Somewhere along the way, you started believing that your needs were burdensome. That asking for what you wanted made you difficult. That having standards made you high maintenance. But needing reassurance is not too much. Wanting communication is not too much. Expecting effort is not too much. You were just surrounded by people who had too little to give. The right people will meet your needs without making you feel guilty for having them. Stop apologizing for wanting what every human deserves. Your needs were never the problem. The wrong people were.