In this article, we talk about why your boyfriend is always on his phone and what to do about it. If you are in such a situation, read on to learn more.
It isn’t very pleasant when you try to converse with someone, but they are always on their phone. If your boyfriend is always on his phone, you may lose trust in him.
When you lose trust in someone, it is tough to get the trust back until you know what he does on his phone all the time.
When your boyfriend ignores you and gives more attention to his cell phone, it is known as phubbing.
According to experts, one of the main maintenance tactics of a romantic relationship is openness. Openness creates a climate of security and trust.
If your boyfriend is phubbing and is not open about what he is doing, you may feel insecure and lose trust in him.
If your boyfriend is always on the phone, it will leave you with many unanswered questions.
Who is he talking to? Why doesn’t he want to talk to me? What do I do for him to pay more attention to me?
Reasons Your Boyfriend Is Always On the Phone
It may make you feel insecure and worried about the relationship if your boyfriend is always on the phone.
This is because he does not have time for you and does not give you the attention and affection you crave.
There are many reasons your boyfriend could be spending so much time on his phone. Some of these reasons include the following;
1. He Is Talking to Someone Else
If your boyfriend is always on the phone, you will conclude that he is talking to someone else. That is how most women are wired.
However, it is not always that your boyfriend is talking to other people if he is always on the phone. Sometimes he could be scrolling on his phone mindlessly.
So, if you think your boyfriend is talking to someone else and that’s why he is always on his cell phone, you should look for other signs that he is talking to someone else.
- He puts his phone’s screen away from you.
- He always places his phone face down when you are around.
- He takes his calls away from you.
- He acts shady when you ask him about his phone activities.
- He is overprotective of his phone.
- He acts defensive when you ask him who he is texting.
- He never lets you touch his phone.
- He put a password on his phone when it didn’t have one.
- He does not post photos of you on social media.
- If you walk in on him, he stops what he is doing on the phone.
- He is taking more photos.
2. He Is Addicted To His Phone
Some people are addicted to their phones. According to researchers, phone addiction is not really an addiction but is referred to as problematic phone use.
The term addiction is not mostly used when referring to technological behaviors.
However, we will use the term cell phone addiction and internet addiction for this case.
If your boyfriend is addicted to his phone and the internet, he will always be on his phone even when he is not supposed to.
If you are wondering if your boyfriend is always on the phone because he is addicted to the phone or the internet, you should look out for these signs;
- He has trouble finishing his tasks at home and work– if your boyfriend is always leaving things half done because he is on his smartphone, he may have a phone addiction.
- He is isolated from his family and friends– when one is addicted to his phone, he will care more about his virtual relationships and neglect his real-life relationships. So, if your boyfriend is always on his cell phone and neglects his relationships, he may be addicted to his phone.
- He hides his phone usage– if your boyfriend wants you to believe that he uses his phone less than he actually does, or if he hides when using his phone or gets annoyed when you interrupt his screen, he may have a phone addiction.
- He has a fear of missing out (FOMO)- if your boyfriend is anxious over missing out on what his friends are doing online and he compulsively checks his phone, he may be having an addiction.
- He gets anxious when he forgets his phone at home– if your boyfriend gets anxious if he forgets his phone at home for a short time, it could be he has a phone addiction.
Phone addiction can be detrimental to a relationship. If your boyfriend is always on the phone, he will neglect your feelings.
In addition to phone habits, he may start some other habits that will harm the relationship.
For instance, he may start looking at other females online and may also pick up gambling and cybersex in the process.
He is also more likely to cheat on you physically or emotionally if he is always on his mobile phone.
3. He Has Work Commitments
Many people are working out of their phones and laptops with the world going digital. If your boyfriend is always on his phone, it could mean that he has serious work commitments he has to keep track of on his smartphone.
For instance, if he needs to be available for his colleagues to contact him, he will be on the phone.
Additionally, if your boyfriend is in freelance work or has started a business, he will need to contact his clients at all times. Again, this means that he will be on his phone most of the time.
On the other hand, your boyfriend has a busy schedule at work, and when he gets a break, he will not only be trying to catch up with you but also spending time with his friends and family; this will make him spend the little free time he has on the phone.
For example, my boyfriend is busy most of the time. As much as his work needs him to be on the phone and online at all times, he does not get time to catch up with his friends.
So, when he comes to the house to relax, he will be on his phone for a long time, replying to messages and catching up with family and friends.
4. He Is Bored
We are used to filling all our time with our phones when we are not doing something else. So, your boyfriend may always be on his phone if he doesn’t want to get bored.
In the past, when you got bored, you would pick up a book, watch a film or go outside and talk to others.
