One of the signs someone is hiding their feelings for you is when they do not show emotions and prefer to keep mute around you. All they want is to listen to you and watch you do your thing. When they eventually talk, it is to ensure you are doing fine.
Why does one decide to hide their feelings? Sometimes people do not express how they feel for someone due to fear of rejection, lack of self-confidence, the person they adore seems out of their league, or because they have been hurt in their past and don't want to feel hurt again.
A common one is not asking you about your feelings, life, or what's important to you. This can look different depending on the relationship. They may not check in to hear your ideas on certain projects at work, for example. They might organize a gathering and leave you out, even when you're part of the team.
“Surface acting” refers to the type of emotional communication that involves covering up your true feelings while you put on a false front. Typically, in surface acting, you're trying to cover up such negative emotions as anger or frustration because expressing them would get you in trouble.
Contextual factors including relationships with one's conversation partner, social capital (class) differences, location, and social setting are all reasons why an individual would express, suppress, or mask an emotion.
Another clear sign he likes you is if he is actively trying to hang out with you, or help you, or find out more about you. There are also indicators like eye contact or compliments, and showing that he's interested in your physical appearance, or who you are as a person.
The effects of suppressed emotions include anxiety, depression, and other stress-related illnesses. Such suppression can lead to alcohol and substance abuse. (Read more about the link between childhood trauma and addiction here.)
Indifference, avoidance, and detachment are three of the many signs of emotional unavailbility. Learning to spot an emotionally unavailable person can protect you from toxic relationships. You may have felt someone you care about couldn't be there for you emotionally at some point.
Another one of the signs he likes you as more than a friend is if his body language gives it away. For instance, if he's always leaning in when you speak, or if he seems way more interested in you than in anyone else in the room, these are pretty clear indicators that he could be romantically interested in you.
Look for tell-tale signs, like feeling jealous, thinking about them constantly, and finding their annoying habits adorable. Imagine asking them out, being physically intimate, and dating them.
The signs that he likes you more than a friend may not be obvious every time. But if you see that they pay attention to your likes, dislikes, and opinions and feel eager to know more about you, your day, and your family, chances are they are more invested in you than you might think.
Things You Should Know
Look for signs in his body language like eye contact and leaning in towards you while talking. He'll also initiate more physical touch between you. Study his behavior, including the time between text responses and how jealous he seems when other guys are mentioned.
If a guy stares at you when you are not noticing or feels shy to talk when you are around, it may mean he has feelings for you but is scared to express them. He may often joke about going on a date with you, remember your smallest details, or start avoiding you for no reason.
Men may feel vulnerable when loving someone if their heart has been broken before, and they might not easily admit their feelings. They could be afraid of facing rejection from another individual, which could be a positive sign that they care about the relationship.
If he likes you, he'll be there for you when you need it. A guy who's really into you won't just be a fair-weather friend. If your guy pal is there for you when you're having a bad day, it's a sign he cares about your well-being and wants to support you.
When a guy likes you, he's more likely to pay close attention to what you're saying, engage with your thoughts and ideas, and ask follow-up questions. This genuine interest in understanding your perspective and getting to know you better can be a strong indicator of romantic attraction.
When someone's just being nice, they'll likely stick to small talk. But once someone starts flirting with you, they'll find ways to get to know you better. According to Schweyer, they'll try to dig deeper into your likes and dislikes, your hobbies, and your point of view.
Girls also hide their feelings when they aren't sure or don't know the best way to express them. Maybe they aren't confident enough to express it. In such a case you might not do anything even if you know the signs she is hiding her feelings.
Reticent means either quiet or restrained. If you're reticent about your feelings, you like to keep them to yourself, and you're probably quiet in rowdy groups where everyone is talking over each other. The original meaning of reticent describes someone who doesn't like to talk. Be careful in your context, however.
Masking may involve suppressing certain behaviours we find soothing but that others think are 'weird', such as stimming or intense interests. It can also mean mimicking the behaviour of those around us, such as copying non-verbal behaviours, and developing complex social scripts to get by in social situations.