BF (32M) got defensive when I (25F) said seeing him felt off- is this a red flag or fixable?

r/

I(25F) have been dating my boyfriend (32M) for a few months. Things have been good, he’s consistent, thoughtful, and we made it official recently. But we had our first big disconnect and I’m struggling to figure out if I’m being too sensitive or if this is a red flag.

We hadn’t seen each other in a week (I’ve been in the middle of a really intense work period), so l stopped by with some things for him. He was feeling under the weather, so I brought snacks, Gatorade, etc. When I got there, he was playing video games with his brother and drinking a beer. I stayed for like 20 minutes max nothing dramatic.

Later, I told him that the interaction felt kind of off. I wasn’t angry, just sharing. He asked me to explain, so l said I felt a little ignored-that it just wasn’t the energy I expected after not seeing each other for a week.

That’s when he got really defensive-said I was gaslighting him, that I came over uninvited and did something he didn’t ask for, and told me to “rip the band-aid off” if I had a problem. He raised his voice on the phone, which he’s never done before. That i was being unfair and playing games.

Now I’m unsure- like will this be a recurring issue every time I share my feelings he’ll react defensively? Or should I just leave at the first sign of disrespect?

TL;DR:

I (25F) dropped off some things for my boyfriend (32M) after a week apart while he was under the weather and playing video games. Later, I shared that our interaction felt emotionally off- not in an angry way, just a soft truth. He asked me to clarify, and when I said I felt a little ignored, he got really defensive, said I was gaslighting, and told me to “rip the band-aid off.” Now I’m confused if this was just a one-off or a sign of how he handles emotional honesty. Not sure what to do.

Comments

  1. gingerlorax Avatar

    It’s definitely not a good sign that you brought up something you felt calmly and matter of fact and he flew off the handle, got defensive and turned things around on you. Seems like he can’t take perceived criticism very well. If he can’t communicate with you rationally then I would peace.

  2. BandicootOk4723 Avatar

    He’s gonna treat you like that again. He’s too old to be acting like that. You might as well be dealing with a man your age. Save your energy with over explaining and listen to him or he’ll just throw it in your face that you should’ve left him the first time he mentioned to, the next time he hurts or neglects you.