Love can make people go crazy having the same effect on the mental faculties just like drugs do. While things start sweet initially, it may turn your lover into an overprotective and dominating so much so that you find it difficult to breathe. There is a thin line between a man being protective and one being overprotective in a relationship. Dominance in the relationship can curtain all your freedom and enslave you.
Sometimes it is difficult to analyse if this is love or plain controlling behaviour. You may turn a blind eye to all the signs when your relationship is still in the nascent stage as you are so much into him. While love can come with its own set of negative emotions like jealousy and tendency to overpower the other person, it is unhealthy if you are manipulated and made to feel guilty about every move that you make. Here are a few signs that your boyfriend is dominating over you even if you don’t realise it:
He won’t respect your space
A dominating boyfriend will never respect that space that you need as an individual. To him you are his pawn and he will try and use you to his own benefit. Your social life frustrates him for he wants you all to himself and doesn’t approve of the company that you keep. He has been caught trying to stalk you in public and disrespects your private space. You are answerable to him for every move that you make. At the end of the day you feel weak and powerless.[ Read: How to deal with a dominating partner?]
He mistrusts you
Trust is the foundation of a healthy relationship. A dominating boyfriend just doesn’t trust you with anyone other than himself. He gets very suspicious when you talk to anyone of the opposite gender. The fact that you likeable and you easily attract people to yourself gets him green with jealousy. And if someone proposes to you he makes you feel guilty about it as if someone else liking you was completely your fault. [Read: 6 Reasons why your boyfriend can’t trust you!]
He wants all your attention
He hates to leave you anywhere with anyone. He expects your day to start with him and end with him. If you express your desire to do something all on your own, he has his list of questions ready. He makes you feel like only he can keep you safe and you are completely incapable of taking care of yourself. While this may feel great to those women who seek emotional refuge in the partners, it will surely get suffocating with time when you too will want some space to do things that you like with people other than your partner. Basically he expects you to worship him at all times. [Read: Do you crave constant attention from men?]
He needs you at a moment’s notice
He consumes so much of your life that he cannot imagine you not being there when he needs you. It doesn’t matter to him whether you are doing something important or that which matters to you. Even before you give an exclusivity to the relationship he already behaves like he owns you and this is especially true if you have an active social life and you know too many people of the opposite sex. If you miss his call or respond to his texts late, he gets mad and treats you like trash or displays a passive aggressive behaviour. [Read: How to deal with your partner’s silent abuse?]
He is never convinced of your love
A dominating boyfriend is so insecure that you will always have to keep proving to him that you love him enough. No matter what you do, he is still insecure. He is hot at times and then gets cold without any specific cause. While he shows you that he is proud of you, in a second’s notice he acts like those very things irritate him. This leaves you confused and mentally pressurised. You just don’t know what more to do to show your feelings for him. When you stay secluded he feels great and when you exercise your independence he is ready to pounce on you. [Read: 5 Signs this person you are dating is terrible!]
He blames you for everything
Whatever you do is never good enough. You go through an immediate guilt trip when you see him sad and angered. While he may not choose to directly confront you about what is bothering him, his comments and reactions will make you feel like you should take the blame for his behaviour. Sometimes he gets so crazy that he starts ranting, sulking and cribbing. [Read: 6 Signs your partner is trying to control you!]
He has unpredictable mood swings
He is easily angered and saddened. It is difficult for you to understand how he might react to anything. Juts to maintain some stability in the relationship you may want to stay away from things that anger him but this isn’t too sustainable in the long run. [Read: 8 Signs your partner tries to manipulate you!]
