Am I overreacting about my boyfriend not prioritizing me?
I just want to know if I’m overreacting or if my feelings are valid. Also any advice on what to do.
I’ve (25 (almost 26)F) been with my boyfriend (28M) for almost two years and I’ve told him multiple times it feels like he prioritizes other things over me, especially his friends. He’ll go out of his way, even with how busy he is, to make his friends feel special. He’s even offered to fly some of them up to visit.
When I tell him I wish I could spend more time with him, his answer is always “we live together, you see me every day.” But the truth is he’s either working on his car or doing schoolwork, which can take up 16 hours of his day. I work too, so most of the time the only chance I have to talk to him is if we happen to eat together. He thinks being in the same room doing our own thing is the same as spending time together, but to me it doesn’t feel like quality time.
If he finally agrees to spend a day with me, I’m the one who has to plan everything. He doesn’t really put in the effort. He also doesn’t plan anything for my birthday or our anniversary. I understand school keeps him busy and I don’t expect him to stop hanging out with friends or talking to them, but it hurts when I see him willing to drop everything for them while I feel like I’m always second.
When I’m upset, he just brushes me off and acts like I’m not there. He can go to bed like nothing is wrong while I’m left feeling ignored. I feel like I constantly have to ask for attention and reassurance. He does go to therapy, but he refuses to actually work through his emotions. He’ll say things like “I’m a man, I can’t have feelings” or “society says this” no matter how many times I tell him it’s okay to have emotions. It feels like he’s stuck in that mindset and won’t try to move past it.
What makes this worse is I don’t really have anywhere else to go if we broke up. I’m struggling financially and can’t afford a place on my own. I don’t have friends or family I can stay with, so I feel completely stuck.
I’ll be talking to my therapist about this, but right now I just feel lost. Am I asking too much, or is this a real problem?
TL;DR: I’ve been with my boyfriend for almost two years and I feel like I’m always second place to his friends, his car, or his schoolwork. He thinks living together counts as quality time, but I feel ignored, brushed off, and like I’m constantly begging for attention. He goes to therapy but refuses to actually deal with his emotions because “men can’t have feelings.” I feel so drained, unloved, and stuck because I can’t afford to leave. Am I overreacting or is this a real problem?
Posted Oct 2, 2025, 1:47 PM UTC · locked