When Does a Man Start to Miss You? The Art of Making Him Crave You

It’s normal to wonder when does a man start to miss you. Maybe you broke up with someone and desperately want to know if he misses you just as you do.

When you’re going through a breakup, you start to wonder, when does a man start to miss you. Whether you’re trying to win the breakup game or just want to put your thoughts at peace, we assure you this is a normal feeling. You’re not going insane for feeling the way you do.

In fact, it makes you human to miss them. However, it can be tricky when trying to decipher the signs as men give all kinds of mixed signals. Men are especially more confused when trying to get through a breakup as they’ll do their absolute best not to show they miss you.

You’ve probably been trying to get his attention, like posting sad songs on Facebook or a “look at me” inspirational quote on your Instagram story. Or perhaps, even a thirst trap? But that’s not going to do the trick. 

[Read: How to get a guy’s attention in any circumstance]

When does a man start to miss you?

In most breakups, you’ll see that women generally move on faster than men. Why? This is primarily because women know how to process their emotions better than men do. All women have to do is grab a tub of ice cream, watch a few romantic comedies, and cry about how stupid love is. It’s dramatic, but it works.

On the other hand, men jump to distractions just to avoid their emotions. Whether that’s partying, getting wasted, or even finding another girl.

So when does a man start to miss you? Immediately. He just doesn’t show it in the same way a woman does.

[Read: I miss him but I don’t think he misses me]

He’ll try to win the breakup by trying to prove that he’s over you already, regardless of who did the dumping. He’ll try to seem unaffected as if he’s not going through a heartbreak. While these distractions can work, the feeling of missing you will worsen over time until one day, he can no longer suppress this feeling.

If you see signs like posting on social media that he’s better without you or going to several parties, it’s almost a cry for help that he misses you *and he’s trying to make it evident to you*. [Read: 24 subtle signs he misses you badly every time you aren’t around]

How can you make a guy miss you?

If you’re wondering when does a man start to miss you, it’s a tricky question to answer. If he loves you, then he already misses you. But everyone is different. Some people don’t miss others right away, but then a week later, it hits them. Other people will miss you right away but recover quickly.

So, there’s no actual timeline for when someone will start to miss you. But there are ways to make them miss you more!

You don’t have to sit on your couch and wait for the day he misses you. Instead, you can do a few of these things, and chances are, you will get a reaction from him that proves he misses you… and misses you bad!

Instead of hoping they’re missing you or waiting for a sign, make it happen. Let’s show you how. [Read: How to make him miss you: 20 subtle moves to leave a guy obsessed!]

1. Whatever you’re doing—stop

You’ve been posting an abnormally large amount of selfies, sad songs, and inspirational quotes. Stop. This doesn’t make anyone miss you. It just proves their point.

It just shows you’re feeling sorry for yourself, and it’ll be evident to everyone around you.

There are two kinds of people in the world – people who drown themselves in self-pity after the breakup, and people who use their pain to feel empowered.

Be the latter. He won’t miss you if he sees that you’re clearly miserable. It just strokes his ego and shows him that the breakup was the right choice for both of you. [Read: Why we intentionally hurt people we love and get pleasure out of it]

2. Stop trying so hard

If you’re wondering when does a man start to miss you, it depends on him personally. But he won’t miss you if you keep chasing after him. People can literally smell desperation and attention-seeking behavior.

If you look at your phone and notice you’ve texted him fifty times without a response, then you’ve crossed the line. 

He’ll miss you when he sees that you’ve done the opposite, which is withdraw yourself entirely from his life. Stop putting him as your sole priority and focus on yourself.

3. Don’t text him

You’re not going to make him miss you if you’re constantly trying to get a hold of him. If he doesn’t respond to your texts or gives you a one-worded answer, you need to stop. Also, why even bother texting someone you’re broken up with?

The more you keep flooding him with texts and voice messages, the more likely he isn’t going to miss you. He’s just going to feel sorry for you because you look desperate and clingy – and no guy wants that. [Read: 15 healthy boundaries that’ll create better relationships for you]

4. Minimize your insecurities

Everyone has insecurities and flaws, but that doesn’t mean you should flaunt them every chance you get. If your insecurities are so loud, he’ll be able to tell. If you’re asking when does a man start to miss you, it’s when your confidence becomes much louder than your insecurities.

Now, this doesn’t mean you should pretend you’re perfectly fine and nothing affects you. But if you’re behaving in a needy or clingy way, it’ll push him further away. [Read: Insecurity in a relationship – How to feel more secure & love better]

5. Give space

If there’s a common denominator in all these tips, it’s to create space between you and him *in all aspects*. How can someone even attempt to miss you when you’re constantly around? Whether this is an ex or a new flame, give them space to think about you.

