10 Signs A Man Is Emotionally Attached To You
"Men and women tend to approach relationships differently; this is an important thing to keep in mind when becoming involved. If a woman is looking for a guy to react the same way she does in a relationship, she will be disappointed. Look for the subtle cues noted in this article, like him wanting to spend time with you, him being vulnerable with you, and him bringing you into his world by introducing you to his friends and family. These are all signs that the relationship is off to a great start!"
He can't stop thinking about you. He'll go to the moon and back for you and will do whatever it takes to make you feel happy, safe, and loved. Unlike women, who like to express themselves with words, men may hide their true feelings, including being emotionally attached to you. So, to know if a man is emotionally attached to you, you can look for subtle (and not-so-subtle) signs.
What Is Emotional Attachment?
Emotional attachment doesn't happen overnight. In a healthy relationship, it takes a while, and it happens in stages before you totally get emotionally attached. The first stage is called the friend attachment. He cares about you deeply, but only in a spiritual way. In other words, at this stage, he just wants to remain friends with you. You're not doing anything romantic; you hang out with other people like mutual friends, and the communication between you two is minimal, with maybe a text here and there to see who in your group of friends is doing what for the weekend. There's no jealousy when you see each other around other people; you're there to have fun. A mutual respect develops, and you stay within your friendship comfort zone.
The second stage is the physical attachment which is based solely on looks and chemistry. You're attracted to each other, and you act upon it, which means the attachment has become physically intimate, or at the very least flirtatious. You're holding hands, kissing, or flirting. In this stage, there isn't any depth to it other than physical contact with each other.
Lastly, we have an emotional attachment that is more than just signals that he has a crush on you, which is the final stage of attachment where the two of you are bordering on a deep and meaningful relationship. You start developing feelings and get emotionally ready for a committed relationship. You talk about childhood dreams and your future. Hours go by in what seems like minutes, and conversations flow easily from one to the other. You move beyond explicit permission into the more comfortable and implicit relationship.
It is the feeling of intimacy and closeness you feel towards a person that can transform casual acquaintances into meaningful relationships. This emotional attachment can make one feel cherished, loved, and happy.
Now that we've established what emotional attachment is, let's look at some of the signs.
10 Signs A Man Is Emotionally Attached To You
- He Goes Above and Beyond For You
When a man is emotionally attached to you, he'll do practically anything for you to show his feelings for you. He'll drive 2 hours to see you; he'll pick up your favorite dinner "just because," he'll fix that broken faucet or change the oil in your car over and over and over again. And he'll never tire of wanting to please you; in fact, he looks forward to the next time he can help you. He's waiting for the chance to help you and be your knight in shining armor. Need your weeds pulled? Did house paint? Need to go to the store to buy stuff for dinner? He's there for you every single time, without fail.
- He Contacts You Every Chance He Gets
Whether it's calling, texting, or messaging, you're bound to receive a ton of communication from him. Why? Because you're constantly on his mind, and he wants nothing more than to hear your voice or receive a text or message back from you. He will get emotionally invested in you, so he'll make time for you as well. This is especially true with men because men naturally tend to focus on the things they care about the most, and one of the most common ways they'll do that is by taking time out of their day and keeping in contact with you over certain things.
- He Wants You To Meet His Friends And Family
Unlike friend attachment, where you both are hanging around mutual friends, with emotional connection, he wants you to meet his personal friends and his family, and he wants to meet yours as well. This is a good indicator that he sees you as long-term material.
- He Likes Spending Time With You
He not only likes to spend time with you, but he likes spending a lot of time with you. "Does he like me?" Yes, this is one of the most obvious signs a man is attracted to you. He'll use his free time, which is usually reserved for relaxation and hanging out with his friends or family, for you. You've now become a priority to him when it comes to his relationships.
- He Remembers The Important Things
If a man cares about you, he will remember all the important things about you. This can include all the important dates or even your favorite flower or the dress you wore on your date.
Men, just like women, can be extremely caring and charming when they are truly interested in somebody. They will put in all their effort to ensure that they remember everything so that you feel cherished and loved.
- He Opens Up And Lets His Guard Down
Most men are brought up with the notion that expressing their feelings could be seen as unmanly. This convoluted idea often results in men pulling the wall up around their hearts and mind.
Sometimes, a past relationship or other issues can prevent men from completely opening up or putting themselves in vulnerable positions.
However, if you are truly special to him, the man you are interested in will open up with his feelings and let his guard down. He will communicate his thoughts and feelings with no doubt or fear because he knows that he is in a safe space and is cherished. When a man opens up to you, it might make him feel anxious at first. Patience is important as you become part of his support system, and soon he will feel good on an emotional level due to your support.
If he feels close enough to you to drop his guard, he's not only emotionally attached to you, but he's more likely in love with you as well.
- He Wants To Commit To You
If you were to ask the majority of men, they'd tell you that they aren't afraid of commitment; rather, they're scared of committing to the wrong woman. So, if the guy you're seeing is pushing for commitment, it's a sign that he's emotionally attached to the point that he thinks you're the one for him. Some guys get scared off by commitment, but successful commitment from both sides makes men emotionally attached.
- He Asks You For Advice
It's a well-known fact that it's like pulling teeth for men to ask for directions. The same goes for asking for advice. Many men see having to ask for advice as a weakness. If he's asking you, not only does he trust in your answer, but he also knows he can come to you for anything. Whether it's what tie he should wear to his job interview or what color he should paint his house, your opinion is important to him, and asking your advice is yet another way he wants to include you in his life.
- He Sticks Up For You
A man who is emotionally attached to a woman will defend her, even if it means losing the close people in his life, like friends and family.
- He Doesn't Leave You When Things Go Sour
One good indicator of whether a man is emotionally attached to you is if he sticks around and is there for you during the tough times. A man who is not emotionally attached to you will have a greater tendency to leave you when the going gets tough, but a man who cares about you will stay around and be there for you through thick and thin and good and bad times.
Warning Signs Of Unhealthy Emotional Attachment
Just like there is a healthy emotional attachment, there is also unhealthy emotional attachment. This is when the attachment becomes obsessive. Even though they might be hurting and suffering, people in unhealthy relationships often continue the relationship, seemingly unable to end it. They feel attached even if there is no love between them. They show signs of codependency, in turn feeding the negative emotional attachment. Here are some warning signs of unhealthy emotional attachment:
- You can't be with the other person without panicking
- You fell in "love" within a couple of weeks
- You may experience some anxiety if you do not receive a text or a callback.
- You automatically think they've lost interest in you if they're not contacting you all the time.
- You're jealous and suspicious of their activities
- You overthink everything they do
- You sacrifice your family, friends, and your hobbies for them, with no rationale for doing so
- Your friends tell you you're too attached
Seek Professional Help
Having a healthy emotional attachment is a positive and nurturing thing. But when the emotional attachment becomes an obsession and preoccupation, it might be time to seek help from a relationship coach.
ReGain is always available to those in need of help. Whether you're attracting men who have an unhealthy attachment toward you, or you have the tendency yourself to be emotionally attached in an unhealthy way, know that you are not alone and that we at ReGain are here to help you work through it. With ReGain, you can speak with a relationship counselor 24/7, seven days a week. With chat, text, phone, and video chat options, you can speak with a therapist in the most convenient way.
You can contact ReGain by clicking here.
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