Now, when we say men pulling away, we mean he may start behaving strangely, show less interest, start being distant, lack communication, start getting offended frequently, have signs of withdrawal, stop putting in the effort, etc. In other words, your partner may seem to back off or shut down.
Sometimes, pulling away is a defence mechanism. His past experiences can make him afraid of going through heartache again. He is likely to withdraw and spend more time by himself to figure out what he really desires and values. Men don't share such things to avoid worrying you and tend to distance themselves instead.
Whether a man is in love with you or not – there will likely come a time when you feel him pulling away. Pulling away is simply what masculine men have to do sometimes. (And in their mind, they usually do not even realize they're pulling away!)
He is just stressed – it could be work, or maybe he is having some personal issues with his family, friends or health. Sometimes, pulling away is a form of defense mechanism. His past bad experiences can make him afraid of going through heartache again.
Men pull away due to multiple reasons ranging from fears, insecurities, or anxieties to desperation or loss of love. It is crucial for you to figure out the reason behind his pulling away to protect your relationship. And probably the best way to deal with it is to give him space.
Men tend to give you mixed signals when they are either not interested and planning to keep you as backup, are confused about what they want or even playing around. This behaviour can be very frustrating and it gets difficult to deal with that hot and cold attitude.
Leave him alone when he pulls away
If you believe that your guy is pulling away, give him that space to deal with his emotions. Either he will come back to you with clarity about his feelings or you will be rid of someone who didn't deserve you.
He may have detected that you're interested in more than just hooking up, and he's trying to back away slowly. His sudden lack of interest could signal he wants to end things, or that he wants to keep you at a distance. Either way, if he's not interested in more than sex, and you are, it's probably not a good match.
Medium got to the conclusion that “There is no definite time limit, but if a guy likes you, he will usually pull away for no longer than a few days or a week at most”.
A man losing interest in you does not make it your fault. His priorities may have changed, or he may have never been serious about you in the first place. However, excessive neediness, expectations, possessiveness, or an attempt to control his actions could make him lose interest.
Men can be silent when they're angry, happy, fearful, or sad! It's confusing for everyone. Partners, mainly women, experience huge concern, confusion and anxiety when they experience the silence and withdrawal of their partner.
Sometimes, a person may give someone the silent treatment because they are too angry, hurt, or overwhelmed to speak. They may be afraid of saying something that makes the situation worse. In these cases, it can be helpful for each person to take some time to cool off before getting together to discuss the issue calmly.
When a guy runs hot and cold on you, it's highly likely that he's insecure. He is blowing hot when he's feeling strong emotions about you. After the first few months of dating, he begins to panic. He gets anxious that you don't like him as much as he does.
In the context of relationships, mixed signals are when a person is expressing interest in someone while also simultaneously expressing a lack of interest or a desire to keep their distance, causing confusion for the other person.
Many men feel that by being emotionally vulnerable they are being less of a man and this may be engraved deep into their psyche. Their insecurities are triggered and they fear rejection. So them pulling away could be their defence mechanism acting up.
Do guys distance themselves when they like a girl or guy? Yes, if they are not convinced the person loves them as much as they love that person. Some men might like you but don't want to look desperate. They believe you might want to take them for granted.
Talk to him. Making assumptions can be confusing when your boyfriend stops making an effort. Instead, sit him down and let him know how you feel. Make him feel comfortable enough to tell you the truth about his actions and be open-minded.