6 Possible Reasons Your Partner Isn’t Texting You as Much as They Used to

Ugh, texting.

What's supposed to be a fun and easy way to keep in contact with people quickly becomes so complicated, especially in a relationship. We use texting to gauge just how much our partners care about us. Are they sending "good morning" and "good night" texts? Will they check in throughout the day? Do they respond promptly when you reach out? Silly as they seem, these and more questions act as markers for our S.O.'s commitment to the relationship.

Since our partner's texting habits carry such a deeper meaning in our subconscious (or conscious) minds, it can be pretty scary when they change. If your S.O. shifts from texting you all day, every day to shooting off a random message every few hours, it feels like something's majorly wrong. Even worse, if you bring it up, you sound like the crazy one, making it difficult to determine what's really going on.

If you struggle to understand a sudden shift in communication, keep scrolling for six possible reasons your partner isn't texting you as much as they used to.

They're Shifting Out of the Honeymoon Stage

The beginnings of a new relationship are marked by an almost obsessive need to be close to your partner. You're both so excited about bonding with someone new, so staying in contact all the time is easy and effortless. However, that high-passion feeling isn't sustainable. Eventually, you're both going to mellow out and realize that you don't have to be in contact all the time to be committed to each other.

If your partner suddenly texts you less, it may just be a sign that they're shifting out of the honeymoon phase. They still care about you and want to be with you, but their need to be so close to you all the time is changing. Even if it makes you a little nervous, it's totally normal for your partner's communication to drop off the longer you're together. It marks a change in your relationship, but it's one you can easily move past together.

(Dear White People via Netflix)

 

They're Busy

If your partner texts you less often than usual, you can't look at their behavior in a vacuum. It's easy to demand they respond no matter what, but sometimes life gets in the way of our interaction with our phones. Your S.O. may not be texting you as much because they're busy—simple as that. Maybe they're in a particularly busy season of their extracurricular activities, or they're struggling to stay on top of their schoolwork. In those times, it only makes sense for them to put their phone aside so they can better focus on whatever they need to do. As their partner, you should give them the space and support they need to accomplish their goals, even if that means you don't get to talk to them quite as much.

 

They Need Space

As important as communication is in a relationship, being fully vulnerable and open with your feelings takes practice. If your partner texts you less, it could be that they need a little space, but they don't know how to ask for it. Instead of telling you that they need time for themself, they just take the time, leaving you feeling frustrated and confused.

Annoying as this might be, it's not the worst thing in the world. Your partner isn't texting you as much because they need some time alone—that's completely okay. Chances are, when they feel they got the space they needed, their texting habits will resume as normal.

(Crazy Ex-Girlfriend via The CW)

 

They Feel Suffocated

Before you get upset about your partner's texting habits, you have to ask yourself if you're expecting too much. Is your texting fun and light or is it full of demands that your S.O. responds in order to placate your own nervousness? If you're angry and watchful of your S.O.'s texting habits, the pressure will get to them eventually. They'll feel like they can't do anything right, so they'll stop texting you altogether.

You have to leave room for the texting habits to change in your relationship. If you put too many expectations on your S.O., they're going to feel suffocated by all your demands. Once that happens, texting will become a chore, instead of something they actually want to do. They might keep it up for a while, but the pressure will get to them and they'll stop. If their habits have changed, look at your own reactions first and determine if you might be suffocating them with your demands.

 

They're Upset With You

Ugh, this is probably the worst reason for your S.O.'s texting habits to change. If there's a sudden dip in your partner's communication, it might indicate that they're upset with you. Instead of being upfront and honest with you about why they're angry, they resort to passive aggressive behavior to get the message across. It certainly communicates their point, but it doesn't actually help solve the problem. If you find they're not texting because they're upset with you, the best thing you can do is address the problem right away and clear the air, even if that's exactly what they couldn't do.

(Grown-ish via Freeform)

 

They're Pulling Away

While a shift in texting isn't always the monumental problem that we make it out to be, it can indicate issues in the relationship. If your partner isn't texting you as much, it's possible that they're pulling away from the relationship. If they're losing interest in your romance or even planning a breakup, their shift in feelings will definitely show in their texting habits. Don't jump to this conclusion immediately, but be aware that less texting might be your romance is headed for trouble in the near future.

 

Looking for more dating advice? Click HERE for how to convince your parents you're ready to start dating.