The Psychology Behind One-Sided Love (2025)

Relationship

• by Psychologs Magazine
• September 26, 2024
• 0 Comments
• 5 minutes read
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It’s like a beautiful painting that shows the lover the world they want, the life they desire with their flawless beloved but the painting is either already sold or is too expensive. It’s admiration with insecurities. They experience one-sided love with perfect passion. What is one-sided love? Why does unrequited love occur? Does the lover realize that their love will not be reciprocated? If yes, why do they continue to love actively or passively? How does the rejector feel? Do they find it difficult to reject another person’s offer of attachment? If yes, what is the most common way to express romantic rejection? Is it to reject or to play along? How does it affect the mental health of both members?

Read More: One-Sided Love and Its Impact on Mental Health

The Marriage Market

Imagine it as a marriage market where people shop around for a mate using their assets like income and physical attractiveness to attract someone else. There are two different paths to explore this market – The path of falling upwards and the path of platonic intimacy.

Path of falling upwards

While exploring the path of falling upwards, the individual despite knowing the fact that they can’t afford highly attractive ones,falls in love with them. It’s like dreaming of a Ferrari while your budget is for Maruti Alto. Due to a mismatch in attractiveness or desirability, the less attractive one may fall in love but the more attractive person may not have the same feelings.

Though the individuals can prevent themselves from heartbreak by being realistic and confining their romantic interest to people equal to themselves. This, however, is easier said than done. Love makes it hard to make a rational, appropriate choice of a good mate. This path of falling upwards may lead to a painful crash as the love is unlikely to be reciprocated.

Read More: Erotomania: The Delusion of Being Loved by Everyone

Path of Platonic Intimacy

A second path may be through platonic friendship. One-sided love could emerge in a platonic friendship if one friend starts developing romantic feelings while the other does not. Since platonic friendships can involve emotional closeness and intimacy, one person might mistake this bond for romantic love, while the other sees it strictly as friendship. This could lead to tension or heartbreak if the romantic feelings aren’t mutual.

Journey of Breaking Hearts

This quest of finding a perfect mate & falling into romantic love can create havoc in the lives of both the lover & the rejector leading towards the journey of breaking hearts. One person has feelings of love towards the other, who doesn’t feel the same. Both recognize this fact but the problem is neither the lover stops loving nor the rejector falls in love at will.

Different pathways available to the world be lover

• The pathway of winning love: They can try actively to win the other’s love. This offers the would-be lover possibilities ranging from ecstatic happiness to humiliating heartbreak (depending on the other’s response).
• The pathway of silence: To do nothing, to remain silent and passive, leads most likely to disappointment and slow suffering. The main outcome is the loss of any chance for a mutual, happy love relationship with this potential Partner.

Different pathways available to the rejector

• Pathway of confrontation: The would-be lover’s advances may put the rejector in the uncomfortable situation of having to inflict emotional pain leading to annoyance and frustration.
• Pathway of little relief: At best, the rejector may feel some relief when a persistent pursuer finally agrees up and further awkward or embarrassing situations are, it is hoped, ended.

The road to breaking hearts in one-sided love is often a painful and emotional journey. It involves deep feelings that someone does not reciprocate, which leads to heartache and confusion. Here’s how that road can unfold:

1. Hopes and Daydreams: You might start imagining a future with them, interpreting small gestures as signs of interest, fueling hope that your love might be returned.
2. Infatuation: It starts with admiration and attraction, where you develop strong feelings for someone. Every interaction feels meaningful, and you may begin to idealize the person.
3. Emotional Investment: Even though signs point to a lack of reciprocity, you may continue to invest emotionally. This can manifest in constant thoughts, gestures of kindness, or sacrificing personal needs for them.
4. Uncertainty and Mixed Signals: As time goes on, you may start to notice signs that the feelings are not mutual. Mixed signals or emotional distance from the other person can confuse, but the hope for love persists.
5. Realization of Unreciprocated Love: Eventually, there comes a moment of clarity when you realize that your love is not returned. It may be because of a direct rejection or just a slow recognition of their lack of interest.
6. Heartbreak: This realization leads to heartache. The pain can be intense because you’ve built up emotions, hopes, and dreams. Accepting the one-sided nature of your love can be difficult.
7. Letting Go: The process of letting go can be long and painful. It involves not only accepting that the love is one-sided but also healing from disappointment and emotional investment.
8. Self-Reflection: During or after the heartbreak, you may engage in introspection, questioning why you became so attached or how to avoid similar situations in the future.
9. Moving On: With time, you learn to move forward, focusing on self-care and personal growth. You start to understand that love should be mutual and that someone who truly values you will return your affection.
10. Growth and Resilience: Despite the pain, one-sided love can lead to personal growth. It teaches resilience, self-worth, and the importance of healthy relationships based on mutual feelings.

This journey can be difficult, but it often leads to a deeper understanding of love and yourself. One-sided love is a painful yet transformative experience that tests emotional resilience and self-worth. It involves deep infatuation and emotional investment, often followed by heartbreak when the love is not reciprocated. Despite the pain, it offers valuable lessons in self-reflection, growth, and the importance of mutual love and respect in relationships.

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