That said, men are less likely to talk or open up about their feelings; first, because they aren't encouraged by society to tune into their sensitivity. Additionally, men tend to “brush it off” when they experience difficult feelings because they don't see an immediate solution.
From an early age, men are conditioned to believe that expressing their feelings is out of character with the male identity. Doing so can ruin their image of being strong and stoic. Specifically, men are told that crying in front of other people will threaten their masculinity. The same can be said about mental health.
They have difficulty identifying what they are feeling.
It's no wonder men often have difficulty identifying what they are feeling, other than anger. They can become defensive and pull away when emotion is being expressed to them unless they know how to speak the language of emotion.
While the chemistry is sizzling, you haven't been able to connect with him emotionally. He doesn't speak to you about himself, his dreams, his background, or his past. The guy is a closed book as far as you are concerned. If these things define your relationship, it is a sign he is not serious about you.
If he's acting nervous, angry, frustrated when you share any type of feeling, you might be dealing with an emotionally unavailable man. They're not used to dealing with emotions and they will try to avoid it at all costs. It takes time to learn and understand empathy.
An emotionally unavailable person is also not receptive or supportive when you express your feelings. If your partner becomes uncomfortable, put off, frustrated, or withdrawn when you choose to open up and be vulnerable, this is an indicator that they're not good at handling emotions—both their own as well as yours.
An emotionally unavailable man has a difficult time knowing how to engage in the real-stuff conversations. In some instances, he may have some capacity to listen, but is emotionally shutting that part of himself down so that you don't get too close. If that's the case, you will likely feel shut down and alone.
But some emotionally unavailable men see opening up as a tough nut to crack. Some believe they have personal demons they're fighting, and they don't want anyone to know about it. If you notice that he opens up to you about something quite deep, it is one of the signs an emotionally unavailable man is in love with you.
He'll wonder if you miss him at all.
He might even go so far as to think you're already seeing someone else if he can't get in touch or see you on social media. This is a very uncomfortable time for him. He's struggling to understand why you're not responding to his texts, or what you might be feeling in return.
Studies show that introverted or shy men are likely to be attracted to both shy and outgoing women, while extroverted men may have a preference for outgoing women.
Some guys are so shy that they won't make the first move, even if you send signals loud and clear. If you're having a good time and you've both been flirty all night, feel free to make the first move yourself. Shy guys usually appreciate having someone make the first move.
One of the possible reasons why a man can turn emotionally unavailable is because of past hurts. When you ignore an emotionally unavailable man, there is a possibility that this could trigger an old trauma or hurt. Instead of him opening up or realizing, he might feel you're doing the same thing again.
Many guys hate failing and feeling inadequate. They often don't have the speed of words to compete with their partner in a conflict. Men's emotional processing capacity is often much slower than their partner. Whilst being silent is a sign of a man's need to process it is also a way to avoid the feelings of defeat.
Stonewalling is when a person in a relationship withdraws from an interaction, shuts down, and simply stops responding to their partner. Rather than confronting the issue, people who stonewall resort to evasive maneuvers.
You may feel lonely, emotionally deprived in the relationship, to the point of having thoughts of ending it. That is understandable. However, just because someone is currently emotionally unavailable does not mean you need to end the relationship.