Do you know one or two guys who always complain about how unhappy they are in their relationship and how they’re stressed by it?
He keeps complaining and makes no effort to leave the relationship.
You begin to ask yourself, “But why do guys stay in unhappy relationships?”
If he’s so unhappy, why hasn’t he ended things with his partner?
In most cases, the reasons why men remain in unhappy relationships are similar to the reasons why women remain in unhappy relationships.
Here are some of the most common reasons guys stay in unhappy relationships:
13 Reasons Guys Stay In Unhappy Relationships
1. He’s afraid of change
Truth be told, no one derives joy from bringing uncertainty and chaos into their lives.
But then, wanting nothing to change in your way of life is just a fable that keeps setting us up against the real workings of the world.
And that’s such a lame foundation for a romantic relationship.
He may be afraid of change, but it should not be so.
It’s not wise to allow the anxiety attached to change to stop you from moving on with your life when the time is right.
2. He’s feeling fuzzy about the relationship
Some guys tend to be sentimental when it comes to relationships.
If a guy has been intimate with a lady or has been in a relationship with her for a long time, he’ll feel loyal and indebted to being in a relationship with her.
So, rather than looking at the relationship in its present state, he’ll keep seeing the relationship as it was in the early days.
He’ll remain in the relationship primarily to reminisce on the good times.
What’s happening to him is that he can’t seem to let go of the initial picture of the woman he’s with and face reality.
This way, he keeps himself stuck in an unending cycle of unhappiness.
3. He’s afraid of having a fall-out
There are only a few things in life that are more heartbreaking and painful than going separate ways with someone you’ve been dating for some time.
Normally, the process of a breakup gets more painful and difficult with the amount of time you spend together; the longer, the harder.
Sadly, many men remain in unhappy relationships for long periods because they’re afraid of the pain of breaking up and moving on.
Although there are a million and one reasons to remain in a relationship, the fear of having a fallout should not be one of them.
4. He thinks that he has no other options
The fear of the unknown is a powerful booster for people as well as relationships.
If a man thinks he can’t find any other relationship aside from the one he’s already in, he can remain stuck in an unhappy relationship.
He’ll keep going back out of desperation and loneliness if he feels that no other woman will agree to be with him.
For most men, it’s a case of the devil you know is better than the angel you don’t.
5. He’s afraid of being alone
When you make up your mind to move on from an unhappy relationship, then you should know that getting into a new relationship that’s as bad as the former is not the only thing that can happen.
You need to spend some time on your own instead of jumping straight into a new relationship from the unhappy one.
While it may sound like a good idea to some men, many of them are afraid of being alone in reality.
Some people prefer spending time with the wrong person to spending time alone.
If you decide to make some changes to your romantic life, you might just be going into a season of peace.
All you need to do is just do it and believe it won’t last forever.
6. He loves her and remains hopeful
Everyone who has had any relationship experience will know that there’s no perfect relationship.
At some point, nerves will be frayed, and while frustration is one of the baggage of being in a relationship, giving up easily is not the way to go.
A guy remains in an unhappy relationship because he’s hopeful that things will get better and not worse.
He knows that he needs to fix the mistakes that are coming from him and handle the relationship at hand instead of moving to the next available woman because he’ll keep repeating those mistakes and ending up back at square one.
7. He’s scared of starting the dating process all over
Dating, for most men, is a stressful venture, especially if they have not been in the dating pool for some time.
Although it can be exciting to meet new people, dating entails putting yourself at the mercy of the expectations of a stranger and also having no guarantee that she’ll meet yours.
When you play out the possible scenarios in your head, they can be scary enough to make you remain in an unhappy relationship rather than take a shot at dating anew.
Anything can happen when you’re dating, including the possibility of finding your life partner.
Life is all about taking risks.
You can’t find out if you don’t have the boldness to step out of your comfort zone and try at least.
8. He thinks of what he stands to lose
Some men remain in unhappy relationships because of what they stand to lose if they call it quits, and it’s quite sad.
The rewards might even be psychological or emotional and not just physical.
It can also be that you believe that you don’t deserve better.
If you’re always developing cold feet whenever you want to make a decision that’ll change the course of your romantic life, look deep within yourself and find out what you stand to lose when you end your current relationship.
They may be why you’re still in that unhappy relationship.
You can create any future you want for yourself.
Do not let the fear of losing anything stop you from moving on to greater heights.
9. Financial Concerns
If a guy is financially dependent on his partner or if the thought of dividing assets in a breakup is daunting, he may feel trapped in the relationship and decide to endure.
Financial stability is an important aspect of our lives and can be a major factor in why a guy may decide to stay in a relationship that makes him miserable.
I tell people, ”Whoever controls your finances controls your life.”
So, if a guy is dependent on his girlfriend or even living with her, it will be hard for him to feel empowered and confident enough to say, ”I’m leaving.”
Except he doesn’t mind being homeless.
10. He’s Under Social pressure
The influence of family and friends can also be a major factor in why a guy stays in an unhappy relationship.
If his family and friends are expecting him to stay, he will feel pressure to do so, particularly if they have been together for a long time and families are already involved.
He might also feel guilty for ending the relationship and causing everyone pain, or he may be scared of being judged or viewed negatively by his social circle for leaving a woman who is seen as a victim.
11. Lack of Self-Confidence
If a guy doesn’t believe he can do better or doesn’t feel worthy of a better relationship, he may stay in an unhappy relationship.
We usually think only women struggle with self-esteem issues, but it’s not true.
Men can also suffer from low self-confidence and have difficulty believing they deserve a healthy relationship.
He might worry that he won’t find someone better or that no one else will want him, so he stays in an unhappy relationship out of fear rather than courage.
12. Guilt or Obligation
If a guy feels guilty about leaving his partner or feels like he owes her something, he may stay in the relationship even if he is unhappy.
Guilt or obligation is a powerful motivator of our actions and inactions.
A guy may also feel obligated to stay if his partner has supported him, even though he knows it’s not healthy to remain in the relationship any longer.
He dreads hearing, ”After everything I have done for you?”
13. Children
If a couple has children, a guy may feel a sense of responsibility to stay in the relationship for the kids’ sake.
He may think staying together is better than having his children grow up in a broken home.
Conclusion
As you can see, various factors can make a guy stay in an unhappy relationship.
Sometimes, even with all the good reasons listed above, he might still not have a good reason.
But if you’re still wondering why he’s still stuck in the relationship, know that he thinks he has a good reason.