Absence does make the heart grow fonder. Stop obsessing over whether he misses you or not, and just live your life. He’s not going to miss you if you keep smothering him with your presence every chance you get. [Read: How to give space in a relationship without drifting apart]

6. How does he emotionally react to you?

This is actually important when it comes to a man missing you. If you bring negative emotions into his life, then he’s not going to miss you. Instead, leaving him alone will be a breath of fresh air. Especially if your relationship was so bad and toxic that breaking up felt like coming up for air, then chances are he won’t miss you.

He might miss being with someone, but he won’t miss you specifically. Unfortunately, he connects you with negative feelings right now. So even if he’s single and alone, he appreciates his new life that isn’t filled with fights, confilcts and the stress your relationship would give him. [Read: How to be a more positive person and find the silver lining]

7. Don’t be the “yes” girl

We know you want to show him you’re available, but that’s not going to make him want or miss you. You need to show him you’re busy.

In other words, have a life outside of wanting and missing him. Don’t keep following him around and pushing yourself to him – that isn’t attractive.

Focus on yourself, build hobbies and interests so that even when he asks you out, you’re not just going to say yes out of desperation. Also, don’t just fake a whole new life full of fun and good times just for the sake of making him miss you, but really have a life. [Read: How to say no – Stop pleasing people and feel awesome instead]

8. Create some mystery

You need to bring back some mystery, even if you know each other well. The element of mystery will take you places when figuring out how to make him miss you. If you’re wondering when does a man start to miss you, it’s when you no longer reveal everything to him.

Yes, this also means being a little mysterious on social media. End any conversation you have with him first, don’t drag things on. It’ll keep him on his toes. [Read: How to be mysterious without going completely overboard in the role]

9. Know your worth

If you want someone to miss you, show them what you’re worth. Clinging onto them and being needy isn’t showing your value. Showing that you know your worth and actually knowing your worth are two different things. Never let your insecurities overpower your self-worth.

If this person is genuinely someone who values you, you won’t have to do much. But if he’s not that into you, you’ll never make him truly miss you. This is what most women fail to get – you can’t change a guy’s mind by chasing after him. It doesn’t work that way. [Read: How to avoid being a stage 5 clinger – The biggest signs he doesn’t want you anymore]

10. Really move on

The most important thing on this list all comes down to moving on. You know how guys always seem to chase you when it’s too late and when you’ve moved on? That’s because you’re no longer doing certain things for them, and you’re focusing on you.

When you move on, you stop caring about the implications of your actions on him.

This makes you more confident, secure, and most importantly, happy in who you are and where you are. If you want him to miss you, move on. Of course, by then, you probably won’t want him. [Read: 24 subtle signs he misses you badly every time you aren’t around]

11. Reverse psychology

It’s a long shot, but to make a man miss you, play the same tricks he does with you. Use reverse psychology to make him miss you. Don’t be clingy, but be the exact opposite. Basically, treat him the same way you did when you were still guarded and wary about him.

It takes a lot of guts to do this as women are naturally clingy *to a fault*. This is just one of the many tactics to make him miss you, to the point that it hurts missing you. [Read: Have you ever wondered how to use reverse psychology correctly?]

12. Use social media to your advantage

We’ve mentioned earlier that you need to restrict your social media usage to cope with your sadness and heartbreak. But the thing is, you can also use it to show how you’re really living your life.

Don’t flaunt your life, but make it natural. Hang out with your friends, focus on your career, get a gym subscription, and take a few pictures while you’re at it.

The worst feeling after a breakup is when they’re happier than you are. If you’re wondering when does a man start to miss you, it’s when you’re happy in a way he doesn’t expect.

13. Don’t contact him at all

You might have heard of the no-contact rule often used when getting your ex back. Whether or not you plan to get him back or you just want to make him miss you, this is an effective tactic.

Basically, don’t contact him in any way for a month or two. By the end of this, he’ll either be wondering why *especially if he beleives you’re a clingy person*, or you’ll have moved on entirely and forgotten all about him. Either way, it’s a win-win situation for you. [Read: The no contact rule and why it’s the most powerful gamble to get your ex back]

So, when does a man start to miss you?

He starts to miss you when he sees you happy and better than how he’s doing. Men are known for their egos and even if they don’t admit that they want to win a breakup, deep inside, that’s all they want to do.

They miss you when they see you’re doing better than you ever were with them. Especially when you’re thriving and glowing in ways he didn’t see before, that’s how you get him to miss you.

[Read: When a guy says he misses you – What it means & 26 signs he means it]

When does a man start to miss you? Before making him miss you, think hard if this is a game you really want to play. If not, it might be a better choice just to get over him and move on entirely. Do that, and ironically, he’ll miss you a lot more!