12 Signs He has Friend zoned You (and how to Escape it)
If you are reading this you probably have been friend zoned by the man you love and you have no idea how to deal with this sh*t!
But what is a friend zone? Are you entirely sure he has friend zoned you? How to escape the friend zone?
This write-up will give answers to all your questions and even discuss the ugly side of being in a friend zone.
Table Of Contents
What is a friend zone?
To put it simply, friend zone means a person you love doesn’t love you back rather views you as a friend only.
The problem with friend zone is you are probably really good friends with your crush, maybe even best friends.
You are sacred of making a move, in case it affects your friendship or make things awkward with him but you certainly are looking for more than his friendship.
The wise thing here would be to honestly have a chat with your crush; at least you’d know where you stand.
But if you aren’t ready for to talk to him about your feelings read about the signs of being friend zoned to be sure beyond a doubt that he has indeed friend zoned you.
Signs he has friend zoned you
He considers you a great friend
If he has said this several times you are a great friend, who understands him well, then perhaps he really likes you as a friend only, it is as plain as that.
You are his Man Friday
You are his Man Friday, always there for him in any situation. You listen to his problems, give him advice him, try to help him in every way possible.
You may very well ask here isn’t that what good friend is suppose to do, yes, but the catch here is, he might not always be there for you in other words you are there for him more than he is for you.
He sends you mixed signals at times
One of the huge disadvantages of being friend zoned is when your crush sends you mixed signals, leaving you seriously confused if they are interested or is it just platonic.
For example if he compliments you saying, you’re different from other girls, or whoever gets would be lucky, leaving you seriously confused if he just wants to be more than friends or just friends.
You show more interest in him then he does
Your conversations are mostly initiated by you, when planning to meet each other you take initiative most of the times.
You both primarily hang out with your group of friends and not so much alone.
He’s rarely displays physical affection, like holding your hand or hugging you. Physical attraction is one of the key factors when you like each other, and if that’s absent in your case he has most likely friend zoned you.
He has Friend zoned you by not seeing you romantically
He talks about his ex partners
He has no qualms talking about his exes, he discusses his past relationship in detail, and more than you would actually like to listen.
He tries to set you up with other people
This has to be one of the sure signs he has friend zoned you when the man you like tries to set you up with other single men.
It’d be pertinent to note here if he’s jealous when you pay attention to someone else more than him. If he reacts, then maybe there is hope after all that he likes you but if he doesn’t you are sadly in the friend zone.
He checks out other women in front of you
If he regularly flirts or checks out other women when he is with you or says how attractive someone is then he has certainly friend zoned you, especially if he doesn’t really bother about your reaction.
He regularly describes his ideal partner, which isn’t you
He talks to you about his ideal partner, or the qualities he would like in that person and you realize you are nothing like what he has been describing.
RELATED POST: TELL-TALE SIGNS OF A BREAK-UP
The Ugly Side of being friend zoned
You tried every trick of the trade to attract him, but he just doesn’t love you back. The wise step here would be to move on but facing rejection is difficult.
Instead you readily enter into the world of friend zone in the obvious hope that someday you will change his mind and he’ll love you. Great if that happens.
But being friends with him, especially when you have strong feelings, is not an ideal situation for you. Here are some ugly truths about being friend zoned.
You are Living in an Illusion
If a guy truly loves you he would at some point reveal his feelings. But if you have known him for a considerable time and if he hasn’t made the move even after getting enough hints then he probably won’t.
But meanwhile you are hopeful one day he will love you back. So you continue to be the understanding friend who is always there for him.
You’ll be hurt if he falls for someone
But you have to consider that there is every possibility of him falling in love with another person.
Even with you hovering around him, he may like someone else eventually and then it would be very difficult for you to see him with this other person.
He can Manipulate Your Feelings
This is the worst!
If he is a genuine person, he will respect your feelings. But if he’s a douchebag he may manipulate you with emotional blackmail or being passive aggressive.
There is also a strong possibility he’ll keep you hanging, by neither accepting you nor rejecting you thus giving you false hopes.
If you are in a situation like this, our advice to you is RUN! You aren’t even realizing what toxic relationship you have gotten into.
Don’t waste your time and energy on someone who doesn’t respect you.
Friend zone can Turn into a ‘Friends with Benefit’ Situation.
The likelihood of friend zone turning into ‘friends with benefit’ cannot be ruled out.
Being physical with someone you love, can leave you in bad place psychologically, especially when he doesn’t love you back.
And please don’t believe those mushy Hollywood romances, where hero finally realizes ‘she’s the one’ and then they happily ever after. Real life may not be the fairy-tale you imagined.
Instead you may get your heart broken if you continue to love while getting nothing in return.
Being Friend zoned can Mentally Drain You
It’s stressful to keep hoping of something that may or may never happen.
You have to realize that while you always put him as your number one priority, he may not do so for you.
The longer you linger, your expectations will increase and even though you deny, you’d want him to be there when you need him.
Whenever he falls short of your expectations you will be massively disappointed and hurt.
