7 Signs Of Being Too Needy In A Relationship & How To Fix It

Being emotionally needy in a relationship is not an issue unless your behavior turns toxic. Neediness can be a perplexing situation. In a relationship, neediness can refer to one partner requiring more attention, emotional support, and reassurance that another partner may view as excessive or overwhelming.

It can be acceptable to some extent at the start of a relationship, which is termed as the honeymoon phase. In this phase, everything seems cool, rosy, and dreamy.

But as days progress, this dependent and needy behavior may affect your relationship. If you recognize yourself with this needy behavior and are confused about what to do to stop it, this article might help you out. Continue reading further to know more about how to handle this kind of feeling, what you can do from your side to combat this behavior. Scroll down to know more about feeling emotionally needy.

7 Signs Of Neediness In Relationships

1. You Are Losing Your Identity And Sense Of Self

If you have been labeled as a clingy girlfriend or boyfriend, it is important to evaluate your behavior and consider how it might be affecting your relationship. Spending time with your better half should not be your only priority. If you are always giving up on the other important aspects of your life just to spend time with your partner, you could be losing your sense of self and might fall prey to low self-esteem. The urge to be with your partner could be so intense that you begin to spend an unreasonable amount of time with them trying to please them, even if they do not feel like it.

A blogger shared her experience of being dependent and needy whenever in a relationship. Whenever in a relationship, she found herself dedicating all her time to thinking about her partner. She changed from being independent to a completely dependent person. In her blog, she writes, “When single, I’d be independent, wild, fierce, and thoroughly detached. However, when I fell in love, I became needy, clingy, extremely attached, and dependent. I’d turn into someone I didn’t recognize, and all of the sudden become the victim who’s in a toxic relationship (i).”

2. You Are Constantly Texting Your Partner

If you think you should constantly text your partner to check on them or share hourly updates, that is a problem. Even constantly asking them about their day or demanding to know their whereabouts is a sign of an unhealthy and extremely demanding relationship. This constant attention-seeking behavior indicates the lack of a codependent bond. If your partner has described you as a clingy boyfriend or a girlfriend, it’s time to take a step back and assess why you might be acting this way.

Quick Tip

Look for apps that can actively stop you from messaging your partner. You may also keep your phone away from you by giving it to someone.

3. Your Friends Know Way Too Much About Your Partner

Constantly thinking or talking about your partner even when you are physically away from them is another sign of neediness. If you keep talking about them with your friends or family, it is a sign to watch out for. You must use the time spent away from your partner to live your own life, do what you like, form new friendships, nurture yourself, and indulge in your hobbies. If your friends say you are increasingly preoccupied with your partner and advise you to maintain a safe and healthy distance, take note of it.

4. You Start Setting Unrealistic Expectations For Your Partner

Because your whole world revolves around them and you associate your sense of self with them, you expect your partner to do everything right. You start expecting your partner to read your mind and understand all your emotions. When these unrealistic expectations are not met, you feel extremely disappointed and might lash out at your partner. This negative communication can cause a rift between you and your partner and affect your relationship.

5. You Are Stalking Your Partner On Social Media

The moment you start relying on social media to know the whereabouts of your partner is when you have begun to compromise on the trust every relationship is built upon. If you feel jealous over the photo your partner posted online with a friend from the opposite gender, it is a matter of concern.

6. You Are Oversharing Details On Social Media

It is okay to keep your close friends and family updated about your love life via social media. But if you begin sharing intimate and personal details of your relationship online, it displays your insecurity and pent-up emotions. If you believe in yourself and your partner, you need to practice validation-seeking from the outside world.

7. You Are Consciously Or Unconsciously Trying To Change Your Partner

This idea of a perfect life partner is an overly romanticized idea often sold by romantic comedies. What happens on-screen is often not possible off-screen. If you have set certain stringent criteria in your mind regarding your partner, it is a sign you are being controlling, possessive, needy, and demanding in your relationship. Your partner is not obligated to fulfill all of your desires and expectations all the time. Excessive dominance might make the other one feel suffocating and brutally enmeshed in their relationship. Even a simple act of you trying to change the way they dress can be unfair for your partner and damaging for your relationship.

We all crave undivided attention from our partner, but seeking it too much indicates past hurt and a lack of trust. Let us try to understand why you might be too clingy below.

