When a Man Pulls Away - Why This Happens and What You Need to Do by Gillian Reynolds

What does it mean when a man pulls away? Women and men have very different answers to that question. A woman will typically tell you that it means that the man in question is having such overwhelming feelings that he needs to take a step back to catch his breath. Men, on the other hand, tell it like it really is. When a guy creates some distance it's because he doesn't know a better way of breaking up with you. Unless you realize this and recognize it, you're not going to have an opportunity to remedy the situation and try and save the relationship.

The very first thing you absolutely must do when a man pulls away is give him the space he needs. Yes, it means he's on the brink of breaking up with you. That's the very reason you need to give him room. If you call him up and ask what's going on or if you go over to his place in an effort to pressure him into telling you why he's acting differently he'll likely end things right there. You don't want that.

If you give him some space to think that will show him that you're secure in yourself and that your life's happiness is not dependant on him. It also allows him time to rethink what he's feeling. Often just a few days worth of no contact between a couple is enough to get the man to realize what he's got in his partner. He senses what life would be like without her and all the problems he felt were present, seem to evaporate.

Once you do reach out to him again, do it completely as a friend. Don't ask him to talk about what he's feeling. Instead be friendly and supportive. Let him see you as someone non-threatening. You don't want him to feel at all like you're going to pounce on him and try and get him to confess what he's feeling. Instead, keep things light. Do things that platonic friends would do and keep all heaviness out of your interactions.

Doing this will help you to keep him interested in that it will allow him to see you in a new light. If you're aware of why he may have been considering a break up, and it has anything to do with your behavior, modify it. Show him that you're different. Even small changes like this can make a tremendous difference in how he feels. He may just reconsider breaking up.