How to Not Be Obsessive over a Guy

Co-authored by Liana Georgoulis, PsyD

Last Updated: February 17, 2023 References

Do you feel like guys often break up with you for no reason? It could be that you are being too obsessive over your man. However, it doesn't have to be this way. You can learn to be in a relationship with a guy without basing your life around him.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Being an Independent Person

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Have your own friends. Don't be the girl who forgets all about her friends every time she gets in a relationship. If it doesn't work out with this guy, you're going to need your friends to be there for you when it's over. But even more than that, guys are interested in girls who have their own lives apart from them. Let him see that you have friends and that other people enjoy spending time with you.^{[1]
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Go to source} This will make him want to spend more time with you too.^{[2]
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2
Make plans without him. There's nothing more attractive to a guy than a girl who doesn't need him. Don't be available to him every second of every day. Make plans with other people and live your life. This kind of behavior is what attracted him to you in the first place.
- Call your girlfriends and go to the movies. Volunteer at your church. Do whatever you want to do with your time so that he'll feel special when you're able to spend time with him.
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3
Don't wait for him to call. There's nothing more unappealing to a guy than knowing a girl is sitting at home waiting for him to call. It can seem a little desperate. If you want to stay home, that's fine. But don't tell him you are staying home in case he calls.
- If he said he might call you tonight, don't wait around to find out. That's what cell phones are for. He can reach you while you're out doing something. And then if he doesn't call, you didn't waste a whole night waiting around on him. Then you won't be mad and he won't feel the pressure you would have otherwise put on him.
4
Be more assertive. Assertiveness can be a very attractive quality. It involves setting healthy boundaries and expectations. This means that you should know what you want and you should take steps to go after it. Don't let other people (your man included) dictate the direction of your life.
- It's okay to be agreeable, but make sure that you have your own opinions so that people don't walk all over you.
5
Make your own decisions. Even if you are in a committed relationship, you are still in charge of your own life. You can still make your own decisions – small ones like where you want to eat dinner, and big ones like where you should go to college. Take responsibility for yourself and don't let your decisions revolve around another person.^{[3]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Respecting His Space

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Be respectful of his time. Remember that he is a person with a life and needs just like you are. Remember that when you are thinking about his behavior. He probably values his sleep, so try not call him in the middle of the night expecting him to pick up. Think of how you'd feel if he did the same to you.
- If you really need him – like in the case of a family emergency – don't get upset if he doesn't answer. Leave him a message and give him the opportunity to call you back
- Calling or texting over and over is a sure way to make your guy annoyed with you and think you are obsessed.^{[4]
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2
Don't make assumptions or accusations. Try to be thoughtful, not assuming. If he is talking to another girl, don't jump to conclusions. He may just be trying to be nice to her. Instead of confronting him about an idea that he is cheating, just remind him why he started dating you in the first place with something thoughtful like a note, a loving phone call, etc.^{[5]
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- Remember that you talk to other guys besides him. You are both allowed to interact with other people.
3
Don't expect him to spend all his time with you. You both had lives and interests before you met – that's part of what attracted you to each other in the first place. Don't expect him to give that all up for you. He still needs to spend time with his friends and do activities he enjoys.
- Let him have a night out with the guys. It'll be good for him to spend some time with his friends and it'll give him a chance to miss you.
- Healthy couples don't spend all of their time together. You need outside interests to keep yourselves sane and happy.
4
Don't violate his privacy. A solid relationship requires trust. If you violate that trust by checking up on your man, he might interpret that as obsessive behavior. But more importantly, snooping once will only lead you to want to snoop some more. And then you will be caught in a cycle of negative behavior.^{[6]
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- Avoid looking through his cell phone, checking his Facebook, or reading his private emails, no matter how tempting it might be to snoop.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Respecting Yourself

1
Don't make everything revolve around him. Don't put posters of him in your room or your locker, and don't have random mementos with his face on it. Be yourself – have your own interests and hobbies instead of instantly liking things just because he does.
2
Get involved in things you enjoy. Whether it's joining a sports team at school or picking up cross-stitching, you need to let yourself enjoy the things that made you happy before this guy came into your life. Renew your interest in your old hobbies and start doing things that you love.^{[7]
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3
Stop stressing about the relationship. If it is meant to be, it will happen. If you two are supposed to end up together, you will. Stressing about the details and making yourself crazy with this obsession will not guarantee his love. In fact, it might ensure that you lose it. When you admit that you're not in control of everything and allow your relationships to develop more naturally, you will find yourself surrounded by people who love you and fulfill you in a much more powerful way.^{[9]
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4
Redirect your obsessive thoughts. When you find yourself obsessively thinking about him, don't give in to those thoughts. Do something to take your mind off of him. Dwelling on these kinds of thoughts is a negative behavior that will lead to more unhappiness. And the longer you allow yourself to give in to these thoughts, the harder the habit will be to break eventually.^{[10]
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- Try calling a friend or finishing your homework. Start on a fun project you've been putting off. Or you could even turn on the television to distract yourself.

Warnings

When a guy calls you obsessive behind your back to his friends, instead of confronting you about it, he definitely needs to be let go. Even if you're the one who was messing up, that is no way to treat anybody.

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If he calls you obsessive, don't agree! Walk away, give him some space, and rethink how you treat him.

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