I expect pushback on this post, so let me say up front: go read a pop science book or a wiki page or something on how therapy works. Then do the same for friendship. At the end of the day, if you are not participating in a web of mutually healthy communal support, it's not social connection!!!

I think about this a lot in terms of the kind of fantasy in which people get lifetime bonds with human intelligent animals or magic spirits or what not. It is a great fantasy to have another intelligent being totally devoted to you, protecting you, with unconditional love, asking nothing in return. Its an appropriate desire to have for your parents while you are growing up, otherwise what you want is called slavery