Who doesn’t love hearing “I love you” ? “I love you” can mean a lot of things to different people- sometimes it’s hard to trust exactly what it means when you hear it. Here’s a great piece in Bustle about signs that perhaps an “I love you” doesn’t mean the same for your partner as it does for you. A few of my two cents on the topic are below and check out the full piece at this link: https://www.bustle.com/p/does-my-partner-love-me-7-signs-they-care-but-not-as-intensely-18223364
4. They Say It Very Early On In The Relationship
“‘I love you’ can be said early on as a strategy of bringing a level of seriousness or commitment to the relationship, without necessarily having an in-depth conversation about where the relationship is at,” Dr. Catalina Lawsin, PhD, a therapist with a speciality in relationships, tells Bustle. Someone may say this to you as a way to show you that they’re serious about taking things to the next level without really meaning it. Everyone falls in love differently and at different times. But if they haven’t taken the time to get to know the real you, it may not be love just yet. In this case, Lawsin says they just might be the type of person who throws the phrase around. There’s nothing malicious or manipulative going on. They may not value those three words as much as you do. So don’t feel pressured to say it back if you don’t feel it just yet.
5. They Only Say It When You’re Mad
“Look at the timing of the ‘I love yous’ and if there’s a shady pattern to it, then look into this further,” Lawsin says. For instance, saying it before asking for something is a sign that you may be dealing with a manipulator. But saying it before, during, or after a fight, can also be a red flag. According to Lawsin, those three words immediately elicit a reaction. “During times of tension, this can be used as a way to diffuse the situation or a distraction,” she says. Someone may use this to immediately end a potential fight before it begins. Others may use this as a way to get in your good graces without having to really apologize.
