Why do people fear Love?

Question

This question concerns all forms of Love, not just romantic.

My POV... If you fear Love, you're always going to be on the defensive because you're scared of getting hurt. If you always choose Love, fear will never surface.

Love overshadows fear in all instances, because it is our most natural emotion.

Answer 1

Love is truth and some people hate to be lied to.

Answer 2

In terms of all love in general, people fear love because they fear the absence of love. It is a no-win situation. They want to have love at all times, yet it is not possible. There are times in life where we do not have what we want. The Buddists think about it that way: don't cling to anything (including love) and you will feel less pain because it won't matter to you if you have it or not. Life is a series of cycles, of having what you want, and then sometimes not having it.

In terms of romantic love in specific, it is the fear of intimacy, lack of trust, so many things. And, honestly, some people fear actually getting what they want. They have grown to believe they do not deserve the good in life. Also, sometimes being in love with a person, having a relationship, certainly takes the "control" away from you. You cannot 100% control the other person or what will happen in the relationship and this is scary for many people. They fear the unknown, what might happen in the future that they cannot prevent or control.

Answer 3

Since you're talking about love as a universal or non-romantic concept then I'd say you're question is false. I don't believe people fear 'love' itself.

People can love their fellow man, love the world at large, love their neighbours and love their family, friends and relations and still fear intimacy.

That I think is the crucial part of your question. Intimacy, which requires opening yourself up to someone, is hard to do for many who have been emotionally hurt in the past by such action.

Romantic love, to be successful, requires intimacy. Familial love does not necessarily require that type of intimacy to be sustained. More universal forms of love don't require a baring of ones deepest thoughts either.

Peace

Answer 4

One possibility is because love makes you vulnerable. People are always put on the defensive when they feel that way, and its often mistaken for fear.

Another possibility is because they don't understand their own emotions. It is human nature to fear what you don't understand.

Answer 5

Fear of rejection. Fear of opening oneself to a possible abuse of your feelings. The need to feel emotionally safe therefore not willing to take the risk. And of course not letting go of past hurts. All of which amounts to fear.

Answer 6

Abuse or trauma.

If you have been loved but have been treated badly, harmfully or in other ways painfully, you will fear and loathe the experience of another having love for you.

Or as I sometimes tell youth, hitting someone is not an expression of love. That is an expression of violence and anger.

Answer 7

I think people fear love because they're scared of getting hurt. They're scared of being vulnerable and putting themselves out there to get hurt.

Answer 8

Because we all know deep down that the condition for the possibility for love in a finite world is suffering and sacrifice.

Answer 9

I fear love, because it can consume my life/thoughts/feelings. I don't like being that vulnerable.

With my family, it is fine, but hard for me to do with a significant other.

Answer 10

because love and and getting hurt are always entwined with each other... as the one fully awake to entertain all the time in your life, the other is just asleep waiting for its turn to take all the time in your life...

Answer 11

because most have known nothing but hate, envy, anger and such negative feelings...love scares them because love is the opposite of what they...and any change if not uncomfortable then it's scary.