Did you notice some signs of a dominating boyfriend in your relationship?
Well, relationships are tricky to navigate. You have to make sure that both of you stay on the same page and are treated as equals.
However, there are times when one partner can overshadow the other, which leads to conflicts and problems.
If you feel that your boyfriend might be dominating you, then this article will help you find the truth.
So, let’s begin…
20 Signs Of A Dominating Boyfriend
A dominating boyfriend is toxic, but it can be difficult to recognize the signs at first. This is especially because when you’re completely in love with someone, you feel they’re just caring and looking out for you.
But if your instincts are saying something is off, it’s time to know for sure here…
1. He eavesdrops on your conversations
No matter how close you both are, eavesdropping is a big no. Your boyfriend should have enough trust in you to never snoop in on your conversations.
But if you frequently catch him listening to your phone calls or reading your texts secretly, he’s a dominating boyfriend.
2. You feel isolated from your loved ones
Another major sign of a dominating boyfriend is when his actions make you drift apart from your own social circle.
Notice if he’s constantly making fun of your family and friends or stopping you from hanging out with them. It’s a way to make your loved ones stop contacting you.
3. He feels that everyone likes you
Each time you laugh at a male friend’s joke or go out with him, does your boyfriend accuse him of liking you?
It’s actually an indication that your boyfriend is not only dominating but also insecure. He will always feel that every guy has romantic or sexual intentions toward you.
4. You’re the one who always apologizes
Sure, fights happen all the time in relationships. But how you both make up is what matters.
If you are the only one apologizing and trying to change your ways, then something is definitely wrong.
A dominating boyfriend will try to point his fingers at you and tell you that you’re the problem, not him.
5. He doesn’t let you do anything alone
A dominating boyfriend also won’t let you do anything alone, even if you ask him for some space.
In the beginning, his eagerness to join you in everything might seem really cute and romantic. But with time, you’ll start feeling suffocated. He will behave as if it’s his moral obligation to stick to you all the time.
6. You have to hide things from him
Even though hiding things isn’t considered ideal, there are times when you feel he’ll make a scene if you share something with him.
And if this keeps happening often, it means that your boyfriend dominates you.
For example, you might enjoy an innocent night out with some friends, but you’ll still hide it from your man. You just don’t want to deal with the drama.
7. He seems to be one step ahead
This is a very subtle sign, but it clearly shows dominating characteristics.
For example, when you’re simply friends, he might behave like he’s your boyfriend.
And now that you both are dating, he will start behaving like your husband.
He will keep putting himself one step ahead when it comes to commitment. This is so that you won’t ever be able to imagine a life without him.
8. His love comes with a lot of conditions
Unconditional love is sort of a myth, but even then, love should be as selfless as possible.
However, dominating partners have the tendency to put a whole lot of terms and conditions into their relationships.
For instance, unless you gain or lose weight or behave in a certain way, you won’t get his complete attention.
9. He expects you at his every beck and call
A dominating boyfriend will always expect you to be available whenever he reaches out to you. He won’t care even if you’re busy with your friends or colleagues.
Since he doesn’t understand the concept of space, he’ll throw a tantrum if you fail to respond to his texts or calls.
10. He thinks he is always right
Many women think that a charming and persuasive boyfriend is the ideal partner. While that might be true, in many cases, this can also lead to an infrared male ego.
If your boyfriend keeps telling you that he’s always right and that others are either too dumb or always wrong, it’s definitely a red flag.
11. You feel scared of him
Nobody in a healthy relationship should have to be afraid of their partner. Unfortunately, a dominating boyfriend can cause you to always feel afraid of his presence.
Maybe you keep agreeing with him just so that you can avoid fights. Or maybe you talk to him as little as possible because you feel that anything you say can lead to a quarrel.
Social media is a big boom in today’s world.
But a dominating boyfriend won’t ever give you the autonomy to handle your own social media accounts. He’ll especially be cautious of platforms like Instagram and Snapchat.
He might ask for your passwords and even tell you to remove your male friends and followers.
13. He wants no male presence around you
Remember, a dominating boyfriend is also an insecure one. He knows what he does is wrong, therefore he’s afraid of losing you.
But since dominating you has become a part of his behavior, he’ll still try to stop you from making any male friends.
14. He treats you like a child instead of his girlfriend
There are certain things that your parents can scold you for, such as coming home late or not taking out the trash.
But if your partner behaves the same way as your parents, it’s an indirect red flag that he’s controlling your life.
Your partner needs to treat you as his equal, not a baby who needs parenting.
15. He forces you to agree with him
Since you and your boyfriend are two individuals, you’ll have differences in opinions.
But if your boyfriend is a dominating person, he won’t stand the fact that you’ll have a different perspective about something. He will do anything to make you agree with him.
16. He holds things against you
A partner who keeps score isn’t a healthy partner.
For example, he keeps bringing up that one time you canceled plans with him to go out with a friend. Or he keeps a score of whatever you both do.
In these cases, the relationship will become toxic. He wants you to feel like you owe him something big.
17. He accuses you of infidelity
No matter how faithful you are, a dominating man will always find excuses to cook up stories related to your unfaithfulness.
If he sees you hugging or even shaking hands with a male friend, his mind will automatically drive him to the worst possible conclusion.
And then, the blame game will start.
18. You always have to tell him first
Sure, your boyfriend should be the first person to know of your achievements and failures. But there are times when you might want to tell someone else first, such as your parents or best friends.
However, if your boyfriend expects you to run to him no matter what and always give him updates about your life, it shows his immaturity and dominance.
19. He keeps criticizing you
In a dominating and controlling relationship, your boyfriend will scrutinize your every move. Even the most mundane things will seem like an impossible task.
For example, he might tell you to redo the bed because it didn’t look right to him. Or he’ll ask you to dress a certain way because you don’t have a good fashion sense.
20. He bad mouths even your acquaintance and coworkers
His constant cribbing sessions aren’t just restricted to your male friends and family members.
After a point, he’ll start to criticize anyone who is close to you just so that he can show you how perfect he is.
This is his weak attempt at showing you that he’s the only ideal person in your life.
A word from ThePleasantRelationship
If you find that your boyfriend is dominating, you must sit down and firmly tell him to change his ways. Communicate to show that you’re not weak, but you want to give the relationship a chance.
But if he doesn’t change, you can always seek help from your loved ones or a professional counselor. Break free from the toxic bond before it consumes you!
