Almost 50 years old and have to ask this question?

[Anonymous]

All I ask is if you answer honestly and have been a long term relationship and nothing mean.

I have been in a relationship with my boyfriend for 5 years. We do live together for a little over a year. Lately he has been in bad moods over work or maybe something else is going on that he is hiding. I get it I’ve been there. But I feel in my gut he is either interested in another women or just losing interest in me. I want to have a conversation about it but want it to be adult and honest Any tips on how to start the conversation?

[Fireguy17]

That is a tough one.
Those type of conversations are or can be uncomfortable.
You wouldn't want to have any distractions, and maybe start out by say I have noticed some changes in our relationship, and maybe list the major ones and then ask for his thoughts and be prepared for the no, nothing has changed answer.
Be persistent, but don't let it grow into a fight.
Use phrases like I feel that, I've noticed that...
Don't be accusatory towards him like you never, why don't you...
Let him answer fully without interpretation, and when he is done ask for clarification by say I think this is what I heard. But I don't really or still understand...
Could you clarify that for me.
It might help, or he might say everything is fine and you are imagining things and walk away.
Good luck, been there, never liked having to do that.
Make sure you have a plan just in case things don't go well, or he does confess that there is someone else.
You need to know in advance what you will and won't accept, and have an exit strategy in place just in case.
Hopefully you won't have to use it and he is just stressed at work or something simple like that.

[Jay3344]

Work definitely can stress people out a lot. If your concerned about it being other women maybe try and set aside like 30 mins a day to workout in anyway your comfortable with. Like swimming or whatever, maybe get a little tan and some bright clothes and see if he notices after a month of that. If he doesn’t seem to notice then maybe bring up the topic of what’s bothering him. I feel like slower approach might be better but I’m no expert.