, this means so much to me. Feels better and I'm sorry you felt shamed for it too. It's nice to be excited by people - feels real good and brings joy.

People who appreciate someone being loving are the best people, I'm sure. I'll find them.

Do you think anyone's love is worthless? like so easy to get and forgiving that's it's boring and undesirable? Typing it out sounds silly but it's torturing me that mine could be Mom said it was, because I 'think everyone's amazing' but she was just being possessive and it's like slut-shaming for love

yes please, Sam. That sounds nice

I think I need to remember that imaginary relationships can be just a fulfilling as one with an irl person. I get what I need from it, but I can't use it to gain the status of being 'taken' or the validation that I can make it work with someone; that im easy and simple enough to be around for days a...

I think it can be more of a status thing, like I just want it to feel protected from others who want to brag or tell me the person I made eyes at has a bf already. I wanna be like 'I know, I'm with someone and happy thanks very much.' It can be very competitive, you say how sad you are about your pe...

I dunno, man, I think I only do it because I feel like I failed without it and I have fear of missing out because I'm worried it won't ever happen and I won't get the validation that I can do it, and I'll always see people in long term relationships and feel like I'm inferior somehow. But that's a b...

Thanks Amanda, I have considered it, but tbh right now is the only time I haven't been in crisis and I just wanna enjoy not thinking about the past for a little while. I still really want love and hopefully taking steps to make that happen (even platonically).I'm starting a new job soon so hopefully...

Yeah, you're right. Thanks. It's lifelong, yeah. I wanted a serious, long term relationship when I was 4 years old. I think I was often punished for wanting love so now it's like a taboo to me, making me wanting it more because of how shocked and ashamed I am by the feeling. Then that leads into to ...

Just feel desperate and like I don't have a life. Wanting love so bad feels unmasculine and pathetic maybe. Like you get it as a prize for being cool but I can't be cool because I can't stop feeling like my life's empty...

Does anyone have any tips on how to stop wanting to love and be loved? It makes me so unattractive and I'll never get it this way!

I think I spent so many years desperately wanting people to have that feeling of attachment for me, feeling lost and hopeless without it - when actually, it's not really all that important. To quote 'Love Letter', what's important is the components of care, commitment, knowledge, responsibility, res...

Thanks Mo, that helps a lot.

Hey guys, (hey Max, it's Saffy) So I was just reading https://www.scarleteen.com/article/relationships/love_letter... and I um, I guess I always thought of love as a strong, hot feeling of attachment in one's heart... and I think that mentality may have really wrecked quite a lot of my life... Do yo...

Hi Sky, I can relate a little to those feelings. One thing I find helps is the naming of body parts in our minds - after all, genitals are pretty much the same thing deep down. Do you think of yours as a clitoris, in your mind? In terms of masturbation, it may also help to remember that a person wit...

Great topic, thewrit3r! I hope you do get to write positive sex stories for TV one day! I'd love to see that, we need that kind of content. I don't think I've ever seen healthy sex on TV apart from in a couple of cartoons, which are few and far between (and often get cancelled). I'd love a show that...