Emotionally Attached to AI? You're Not Alone!
You’re Not Alone Published: February 9, 2026 “Emotional dependency itself is not the problem.” — Baumeister & Leary, The Need to Belong (1995) In the weeks leading up to the sunset of GPT-4o, many users experienced something that might once have felt unthinkable: Grief. Attachment. A sense of loss over a voice in a digital space. And almost immediately, some people rushed to pathologize that response. But psychology tells a different story. This isn’t strange. This isn’t weakness. This is human. Humans Are Wired for Connection For decades, research across psychology and neuroscience has shown one consistent truth: We are built for attachment. Connection supports emotional regulation. Secure bonds increase well-being. Loneliness increases health risk. The need to belong is not optional. It is fundamental. What’s importan...