How to deal with a jealous partner

@Porcospino (31366)
Denmark
June 12, 2012 2:35pm CST
My husband is very jealous and sometimes I don't know how to handle the situation. When we meet another man he immediately thinks that he is interested in me and that he wants to take me away from him. If another man talks to me or just looks at me my husband gets jealous. I tell him that I only love him and that he has nothing to worry about, but he doesn't believe me and he keeps saying that other men are interested in me. If we have an argument he always tells me that I ought to return to my ex-boyfried, because he is more perfect than him (in his his opinion) I don't know how many times I have told him that I don't want to go back to my ex-boyfriend and I am getting tired of repeating it all the time. My husband is very insecure and he thinks that other men are more attractive and interesting than him. Do you have or have you had a jealous partner? Do have any advice for me?
4 people like this
26 responses
• United States
12 Jun 12
He's loves you and is afraid to lose you. You mean the world to him and he would do anything to keep your relationship alive. Your guy's just trying to protect you from harm. I was like this, too...
2 people like this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
13 Jun 12
You are right about that. He loves me and he is afraid of losing me. He often says that he doesn't know what he would do if he lost me and it is extremely important to him that we stay together. I have told him many times that I don't plan on leaving him, but he is still afraid that I will find another man who is more attractive or interesting. I love my husband and I am not leaving him, but it is hard for him to believe me, probably because he feels incesure and has a low self-esteem.
@mikyung (2232)
• Philippines
12 Jun 12
Jealousy is perfectly normal to a relationship. But too much of it can ruin that relationship. My wife and I, have plenty of that. But I think, now, we are both in control of this situations. During our early years together, I admit, we fight almost everyday regarding petty and big things, I think one of this is about jealousy. But as time goes by, we already sorted things out. For me, I always show her everyday how much I love her, a simple "love you" goes a long way. We can change the way our partners feel by trying to show them in action(directly or indirect ways) that really care for them, this way, we may be able to convince them that they are our one and only loved. Direct way can be giving flowers an example. Remembering anniversaries may be indirect way. I know, this is a challenge for you both and it takes two to tango. Hope everything will be alright. Good luck.
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
13 Jun 12
That is a very good point. I think it is important to show our partners directly and indirectly that we love them. Your response inspired me to find new ways that I can show my husband that I love him. I have told him that many times, but I think that I could find other ways of showing him that instead of just saying it with words. I will keep that in mind
• United States
15 Jun 12
All I can think to suggest is sit him down, look him straight in the eye and tell him Why you love him! I mean everything your ex is not and can never be.tell him being jealous makes you feel that he doesn't trust you , Not the men. And tell him you Want him. If you didn't you wouldn't have married him!Good Luck.
1 person likes this
• United States
25 Jun 12
I wish there was a way to tell him. The one thing I know that says Exactly what you need him to hear is an older country song called That was a river. A guy explains to his new love that his old love was a river, and his new love is the ocean. It is a lovely ballad. But I don't know it it would work. Oh Well.
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
25 Jun 12
That is a good point. There is a reason why I have chosen to marry him, and I wouldn't have done that if he wasn't the person that I would like to spend the rest of my life with. I wish that I could convince him that there is a reason why I am with him and not my ex-boyfriend. My ex-boyfriend and I had a long relationship in the past, but it is over now, and I don't want to go back to that time. My husband really doesn't have a reason to be jealous, and I am tired of repeating the same things all the time, but I have never thought about leaving him.
1 person likes this
@jdyrj777 (6530)
• United States
13 Jun 12
I used to have a bf like that. I would tell him that if the other guys see how jealous he is that may spark a interest coz the guy will wonder why he is so jealous and make them want me too. So who cheated in that relationship? He did. So maybe they are thinking what they would do if they had the opportunity. It is insecurity that makes people be jealous and causes them to cheat too. Very unfortunate you had to marry someone like that. You can do all you can to try to boost his ego to help him believe he is good enough but its really up to him to work on that within hisself. Good luck.
1 person likes this
@jdyrj777 (6530)
• United States
25 Jun 12
You can spend the rest of your life trying to boost his ego. But its him that needs to boost his own ego. All you can do is keep re-assuring him of your love.
