Understanding a Distant Cancer Man (Why? How To Fix?)

Cancer men can be attentive and nurturing. When a Cancer man backs away from you and shuts down, you may question what you did wrong to make him shut down.

Many women are baffled by Cancer men. Men born under this sign can be full of contradictions. When a Cancer man is in love, he may shut down.

When a Cancer man is overwhelmed, he retreats into his shell, like the crab that is his symbol. He eventually comes around but many women aren’t patient enough to wait.

He’s Moody

You don’t have to sabotage a relationship with a Cancer man if you understand why he becomes distant. The top reason Cancer men shut down relates to their moody nature. Their mood swings are part of their nature.

A Cancer man can be outgoing and charming one minute; and sulky the next. When you want to encourage a Cancer man to come out of his proverbial shell don’t take his actions personally. His behaviors change with his mood.

Cancer men can be distant when they feel anxious, overwhelmed, sad, or even when they are falling in love. When a Cancer man starts to develop feelings for you, he’ll panic.

He may second guess himself and wonder if he is good enough for you. Cancer men are afraid of abandonment and rejection. They will hide rather than confront their insecurities at first.

When a Cancer man disrespects you, he assumes you know it wasn’t intentional. Yet if you make a mistake and upset him, he’ll assume it was on purpose. He can be emotional and moody. This makes him distant.

Is your Cancer man not communicating with you? Here's the trick to reel your Cancer back in.

His Feelings Are Hurt

Another reason Cancer men shut down is because their feelings are hurt. If you want to avoid hurting his feelings this may not be possible. Cancer men are hurt by innocent comments or gestures.

They are also hurt by what you fail to do. If you don’t anticipate what a Cancer man wants. He acts as if you can read his mind. He doesn’t speak up for himself.

Instead, he waits to see if you respond to him the way he wants you to. When you don’t give him the reassurance, admiration, comfort, or reaction he craves he sulks. Cancer men are hurt easily.

Without even intending to, you can hurt this man’s feelings. You may not even realize you’ve done anything. His feelings can be hurt for reasons that make no sense to you.

A Cancer man is territorial. If you don’t respect his space or give credit where credit is due, he goes into a foul mood. He backs away from you to give himself time to process his feelings.

He Needs Validation

Although Cancer is known to be the nurturing “mother” of the zodiac, men born under this sign may act more like children than parents. They need more validation than you might guess.

If a Cancer man isn’t getting the reassurance and validation he craves, he will shut down. You may not understand why he becomes distant. But a Cancer man will retreat if he thinks you aren’t validating him enough.

Avoid your Cancer man shutting down by giving him reassurance and praise. You may feel like you’re being excessive, but the more you admire and reassure him, the better.

How does a Cancer man test you? He’ll set the stage for you to compliment or reassure him. He may bait you into validating him by indulging in self-pity. If you take the time to comfort and reassure him, you pass the test.

When a Cancer man is done with you, he won’t suddenly become distant. Instead, he’ll make a scene. You won’t have to guess his intentions. Yet Cancers are never the ones to initiate a breakup.

They hold on for dear life just like the clinging crab that is their symbol. When a Cancer man feels neglected or invalidated, he’ll become distant. He isn’t signaling the end of the relationship. He’s showing you he needs attention.

A tiny trick to snatch your Cancer man's heart?... even if he's cold and distant...

Listen With Compassion

If your Cancer man has gone missing in action, eventually, he will come around. The best thing to do when he reaches out to you is to show empathy. Listen to him with compassion.

One of the reasons Cancer men go silent is because they don’t feel understood. If you practice reflective listening, he will start to feel more confident. Cancer men need compassion and empathy.

When you make it a habit to listen to your Cancer man and reflect on what he is saying, he is less likely to become distant. Cancer men would rather be attached to you than aloof.

He’ll only distance himself from you if he doesn’t think you are taking the initiative and trying to understand him. You can safeguard your relationship by putting extra effort into listening to him.

You will seldom see signs a Cancer man is playing you. When he becomes distant, he’s not being insincere about the relationship. Usually, the opposite is true. He takes romance seriously and feels neglected or unheard.

Don’t Judge Him

Cancer men are sensitive to criticism. Never judge a Cancer man. One of the reasons he goes into silent mode is because he feels judged.

If you criticize him, even in an attempt to help him, your Cancer man will shut down and retreat. He may not trust you again right away. You’ll have to work to rebuild the connection.

