Is he too damaged for a relationship? You ask.
There’s this guy you’ve fallen deeply in love with. You felt a strong connection the first time you met.
He’s everything you desire in a man.
But somewhere along the line, you started to feel this barrier between you two.
He draws away from you whenever he starts to lower his guard.
It’s like hiding inside a box.
You love this guy, but he can’t just return your love. He’s terrified of it.
He completely blocks his emotions to protect himself from being hurt. And that’s because he’s been hurt in the past.
Past hurt and rejection have made him turn in and shut down.
This guy keeps things close to his chest, but he only shows you glimpses.
And it scares you.
You’re contemplating: should I move on?
You love him but don’t know if you’re being stupid by holding on to the hope of something he can’t give you.
And you’re looking for signs a broken man loves you.
In this article, I’ll tell you what it means for a man to be emotionally broken; signs a man is emotionally damaged (or signs of an emotionally broken man)
The truth is that an emotionally broken man loves differently.
One thing you should never forget is that just because your boyfriend isn’t able to demonstrate the sort of emotional openness you desire doesn’t mean he doesn’t love you.
An emotionally broken guy is capable of love but may manifest it differently.
It’s essential to effectively recognize his actions so that these displays of affection do not pass you by.
But how do you tell if an emotionally damaged man loves you?
What are the signs of an emotionally broken man?
We’ll look into those shortly, but let’s look at…
4 Signs A Broken Man Loves You
1. He’s Willing To Try And Get Better
Many broken people don’t want to take responsibility for their lives. They blame others for where they are and how their lives turn out.
They blame circumstances for their past hurt.
Basically, they love to play the victim game and aren’t even aware of how it messes up their life and relationship.
However, if you’re dating a guy and he’s taking responsibility and is willing to change things for the better, that’s a sign that a broken man loves you.
The fact that your boyfriend recognizes he’s emotionally broken and that it must be addressed is a massive step in the right direction.
If he’s willing to take responsibility and try to improve himself for you and the relationship, that’s the greatest sign of love he could give.
2. He Tries To Build Up Your Self-Esteem.
In a relationship, it’s natural for a person struggling with low self-worth and poor self-image to try too hard to please their partner in any way possible.
So they try their best to build your self-confidence.
Your boyfriend may say nice things to you, go over and beyond, and all, but what he’s doing with his actions is he doesn’t want you to suffer from the same issues he does.
3. He Put His Best Into The Relationship
Even if your boyfriend’s emotional issues are catching up with him, he still puts on a brave front and tries to be the absolute best of himself while he’s with you.
This is commendable given how difficult it is for him to overcome his problems.
4. He Lets You Lead
Your boyfriend may not feel confident enough to make decisions for your relationship. Still,
He tries to show you that he cares by allowing you to choose the venue for your romantic date or the movie you’ll see the following weekend.
Even though he finds it difficult to express his actual feelings, he is always concerned about your happiness.
Now, loving a broken man isn’t easy.
To know how to love a broken man, you need to understand that it isn’t his fault that he acts this way – especially when he’s trying to improve himself and your relationship.
Your boyfriend’s emotional state could impact how he expresses his affection and love for you.
Below are some reasons why emotionally broken man loves the way he does:
5. Emotional Intimacy Is A Constant Struggle
If you’re dating an emotionally damaged man, know that he’ll find it challenging to open up to you emotionally in the way you may want him to.
And that’s because of his past experiences.
This does not, however, undermine his need for you to reach out to him and meet his emotional needs. But he can’t reciprocate the favor – the way you desire.
6. He Has His Guard Up
Maybe you’ve tried to connect with him, only to meet a brick wall.
If you want to learn how to deal with emotionally broken men, you must understand that they rarely express their emotions no matter how they feel.
On the other hand, some emotionally damaged men may become overly dramatic due to their situation. This particular subset of men develops a high level of sensitivity and irritability.
7. He Believes Everyone Is Out To Hurt Him
This is one of the signs a man is emotionally hurt.
Your boyfriend prefers to keep you at arm’s length rather than allowing you close to his heart because of his past hurt.
As far as he’s concerned, he doesn’t trust you enough to completely open up and reveal his authentic self to you for fear of getting hurt again.
As a result, he defends himself by building his emotional universe. No one, not you, his romantic partner, is allowed inside that world.
By now, you’re probably wondering…
What Does It Mean If A Man Is Broken?
A broken or emotionally damaged man is just a guy who, no matter how badly he wants to, can’t trust people as easily, offer his heart as much as he once could, or give as much.
In other words, he finds it hard to love and receive love.
I’ve coached many women who dated quite a few of these messed-up guys. A pattern emerges for me.
Most of them are in their late 20s, 30s, or even older and are eager to settle down.