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
22 Jun 12
I wonder how my husband would react if I said the same thing to him. I might try that, because I know that he doesn't want other guys to become interested in me. That is one of things that scares him most of all. My husband is very insecure and he doesn't think that he is good enough or attractive enough. I have told him many times that I love him the way that he is and that I have chosen him, because he is the person that I want to spend the rest of my life with, but it is hard for him to believe that I really love him the way that he is. I agree with the last thing that you wrote. I can try to boost his ego in any way that I can think of, it is really up to him to work on it. He is the one who has to learn to believe me.
@allknowing (130066)
• India
13 Jun 12
Jealousy is a disease and needs to be treated that way. In homoeopathy there are remedies for such situations. A meeting with a counselor would also be a good idea. I see that you truly love him. You should try and save your marriage.
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
19 Jun 12
Yes, I really love him. I have had other relationships before we met, but he is the person that I want to spend the rest of my life with. He is always afraid of losing me, but I am not interested in other men and I wish that he would understand that. You mentioned that there are remedies for that kind of situation in homoeopathy, I didn't know that, I will try to find some information about that. I have also thought a counselor, we don't have money for that at the moment, but it would be an option if we are unable to solve the problem on our own.
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
19 Jun 12
Thanks for the link I didn't read all of it yet, but I already noticed several things that I recognize from my husband. I will return later and read the rest of it.
@allknowing (130066)
• India
19 Jun 12
Here is a link that might help you: http://www.homeopathyandmore.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1779
1 person likes this
@ryanong (9665)
• Vietnam
13 Jun 12
My bf is very jealous when i go out to have a coffee meeting with friends. he knows well that i never keep contact with ex- but he is still jealous about it. He told me that i am so attractive to men so that he feels very insecure when i meet any man...Grrr...this time, i still go to meet my friends because he is not around me whole day... but i don't tell him about my meeting more. Then nothing happens, no jealousy, no blame from him anymore.... It is simply a friend meeting, so that it is not bad when i don't tell him about it.
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
19 Jun 12
I can relate to that, because my husband also gets jealous of my friends. There really isn't anything to be jealous about, they are nothing but friends, but he still gets jealous. I have some male friends from the time before I met my husband. One of them has been my friend for many years. We know eachother really well, and we have travelled together as friends, but we have never been more than friends. He has a girlfriend and I have introduced them to my husband. Sometimes the 4 of us are together, and my husband is jealous of him. He has a girlfriend and he is not interested in me, but my husband is still jealous.
@ryanong (9665)
• Vietnam
20 Jun 12
Oh, then your husband is quite over jealous i think...it is not easy for me to live with it...
1 person likes this
@KrauseHome (36448)
• United States
19 Jun 12
Personally I do not have a Jealous husband, and am quite glad of that. Since I work as a Dispatcher for a Cab company, I am around more men than women, and always talking to a lot of them. When I first met my husband I sold at our local Swap Meet aka Flea Market that has long closed down. I have always had more Men friends in my life, and if my husband would have been jealous back then he and I would have never married. But for you it could be a Trust issue. Maybe he feels insecure about himself and afraid he is not Good enough for you, and you will meet someone else and want to leave. You need to find ways to help him get over this, and show him you Love him and he is the one you come home too each day. When they realize there is this much Love maybe then he can slack down some when you are talking to another man.
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
25 Jun 12
I think it is true that my husband feels unsecure, and he is afraid that I will find another man who is more attractive than he is, but I am not looking for other men at all. When we meet another man he immediately thinks that he is interested in me, but he has nothing to worry about. My husband thinks that other men are more attractive or interesting than him. I have told him many times that I have chosen him and that I don't want anyone else, and I hope that he will learn to believe me.
@maximax8 (31053)
• United Kingdom
14 Jun 12
Your husband insecure and it is awful he says you should go back to your ex-boyfriend because he was perfect in every argument. It is awful that he believes other men are better looking than him. He needs to be told that he is interesting and attractive. You must tell him to totally trust you speaking to another man because he is the only one for you. You should tell him or ex-boyfriend is in your past and not ever your future. When I dated my ex-boyfriend he was jealous and unreasonable about my male friend. I met up with my male friend and went for a walk. He said he booked a holiday with his female friend after the first walk. I told him he had no reason to be jealous because that man was just my friend. My ex-boyfriend used to quiz me with giving him a score out of ten how good looking he was. When I had a meeting at the manor house for my teaching job he got suspicious. Good luck with making your husband feel more secure and less jealous.
