Hi,
I am posting this question in hopes that someone can come and answer my prayers. I am 21 years old and have been dating my boyfriend for alomost 5 years. He is 23. We are high school sweet hearts and just bought our first house together 2 months ago. Our relationship was great, we both loved each other, we both were staying very busy with work and school and yet we still kept the relationship together. We would rarely fight, I would give him a lot of greif for going out, but I think it was just my own insecurities. The problems really started when his mother passed away on December 1, 2006. She was one of my best friends and I suffered a great loss as well. We were both there together holding her hand as she passed away. She was only 48. She loved me very much and I know that she thought that I would be her daughter-in-law someday. On her death bed, I promised her that I would take care of her boys (My boyfriend and his father), and I need some help keeping things together.

Ever since she passed away, he just hasnt been the same. I have always just assumed that he was sad and missed his mom. We would talk about things, and he would open up to me a little, but he wasnt dealing with her death like I think he should have been. He went right back to work and pushed back the issues. Now, he is suffering. He told me a few nights ago that he wants a break, he said that he needs time to figure out who he is. He asked me if he could move back home to his father's to deal with the problems. He moved back home for a few nights, I was miserable and so was he, but he kept coming around and in my option he was just trying to make it easier on me, when in fact, it was making it more difficult. It is hard to hear the man of your dreams, your best friend, and the person who makes you whole tell you that they dont love you like they used to and he told me that I deserve better. I am so afraid that he is just trying to let me down easily. He also told me that he feels numb and that nothing in his life matters, ever since his mother has passed, he has been saying that he could care less about anything anymore. He also keeps telling me that he loves me and that he wants to work this out and he has ever intention on coming back and being with me, but I am just finding it so hard to believe. I know that he loves me and cares for me, he even is living back at home now because I havent been able to sleep or eat. He is living back at home with me now, but things just arent the same. He wants his space and freedom and that is really hard for me to cope with. I just cant stop loving him and calling him and wanting to know where he is and what he is doing. I guess I just dont know what to do from here. I think he is depressed, I am not a doctor, but that would be my best guess. I have asked if he wants to get help and talk to someone...I told him that we could go together or seperate. I am willing to do whatever is best for him.
I dont think that I really have any questions, just wondering about any thoughts anyone had. I would appreciate any help or any advice...maybe you have been through something similar?