If your boyfriend is the sensitive type, do these 13 things for him

Is your boyfriend a sensitive soul?

A person in a light blue shirt sits with a thoughtful expression and hands clasped near their face. Another person with long hair leans in from behind, gently embracing them and offering comfort. The scene suggests a moment of emotional support and empathy.

Do you sometimes struggle with how sensitive your boyfriend is?

Things are great most of the time. You love how he seems to ‘get’ you better than other guys you’ve dated, and how thoughtful he can be. But other times, his insecurities and his need for attention can get too much.

How do you reassure him you care when you aren’t as comfortable talking about your emotions as he is?

Men who are in touch with their emotions don’t fit the stereotypical masculine mold, and being sensitive is something to encourage and celebrate in your partner.

If he’s more in touch with his emotions, he’s likely to be more understanding of yours, and more mature in working through the ups and downs of a relationship.

If miscommunication and misunderstandings are plaguing your relationship, keep reading to see how you can navigate life with a sensitive partner.

1. Take his feelings seriously.

A woman with long blonde hair and a gray scarf closes her eyes and smiles while hugging a man dressed in a gray coat and scarf. She gently places her hand on the back of his head. They are outdoors on a chilly day.

You might think that he’s being dramatic or too sensitive, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be there to support your boyfriend if he needs you to.

Although you may deal with your emotions differently, he doesn’t deserve to feel as though he is in the wrong or not listened to just because he’s more open than you.

For a sensitive person, feeling as though they aren’t being taken seriously or heard only exacerbates the situation.

Your boyfriend’s feelings are valid whether or not you agree with how he expresses them. Try to find ways to reassure him that you care rather than shut him out.

2. Don’t make him feel as though sensitivity is a bad thing.

A couple lies on a bed covered with yellow sheets. They face each other and appear comfortable and relaxed. The man has one arm behind his head, while the woman rests her hand on his chest. A large window provides a view of a grassy outdoors.

Having a boyfriend who is sensitive means he’s in touch with his feelings and has a deeper level of empathy. This is good in the sense that he can better understand you and your feelings.

It may feel too much at times, but having someone who is more sensitive to their emotions is better than having someone who is shut off to them.

Find the positives in the fact you can celebrate the highs together and feel supported during the lows.

Being vulnerable with our emotions takes courage and trust, so don’t make him feel as though you don’t appreciate these things in him.

Someone should never be made to feel embarrassed or ashamed of sharing how they feel, so try to embrace the sensitivity of your partner and appreciate it rather than stamping it out of him.

3. Talk about your method of communication.

A woman with long hair in a brown sweater sits closely beside a man with short dark hair, glasses, and a denim shirt, who appears distressed. She comforts him with a concerned expression as he gestures with his hands, sitting on the couch in a cozy room.

If your boyfriend is comfortable in the way he expresses his vulnerability, he might be expecting the same level of openness from you. He might get confused when you can’t show your feelings like he can.

If you are less sensitive than your partner, try having a conversation about how you feel when he asks you to share your emotions and how uncomfortable that makes you. If he’s expecting you to show the same level of vulnerability as him and you can’t, he could take this as a lack of trust between you.

Let him know how you prefer to communicate and feel most comfortable expressing yourself.

You don’t have to approach things in the same way; you just have to be understanding that you do things differently and work at being more accepting of that.

4. Prepare to open up.

A man wearing glasses and a checkered shirt sits with his hands clasped under his chin, appearing distressed. A woman in a green sweater sits beside him, looking concerned and gesturing with her hand. They are indoors with a window in the background.

As much as you might try to avoid opening up about your own feelings, it’s something you’ll need to get more comfortable with if you want this relationship to last.

If he wants to talk about something you’re not comfortable talking about, and you keep refusing, he’ll start to see this as a slight against him.

Being vulnerable with your partner is a way to build trust between you. Take inspiration from him and try to open yourself up to sharing more, even if it’s just little steps at a time.

5. Don’t mess him around.

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If he’s a sensitive guy, he’s not in this relationship to be messed around. If he’s more in touch with his feelings, he knows what he’s looking for and won’t want to play games when it comes to a relationship.

You may notice that he doesn’t respond well to insults or being ignored in an argument. As a sensitive person, he’s more likely to be a straight talker and want to get to the root of the issue, while trying to get you to understand his point of view.

Don’t play with his emotions if you’re annoyed at him, and don’t string him along. Antagonizing him will only cause him more pain and make the situation between you toxic.

6. Be patient.

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There will be times when you’ll be sick of hearing about his feelings and being expected to talk through them with him. This is all part of having a sensitive partner and something you will have to get used to.

Let him have his say and be respectful of what he has to share. Over time, you’ll learn how to move past an argument and how best to reassure him when he needs it. You might even become more in touch with your own feelings because of it.

Although it may feel like hard work sometimes, the up side is you have a boyfriend who is willing to listen to you, support you, and work on your relationship – that’s something to hold on to.

7. Be affectionate and supportive.

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It’s nice to hear a complement or be shown affection from your partner, but it’s not just the men who should be the givers here.

Your boyfriend deserves to be complimented and shown how much he means to you just as much as you expect the same from him.

If your boyfriend is more sensitive, he’ll appreciate the effort more than most. Sensitive people take actions and words to heart, so by being more physically affectionate with your partner or telling him he looks good, you’ll be giving him the confidence boost he needs to feel good about himself.

Equally, if you don’t show him affection, he’ll notice. He might struggle with confidence and anxiety as a result of being more self-aware and perceive your lack of attention as rejection.