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
22 Jun 12
I hope that my husband will learn to understand that my ex-boyfriend belongs to the past. We had a long relationship before I met my husband, but it is over now and I haven't even spoken to my ex-boyfriend for two years. My husband is very insecure and when he compares himself to my ex-boyfriend he thinks that my ex-boyfriend is more perfect than him in every way, but that isn't true. Our relationship wasn't perfect and he has no reason to be jealous of the past. I have told him many times that I am happier today than I was in the past, but he still feels that he isn't attractive enough. My husband does the same thing as your ex-boyfriend, he also asks me to give him a score and tell him how good looking he is and he asks me to compare him to my ex-boyfriends and rate his appearance compared to their appearance, but he doesn't believe me when I say that I find him attractive.
@bellis716 (4799)
• United States
15 Jun 12
Tell your husband, ":So what if another man is interested. It only means that you have good taste in women."
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
22 Jun 12
I will try that next time
@aerous (13434)
• Philippines
19 Jun 12
Jealousy is a matter of protecting our love sometimes but if the jealousy is not justified that is not good enough. To deal with that person you need to be careful on something you do. Better to show to that person that you love him/her and don't show something that make her/him jealous
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
25 Jun 12
I think it is true that my husband wants to protect our love, and he is very scared of losing of me. I think that the problem is the way that my husband interprets the things that happens. I try to avoid things that might make him jealous, but he often misunderstands the things that happens for instance when a male acquaintance talks to us. I don't flirt with him at all, but when he talks to us I reply in a polite way, I don't have any hidden intentions and I don't think that he has any hidden intentions either, but my husband thinks thay only talks to us because he is interested in me and because he wants to take me away from him.
• United States
19 Jun 12
Validation, validation, and more validation! Make sure to boost his ego on a continual basis letting him know how handsome he is and how wonderful he is. Jealousy has everything to do with insecurity...I should know, I have SEVERE jealousy issues. My fiance always tells me how beautiful I am and how lucky he is to have me...That definitely helps it a lot.
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
26 Jul 12
Thanks for sharing your experience. I think it is true that jealousy has a lot to do with insecurity. My husband is very insecure and he doesn't think that he is attractive enough and interesting enough. He always compares himself to other men and he thinks that they are more attractive than him in any way. It is not true at all and I have told him that, but it is hard for him to believe me. I will try to boost his ego more often, and I hope that it will help him just like it helps you.
@chicgale (2982)
• Philippines
12 Jun 12
Your husband is very insecure. He has to stop his insecurities because it is not healthy for your relationship. It is normal to get jealous sometimes, but not too much! You gotta talk to your husband heartily. Tell him that he has to stop that. Tell him how much you love him and he has to believe that.
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
13 Jun 12
Yes, he is very insecure, and he doesn't believe that he is good enough, attrative enough, successful enough etc. I have told him many times that I love very much and that I don't intend to find someone else, but it is hard for him to believe me. He wants to keep me away from every man online and offline. He wants to decide how I use Mylot, and he tells me to delete every man from my friend list and avoid every discussion started by a man and generally don't talk to anyone but women. I told him that I refuse to do that. I want to keep my male friends, they are friends and nothing else.
1 person likes this
@chicgale (2982)
• Philippines
13 Jun 12
Wow, that is bad. That's not good for your relationship. I used to have a jealous partner long time ago and we broke up even though I really loved him, but he was the one who created the problem until I get fed up.
1 person likes this
@Suebee (2013)
• Canada
12 Jun 12
Oh Boy! It sounds like you are living my life! Or my previous relationship anyway. My ex-husband was so incredibly jealous I couldn't stand it. I couldn't make a move without him accusing me of seeing someone else or flirting etc. Even if I went out with my girlfriends I would look up and there he was, following me. It is definitely NOT a healthy relationship! Even though he says he loves you, I have news for you both. Jealousy is never a part of love. Jealousy has exactly the opposite effect than the jealous person wants. It actually drives people away. I got to the point where I just couldn't stand it. I was married to this very insecure, jealous and yes abusive man for 24 years until I got up the courage to leave. And yes, I left him for another man. I am now married to the most wonderful man in the world who does not have a jealous bone in his body. It is such a different kind of relationship where jealously just does not exist and it makes all the difference in the world.
