7 Things People are Afraid of Being Single

Being single can be a great opportunity for growth and self-improvement. It’s a time when you can do whatever you want without having to worry about your significant other trying to stop you. You’re free to date, to travel, to quit your job, and to indulge in sexual experimentation with a host of different people. What’s not to love, right?

Obviously, there’s always that nagging feeling of loneliness that comes with being unattached. In the worst cases, that nagging feeling turns into anxiety, which can then turn into outright fear. The fear of being single can drive people to choose an unsuitable partner or stay in dead-end relationships way past their expiry date.

# Loneliness

One of the biggest reasons people are afraid to be single is the crippling fear of loneliness. People often believe that being single means being lonely. Many people believe that taking on new tasks alone isn’t as much fun as doing them with someone else. However, most people forget that it’s important to enjoy one’s own company before getting into a relationship and regretting it later.

# Family pressure

Pressure from family members is another source of anxiety and a preoccupation with getting tied down. It doesn’t feel good to hear family members constantly asking or nagging you about settling down or starting a family. It can seem like your life is incomplete when others continually draw attention to the fact that you should be in a relationship.

Oftentimes, family members just want to see you happy and in love, and don’t realize that they are adding stress to your life by interrogating you about your relationship status. Make it known that you are happy as an individual and simply won’t settle for less than you deserve, so you are willing to wait for the right one to come along.

# Being societally incomplete

Being single all of a sudden makes you insecure as a person in society. You feel like other people are judging you based on your lack of a partner. When you feel insecure about being single, rather than confident, you will only be focusing on your lack of a partner.

Single people are everywhere, and not all of them are single and miserable. Being a confident, independent person in society is a force to be reckoned with. Chances are, there are plenty of people who secretly envy you for your freedom and autonomy–things they no longer have as a result of being coupled up.

# Dying alone

Many people believe that being single means you will die alone without anyone who cares about you. This is another myth that causes anxiety in some people–so much so that they end up staying with the wrong person to avoid this unwanted outcome.

Being single doesn’t automatically mean that you won’t have children, and it also doesn’t mean that you won’t have other people in your life who care about you. When you are single, you have the freedom to make lasting friendships, since all of your time isn’t spent with your significant other. Single doesn’t necessarily mean alone; there’s a huge difference between the two.

# Watching everyone else get married or have kids

You suddenly feel incomplete or even feel like you are somehow trailing behind in life, as if the train kept moving and left you at the same spot. You feel like all of your friends in relationships are secretly mocking your single status, when in reality, plenty of them are probably envious of your lifestyle.

If you feel destined to be “always a bridesmaid, never a bride” or the “eternal bachelor,” realize that not everyone who is married with kids is happy with their life. Remember, the term “mid-life crisis” was coined as a result of people who got tied down too early and want to re-live the single years that they missed.

# Not having a date for big events

Some people really want a special someone who can be their “plus one” at weddings, birthdays, and other special events. Instead of feeling insecure, being single is an opportunity to mingle with all kinds of people. You also won’t have to worry about flirting with a cute, single guy or girl without your significant other getting jealous or upset.

# Not having a support system

It might seem like being in a relationship provides a support system, financially, emotionally, physically, and so on. Some people want to have a partner who can help with housework, ease some of the financial burden of paying the bills, and help buy nice things. This dependence on another person for support really does you an injustice by not giving you the opportunity to lean on yourself and become truly independent.