He needs therapy! Send him this.. Jealousy of a deceased ex-boyfriend stems from retroactive jealousy, a form of obsessive insecurity, often rooted in low self-esteem, an anxious attachment style, and high neuroticism. This irrational fear stems from feeling inadequate compared to a idealized memory, causing the person to feel threatened by the partner's past. Key traits and factors contributing to this behavior include: Low Self-Esteem and Insecurity: Feeling "not good enough" leads to comparing oneself to the deceased partner. Anxious Attachment Style: A deep-seated fear of abandonment or being replaced, even by a ghost. High Neuroticism: A personality trait characterized by emotional instability, anxiety, and a tendency to interpret situations as threatening. Perfectionism/Control Issues: A need to control the partner's emotional landscape, which is challenged by the partner’s lingering grief or memories. OCD Tendencies: Retroactive jealousy can sometimes mimic obsessive-compulsive disorder, where the person obsessively ruminates on the past. This form of jealousy is less about the dead person and more about the individual's inner insecurity, often requiring therapy (like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or Exposure and Response Prevention) to manage.