These men desire long-term, healthy partnerships.
However, because of their past hurts and pain, they cannot truly love their partners, so they end up making these beautiful women miserable, unhappy, and broken.
That brings me to this vital question: how do you know if a man is emotionally broken?
Signs Of An Emotionally Broken Man
8. He Never Shares His Problems With You
If your boyfriend never says a word about his problems, there’s a good possibility he’s holding them all stored up.
Sadly, bottled-up emotions can be deadly.
At some moment, his inner self will be overwhelmed and erupt. It won’t be a pleasant experience to watch.
And besides, they don’t want to appear weak, so they don’t talk about what’s troubling them.
9. He Seems To Be In Complete Control Of Everything.
From a distance, the emotionally broken man looks normal but looking closer reveals that he is actually struggling against himself.
A man who has experienced emotional trauma attempts to make up for it by portraying a persona that would be challenging for most people to maintain.
Even if it doesn’t seem to be true for all men, most of them seem to fit this description.
Having a spouse who seems to have everything under control is exciting since you’ll have fewer responsibilities to worry about.
Pretending to have everything under control when you’re not is one sign a man is hurt emotionally.
Knowing the signs of an emotionally damaged man can help you spot the problem early on. You can then begin a conversation about how you can assist him.
10. He Often Acts Cold
Undoubtedly, a man who is emotionally damaged might love you intensely but can become distant from you at any time.
He can turn frigid by any situation, regardless how minor it is.
If you want to learn how to love a broken man, this should alert you that he is having problems with his emotions.
It’s a sign that a man is emotionally broken.
This, however, isn’t always indicative of a broken man. You may just be dating an asshole.
Examine the broken man’s past to discover more about what is behind his present behaviors.
Emotional pain causes a broken person to withdraw at the first sign of trouble.
This response is not just exhibited by emotionally wounded men; it is also exhibited by broken women.
11. He Doesn’t Display His Vulnerability
You could probably tell how an emotionally broken man feels even if he does not say those things out loud.
This is due to his inability to acknowledge his feelings and emotions.
A damaged guy is aware that if he lets his emotions out, he will have to deal with them all, including the negative ones, and he isn’t ready for that.
He could be prepared to say what you want to hear, but he tries to hold it back because he doesn’t know how to handle the other feelings that go along with it.
It takes some time to work through this with an emotionally damaged man, but don’t worry—he will emerge from it stronger and better than before.
12. He’s Controlling
A broken man fights a daily war within himself and having a tendency to control can make it worse.
So, if your boyfriend is obsessed with being in charge every time, it indicates he’s emotionally broken.
No one enjoys being dominated. So when you try to resist, he’ll get pissed.
However, boiling on him and calling him out on his behaviors will not fix the situation.
You should take a seat and express yourself clearly. He doesn’t get a pass to treat you like a doll just because he’s broken.
Establish boundaries and make it obvious that you will not accept anything less than the respect you deserve.
You’ll also assist him in dealing with his problems sensibly rather than transferring them to others.
13. He Finds It Hard To Receive Love
Since he’s been hurt in the past, manipulation, abuse, and criticism have characterized the life of an emotionally broken man.
This leads him to believe that everyone is acting the same way, and he has no idea what it’s like to be loved for who he is.
As a result, his reaction to your love will most likely be warped. And that makes it difficult for him to respond to and reciprocate your love.
14. He Doesn’t Trust Easily
An emotionally broken man will be apprehensive about trusting others because of the damage he has suffered.
It would help if you won his trust before he could trust you.
You can’t just walk into a broken person’s life and expect them to trust you.
Trust, like many other things, must be earned with a broken person.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Does It Take A Man Who Has Been Hurt Before To Trust A New Woman?
I’ve realized that we don’t need to “earn” someone’s trust. It is best to give trust until it is broken.
If a guy isn’t ready, capable, or willing to do so, he must figure out why and address his problem.
Sadly, people kind of think that they must offer others something they lack.
While that is a lovely idea, you are never responsible for another person’s fulfillment, happiness, or anything else.
So, the time frame depends on how long the man is willing to let go of his past hurts or experiences and open himself up to new loving experiences with the new woman.
Can An Emotionally Broken Man Be Fixed?
You have a deep love for your boyfriend.
You can easily understand his emotions. You’re always looking for possibilities to give him a second or third chance.
You get pleasure from assisting him, particularly during challenging times. It’s no wonder that you’re drawn to guys who need healing.
Sure, you can help a partner during their healing process, but you aren’t obligated to save him. And you certainly aren’t capable of doing so.
You can love a man who is broken, but you won’t be able to fix him.
Self-hatred in an emotionally broken person cannot be healed by external care and affection.