What Does It Mean When You Think About Someone All the Time but You Have a Boyfriend?

You don't always have to act on your thoughts.
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He's always on your mind. His lush locks, his chiseled face, his sweet smile and his song-like laugh keep playing through your mind like a movie. While daydreaming about your guy is completely normal, the problem is -- he's not your boyfriend. Why are you suddenly thinking about someone new? There are a variety of reasons for your wandering mind, ranging from the desire to explore new options to boredom in your current relationship.

1 Explore Your Options

Before you decide to settle down with one guy, consider the possibility that you aren't old enough to know who you really are and what you want. This doesn't mean that you're immature, but instead that as a teenager or young adult you are still exploring your identity. The process of self-discovery often includes trying out different experiences, assert the experts at TeensHealth, in the article "Love and Romance." If you find yourself thinking about a guy who isn't your current beau, it's possible that you want to explore other options. For example, you met your boyfriend during your time on the track team. Now that you're focused on your theatrical career, you're thinking more about the cute guy from drama club.

2 Popular People

Your peers may put pressure on you to date a "popular" person. If your guy is far from the A-list, you may secretly dream about dating the captain of the football team or the student body president. This type of crush most likely comes from the desire to build your social standing and join the popular clique. Before you throw away a relationship with someone who might truly care about you, remember that popularity isn't everything. Make your relationship choices based on what you feel, not who you want to impress.

3 Handsome Faces

It's no secret that better looking people get more attention than so-so looking ones, notes social psychologist Sam Sommers in his article "The Magic Spell of a Pretty Face," on the "Psychology Today" website. If you're constantly thinking about that cute guy from chem or the hottie behind the counter at the campus coffee shop, your daydreams likely come from your fascination with his outward appearance. This is especially true if you don't really know the guy. Just because you're thinking about a handsome face doesn't mean that you should leave your boyfriend. Consider it like a movie star-level crush, while your BF is reality.

4 Ready to Move On

Even though thinking about another guy when you have a boyfriend doesn't necessarily mean that you should move on, sometimes it is a sign that things aren't going in the right direction. If your current relationship seems stale, no matter what you do to rev it up, consider the possibility that you need to move on. This doesn't always mean that you need to move on with the guy from your daydreams. Your interest in him might come from a place of boredom and not actual attraction. Put all guys in your life on hold, take stock of your own life and then decide on what you need in a dating relationship.

Based in Pittsburgh, Erica Loop has been writing education, child development and parenting articles since 2009. Her articles have appeared in "Pittsburgh Parent Magazine" and the website PBS Parents. She has a Master of Science in applied developmental psychology from the University of Pittsburgh's School of Education.

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