The increasing popularity of social media has put focus on just how deep our “I trouble” goes. We’re constantly photographing ourselves and then checking to see how many people approve of the post—aka approve/like us.

The fear of being forgotten can leave us emotionally—sometimes physically—frozen. For many, the very thought of being left behind, being alone, is enough to drive them to the opposite extreme—clamouring to be consulted, to have our opinion matter so much to others that they seek our advice for minute details.

Fear of being humiliated is often easy to admit. After all, we all can relate to not wanting to be made the fool. But admitting we desire to be preferred to others is more difficult. The very feeling itself is an admission that we also desire for someone else to be “less preferred”