When Do Guys Realize What They Lost? (How You Can Tell!)

When do guys realize what they lost – if they ever do?

If you’ve split from a guy and are hurting and want him back, you want to know that he feels the same, right?

Breakups affect every guy differently, but it will always hit them at some point.

It’s hard to say how long it’ll take for a guy to realize what they’re lost, but there are signs to look out for.

Here are 10 signs a guy has or is starting to realize what he’s lost:

When Do Guys Realize What They Lost? 10 Signs They’re Starting to Realize

1. When His New Relationship Isn’t as Good as Yours Was

If a guy dumped you because he felt like he could do better or someone else took his fancy, it might not work out like that.

When he gets with someone else, and this might be more than one relationship, if he feels ’empty’ or it’s not as special as it was with you, it’ll hit him.

This is how most guys realize what they’ve lost.

Unfortunately, this is often the only way a guy can find out how much you meant to him, by finding out that his feelings for you were real.

You can’t force a guy to realize what he’s lost, but if you’re patient, he will figure it out for himself.

Related – Will your affair partner come back? Here’s the signs to look for.

2. When He Sees How Well You’re Doing on Social Media

If you’ve started to move on and are enjoying your life and posting on social media, he’s going to see it.

You might think nothing of it, but if he’s having those doubts about his decision, seeing you doing well will only reinforce those feelings.

Seeing you having fun, without him, will stir up feelings and emotions around what you used to have together, and what he’s lost.

3. When He Realizes that You’ve Moved on And Are Happy

Often, it takes seeing you move on and be happy with someone else for a guy to realize what he’s lost.

This is because when he dumped you he felt like he was the one in charge and was going to be the one to move on and be happier.

Seeing you happier than he is will bring all of that crashing down and make him realize what he did.

This is a really tough one to deal with, but if you are able to move on and be happier than you were with him, it will eventually get to him.

4. When He Feels Lonely Even if He’s Busy

There is nothing like that feeling you get when you’re with someone you love, it’s like you’re content.

If a guy dumped you and moved on, whether he’s in a relationship or just busy, if he’s feeling lonely inside it’ll hit him what he has lost.

Even if he’s out with friends or has a lot going on, if he’s not sharing it with someone special, the loneliness will start to eat away at him.

5. When He Doesn’t Feel that Connection with Anyone Else

When you’re in a relationship, there is a special connection that you have with each other.

It’s different for everyone and every relationship, but once that connection is gone it really hits you that you’ve lost something special.

For a guy, this can be really tough to deal with and is often when they start to realize what they’ve lost.

He may end up chasing that same feeling, but there is only one way he’ll ever get it back – and that’s if he gets back with you.

6. When His Friends Tell Him He Let ‘The One’ Go

Sometimes a guy will not be able to see what he’s lost, no matter how obvious it is.

But his friends will.

If his friends start to tell him that he let the one go, it will definitely make him think about what he’s done.

It might not happen straight away, but eventually, it will start to sink in and he’ll realize that they’re right.

They know him better than anyone, if he’s really not happy they’ll be able to see it and want the best for him.

7. When He Can’t Shake the Guilt of Dumping You

If a guy feels guilty about dumping you, it’s a sure sign that he’s starting to realize what he lost.

He may not feel guilt right away, and much like the other emotions involved in a breakup, guilt is something that affects everyone in different ways.

But if he’s feeling guilt or has a sinking feeling in his stomach that he made a mistake, this is his body’s way of telling him that he’s lost something (or someone) special.

8. When He Can’t Stop Thinking About You

If a guy is thinking about you all the time, it’s because he’s realized what he lost.

It doesn’t matter how much time has passed since the breakup, if he’s still thinking about you then it means that he regrets his decision.

He might not want to admit it and it can be hard for you to tell, but he will know that he made a mistake and might be hoping that you’ll forgive him and take him back.

9. When Everything Reminds Him of You

This is more of a subconscious sign than outright thinking of someone, but it’s another strong sign that he’s starting to realize what he’s lost.

If he always sees or does something that reminds him of you, it will trigger all those emotions he’s been trying to suppress.

It might be something as small as a song on the radio or a place you used to go together, but if it stirs up emotions of missing you and regretting his decision, it’s hitting him.

10. When His Heart Aches No Matter What He Does

This is the ultimate sign that a guy realizes what he’s lost.

When his heart aches for you no matter what he does, it means that he’s truly realized what he gave up.

He may try to distract himself or push those feelings away, but eventually, they will come back and hit him hard.

There is no denying it, if his heart aches for you then he knows that he made a mistake and lost someone special – it’s just a shame it takes losing someone for most guys to realize what they’ve lost!

Related – Here is a look at how often affairs start back up again!

How Long Does It Take for A Guy to Realize What He Lost?

There is no set time frame for how long it takes a guy to realize what he lost.

It can happen immediately after the breakup or take weeks, months, or even years.

It all depends on the guy’s individual circumstances and how he deals with breakups.

Some guys will never realize what they lost, but for those that do, it’s often too late.

If you’re wondering whether or not your ex will ever realize what he lost, the best thing you can do is move on and be happy and not dwell on it, to be honest.

You’ll see the signs that he’s realized he’s lost you and he may reach out to you one day, but you can’t wait on him.

If you want to be happy, you have to put yourself first and not worry about whether or not he realizes what he lost.

What Happens When He Realizes He’s Lost You?

When a guy realizes he’s lost you and something special, it depends on the situation as to what he’ll do.

If you’ve moved on and are happy without him, then he may realize that he’s missed his opportunity to reconcile and will not reach out to you.

On the other hand, if you haven’t moved on and he thinks there is a chance the two of you can get back together, he may try to reach out to you and win you back.

It all depends on the circumstances, but if he realizes what he’s lost it can trigger some strong emotional reactions.

It might come down to how proud or stubborn he is, how the relationship ended, and how he feels about trying to reconcile.

If you’re keen to get back together, the best thing you can do is look for the signs that he’s realized he messed up and try to meet him halfway.

It’s hard to judge and is something you’re going to have to pay close attention to and react to as the situation unfolds!

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Image credits – Photo by engin akyurt on Unsplash