If you have to give a Cancer man constructive feedback, be careful how you approach this task. Always compliment him first. Then, follow your praise with a suggestion. Then, follow your constructive criticism with more praise.

When a Cancer man disappears and reappears, it doesn’t always mean he’s over his hurt feelings. Don’t assume he is feeling better when he gets back in touch with you.

When he becomes distant, reassure a Cancer man by focusing on the positives. Never assume that his reasons for going quiet are water under the bridge.

Use these secrets to make your Cancer man love you (they work like magic)

Build His Confidence

You can protect your relationship with a Cancer man by building up his confidence. Cancer men are often shy and passive. The more he feels empowered to express himself, the less likely he will be to retreat.

Cancer men who lack confidence will shut down when they feel overwhelmed. Rather than cornering him to try to get him to re-engage with you, it is far better to build up his self-esteem.

When you help your Cancer love become more assertive, he will have the skills he needs to face his fears. He’ll talk about his concerns with you and not feel like he’s walking on eggshells.

A Cancer man lying is a sign he doesn’t feel empowered. He lies to appease you. If he doesn’t want to lie yet feels he can’t speak up, he’ll back away.

He’s Insecure

Cancer men become distant because of their insecurities. They are infamous for craving stability and security because they don’t naturally feel protected. If he feels unsure about the relationship, he’ll disappear.

Cancer men need a lot more attention than the average guy. Women often become frustrated with Cancer men because they are so insecure. Men born under this sign need a boost to keep their morale high.

When a Cancer man starts to avoid your texts, it’s usually a sign that he is not feeling comfortable around you. If he thinks you’re interested in someone else, he may start to go quiet.

Disappearing on a Cancer man won’t make him chase you. He’ll just panic and then he may not trust you again. You’ve got to pursue him, even when he goes quiet first.

This one weird trick is the only way to attract a Cancer man.

Improve Your Communication

Another proactive way to ensure your Cancer man doesn’t become distant is to improve communication with him. Take initiative and speak up when you feel there is a proverbial “elephant in the room.”

Don’t let resentments fester. If you’ve been suppressing your feelings, your Cancer man is feeling this as well. He’s sensitive to your shifts in mood.

You can bring your Cancer man back by improving communication. Men born under this sign don’t like parting ways when they care about you. If he’s gone quiet, he’s usually sending a message that he doesn’t feel connected to you.

Rather than ignoring him, take strides to become more transparent with him. Improve your communication and listening skills to understand what he wants.

He Feels Misunderstood

A Cancer man who feels misunderstood will wallow in self-pity. He won’t show his feelings through overt communication. When he feels disconnected from you, he’ll go into hiding.

When a Cancer man goes quiet, he expects you to work harder to engage him. If he feels misunderstood, he expects you to work to understand what is on his mind.

Cancer men feel misunderstood. They are so sensitive they fall into the “victim role” in relationships. If you don’t fully support his every move and opinion, he’ll react as if you’ve rejected him.

Distancing yourself from a Cancer man is never a good idea. The minute he feels you pulling away, a Cancer man becomes defensive. He won’t speak up for himself, though. He’ll assume the worst and become distant.

This magic will make your Cancer man want a relationship with you.

He’s Anxious

Cancer men often suffer from anxiety. They tend to be high-strung, but their intuition can also trigger their nervous reactions. When a Cancer man becomes distant, he may be anxious about something.

He won’t just come clean about his anxious feelings. Instead, a Cancer man will become distant. He may think he is protecting you from his intense feelings. But in reality, his emotional disconnection only leaves his partner feeling confused.

Cancer men can build up worst-case scenarios. Before they know it, the calamity they’ve been anticipating seems real even though it hasn’t happened. Their invented crisis may never happen.

A Cancer man fighting feelings retreats from the relationship. He goes quiet when he’s trying to make sense of his overwhelming emotions, especially anxiety. Don’t judge his feelings and never tell him his feelings are wrong.

He Feels Betrayed

Cancer men become distant if they feel betrayed. Just because your Cancer man feels betrayed doesn’t mean you did anything wrong. Cancer men read between the lines and can feel betrayed for no reason.

Cancer men become distant when their trust is lost. You don’t have to cheat for him to feel deceived. He may be confusing his insecure feelings for intuition.

When a Cancer man feels betrayed, the best thing to do is soothe his frazzled nerves. Even if you feel like he’s being too dramatic, you should never ignore a Cancer man who becomes distant.