Don’t be shy in telling your boyfriend how you feel about him and you’ll be rewarded by seeing your boyfriend at his best.

8. Don’t rise to the bait.

A man wearing glasses and a white t-shirt is raising his arms and shouting at a woman with long hair and glasses, who is sitting at a table with a plate of croissants. An open laptop and a bowl of fruit are also on the table.

With sensitivity comes emotion, and sometimes, when we are emotional, we don’t express ourselves in the right way.

Stress, fear, anxiety, even hunger can all contribute to our emotions getting the better of us and cause us to take them out on our loved ones.

If your boyfriend is emotional, he might read into and pick apart the things you say or do when he’s feeling overwhelmed, making you irritable and angry.

As hard as it can be to not retaliate when you’re being baited, remember that the real issue probably has nothing to do with you – you’ve just become the focus of his negative emotions.

Do your best to give him the reassurance he’s looking for. Having someone there to hug and support you when you’re feeling down is often all it takes to diffuse a negative situation.

Your feelings are still important and you may need to set boundaries if you’re feeling hurt by your boyfriend’s actions or he is developing a noticeable habit in picking fights. Try to find some coping mechanisms to prevent you both getting hurt in similar future situations.

You both deserve respect in the relationship and to be supported by one another. But try your best not to fight fire with fire and be the safe, comforting presence he needs.

9. Try to avoid conflict.

A man and a woman are sitting on a teal couch, engaged in a conversation. The man, with a beard, is wearing a light blue shirt, while the woman, with long brown hair, is wearing a beige sweater. She has an open hand gesture, indicating she is speaking.

Conflict is somewhat inevitable in a relationship, and it can have its positives in terms of learning more about each other. But that doesn’t mean conflict is enjoyable – it isn’t.

And it’s even more difficult for a sensitive boyfriend who feels their emotions keenly. Conflict will have a deeper and more lasting effect on him. You might be able to move on from an argument easily, but your boyfriend won’t.

If you have an argument, ignoring the situation won’t make it go away. Your boyfriend will need the sense of resolution in order to be able to move on.

If you can, try to avoid conflict before it happens and spot the signs early that you’re headed for a fight. Try to dissipate spats quickly by acknowledging how your boyfriend feels and any actions you’ve done to cause his hurt. If you need to, take some time and space to calm down before approaching him so that you can stay as calm and level-headed as possible.

Whatever you do, try your best to stop things escalating before they reach a full blown argument. You’ll save a lot of hurt by doing so for both of you, not just your boyfriend.

10. Don’t say it if you don’t mean it.

A woman with an expressive face gestures with her hands while talking to a man who looks surprised and confused. They are sitting at a wooden table in a cafe with drinks in front of them. The man wears a plaid shirt, and the woman wears a striped blouse.

If you have a sensitive boyfriend, he will listen to you and take what you say seriously.

Be careful if you make comments on your relationship. Don’t rush into saying ‘I love you’ or committing before you’re ready, because if you say it, he’ll believe it, and will be crushed if you go back on your word.

Be conscious of any comments you make about him. He might be able to take the odd joke, but he’s more likely to take your comment to heart in a negative way, even if it was meant innocently.

It shows you he respects what you say by taking your word seriously, but just make sure you are careful that what you say in jest isn’t taken the wrong way, and don’t make any promises you can’t keep.

11. Don’t play games.

A young couple stands close together at a shopping mall, engaged in conversation. The woman, with blonde hair, is holding shopping bags and gesturing with her hand. The man, with short brown hair, is attentively looking at her. They are casually dressed.

In any relationship, mind games and passive aggressive behavior is manipulative and not to be encouraged. It should never be about ‘winning’ an argument against your partner; it’s about learning how to deal with difficulties together to have a stronger relationship overall.

By giving your boyfriend the silent treatment or refusing to resolve an argument, you’ll just be prolonging his pain and will eventually lose him as he distances himself from the hurt you’re causing him.

12. Make quality time a priority.

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Just because you see each other regularly or even live together, doesn’t mean that the time you share together is enriching to your relationship.

If your boyfriend is sensitive, he’ll quickly feel unappreciated or ignored if you aren’t spending quality time with him and these feelings can manifest in insecurity and a lack of confidence.

Sensitive boyfriend or not, it’s good to work at putting time and effort into your relationship to keep the spark alive. The smallest gesture can go a long way to reaffirm how you feel about each other and make sure your boyfriend knows how much he means to you.

13. Be prepared for lots of physical touch, but set boundaries if you need to.

A black and white photo shows a man with tousled hair and a beard, embracing a woman from behind. The man's expression appears contemplative, while the woman, facing away, rests her head on his shoulder. The background is a blurred, serene outdoor setting.

Many sensitive men have their primary love language as physical touch which means they demand a lot of cuddles and other physical affection. If you’re less touchy feely and value your own space, this could prove a sticking point in your relationship.

You have to find a balance between giving him what he needs and not getting ‘touched out’ or feeling like you are being stalked because he follows you around like a puppy whenever you’re at home together.

You should express your need for alone time carefully because he may see it as you not wanting to spend time with him. You need to reassure him that it’s not him you’re trying to get away from, but that your need for solitude is as important to you as his need for touch is important to him.

You can expect a little pushback when you want to spend time without him, and he may ask you what’s wrong. Tell him that nothing is wrong and that you’ll be back before he knows it. And be consistent with this – don’t give in to his demands for you to stay if you need to go, otherwise he’ll think he can guilt trip you into staying every time.