I'm hoping you all may have some good tips for me. My boyfriend and I (25f, 30m) have a wonderful relationship the majority of the time. But we both have the same issue that makes things difficult at times: we suck at communicating.

Both of us have a habit of clamming up when we're unhappy, going into periods of being cold or broody, and being unforthcoming about why. We're both rather moody and somewhat difficult people. And while that kind of thing can be regulated a bit more easily when living separately, being closed off and moody while living together (and we have been for almost a year) is untenable in the long run.

We're both aware that this is a problem we share, and have had multiple conversations about the fact that we need to find solutions. The problem is that we haven't managed to find any solutions that stick.

To clarify a bit further -- this isn't the kind of communication issue as described in /u/girlwithabike's pinned post, where I don't allow him the time to fully process his emotions before wanting to have a discussion. The issue is rather that we both have a habit of becoming sad/angry/otherwise unhappy about something, but not disclosing what the problem is, not discussing it, and instead just becoming distant or otherwise unpleasantly moody for a period of time.