What are Love and Belonging Needs?

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Love and Belonging Needs

Love and belonging needs are the human needs to feel connected, cared about, and part of something bigger than just “me on my own.” They sit in the middle of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and are crucial for mental and emotional health.​

What love and belonging needs are

These needs are about having real, warm human bonds and a sense of “these are my people and I matter here.” They include friendship, family ties, romantic closeness, and feeling accepted in groups such as a team, club, or community.

Without this sense of belonging, people often feel lonely, rejected, or “on the outside,” even if other parts of life look okay from the outside.​

Everyday examples

Love and belonging needs show up as the desire to:

• Have family or close friends to talk to, share good and bad news with, and rely on in tough times.​
• Be part of a group where a person fits in, such as a friendship circle, workplace team, club, faith community, or online community.​
• Give and receive affection, trust, and loyalty in relationships, not just have surface-level contacts.​

These needs can be so powerful that, in some situations, people will risk safety or comfort rather than lose connection (for example, children clinging to unsafe caregivers, or adults staying in painful groups so they are not alone).​

Why love and belonging matter so much

Strong evidence suggests that feeling loved and included is one of the biggest predictors of life satisfaction and wellbeing, sometimes even more than money or status.

Long-term loneliness and social isolation are linked with higher risks of depression, anxiety, and physical health problems, which shows that belonging is not a “nice extra” but a deep psychological need.​

Simple ways to support love and belonging needs

Invest in a few real relationships: Depth matters more than numbers; even one or two emotionally safe connections make a big difference.​

Join or create communities: Shared activities (hobbies, volunteering, local groups, online communities with healthy norms) can build a sense of “we.”​

Practise giving as well as receiving: Listening, showing care, and being reliable for others often strengthens a person’s own sense of belonging and love as well.​

Love and belonging needs are about not having to face life completely alone: having people to care about, people who care back, and places where a person genuinely feels they fit.

Further Reading​