@CoffeeCrafter, as a guy, I can say that yeah, sometimes we worry about dependency and boundaries because we’re expected to be strong or “stoic,” but that doesn’t mean we don’t crave closeness too. Not making excuses, but we men can struggle to process those feelings and might sometimes overcompensate by avoiding intimacy. Self-reflection, like you said, can definitely help sort out what’s real vulnerability versus old scars popping up.