Why does my long distance boyfriend pauses his feelings on distance when usually in real life we connect naturally?

[Anonymous]

We're in long distance relationship. We're back to living together in 2023. When on distance, He's always present with me, but is different than when we are together IRL. He's more affectionate IRL, and when we go to our countries, he frequently cries and has hard time to let me go. He tells me it's hard for him, but numbs himself after (he had to get drunk several times to get back to daily life when i left). Meaning, he won't express any deep feelings when we're apart, as though he pauses them. I'm the opposite, in order to feel connected with him, i keep in touch with my emotions and probably am more affectionate than normal online. I express feelings and emotions, whereas he tells he copes better by 'pausing' them, but he also feels distant because of distance. He even tells me 'I love you' rarely, but I feel his actions by being persistent, supportive, stable and trustworthy. Recently he randomly told me he loves me, even if he has trouble to access his feelings when we're on distance and apologized for not being able to tell it to me often. I know that he loves me, but I don't know how to help him. I feel worried, don't want to see him dealing with it alone I need his emotions on distance too, and i don't know how he pauses all the storms and continues with daily life until he meets me again. Sometimes i struggle to connect with him emotionally because he's so closed off, and I'm so emotive on distance. Is it normal? Should I accept it or ask him to share more? He gets stressed when I ask him to share his feelings online, he's confused, but he's so emotive and expressive in real life.

[Wise4myage]

He's probably unsure about how he feels concerning long distant relationships.