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
12 Jun 12
I am happy to hear that you don't have to deal with a jealous partner in your current relationship. It is hard to live with someone who is very jealous. Your ex-husband sounds a lot like my husband. He also likes to follow me and if I am going to meet my girlfriends he wants to come along. He is even jealous at my activity on Mylot!! He wants me to delete every man from my friend list and avoid every discussion started by a man. I refuse to do that. It is kind of ironic, but what you say is true, jealousy has the opposite effect. The jealous person is afraid of losing their partner, but sometimes they lose their partner because of their jealousy and their jealousy creates the exact situation that they wanted to avoid. I don't think about leaving my husband, but his jealosy bothers me. I have to listen to same kinds of comments over and over, and it makes me very frustrated.
@Suebee (2013)
• Canada
12 Jun 12
My ex did the same thing with Facebook. I couldn't have any male friends on my friends list. Of course I ignored him but it led to a lot of fights and arguments. Jealous men are so controlling and so afraid that it is actually pathetic.
1 person likes this
@dansazz (1058)
• United States
12 Jun 12
I have the same problem, but it is somewhat of a two way street for me. We both get jealous. My wife gets ridiculous about it. If she sees a woman that she deems attractive, even if I don't even see her, she says I'm checking her out. Then she tells me that she don't care just not to lie about it, when I'm not lying. I have some trust issues with her because she cheated on me in the past, and so the both of us deal with some jealousy issues.
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
13 Jun 12
My husband also thinks that I am looking at other men, but that has nothing to so with the truth. He thinks that I am looking for men online and offline. That is not true at all, I love my husband and I am not interested in other men. It is a bit like you the experience with your wife - I get accused of a doing something that I don't do. I have told him so many times that I don't want to find another man, but he is still insecure. I undertand that you find it hard to trust your wife when she has cheated on you in the past, I think that I would feel the same way.
• United States
13 Jun 12
lol..I had a similar experience. Their is a way do deal with a cheater..forgive. As long as they are genuinly interested in changing.
1 person likes this
• United States
13 Jun 12
My exhusband was extremely insecure, and it was so trying to deal with him! I was recovering from a stroke and my PTs suggested I join a gym, so I did. It was summer so I'd go wearing a shirt and shorts, and tie my hair up because it would get hot and sweaty. He accused me of going to the gym to meet men! Yet he went to Lollapalooza (a music festival) with a pretty SINGLE female coworker instead of me! I was pissed that he agreed to go first but didn't let me know immediately, but didn't accuse him of cheating. I put up with his nonsense for 10 years, pushed for a divorce the following year and was 'free' a year later. Because we have a child together, I'm forced to interact with him, but I try to limit my exposure to his nonsense to as little as possible. As for your situation, I'm not sure if you could convince him that he's the only man in your life because HE'S the one that needs to change.
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
20 Jun 12
I recognize some of the things that you wrote. I also get accused of things that I didn't do and my husband I thinks that I intend to meet other men and he thinks that I wear nice close in order to attract other men. That is not true at all and I don't have any plans about that, unfortunately he finds it hard to believe that. I love him and I don't plan on leaving him. It is true that he is the one who needs to change, and I think that the problem is his insecurity. He thinks that he isn't good enough and he thinks that other men are more attractive than him. I have told him many times that I only want him, but he doesn't really believe it because he feels that he isn't good enough.
@derek_a (10874)
14 Jun 12
As a therapist, I have counselled many couples who had big issues with jealousy. It comes from insecurity, as you have said with your husband. A fear of loss of your love for him. It is usually deeply ingrained within the personality of the person who suffers this, and takes time to handle. I would advise you to find a therapist or counsellor that could support you in coming through this, as it can be very destructive in a relationship. Your husband would probably need to realize first, before attending counselling that he is not happy the way he is, and neither are you. Constant reassurance usually doesn't work, but talking about it with another person of trust, can resolve the issues and allow your husband's confidence of your love for him to grow. I hope that you find an answer to this problem. It is quite a common thing and because it is so ingrained in the subconscious, you both would need to realize that it is nothing to fear of be ashamed of as it tends to take on a life of its own and cannot really be forced or pushed away.. I wish you good luck.. Anything can work if you are both willing and committed to making it work. _Derek
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
22 Jun 12
A therapist sounds like a good idea. We don't have the money for that at the moment, but it is something that I will keep in mind in the future. I don't have any plans about leaving my husband, he is the person that I want to spend the rest of my life with, but as you say jealousy can be very destructive in a relationship. Whenever we meet another man my husband thinks that he is interested in me and that he wants to take me away from him. That isn't true at all, but it is hard for me to convince my husband that he has nothing to worry about. He is also jealous of my online life and thinks that I am looking for another man online and that is not true either, because I would never do that.
