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He's being distant - Need Advice

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    He's being distant - Need Advice

    I apologize in advance, this will be very long!

    So, my boyfriend and I met online about a year ago. We started chatting and soon became best friends. Then we found ourselves talking for hours and hours. After 5 months of talking (In May) we both confessed that we were attracted to each other but the distance will be hard. We didn't care, we thought that it was 100% worth it to try. He lives in FL and I live in New York. We agreed on September for us to meet and from there make plans to stay with each other.

    The first few months were amazing. We'd call and text each other whenever we had downtime (which was very, very often). At times spending 8-10 hours skyping each other. September rolls around and our plans of meeting get put off for a little while. He tells me he's having trouble saving up money, he owes a lot and is playing catch up.

    During the first few months we'd always talk about how great it'll be when we get together and how we can't wait. By December all talk of meeting is not brought up unless it comes from me. Whenever I bring it up, he sometimes gets annoyed. Even when I suggest me coming to visit him so that he won't have to pay. He doesn't like where he lives, and I can tell he doesn't want me there. But all other behavior is normal. When we talk he's completely normal.

    Fast forward to now: Since December he and I would fight over very small things and would blow up over it. Not frequently but it happened around 3-4 times. Also, he's starting to hang out with his friends more often and talking and spending less time with me. I know it's stupid, but I get upset and I know it's so clingy because I want him to spend all his free time with me! It also makes me feel insecure because I think something's wrong with me because he doesn't want to spend as much time with me anymore.

    I made plans to move 2 states away from him so that it would possibly make it easier for us to see each other. A week before I move, he starts working over time and not returning my texts until 10pm or even later. (He gets off of work around 6pm at the latest) Then after he returns my texts so late, he'll tell me his friends are over then he'll eventually call me at like 1am for our usual goodnight call. I confessed to him one night that I feel us getting distant and it's bumming me out. He doesn't return my text when I know he read it. I texted him again and said that I guess I was annoying him and that I would stop. He then responds and says he's working a lot and the whole year we've been together he's been neglecting responsibilities and now he has to play catch up. He's getting tired of the online thing and that he finds himself having less time for an long distance relationship. He also fears us meeting because we have different circumstances. (My family is very well off where as his isn't and he's been living on his own since 17ish) I ask him to call me so that we could talk instead of texting. Finally he calls me and I tell him that I'm sorry and I didn't realize how much work he has and that I'm not the only thing he has in his life. He says I shouldn't be sorry because it's not my fault that he's got all this stuff to do. I then say that it sounds like he wants to end it but I don't agree because we haven't even seen eachother yet and we've been building our relationship for that moment and if we don't meet we will never know if it would have worked. He agrees and it was hard to tell if he was sincere.

    The next morning I text him with our usual good morning text. We then chat very briefly and then we stop talking. He then doesn't text me again for the rest of the day (not normal for him at all) but I don't text him because I'm trying my hardest to not be clingy. He texts me early the next morning and says he had a bad day yesterday and was wrapped up in it. I was a little upset because before if he was having a bad day, he would have confided in me - but I didn't say anything. We talk about what happened and everything seems fine. He even calls me for a quick chat during his break. (Been a really long time since he's done that) After that we stop talking. I send him a text around 7ish because I know he's home and I thought it would be okay. He gets my text and doesn't respond (I know he's read it) until 10. We talk and it's all so normal. He calls me for our goodnight call and he says he loves me for the first time since that big discussion. We talk again the next morning about the issue he was having and in the middle of our conversation he stops responding. I don't text him again for another 3 hours and tell him about me feeling sick. He responds with, "aww damn." I'm feeling a little miffed since I spent so much time talking about his problems but now when it's about me, that's all he says. I text right back and ask how everything is. He still hasn't responded and it's been 3 hours.

    HELP! Am I doing something wrong? Should I give him space? Does it sound like he has someone else?

    #2
    Some of what he's saying sounds legitimate. In most LDR's, you spend the first few months spending an inordinate amount of time online and on the phone with each other, and he's right, life does catch up with you eventually and you have stuff that needs to get done and responsibilities to deal with, so a slow down from that first phase of the relationship is pretty common, and often leaves one of you hurt and confused, but it's totally normal.

    That said, when one half of an LDR refuses to meet when it finally becomes possible, that's a huge red flag. Why would anyone who supposedly loves someone, not want to see them? I can't tell you if you're doing anything wrong, or if he's seeing someone, but not wanting to meet you is not good, especially after a year of waiting. Maybe he's gotten bored of you, or the whole LDR thing, or maybe he's not who he tells you he is, or whatever, but for me, the not wanting to meet would be a deal breaker. Sorry about that.

    I think you need to have a really serious talk, and take it from there. What good is having a boyfriend who refuses to see you? Good luck.
    Our separation of each other is an optical illusion of consciousness. ~Albert Einstein

    Comment


      #3
      Originally posted by Moon View Post
      Some of what he's saying sounds legitimate. In most LDR's, you spend the first few months spending an inordinate amount of time online and on the phone with each other, and he's right, life does catch up with you eventually and you have stuff that needs to get done and responsibilities to deal with, so a slow down from that first phase of the relationship is pretty common, and often leaves one of you hurt and confused, but it's totally normal.

      That said, when one half of an LDR refuses to meet when it finally becomes possible, that's a huge red flag. Why would anyone who supposedly loves someone, not want to see them? I can't tell you if you're doing anything wrong, or if he's seeing someone, but not wanting to meet you is not good, especially after a year of waiting. Maybe he's gotten bored of you, or the whole LDR thing, or maybe he's not who he tells you he is, or whatever, but for me, the not wanting to meet would be a deal breaker. Sorry about that.

      I think you need to have a really serious talk, and take it from there. What good is having a boyfriend who refuses to see you? Good luck.
      I agree with everything moon said.
      Made it official: 12-01-10
      First visit: 3-29-13/4-09-13
      Closed the distance: 07-31-13

      Comment


        #4
        Thanks Moon, I was thinking the same. I really appreciate the response.

        Comment


          #5
          I'm sorry to hear this. Like Lyonsgirl, I'm wondering what all is going into it being 3 days and if you'll have zero contact or just minimal. Sometimes mini breaks are good to give both people time to collect their thoughts, have some space, and do things that they want/need to do. Try to stay busy and not dwell on the sadness if you can. Three days isn't too bad and it could help in the long run.
          I too agree with what Moon said! I also want to add that women tend to want more interaction and contact than men. Men tend to fair better with distance than woman do so I don't think it's uncommon to feel like you might be being clingy in comparison to how he is. That being said, you can try (like you are) to give him some more space. You want to have a life outside of him as well and most men like to know that someone is thinking of them but don't need to be on the phone with them all the time. I know my SO will read a text and not respond right away because he's at work or busy. A lot of the time when he's off work, he spends some time unwinding; your SO may do the same and that's why he doesn't contact you until he's been off for a bit. A good talk with him will help you a lot!

          p.s. Welcome to the community!
          Our love story:
          Attended the same high school 2004-2007
          Dated CD: June 2009-July 2010
          Reconnected: August 2012
          Began dating LD: November 2012
          Engaged! March 2014
          Closing the distance: December 2015

          Comment


            #6
            Thanks Heavenly! I think the space will be good for both he and I. Like him I'm starting to realize I've given up quite a bit in the past year to spend time with him. Mainly friends and slacking a bit in school. It's time to fix that.

            Also, thank you for the welcome

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