Have you ever hesitated before asking for help because you worried you were being difficult? Or apologized for expressing your feelings, even when they were completely reasonable? Many people quietly carry the fear that they are "too much", too emotional, too sensitive, too needy or too demanding. Psychology says this belief is rarely something people are born with. Instead, it often develops through repeated experiences that teach someone their needs are inconvenient, excessive or unwelcome. That doesn't mean everyone with this fear had the same childhood, nor does it mean parents are always responsible.
Friendships, romantic relationships and workplace experiences can also shape these beliefs. Still, psychologists have found that early emotional experiences often play a powerful role in how people learn to express, or suppress, their needs.
