9 signs your partner is jealous of you: how to recognize and what to do.

One tactic a jealous partner will use is taking you down a peg when you are being praised by others. This can be outright criticism but more likely it is going to be passive aggressive or even framed as a joke. Humour can be a stealth way to give a dismissive comment without being accused of bad behaviour. For example, when a woman is complimented on her appearance, a jealous boyfriend might laugh: 'you should see her at home!'.

When a green-eyed partner senses you are getting more attention than they are, they may cause an argument or drama. This isn’t to create a distraction but rather to remind their loved one of the importance of their relationship. It comes from a sense they are being forgotten about or left behind. Being on the receiving end of this might make one partner reassess their priorities such as being less ambitious in their career.

When a toddler wants attention on them, they might fall over or start shouting: 'look at me!'. As adults this behaviour is a lot more subtle. It might manifest as changing the subject when a spouse is talking about some good news they received. Perhaps they will look at their phone or yawn as a partner tells them they have received a big promotion. These are all ways to cut the amount of positive attention short.

Ever noticed some people will always bring the subject back to themselves? Sometimes when one half of a couple is in the limelight, the other may bring up their own achievements. This might be dismissing any successes by saying: 'been there, done that'. Or even complaining that they didn’t get as much praise when they did something similar. They might even imply their accomplishments are only being praised because of their look, or gender or other characteristics.

Moaning about dirty dishes or how the dishwasher is stacked might not seem like a big deal. But if it comes from a spouse after some good news or success, they could be trying to put you down. It’s their way of saying: 'OK, you might be getting lavished with compliments but don’t get too big for your boots'. It’s a hurtful way of bringing you back to reality with a bump.

One jealous reaction may be withdrawing and withholding. This could be in a social setting or even at home. If a usually sociable partner acts withdrawn at a gathering, it may be to get attention when everyone asks what’s wrong. At home, perhaps they will isolate themselves in another room. This forces their spouse to seek them out and check what’s wrong.

Many men (and some women) will cheat because they think their partner is going to do the same because they are doing so well in life. This comes from a place of insecurity. They want to be reassured that they are just as important, but don’t believe they can be. As a result they make outright accusations like: 'you’re cheating on me'. Instead of dealing with the problem they will do the deed first to protect themselves.

While some signs of jealousy are not so obvious, some are pretty blatant. Envy may cause some to unleash the contemptuous, condescending language and berate their spouse. I call this behaviour the mini professor – much like a child part of us pretending to be an adult. They will put the other person down. This is an attempt to reduce the power they perceive their other half has.

A rarer reaction to jealousy is fawning over your partner. This type of response may stem from childhood or teenage years when we learn how to relate and form responses. Perhaps in some instances a parent started losing weight, dressing better and then met a new partner, leaving their family behind. When the grown up version of this child sees their partner doing well they might fear history could repeat itself. By making themselves as appealing as possible they are hoping they will convince them of their worth.

According to The Sun: Jealousy is a complex and challenging emotional state, especially in the dynamics of a couple. This article examined various ways in which jealousy can manifest in relationships. Understanding the root causes of jealousy is an important step in addressing this issue. Providing support and patience, as well as establishing soft boundaries, are key aspects of building healthy relationships.