Boyfriend claims he needs space, I think he's making excuses?

This guy is amazing in nearly every respect, aside from one - he's probably the most introverted person I've ever met. Things were going great and then out of the blue one day he wanted to "call things off" and later told me he wanted to "step back and reevaluate things." He said later that similar things happen with all of his relationships and he's never been in a really deep relationship or a very long one. I pointed out that if this is a recurring event clearly it's not working as a way to resolve his problems, but that I respected him and would give him time to work things out.

However, he still acts like he's attracted to me and flirts with me and wants to spend time with me - he doesn't seem like he's trying to work anything out at all, he just seems like he wants to magically erase everything between us so he doesn't have to confront it. I feel like he's blocking out the emotions that have the potential to hurt him.

I'm torn -- should I leave him alone or confront him?

The thing is, he doesn't really have any close friends or girls he's interested in -- I know him very well and I know that for a FACT. However, the last relationship he was in ended very badly for him and I feel like he never confronted his feelings about it. He felt helpless because it ended in a way he had no control over (he told me). He thinks that all good things must eventually come to an end so why bother? I need him to realize that he's just running away, trying to keep from getting hurt again, but that I care very deeply for him and I want to make this work. That's why I feel like giving him "space" will just make him feel as if this is an appropriate way to handle his issues, and then those issues will never get resolved because he'll never have to confront them. I think we will eventually get back together if I leave him alone, but it will be the same as it is - this is something we have to fix here and now if we want it to work.

I would confront him. What he said is a cowardly way of saying he doesn't want to be with you anymore. Don't leave a relationship without getting that stuff off your chest. It helps in the end, trust me. Tell him how you feel. You will respect yourself for speaking up instead of bottling it up inside of you, which only hurts you.

It will seem hard but you'll pull through it.

he needs space for that new girl

i said that to an ex of mine. i just wanted to get rid of her for another girl, pretty shitty but that's probably what he's pulling.

blocking out emotions??mabey he doesnt have any to begin with..the he acts atrtracted to you when he gets horney

You can leave him alone or confront him. Neither one will change the outcome of this. Any truth-telling guy will tell you, there is no "space," there is no "step back and re-evaluate," there is no "work things out" -- there is only an infinite number of chicken-$hit ways to break up with somebody without really acting like you're a bad guy and you're breaking up with them for good. Go ahead and see through this charade and walk away with your held held high.

Be VERY unavailable (although it is hard) and see what happens. I'd leave him alone. Find LOTS of other things to do, and don't wait by the phone. In fact, DON'T ANSWER IT FOR A WHILE. He's feeling trapped. He'll either go away or come back. You can't control what others do, and if he stays away, he wasn't right for you.

Well you bought the story to! So have millions of women. You are now his "booty" call. It won't go any further. He can't commit, and that is just the truth of it. He has a whole lot of "buds" right?If you want to enjoy the "sex" between you, put this "?relationship" in the "right" perspective, and Keep Your Eyes OPEN for the day, you can walk away, put a period after it, and Move ON. Follow my advice, I did it, and believe me it felt Good, when he realized I was "serious", had someone new, and I was Finished With Him, it took him Years to get over ME! Men hate to be Dumped, Hits their so called "Manhood", what ever that is? Good Luck, and have a Merry Christmas, go to every party, with or without him.Stay busy, and start NOW on the Road to Happiness, and its not with him.