subject: Women Relationship Advice - Three Warning Signs Your Partner Is Emotionally Unavailable [print this page] Women Relationship Advice - Three Warning Signs Your Partner Is Emotionally Unavailable
There are so many people in the world eager to love you and receive your love in return. Why choose someone who has a hard time opening up and spend your time trying to pry open that person's heart? Here are some warning signs to watch for in spotting an emotionally unavailable partner:
1. Your partner cannot show emotion: What's the point of being in a relationship with someone if they can't show you how they feel? Why not just be alone? The very definition of a relationship means interaction between two people, not one person trying to interact and the other doing nothing. If your partner can't share their feelings with you, your relationship will be shallow and frustrating. You'll become a human can opener, trying to get your partner to open up all the time. That is not your job- it is theirs. You should expect your partner to be capable of demonstrating basic emotions such as happiness, sadness, disappointment, excitement, desire, and love. If he or she can't, they're not ready to be in a relationship with anyone.
2. Your partner cannot or will not talk about feelings: We've seen that, for many people, talking about feelings is difficult, especially if they were taught not to express their emotions as children. But if your partner refuses to even try learning to express themselves, or is just non-communicative, your relationship is going to be awful. Nothing saddens me more than hearing someone say "my partner can't talk about their feelings". I feel like saying, "Then why do you pretend you're even in a relationship? You're living in the same house, but you aren't relating." If you are with someone who won't communicate with you about emotions, you aren't in a relationship- you have a living arrangement.
3. Your partner can't open up or trust: There are some people who are not capable of having a healthy relationship because they are too emotionally shut down. They may want to open up but not know how, or need to do some intense healing before they're willing to relinquish their emotional armor enough o let you in. When it comes to having a lasting relationship, food intentions don't count for much. You need to find someone willing to do what it takes to knock down their own protective walls. Otherwise you will get into an emotional tug-of-war, you pushing your partner to open up and him pushing you away.
