Therapist's Note 📝
Obsession: How Love Descends into Harm
First, how can love hurt?
Human beings can be deceptive.
Nikki doesn't love Bear.
She simply wants him.
Wanting is not loving.
You can claim that what you want is love.
But to claim that you love something merely because you want it is a shallow understanding of love—and that shallowness eventually reveals itself.
You may ask: what is the purpose of this deception?
It is often an attempt to disguise an egotistical want as love.
People frequently mask their desire to possess someone as care, affection, or devotion. We see this in extreme forms among jilted lovers, abusers, acid attackers, and even those who end up harming or killing the very person they claim to love.
Love can include want.
Affection, regard, and care can make wanting someone understandable.
But want alone cannot justify calling it love.
Let that soak in.
*Dhruv Rawat*
*Clinical Psychologist* 🧠⚡
6June 8, 2026 417 1
