I've suddenly become aware of the idea of feeling "unworthy of being loved". It's subtly different from feeling unloved and in a real way, far, far more insidious. It makes you feel hopeless and defensive at the same time. It makes you feel that the only reason anyone would claim to like or love you is because they need something from you, and when they have it or if they decide they can't get it - they'll leave you, which drives you to always try to please everyone and end up being a doormat. So you end up trying to be the perfect super-boyscout - always ready for any problem someone else has, so you can buy their affection or at least their respect. It drives you to be a perfectionist because any defect in you means you're less marketable. It is the twin brother of abandonment issues.