Why Am I So Needy For Affection?

Feeling needy for affection can stem from various factors. It might be rooted in a basic human desire for connection and validation. If you have experienced a lack of affection or emotional support in the past, it could contribute to a heightened need for it now. In addition, personal insecurities or low self-esteem might also make you repeatedly seek reassurance and love from others. Life events, such as stress or loneliness, can amplify the need for affection as a form of comfort. Reflecting on these aspects, building self-confidence, and fostering connections with supportive people can help address this need and promote emotional fulfillment.

Continue reading to figure out the reasons behind your neediness in your relationship.

Questions You Need To Ask Yourself

One of the first steps in overcoming neediness is understanding how to stop being insecure in a relationship. Here are some important questions you can ask yourself to understand why you feel needy and if your relationship is fulfilling:

• Are you happy and content with your romantic partner?

• Do you look forward to fulfilling your sexual desires with your partner?

• Do you get upset if your partner does not respond in the way you expected?

• Is the relationship the center of your universe? Do your friends and family approve of your relationship?

• Does it bother you when your partner makes plans without you?

• Do all your travel plans include your partner? Do you feel lonely and insecure while traveling without your partner?

• Do you plan your day around the day-to-day activities of your partner?

• Do you often have conflicts with your partner over not spending enough time together?

• Does your partner reciprocate adequately to your emotional and physical needs?

• Do you often practice approval-seeking from your partner?

• Do you constantly feel the fear of abandonment from your partner?

• Do you feel your past experiences, lack of emotional support, or deep-seated fears have led to feelings of neediness in the relationship?

Quick Tip

Introspection can help you narrow down your inner feelings and help you understand where this excessive neediness is coming from. It may arise due to a lack of self-esteem, distrust, self-doubt, fragile ego, or jealousy.

While these questions can help you understand why you are feeling needy, it is important to get over it. But how do you do it?

How To Get Over Relationship Neediness

If you have recognized that you may have a problem and have willingly taken responsibility for your neediness, you are already halfway through solving the problem. There could be a lot of shame and humiliation associated with admitting that you are too clingy. You can always attempt to resolve these issues and work with determination and honesty to curb your needy tendencies. Here is how you can do it.

1. Use The Right Pronouns: Use ‘Me’ Instead Of ‘We’

Emotional connection and dependency are a mandate for every relationship. But when this connection intensifies to the point that you start referring to yourself as a plural unit, the codependency can be terrifying for your partner. Each individual in a relationship should be allowed to forge an identity and sense of self without any interference from the partner. Adopting a joint identity and using the pronoun ‘we’ can adversely affect a relationship in the long run.

Look back on all the conversations you had with your friends and family regarding your relationship and reflect on how you addressed yourself and your partner. If you notice excessive use of ‘we,’ learn from the previous conversations and try not to make the same mistakes again.

2. Give An Ample Amount Of Space To Your Partner

Have you ever given yourself a chance to be physically away from your partner and miss them? If not, you are missing out on the joy and excitement of meeting after a prolonged duration and celebrating your reunion. This also indicates that you have been clingy and needy in your relationship. Ensure you give space to your partner and respect their decision to spend time alone. Do not take offense if your partners ask you to give them space. This will also allow you to develop as an individual, give you time to deeply evaluate your own needs and desires, and help you focus on your personal growth and interests. Use this time to work on yourself, pursue your favorite hobbies, or catch up with friends and family. Engaging in such activities can leave you with a feeling of independence, joy, and fulfillment, which in turn can enhance your relationship.

3. Ensure Healthy Communication

Communication is the key to every successful and healthy relationship. Allow yourself to communicate freely with your partner and also allow your partner to do the same. This will not only help you avoid unnecessary conflicts but will also help you connect on a deeper and more spiritual level. This deeper connection will also curb your desire to be clingy and always be in the company of your partner. You will be able to pave the way for a mature relationship and strengthen it further.

4. Move In Different Social Circles

The idea of sharing everything in a relationship is very romantic but impractical at the same time. Remember that you both should have your own independent friend circles that can mingle from time to time. Make certain both of you have a safe space individually where you can go and wind off. Having the same group of friends will limit your experiences greatly and not let you grow and evolve as an individual.