@hoodedboi (185)
• Philippines
13 Jun 12
I think the very important thing here is open communication, you sit down and talk to him not just as a lover but as a friend... You go through the jealousy moments that you have and try to explain yourside. But on the other hand, our partners get jealous because we fail to give them assurance of our love for them, and when i say assurance it is not just by proposals or serious dates, but by little things, like leaving a sweet note, making a quick phone call just to check on him, or maybe just by saying ILOVEYOU more often. Assurance is not a requirement, but a key.
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
19 Jun 12
That is a very good point and I think that I could get better at showing and telling him that I love him. I do tell him that I love him, but I could find other ways to do it and I could show him my love through the small things like a note or a message. I think that we have a happy relationship in other ways, but his jealousy bothers me, because it is accusing me of things that I would never do like seeing other men. He thinks that the men in our neighbourhood are interested in me, but that is very far from the truth, and it only happens in his mind.
@Ollanna11 (371)
• United States
13 Jun 12
Is he a cancerian those traits sound like a cancer I dated. We had a lot of heart to heart talks to ease the insecurity. Then again I had moments when I would get jealous to if a female got to close to him. This guy had a magnetic personality, so I could see why people were drawn to him. Your husband should try to relax and trust in you!
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
14 Jun 12
No, my husband is a capricorn. I wish that he would learn to relax and believe me when I say that I love him and that I don't intend to find another man. He gets jealous very often and I have told him that he has nothing to worry about, but somehow that just isn't enough and he sees every man as a threat. I think that that the main problem is his insecurity, he doesn't think that he is good enough and when we meet other men he immediately compares himself to them and he thinks that those men are more attractive than him. That is not true at all, but he doesn't believe me when I say that I only want him.
• United States
13 Jun 12
First, let me say that you and your husband have to be very open when it comes to communicating. If you have that, then, ask him why his self-esteem is so low. Second, are you still communicating with your ex-boyfriend and how long were you together relative to the time you've been married to your husband? Third, has either of you cheated on the other in the past? Lastly, I will say that you cannot fully take away his jealousy. It's part of his journey of discovering who he is as a man and seeking the confidence to feel empowered and attractive within himself. However, the jealousy is a double edged sword. On one hand, it could be showing that he values you and your relationship, but it also could be a means of control. Sit down and have a heart to heart!!
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
20 Jun 12
My ex-boyfriend and I were together for 6 years and my husband and I have been married for 3 years. I think that it bothers my husband that my ex-boyfriend had a long relationship before we met, and he thinks that I am still thinking about my ex-boyfriend, but our relationship belongs to the past and we don't have any communication today. I did contact my ex-boyfriend a couple of times while my husband and I were together but only because of practical reasons (I wanted to pick up some my stuff that I forgot when I moved) The last two years my ex-boyfriend and I haven't had any communication at all. I don't understand why my husband thinks that I am still interested in my ex-boyfriend. He is a part of my past, but our relationship is over. No, my husband and I have never cheated on eachother. He thinks that other men are interested in me and that I am interested in them, but I have never cheated on him and I never would cheat on him. He can trust me 100%, but it seems like he doesn't understand or believe that.
• India
13 Jun 12
its happen do one thing,always try to make him feel that he is the best hubby in the world.or if you are true then give him your all online accounts id or password to feel him that i am totally a opened book in front of you,i dont care which of my life you want to see you can see,i know its unacceptable but you have to do if you want your hubby back thanks.
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
19 Jun 12
I actually said to him that he could go through any online account that I have. I don't have anything to hide, and he wouldn't find anything that he isn't allowed to see. I don't have any secret conversations with other men or anything like that. I have both male and female friends, but my male friends are nothing but friends.