Girlfriend (22F) asked me to stop texting and said “let’s break up” during an argument — did I push her away or is this just emotional overload? (22M)

I’m a 22M and my girlfriend is 22F. We’ve been connected for almost 8 years on and off. We had a breakup in the middle (around 1.5 years) due to family issues, but for the past 4 months we’ve been talking regularly again and rebuilding closeness, though we didn’t clearly redefine the relationship.

She’s very introverted, sensitive, and tends to withdraw when overwhelmed. I’m more expressive and tend to want to fix things immediately.

About a week ago, her replies slowed down and then stopped. I tried to give space, but after a few days I sent emotional messages (like saying I missed her). When she eventually replied, she was upset and said contradictory things like I didn’t text her, but also that I text too much. During the argument she said “just stop” and “let’s break up,” but there was no clear follow-up or closure.

After that, I reacted emotionally and sent too many messages, calls, and apology videos before stopping. She asked me to stop messaging. I respected that and later only sent one neutral message:

She hasn’t replied yet, but she hasn’t blocked me and is still occasionally online.

I’m not asking who’s right or wrong. I’m trying to understand how to handle this situation in a healthy way:

• When someone asks for space but communication feels unclear, what’s the best way to respond?
• How long is it reasonable to give space without escalating things?
• If she reaches out again, what kind of tone helps de-escalate rather than reopen conflict?
• How do you balance respecting boundaries while still showing care?

I want to avoid repeating the same emotional patterns and handle this more calmly going forward. Any advice on how to approach this constructively would help.