Do you need a girlfriend, or a therapist?

Why looking for a woman to ‘heal’ you won’t work

Ok, beloved blokes: what do you actually want a girlfriend for? In 2023, it’s probably not to rear your three orphaned children or slaughter and mince the chickens for supper. It’s probably, if you’re an adult and ready for a relationship; companionship, intimacy, and partnership. Someone to watch a film with on a cold January evening, someone to cry with when a relative dies, and someone to chat through the election with over cereal and the static of the radio. But if the answer is “To be less lonely and make me feel good about myself”; please don’t date anyone. Get a therapist. Why? I’ll give you five reasons.

1. You shouldn’t be relying on *anyone* else to make you feel good about yourself.

Sure: we all like being admired, loved, and wanted. It’s nice! But if your self esteem is…