However, in the digital age, we have all the books, movies, and even friends on our phones, so we are always on the phone reading, watching, or talking to family and friends to avoid boredom.
5. He Wants To Look Busy
Your boyfriend may always be on his phone if he wants to look busy. For example, when you go somewhere with your boyfriend, he may be on his phone to look busy.
When someone is on their phone, we refrain from talking to them. Your boyfriend may always be on his phone to look busy and politely avoid conversations with those around him.
I am guilty of this; if I go somewhere, I am not familiar with many people or on public transport, I tend to use my phone to look busy and avoid any eye contact or talking to other people. It works like a charm.
According to research, many young people are using cell phones, and it is affecting their behavior and the way they interact with one another.
6. He Is Hiding in His Phone
Sometimes your boyfriend is always on his mobile phone because he is a coward.
For example, if you argue with your boyfriend and he starts spending more time on his phone, he may avoid having an honest conversation with you.
When we are in public, we often bury our heads in our phones to avoid socializing. This may be the case with your boyfriend.
For instance, if you hang out with your friends whom he is familiar with, he may retreat to his smartphone to avoid socializing with them.
He may also have social anxiety and is afraid of meeting new people.
Related Reading: 14 Signs Someone Is Hiding Something On Their Phone
What To Do If Your Boyfriend Is Always On His Phone
If it bothers you when your boyfriend is always on his cell phone, you will want to look for a solution to the problem.
You want your boyfriend to take the attention from the phone and divert it to you. Here are a few things you can do if your boyfriend is always on his phone.
1. Talk to Him
Communication is everything in a relationship. If your boyfriend is always on his phone, you should talk to him and tell him how spending all his time on the phone affects your relationship.
When talking to him, you should avoid using accusatory language. Ensure you also use the right tone when talking as you may use a tone that will make him feel attacked and get defensive.
Ask your boyfriend to spend more time with you without his phone, this will give you more time to build your relationship without interruptions from his phone.
Make the statement about you and how you feel and not about him. Additionally, ensure he is not distracted by his phone when talking to him, as he will not listen to you.
Ask him to spend less time on social media and focus on the relationship.
2. Encourage Him To Take A Break From His Phone
If your boyfriend is always on his phone, you should encourage him to take breaks from his phone when he is with you. Encourage a phone free environment to ensure you both have quality time.
For example you could set up certain rules like no phones at the dinner table or just before going to bed.
If he is having trouble letting go of his cell phone, you can try and take the phone away from him and keep it hidden for a short time to help him break the bad habit again. And only give him the phone if he has an important call or message.
If your boyfriend is addicted to his phone, he will need all the support he can get to overcome the addiction.
He may experience some withdrawal symptoms like;
- Bad temper.
- Agitation.
- Sleep disorders.
- Trouble concentrating.
There are a few steps you can take to help your boyfriend stay away from his phone. Some of them are;
- Help him set goals on when to use his smart phone.
- Don’t let him bring his phone to bed.
- Switch off the phone for short periods during the day.
- Help him take up new hobbies to replace his phone usage time.
- Uninstall social media applications from his phone.
- You can make not touching the phone a game; for instance, play the phone stacking game, and the first to look at their phone is fined.
3. Seek Therapy
If you have tried talking to your boyfriend and he is still always on his cell phone, it would help if you seek professional help.
A therapist will help you understand the underlying cause of your boyfriend always being on his phone.
If your boyfriend is addicted to his phone, a therapist will help him curb his addiction and give him tools to help him overcome his addiction.
In addition, a professional will provide you with tools to support your boyfriend and help him on his healing journey.
Therapy will also help him build relationships with others outside his virtual circle.
4. Break Up with Him
If you have tried it all and he is still always on his mobile phone, and it is taking a toll on the relationship, it may be time to end the relationship.
If your boyfriend is always on his cell phone talking to other women or watching pornography, it may be time to call the relationship quits.
Your boyfriend may be on the phone cheating on you, and there is no coming back from that. If he is cheating on you emotionally or physically, you may find it hard to forgive him.
Instead of staying in a relationship where you feel hurt and you don’t feel loved, leaving and finding your peace elsewhere is better.
Related Reading: 10 Things To Look For When Snooping Through A Phone
Conclusion on my boyfriend is always on his phone
Your boyfriend may always be on his phone for many reasons, including talking to other people and being addicted to the phone.
If your boyfriend is always on his phone, you should find out why he is and not jump to the conclusion that he is cheating on you.
After you find out why your boyfriend or partner is always on the phone, you should talk to him about how it makes you feel. It would also be best if you also encouraged him to stop being on the phone always; you can also seek professional help to help him get off his phone.
If he is always on his phone because he is cheating on you, it is better to end the relationship and find love somewhere someone will respect you and your feelings.
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