**NOTE:** I have already posted this, but I had to take down the old post because a moderator requested that I change the title! Thanks for reading.

I didn't notice it at first, but my SO of almost 2 years made the slow transition into becoming a stoic, not very emotional person and it worries me. How can I help him voice his emotions.. Or what if he just doesn't want to? How can I connect with him/he connect with me better if he doesn't really open up and share?

His stoicism is really baffling me. The other day my SO received crushing news about a college, but he just shook off my attempts to say comforting things (not in a mean way, just in a "I have to be alone" way) and stayed up playing pokemon. ??

He also doesn't usually initiate conversation over text; talking over text is mainly on his terms, not mine, even if I send him things throughout the day to kind of start conversations. It should be a two-way street, but it's not. I know he is a really busy student (as am I, but this year he is much busier than I am), but now that we're on break, we haven't been talking very often still.

I understand that people change, dynamics change, relationships grow. But he's so much more withdrawn around me now, and though our conversations in real life are good, when we're apart it's like our relationship is like a light switch, and he flips the switch off to dim. 

Our relationship comes secondary to school, college apps, and work, but.. I feel like this is pushing it, because of the lack of conversation, contact, emotional support, and emotion/interest because of his stoicism.

How can I help him open up? I don't know if he's checking out of the relationship, or just afraid to open up.. We've opened up to each other a lot before, so he knows how to approach me. But he's changed now, so maybe he's unsure of himself/us again.

Thanks for the responses!
user
My SO is
assistant
**NOTE:** I have already posted this, but I had to take down the old post because a moderator requested that I change the title! Thanks for reading.

I didn't notice it at first, but my SO of almost 2 years made the slow transition into becoming a stoic, not very emotional person and it worries me. How can I help him voice his emotions.. Or what if he just doesn't want to? How can I connect with him/he connect with me better if he doesn't really open up and share?

His stoicism is really baffling me. The other day my SO received crushing news about a college, but he just shook off my attempts to say comforting things (not in a mean way, just in a "I have to be alone" way) and stayed up playing pokemon. ??

He also doesn't usually initiate conversation over text; talking over text is mainly on his terms, not mine, even if I send him things throughout the day to kind of start conversations. It should be a two-way street, but it's not. I know he is a really busy student (as am I, but this year he is much busier than I am), but now that we're on break, we haven't been talking very often still.

I understand that people change, dynamics change, relationships grow. But he's so much more withdrawn around me now, and though our conversations in real life are good, when we're apart it's like our relationship is like a light switch, and he flips the switch off to dim. 

Our relationship comes secondary to school, college apps, and work, but.. I feel like this is pushing it, because of the lack of conversation, contact, emotional support, and emotion/interest because of his stoicism.

How can I help him open up? I don't know if he's checking out of the relationship, or just afraid to open up.. We've opened up to each other a lot before, so he knows how to approach me. But he's changed now, so maybe he's unsure of himself/us again.

Thanks for the responses!
user
SO is very
assistant