He needs some time to be sure of his feelings. Sometimes, guys withdraw from a situation and act uninvolved to be able to see it from a different perspective. By keeping a distance from you, he is trying to see the relationship differently and understand if he really wants to keep this going.
Do guys distance themselves when they like a girl or guy? Yes, if they are not convinced the person loves them as much as they love that person. Some men might like you but don't want to look desperate. They believe you might want to take them for granted.
When a guy acts interested, then backs off, the reason has less likely to do with you and more to do with him. His past experiences could be coming in the way of your romantic dreams. Maybe, he has been abused, cheated on, or deeply hurt by a partner before, and thus, has his guards high up.
Guys flirt with girls they like. He might ask you for your number, then call you the next day. He may act playful, wink, and flash a smile at you. If most of your conversations feel flirty, then odds are that he likes you as more than just a friend.
He may be dating around.
It's possible he's seeing multiple people at once, and even if he really likes you, he might not be ready to stop playing the field. If he doesn't seem to be invested in you, it could just be that his interest is divided among several different people at once.
It takes men an average of 108 days (about 4 months) to confess love and women an average of around 123 days (about 4 months). Research further indicated that both men and women initially begin to think of confessing their love approximately 2 to 2.5 months before doing so. This may have been your experience… or not.
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.
If a boy has a crush on you, then he'll go out of his way to try to impress you. He'll want you to think that he's brave, exciting, cool, or even wacky. The next time you're around the boy who might have a crush on you, see if he starts trying to say or do something that is calculated to impress you.
Guys that are into you often use lots of emojis, text first, or even double text. Watch for in-person signs, like holding eye contact, respectful little touches, or leaning in close. A follow-up text after a date or hangout, or a raincheck when he can't make it are sure signs that he wants to spend more time with you.
Why do guys come on strong and then pull away? They might feel overwhelmed by the intensity of your feelings, or are afraid of commitment. They might even think that you two are no longer compatible or have started seeing someone else.
If he ignores your texts or responds late to your messages, only responds with one-word answers or just emojis, and leaves your text messages on seen, he might be losing interest in the relationship. Is he losing interest or just busy? The best way to know if your partner is busy or losing interest is to ask them.
He's been hurt in the past
Fair enough. This is why his guard might be up, and he is naturally afraid of getting close to anyone again. So when you triggered deep feelings within him, it may have caused him to start acting distant to you. Acting distant is a form of defense mechanism designed to protect himself.
“Usually, it's used to create distance,” Feuerman says. “It's a way to say, 'I'm not totally sure I am into your or not. ' Or, 'I'm not sure if we want the same thing here.” Either way, mixed signals can be used to slow down the pace of the relationship without actually talking about it. (Cue eyeroll.)
Fear of commitment, apprehension of losing control over their lives, or bitter past experiences may be responsible for such behavior. He may need some space before committing and may not be sure if he feels compatible or emotionally connected with you. Your overpowering traits may also worry him.
Our findings show that males walk at a significantly slower pace to match the females' paces (p = 0.009), when the female is their romantic partner. The paces of friends of either same or mixed sex walking together did not significantly change (p>0.05).
When he's falling in love, everything is likely to become about her. He can't stop thinking about her and would rather be spending time with her than doing anything else. He may feel scared about the relationship and where it's headed, or he might just have a comfortable feeling about the entire thing.
Sometimes the stress outside of your relationship becomes so overbearing that you decide you need to put things on hold to focus on it. This can lead a guy to suddenly becoming cold and distant. Make sure you pay attention to what's going on in a guys life outside of his relationship with you.
Sometimes, processing emotions are hard for any gender. But men usually end up withdrawing after experiencing intense emotions. Let them be during this time; they will come back to you when they're ready.
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.