Don't use people

Stop using people.

It makes you extremely vulnerable.

When you use people, as emotional crutches, for your own gratification, to boost your own ego, as stuffing for the hole of insecurity in your own history, to make up for feeling unattractive, you're using them as tourniquets to stop the bleeding in your wound, as ego slaves to your own insecurity.

If you go out into the world with the attitude that it's your turn to use people because you've been hurt, they will hurt you back.

Why?  Here's the transaction that goes on under the table: you use someone else, so they use you back.

And then, when they feel they don't need you anymore, they toss you in the garbage.  Just like any other tourniquet whose purpose has been realized.

Your hole will be bigger.  Your ego will be lower.  You will be miserable.  You will be less attractive.  And your heart will bleed.

To any of you who has experience being used — and, often, abused — now you know the flip side.