At some point, you might have felt that your partner couldn’t support you emotionally. Maybe they came out as cold, uncaring, or indifferent.
Being emotionally inaccessible when you’re busy or need some privacy is normal. But what about when they frequently give off this impression? How do you spot a partner that is emotionally unavailable?
According to PsychCentral here are signs of an emotionally unavailable partner:
1. They avoid intimacy
They may be afraid of intimacy, or opening up to you about their deepest feelings and ideas.
According to Jernigan, “some people’s discomfort with vulnerability causes them to remove themselves from their own emotional experiences, which makes it nearly hard to engage with others in a way that has emotional intimacy and depth.
She adds that, while not necessarily true, a lack of physical intimacy or eye contact may also be signs of emotional unavailability.
2 . They aren’t available
They often flee if you let them know you need them. Sometimes, when you need someone to talk to or are having a difficult time, they are literally nowhere to be found.
They might also remain, but they usually downplay your feelings. They might also make an effort to change the topic or simply leave an emotional conversation.
3. You never seem to grow closer
In the early stages of a relationship, they openly admit their weaknesses or express how much they love being together. Yet nothing ever becomes critical. You struggle to connect with them as they are closed off.
4. You do all the relationship work
Can’t recall the last text they sent that wasn’t a direct response. Feel a little irritated that they haven’t proposed a date or started any plans?
There is a good possibility that they are emotionally unavailable if you do all the phoning, messaging, and planning. When it works for them, they like spending time with you. They also don’t want to put forth any effort to earn it. Things will most likely not happen if you don’t make them happen.
Also see: Should you come clean to your partner if you cheated?
