Is it normal to feel anxious and emotionally attached to someone who’s unavailable but made you feel safe and accepted after you came out?
I recently came out to someone I work with, and they were very accepting and kind about it. They’re in a relationship, which I respect, but they also made a point of including me socially and being friendly in a way that felt genuinely warm and safe. Since then, I’ve noticed I’ve started feeling more emotionally attached than I expected. I find myself overthinking interactions, feeling anxious while waiting for replies, and worrying about whether I’m crossing boundaries — even though nothing inappropriate has actually happened. I don’t want to make things awkward, disrespect their relationship, or put pressure on them, but I’m struggling with how strongly I’m reacting internally. I’m trying to figure out how to manage these feelings in a healthy way while keeping things respectful and professional. Has anyone been in a similar situation, and how did you handle the emotional side of it? I'm really struggling. He even invited me back to his place to hang out with him and his boyfriend.
Posted Jan 31, 2026, 1:32 PM UTC