Definition: The crippling, low-key desperate need for constant validation, praise, or recognition from others, like a crackhead for compliments. It’s not just wanting a “good job,” it’s needing that emotional hit to function, leading to people-pleasing, fishing for reassurance, and existential dread when the likes/compliments dry up.
Example: “Bro became a total Approval Junkie after his promotion. He posts every minor work win on LinkedIn and gets visibly twitchy if his girlfriend doesn’t praise his mediocre scrambled eggs. Dude needs an intervention, not another ‘atta boy’.”