JW123

I have been dating a recovering alcoholic for a year. He and I have both gone through divorces. We have got on so well and we can really talk about everything right down to his drinking. He travels a lot and so I value the time we get together. Anyway things were going so well up until a few months ago when I suspected he was drinking again. He admitted this to me and told me he would deal with it. I left it as it was not affecting our relationship. THEN.....out of the blue and after a business trip I had been on, he tells me he is an emotional mess, needs a break for a few weeks, he tells me that he loves me and does not want to break up with me but he has to know that he is 100% committed to me in order to go forward. He says that the hurt from his divorce is crippling him again (he has been separated 2 years and divorced for 6 months). I dont know what is going on, he has shut down completely saying that I need to be patient with him as he does love me. I dont know what to do. I love this man but cant be put through another relationship like my marriage where my husband just walked out one day for a friend.

Any suggestions? He only seems to have withdrawn from me - not his friends and family.