5. Try Counseling Or Couple Therapy

Counseling or couple therapy can be a great way to work on relationship problems and seek a solution. Neediness and clinginess are also relationship problems that can be solved through counseling. A good counselor will motivate you to communicate freely with your partner, analyze any past issues or trauma, and help you regain trust in your partner. Counseling can also help you understand your self-worth and take responsibility for your happiness. If you both do not follow the same methods to ensure a healthy relationship dynamic, a counselor/therapist can help you recognize this fact and allow you to embrace it.

People tend to get attached to others in varying degrees. Try identifying yourself with any of these attachment styles to get better clarity about your situation.

Attachment styles

Why do you think solitary confinement is a torture method used in almost all prison and correction facilities? It is because human beings are wired to love, be loved, and form attachments with fellow humans. As we grow up, we form numerous bonds and attachments with other people. However, no two people will have the same attachment styles or ways of showcasing their love. There are three major attachment styles people generally have – secure attachment style, dismissive-avoidant attachment style, and anxious-preoccupied attachment style.

Read on to know which attachment style category you belong to. This will not only help you build a healthy relationship but also enable you to work on your neediness and clinginess.

• Secure Attachment Style

Almost all couples aim to have a secure attachment style as this ensures a healthy relationship, comfortable intimacy, and great satisfaction. This attachment style allows you to trust your partner, be accommodative of their shortcomings, and be responsive to their needs. With this attachment style, even conflicts can be resolved quickly and easily.

• Dismissive-Avoidant Attachment Style

People with dismissive-avoidant attachment style try to avoid relationships completely, or even if they are in a relationship, they find it difficult to engage in it sufficiently. A person with this attachment style might crave the intimacy and security a romantic relationship offers but is too fearful of it and feels vulnerable at times. People with this attachment can be further divided into two categories – dismissive and fearful. Dismissive-avoidant people emotionally distance themselves from their partners entirely, whereas fearful-avoidant people always maintain a safe distance from their better half.

• Anxious-Preoccupied Attachment Style

People with this attachment style take everything their partner does very personally and start associating great anxiety with it. With the tendency to overthink and over plan every small detail, they have high hopes, expectations, and demands from their partner. In such a case, their partner may not be able to fulfill these unrealistic expectations, which can often lead to unhappiness, disappointment, and anxiety in people with an anxious-preoccupied attachment style.

Infographic: Tips On How To Deal With A Needy Partner

We all love spending time with our partners. It helps strengthen the relationship. However, your partner wanting to spend too much time with you may cause issues in the relationship. We have listed a few tips to help you deal with a needy partner. Check out the infographic below to know more.

Illustration: StyleCraze Design Team

Frequently Asked Questions

Are needy and clingy the same thing?

No. If a person tends to stay close to someone for protection or support, they are clingy. But, on the other hand, a person who needs their partner for everything and is not independent is needy.

What are needy behaviors?

The person with needy behavior may have difficulty with separation, anxiety, wanting to spend time together, or seeking compliments.

What does a needy boyfriend mean?

A person who always misses you in an overly needy way.

Stop feeling overwhelmed and take control of your actions and relationships. Check this video to learn a simple trick to stop needy and clingy behavior!

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Joseph MooreCertified Relationship And Life Coach

Joseph Moore is an ace relationship coach and public speaker who started coaching in 2015. Although Joseph is a trained electrical engineer from the University of Chester, he found passion in helping people get it right with their love life.

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Sneha TeteBeauty & Lifestyle Writer

 

Sneha has a master's degree in Applied Linguistics from the University of Hyderabad, a professional Relationship Coach diploma, and over four years of experience in writing. She writes about relationships and lifestyle.Sneha began her career as an instructional designer, shifted to freelance technical and research writing, and self-published a novella on the theme of adolescent mental health.

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Subhrojyoti MukherjeeAssociate Editor

Subhrojyoti is an associate editor at StyleCraze with four years of experience. He has a master’s degree in English from Presidency University, Kolkata, and has also done a post-graduate certificate course in Editing and Publishing from Jadavpur University, Kolkata.

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Gazala Ansari is a beauty and lifestyle writer with two years of experience. She writes on relationships, makeup, and lifestyle and has bachelor's and master's degrees in English literature from the Central University of Jharkhand.

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