Relationships are never exactly straightforward, and at points, a crystal ball wouldn’t go amiss when it comes to understanding what your partner’s reactions are hiding. Now, sadly not all of us own a trusty crystal ball, but our experience when it comes to love is just as precious in analyzing potential pitfalls related to emotions. This may sound a little cliché, but us girls love talking about our feelings, whether that be about when we are falling in love, or when we are feeling sad. Yet some guys get really defensive whenever these serious topics come round, here’s why.
Relationships typically involve two people, yet if both of them aren’t on the same page, then things are unlikely to work out in the long run. Now, let’s be realistic, no one lives the perfect Disney fairy tale, and we’ve all moved past the stage of believing in a knight in shining armor, yet as women we still have needs that must be met. We need to feel confident and comfortable enough to say anything to our partner, without feelings judged or ridiculed. We essentially require our partner to act as an emotional springboard, however, for many men this task seems nigh on impossible. Talking about our emotions should be fluid and natural, yet if that isn’t the case, something isn’t quite right with your partner.
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Let me set the scene for you, you’ve been dating someone for a while and want to take that all important step toward putting a label on things, although, when you actually do, your man clams up. If you are in this situation, then it might be that he feels unsure of a possible future with you, or even that he is seeing other people, and therefore not ready to be exclusive. If this proves to be the case, you might want to seriously consider his investment in your love story, as well as ask yourself what he is promising other people too.
If your man gets carried away when you want to talk about how you feel, and consequently shuts down, then he is likely too immature for a real relationship. Being in love and caring for someone comes with huge responsibilities too, especially concerning their mental and psychological welfare. The truth is, not everyone is cut out to acknowledge other people’s baggage or needs, despite how deeply they feel for them. What’s more, emotional immaturity doesn’t just apply to young guys, it can apply to people of all ages and backgrounds.
Unfortunately, the majority of guys grew up believing that showing and discussing emotions made them weak and less manly. Now, the truth couldn’t be any more different from this outdated stereotype, but we all know that stereotypes can sometimes be hard to shake off and move on from. However, when we allow clichés to follow us into adulthood, we soon realize that enjoying mature relationships is a tough ask.
Now, I’m in no way trying to be brutal here, although, I do want you to understand that this could be a valid explanation for such a reaction. Writing off someone’s feelings may seem pretty heartless, yet is much easier to do when there is no future for the relationship.
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Perhaps your past plays on his mind, or he finds you too flirtatious, for example. In any case, if he isn’t willing to explore your romantic feelings in every dimension, it is likely because he believes you are not worth investing time in. He no doubt essentially believes you are taking him for a ride and aren’t particularly interested in taking things further.
I previously touched on the idea that dismissing feelings was linked to emotional immaturity, however, it is also closely related to poor communication skills. As a rule of thumb, if someone gets defensive for no justifiable reason, then it could be because they are simply troubled by the idea of communicating their feelings. Not all of us are gifted with good communication skills, and those that aren't, tend to shut down and zone out when faced with the prospect of a deep conversation.
Trauma is like a nightmare that we can never truly shake off and to make matters worse, it follows us throughout our lives. The most annoying thing with trauma is that it has the power to sabotage us when we have the potential to feel happy and secure. Having old demons rear their ugly heads throws us off track and crushes any semblance of a spark in relationships.
Is he truly over his ex? Is he texting other girls too? Or what about that coworker he always talks about, does he have something going on with her? Even though these questions are exactly fun to answer, they are essential steps in understanding why your partner is so dismissive of your emotions and feelings.
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Relationships can certainly be very complicated, which explains why they often spin out of control before we have even had the time to process what’s happening. I know that I’ve been guilty of this in the past, as I suppose many of us have been too. In one past relationship, I was so afraid of hurting the guy I was seeing, that I decided it would be best if I just went with the flow, despite not being emotionally invested. Now, if your man suddenly panics when you want to take things to the next level, he may subconsciously want to cool things off.
Believing we are unworthy of love can provoke strange reactions and ultimately mean that we are incapable of receiving affection. This particular insecurity has the potential to penalize our relationships as well as scare away potential partners.
When your partner is defensive, it can be difficult to communicate effectively and solve problems. Here are some tips on how to respond constructively in this situation:
Editor’s opinion - This is a dealbreaker…Feeling secure enough to express your emotions is an important part of any successful love story. If you are dating someone, and you feel like you have to walk on eggshells around them whenever something is bothering you, then this should be an immediate red flag. Ultimately, for any relationship to work, both partners need to feel secure in opening up to each other and supported from A - Z. 🤗 Understand yourself, accept yourself, be happy... Let’s do it here and now! #BornToBeMe |
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- Oscar Wilde
