Hey all, not sure if this is the right place or appropriate to ask for advice here if not mods I will remove.
I've been having a really hard time getting along with my girlfriend lately and we are in a very difficult situation.
Her and I have been together for about a year and a half and although it's not been the easiest time we do love each other. I'm having some difficulty getting over certain things that have happened and I want to see if anyone has gone through these things and maybe found a solution.
She (31 F) has diagnosed ADHD and depression that she is medicated for and has been on and off the medication recently. I (33 M) also suffer from depression and anxiety issues do to self esteem of which I take a daily med aswell. We recently moved to another province (Canada) together and over the past 2 months that we have been here the fighting has gotten alot worse. It seems that nothing I do is up to her standards and something is always wrong. I'm not perfect by any means bit I'm trying to give her what she says she needs.
I'm having a hard time talking to her about my needs and explaining my feelings lately. I'm constantly getting interrupted, talked over, told that my side of things is wrong, my feelings are not right, and that she needs more from me so that she can even begin to try and meet my needs. My needs are coming from a lack of intimacy, not just sex but regular affection like hugs, being kissed without approaching, or being told that she loves me. I've been so down on myself from failing her that my motivation to do things has been rendered to nothing. Even things I used to enjoy have become tasteless and dull. It feels that all I do recently is cater to her to avoid fights and it's never enough. She constantly tells me I do nothing in our relationship but we share the chores for the most part and I pay the majority of our bills including the car.
The way she argues is quite aggressive yelling and not letting me get a word in edge wise. When I do I get cut off as soon as i say something she doesnt agree with and can never finish a thought. I try and stay calm, not to yell and when I feel it's getting there I seclude my self and tell her I need a minute to breathe. She always barges into my office (we each have one as a safe space) and blocks the door so I cannot get away from her. Leaving me to feel trapped. Once in that state I can only hold out for so long before I start to yell back. I'm a large guy (6'3" 230lbs and muscular) she's smaller (5'3" 140 lbs) and I know that when I get angry it can be intimidating and I hate feeling that way.
Does anyone have an idea of how to navigate her anger and de escalate the situation before it turns into a fight.
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