My boyfriend doesn't interact with my family/ friends

Hi, so I'm having some issues with my boyfriend of 3 years and I just don't know what to do anymore. He has social anxiety and really struggles with my family. I have a really close family and they mean a lot to me but ever since we started dating he hasn't warmed up to them. He doesn't talk to them, he sits on his phone when we're with them or just zones out, he gives really short answers if they try talk to him like "idk" or "yes/no" etc. He's also put off meeting my friends and still hasn't met them after 3 years. It's got to the point that my family have stopped trying with him and family events have become a nightmare for me because he'll crash really hard and get super tired really early on and just sit looking miserable the whole night, not talking to anyone. I've talked to him a lot about it and tried to understand what the issue is and also tried to encourage him to seek mental health support as this is a factor also. He says he's not good at socialising but I feel like this takes it further than that, and despite talking a lot about it nothing has changed. I also have put a lot of effort into getting to know his family and just feel like its not reciprocated. I just don't know what to do anymore...

Reply 1

robbiek86

Original post by Anonymous

Struggling with social anxiety myself i can appreciate that it may be difficult for your BF to interact with 'strangers', put into social situations he is likely to be nervous which, if it applies to him may bring on things such as panic attacks. Has your BF been in any councelling or CBT? maybe that could be a good way to go to support him and also will open him up eventually to be more social with your family and friends. I do understand your point and can empathize with you, my other half has suffered the same issues and it took me a long time to engage with his family and friends.