Is life without love at all worth it?

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Currently, all I have is a cat, to love. Well, it's a form of love, anyway... not particularly the most powerful, considering cats are only cuddly whenever they are in a mood... cats are brilliant, but I really have no one else. Just one friend.

So... when it is agreed upon by seemingly many, that relationships could be the meaning of life... what is life when one has practically none? I guess none is better than having dysfunctional ones, like with one's inevitable family, but...

I don't usually get really depressed, but being alone thoughts can be enveloping...

I may be inexperienced but would like to offer what i can:

IMO there's nothing bad about being alone...

but, there's nothing GOOD about it either.

Most people seem to tell us things like 'dont worry about love and dating, just live your life and do what you want' etc. but it would still be nice to share your life with someone.

We desire friendship so why is it seen as different to desire love?

If we have no friends but want some we're encouraged to get out more, talk to more people etc.

But if we want love 'oh don't worry about it being in a relationship isn't THAT great' and all these other lies are drilled into our heads.

Love is an EMOTION. It is just as natural as sadness, anger, happiness, etc.

but of all the emotions it is the one we are encouraged to suppress and ignore the most.

Mostly because people believe it will only bring harm when that is not true. Love is something very deep and meaningful.

Your question Is Life Without Love At All Worth It?

Answer: YES. Yes it is. That is if you can deal with it. I know I definitely cannot deal with being alone the rest of my life.

I agree it is depressing. I am just in high school and apparently dating as a teenager 'isn't that great' because teenager relationships are immature and there are cheaters and liars etc.

so you end up avoiding the drama, arguments etc. of relationships but have to deal with the lonlieness, the jealousy, etc.

The question isn't 'is life without love worth it' i think the question is 'what would you rather have?'

Relationships bring positives to your life but arent perfect and bring many negatives.

But loneliness bring positives to your life but arent perfect and brings many negatives.

Love takes many forms, so I suppose it depends on the sort of love you're looking for. As I also spend a fair amount of time alone, I can empathise with your situation, the way in which feelings of isolation can become oppressive ... but many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness, so be careful not to allow these to dominate your life.

One of the most rewarding types of love is that of a friend, and the best type of friendship is a romantic one. Unlike sexual relationships, friendship tends to endure, as long as both parties are prepared to put in the considerable effort that creating and sustaining a friendship requires.

If you're anything like me, I would guess that what you need is a balance between being alone and spending time with other people. From experience I know that this is difficult to achieve.

I believe there is use to living life without romance.

You could make great discoveries.

You could help other people.

You could enjoy yourself intellectually, spiritually, and aesthetically.

Frankly, I would feel like I'm "missing something" should I be forced to live without romance. I would feel big pants in my heart, to the point where I might "seek" romance in certain ways (seeking a prostitute, trying TOO HARD to pick up girls).

However, without romance, life could be quite fulfilling and useful on many levels.

It does make you feel human. You also can feel that others treat you as though you have feelings rather than as an unfeeling object

You're failing to acknowledge that you have yourself to love & don't seem to be doing so.

Self acceptance & love is a bit of a prerequisite for relationship love, IMO. You've got to learn to love yourself before others can love you.

Relationship are not "the" meaning of life. At best, they can (for the right people) add depth to life. But not everyone is meant to be in a relationship, and not everyone SHOULD be in a relationship.

There never has been any single path to get meaning out of life, and there never will be. The world needs many different people on many different paths for society to advance and move forward, and some of those paths are, by necessity, solitary.

The solitary people (who are not 'meant' to be in relationships) are also usually healthy humans who have intimate and sexual needs as well.

I find your patronizing most annoying, a mom who experienced all facets of dating, relationships, marriage to child bearing in life.

I was 36 when I got married, and had plenty of time to set my mind to accepting a single life. My older sister has never been married and is not expected to ever marry; she has a good life. I have many friends who are happily single, and plan to keep it that way. They do tons of fun and fulfilling things that I can never join them for, because of my family obligations. I also have a friend who chose the priesthood, and has never looked back. While I can see why you took it the way you did, I truly believe that my statement was not patronizing, but informed. All those people I know would be really offended by someone ever daring to suggest that their lives have any less meaning than mine.

I know that biology dictates a desire for certain things, but just like a diabetic can learn how to live a rich life without sugar, a person can learn to live a rich life without physical intimacy. Or, depending on your values, you get the physical intimacy without relationships. I know people who do that, too.

some can others can't.

Moral of the story is...you are damned if you do, and damned if you don't.


I think the biggest thing is, finding the right people to love and be friends with.

Well all of us need love and a sense of belonging. We were never meant to function alone; we all need to have a sense of community. Even the introverts need some type of social contact. If the internet didn't exist, i'm sure many of us would be even more lonely as the internet can fill social needs somewhat through forum posts, online games etc...

I think loneliness is very common in those with autism because we have trouble finding a sense of community, making friends, and being in relationships. Especially if you're no longer living with your parents, you can get pretty lonely pretty quick if you have nothing to do and overtime your self-esteem goes down and you feel like a nobody.

Yes, life without love is worth it, and I've never been able to fathom why anyone would believe otherwise.

All of my friends are out going on dates, finding love, getting into relationships, getting engaged, and married to the love of their life. And i'm just sitting here eating cheese.

I used to be obsessed with finding a partner, and I used to feel depressed and hopeless all the time because I was single. I thought there was something wrong with me. My opinion is that life is not worth living without love. However, love is not dependent on being in a romantic relationship. I have a full life with love but have not been in a relationship for almost a decade. I haven't had sex or even been close to having sex in almost that long. The love I get comes from friendships and relationships with my family and acquaintances. I spend almost all of my free time alone because social interaction is draining and the things I like to do are solitary. However, I know that there are people I can reach out to for support and love and companionship if I want to. This makes a big difference for me in my mental well-being. When I have NO relationships with people, then I get really depressed and suicidal and find life meaningless. I guess I have just learned to seek support and intimacy in non-romantic or sexual ways.

I can relate to a lot of this.. except while I haven't had a relationship, I have had a sex life. And I'm probably a bit more on the social side over all. But yeah, I get & give love between my close friends and family, my God kids, nephews etc. There's plenty of love in my life even w/o a romantic relationship.