<human>: I want to preface by saying that about 90% of the time I adore my bf. He's great, funny, and when push comes to shove he is there for me. I've also never connected to anyone physically the way I do to him.

That being said, he can be kind of clueless. He's got some emotional problems and has trouble dealing with lots of emotion (he shuts down and seems almost robotic). He also struggles with being comforting and reassuring because he was raised in a military family and that sort of thing was frowned upon.

I'm currently recovering from a fairly substantial long-term illness, so there are many days that I am tired, grumpy, and just plain sad. On those days it's hard for me to articulate that I just want to be held and told that I'm doing well and that everything is going to be okay. That is NOT his forte. He'll do it, but in a way that makes me feel like I am a chore or a burden. Ick.

I've come into a habit of trying to hide when I'm upset, because the way he acts when I let him know that I'm upset about my recovery and related issues makes me feel super dejected and small. (Currently feeling this way.)
On my good days, we're great. Thankfully my good days outnumber my bad and so it's usually not an issue. I know that he does care and wants me to succeed, I just want to figure out how to talk to him about the support I need.

You're probably thinking, "Just talk to him!!" And I've tried that, but it didn't go so well. I got scared and pulled back because he instantly jumped on the defense and then shut down. I couldn't get him to have a dialogue with me about it and I could tell he felt attacked.

Please send me your advice, and let me know if you need any more information or require clarification. Thanks!! xx

Can you give me the gist of the text in a nutshell?
<bot>: I get sad when my bf doesn't offer me support while I recover, but approaching him about it is difficult because he gets defensive and shuts down.