12 things we often mistake for love

1. Sympathy.

It’s not your fault that you fell in love with someone who listened to you and really cared. That doesn’t happen often in this busy, obsessed world.

You found someone who gave you something your heart not only craved, but intrinsically needed. You opened up because you felt safe, you trusted this person, and you were emotionally vulnerable to them.

It fed your soul and so you confused it with love. Don’t feel bad about it. This is an easy mistake to make.

2. Avoidance.

act of avoiding (someone or something esp. unpleasant).

You thought the person you fell in love with was on the same page when in fact they were just avoiding the topic at hand, hoping that you would somehow disappear.

It is not your fault that this person has emotional problems. You are not responsible for fixing this person, but you must recognize the warning signs in the future.

You deserve better and you shouldn’t fall in love with someone who doesn’t have the courage to tell the truth.

3. Friendship.

Interactions between humans are often messy. One person thinks they are getting a certain message across, but the other person may receive that information quite differently.

It’s all about perception, so don’t feel bad about confusing someone’s friendship with love. It’s easy to happen.

If that person were very honest and clear with you, you wouldn’t be confused. Next time, it’s better to ask what you need to know, as scary as that is.

4. Flattery.

It’s natural to develop an attraction to someone who compliments you and seems to think about you a lot. Everyone likes to feel good about themselves.

Maybe that person filled your ego so much that you assumed there was something more. Don’t blame yourself, this happens often too.

5. Indecision.

You cannot control another person’s emotions or read their mind. This is the problem that comes along with falling in love. If the two of you aren’t communicating, it’s very easy to mistake other things for affection.

You might, for example, think that someone is committed to you when, in fact, they are confused and still trying to decide what they want.

If the other person doesn’t tell you this, there’s no way to know what’s going on. Don’t be surprised to think that you wanted more than she did.

SEE ALSO: THE TOP 6 REASONS HE MESSAGES YOU EVERY DAY

6. Dependency.

This is so commonly confused with true love that it goes unnoticed. You develop a attachment to someone and, whether mutual or one-sided, that it is not a healthy and true expression of feeling.

Also, it’s confusing because all relationships tend to have a little bit of interdependence between the couple. That’s why you have to give yourself a break if you end up thinking that you love someone — or that the other person loves you — when in reality you’re only dependent on each other.

7. Play.

You are flirting and falling in love. The other person thinks you’re just having fun. This is annoying, but it happens a little. It’s hard to tell if you’re on the same page with someone when you don’t know them very well.

8. Narcissism.

Unfortunately, narcissists are very good at manipulating other people, sometimes without even realizing it. It’s okay for you to mistake a selfish sociopath’s games for something else — how would you know better?

It’s incredibly difficult to tell what’s going on under the surface. All you can do is save yourself before it’s too late.

9. Apathy.

Yes, sometimes people hang out with you because they literally have nothing better to do. They think, well, this person likes me and I’m bored, so why not? It’s incredibly insensitive and selfish.

10. Dishonesty.

This is related to apathy, but it’s even more cruel because it’s an active deception that the person knows is about to hurt you.

11. Manipulation.

You thought someone really cared about you, but in fact that person was using you. It’s incredibly common, and again, you shouldn’t blame yourself for it.

12. Hope.

Dear, sweet, human, don’t give up hope. No matter how many times you place a bet and your dreams of love disappear into the fog, keep believing. There’s nothing more beautiful than someone who keeps trying after being let down several times. Fight and know that it’s not a crime to expect something to be love, even when it’s not.

SEE TOO:

9 challenges that everyone lives in a relationship