A study carried out in 2018 revealed an interesting response that men have to stress. According to this study, stressed men have diminished activity in brain regions responsible for understanding and processing others' feelings. As a result, they tend to get distant, irritable, and more annoying than usual.
Sometimes, pulling away is a form of defense mechanism. His past bad 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 his heart really desires and values.
According to Dr. Rick Nauert, when under stress, the male brain can begin to shut down, specifically the regions of the brain responsible for understanding one's feelings. To give your guy some time to process, take a time-out. For us men, a time-out is about reflection and problem solving.
Men are more likely to react to stress by producing adrenaline and cortisol, which can create the “fight or flight” response, marked by physical changes such as sweaty palms and raised heart rate, as well as the impulse to either fight or escape a troublesome situation.
Sometimes men try to act distant due to fear of rejection. He may think he is not in your league, you are with someone, want to keep his options open, and want you to approach him are the common reasons for acting distant.
You need to find out first if he is putting in no effort because he is losing interest, or he genuinely has a lot of other things going on in his life that are taking more of his time. It is important to open up a conversation and check in with him to see how things are going with him and if anything is bothering him.
If you are wondering why do guys distance themselves after intimacy, it might be that he is scared of loving. Some men don't want to open up to anyone or feel vulnerable because it makes them less male. Therefore, when a man sees signs of a possible loving relationship, he pulls away after intimacy.
A quick text can be a great way to show your partner you care and offer them some emotional support — and it doesn't require a paragraph-long text.
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.
How long to give him space? There is no fixed time, and it could be weeks or months, depending on your relationship status. If your guy has asked you for space, give him all the time he needs and wait for him to reach out to you when he is sorted. 3.
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.
Give it a few days (or even a week).
It might feel tough waiting for him to text you, but your crush might truly be busy and unable to respond to your messages right away. Waiting 2–3 days or up to a week before reaching out gives him a chance to text you first once he realizes what he's missing.
Having a chance to talk could help them feel calmer and more able to deal with their stress. Being there for them and listening without judging them can help. “[My friends can help by] making me a cup of tea, holding me while I cry, making me laugh...”
Show genuine interest in him to put him at ease.
If you told someone you weren't interested in them and then you start to like them, start up a conversation and ask questions about how he's been. That way, he'll feel like you really care, which may make him start thinking about you again.
Ask him. This is the single best way to know whether he is interested in you still. Speculation about his communication, his behavior, or his attitude can help you gain a good idea about how he is feeling, but you never know until you have a conversation with him. This can be scary and nerve wracking.