You are Wasting Your Time and Opportunities
As you yearn for his love without any concrete future possibilities, there are plenty of prospects who you are ignoring.
In the long run, you will be the biggest loser so take some concrete action now.
Start meeting other men. You don’t have to jump into a relationship immediately but be show some genuine interest when you meet other guys.
Who knows you may even end up with a better guy who deserves you.
You will Hurt Yourself in the Long Run
Any complicated relationship takes its toll on your mental health in the long-term.
It is wise to escape your friend zone situation as early as possible because the longer you stay the more difficult it becomes to move on.
If he meets someone you’ll have to deal with those pangs of jealousy and heartache.
If he flirts with other girls or tries to be your wingman you will have to put up with the façade of being okay.
You may Constantly try to Attract Him
When love a guy you are trying to get his attention most of the time even unconsciously.
If you find yourself sharing every little detail with him or making plans to catch-up, you my friend are trying very hard to be loved.
Here you run the risk of not giving the other person space as well as lowering your self-worth.
How To escape the Friend zone
Stop Revolving your Life around Him
Stop giving him so much importance. Don’t rush to him whenever he has love problems or any other issues. You are not his therapist.
Respect yourself more and build healthy boundaries. Don’t tell him everything single detail about your life.
Also when you are meeting him set a time-limit, show him you are a little pressed for time and have a lot going on.
If you can stop your meeting him altogether for a while then nothing like it. As they say out of sight, out of mind.
Stop Texting Him
Don’t text him or don’t be impatient to answer his texts immediately. It would take every ounce of your willpower but do it.
Every time you have the urge to text him, find something else to do. If you don’t want any communication from him convey your concerns.
Stop Finding Excuses to Meet Him
Do you find yourself restless if you don’t meet him every other day? That’s perfectly normal.
But it doesn’t mean you continue to meet him regularly. If meeting him is painful for you, then don’t meet him.
It is perfectly okay to cancel even at the last minute if your mental peace is at stake.
Stop Over-Analyzing Your Situation
Stop over thinking about what you could do differently to make him yours.
It is harsh to accept the truth when it comes to one-sided love. But know this – everything happens for a reason.
Our honest suggestion would be to break your friendship because if you pretend he’s just a friend, it will heart-breaking for you.
Make Yourself a Priority
Unrequited love can seriously affect your mental health, so prioritize your emotional well-being.
Cry your heart out. Make some plans with your single friends; chalk out your career plans; meditate or plan a solo trip. Do whatever you can to break out of this rut.
If you think you should take a social media break do it; you wish to unfollow him, I’d say wise move.
Plus if you are feeling vulnerable talk to your family and friends who are there for you.
Reasons Why He has Friend zoned you
Being friend zoned is not uncommon. Perhaps, you also have rejected someone who loved you because you didn’t have the same feelings.
But why does this happen?
Well, there could be ‘n’ number of reasons of why you have been friend zoned. But those multiple reasons circle into these main ones.
He has Commitment Issues
Guys who have complicated past, like a traumatic childhood or failed relationships have trust issues when it comes to commitment.
Maybe he needs to resolve his issues first before investing into a relationship with you.
If he has mentioned ‘how he’s damaged’ or ‘he’s difficult to be with’ he probably knows about your feelings and likes you too but scared to be in a relationship or doesn’t want a relationship with anyone at that point.
It may also happen that by the time he is in healthy headspace he’s with someone else.
That would make you furious isn’t it? After all that you’d done for him why it couldn’t be you? What’s so special about this new girl?
It’s the timing darling! When you met this guy mentally he wasn’t ready for new beginnings, unfortunately you bore the brunt of his emotional baggage.
But with this new girl he can start afresh, minus his past complexities.
He’s Confused about His Feelings for You
He’s probably confused about his feelings; maybe he thinks you’re too good for him.
Try to observe his body language, because even if he doesn’t say his gestures will indicate he likes you.
If you feel he’s loves you, but doesn’t realize it, give it some time or convey your feelings.
He’s Introverted by Nature
If he’s introverted or shy he probably wants you to take the lead. In that case, lucky you, all you need is a little push and he’s yours.
When a guy loves you he will want to be physically close. This may include gestures like resting his hand on your shoulder or hugging you when you meet, or holding your hand.
If he’s doing all that he’s definitely interested in you.
RELATED POST: 15 best Tips For Dating An Introvert
Loves You as a Friend
Hate to say this but probably he sees you as a friend and nothing else. He values your friendship and doesn’t want ruin it.
If you are okay to maintain the friendship by all means go ahead, but if in your heart you don’t want to accept him just as a friend, be gracious and move on.
Don’t accept the friendship and then expect things to dramatically change one day.
Finally, if a guy friend zones you
Don’t for a moment think something is wrong with you. Whom we love is not in our control. Move on with grace and dignity whether he loves you or not, you will certainly have his respect, and not every woman commands respect.
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Suktara
Hi! I’m Suktara, the creator of this website with a background in communication and passion for personal development, relationships, and mental health. I created this space to share honest insights and practical advice on dating, love, relationships, and self-improvement.
