In general, love, care, attachment, and little dependency on your partner are good for your relationship. But if it gets to the extreme, it is specified as clinginess in a relationship.
Clinginess in a relationship
Clinginess in a relationship means depending too much on your partner for every little thing. And even having too much attachment. This attachment is more of the anxious type, where the person has an issue with low self-esteem and tries to stay too close to their partner. That clingy nature also gives them a sense of insecurity and anxiety when their partner is not around.
Let’s look at some of the following examples, which will help you understand the actions of a clingy person:
- They try not to let go of their partner anywhere without them.
- Calling their partner so many times.
- Getting nervous or panicky if their partner is not responding to their texts or calls.
- Feel insecure as their partner goes out with their friends and colleagues.
- Always want reassurance from their partner about how he or she feels for them.
- Have controlling behavior, and much more.
Impact of clinginess in a relationship
Now, let’s talk about its impact on a relationship. Well, if you behave a little clingy in a relationship, that seems ok. But too much of it (either from your side or from your partner’s side) proves bad for your relationship. If that clingy behavior goes on for longer, it can create frustration, irritation, and conflicts in a relationship, which affects your bond and connection with your partner. If any of you—either you or your partner—behave clingily with your partner, then you need to give it some thought and try to resolve this as soon as possible.
Tips to overcome clinginess in a relationship
Let’s look at some tips that may help you overcome clinginess in a relationship, as follows:
TALK ABOUT IT WITH YOUR PARTNER:
When you learn about your anxiety and clinginess in a relationship, you’d better sit down and have an open conversation with your partner. But before that, try to figure out why you are behaving this way, i.e., it may be due to some experience in a relationship; you may have seen parent conflicts and fights when you were a kid, etc. Then explain the reason for this behavior to your partner. By better understanding the reason and putting your efforts together, it gets easier for you to overcome this clinginess in a relationship. So don’t hesitate, and get the help of your partner to change your clingy behavior.
KEEP YOURSELF BUSY:
If you are free and do nothing all the time, you tend to behave even more clingily in a relationship. So better keep yourself busy and try to indulge in some activities. Whenever you feel like calling or texting your partner when he or she is not around because of anxiety, you better try to distract your mind by doing one thing or another.
Look at the things that make you feel happy and good, and then start doing them regularly. The list of things to distract your mind is just too long, like cooking, going shopping, doing exercise, learning new dance moves, practicing yoga, listening to music, going for a long drive, and many more. Keep trying and picking from the list of things that work for you to overcome clinginess in a relationship.
GIVE YOUR PARTNER SOME SPACE:
By depending too much on your partner, you hardly give him or her some space or “me” time to relax and revive. And that increases the frustration and conflicts in a relationship. So better give your partner some space and let him or her do whatever he or she likes. This is very important for a better relationship and better bonding. And meanwhile, you too try to handle your things by yourself and start having fun without your partner. Before being a couple, you two are individuals. So try to enjoy alone time as well as together time.
LOOK AT YOUR OWN GOALS AND DREAMS:
Due to your clingy behavior, your every thought surrounds your partner. And you may forget about what your dreams, desires, and goals in life are. Think about it and look at ways to pursue and achieve your dreams. Come on, work on it! And see how happy and satisfied you start feeling about yourself.
Actually, by realizing the purpose of your life, it becomes easier for you to stop thinking these useless thoughts. And as you are talking about relationships, don’t try to bind each other; instead, be each other’s support system. That also helps increase your self-esteem and confidence in a relationship, which works great to overcome clinginess in a relationship.
GO OUT AND SOCIALIZE WITH YOUR FRIENDS:
Going out and spending some time with your friends has a huge impact on your behavior, as company matters a lot. Just make sure you spend time with people who are open-minded and have broad thinking so that you get to learn a lot from them. And even then, it also helps to change your behavior. The more you socialize with good, open-minded people, the more you become open-minded.
So don’t stay home all the time. Go out, meet new people, and get the experience you need to keep your relationship healthy and successful. Also, go for a walk and spend some time in nature to calm your mind and reduce your anxiety.
GET PROFESSIONAL HELP:
If you’ve tried everything on your own and still can’t stop being possessive, you should get help from a professional. There is no big deal about getting help, so don’t hesitate. The professionals will help you figure out the root cause of your clingy behavior and then work on it to help you get over it.
The professional or therapist also suggests various other ways and tips to reduce clinginess in a relationship. With a better understanding, it gets easier for you to deal with this situation. So think about it and take steps accordingly.
