6 Reasons You Experience Retroactive Jealousy

Attachment, real issues within the relationship, OCD and more!

Many people struggle with retroactive jealousy, which is when you are jealous of a partner’s past romantic or sexual partners. Some of the most common manifestations of this including looking your partner’s ex-partners up on social media, comparing yourself or internally “competing” constantly with an ex (even in this case to a dead partner), constantly asking your partner about their prior relationship and what was better/worse in that relationship versus yours, and even snooping through your partner’s emails/texts to find old correspondence with their ex. What are some reasons people experience retroactive jealousy?

1. Low self-esteem. If you feel that you are not attractive or lovable, you likely do not understand why their partner is with you.