How to support stressed boyfriend?

[flowersrain1]

My boyfriend is extremely stressed at the moment - a combination of his parents projecting their anxiety about covid onto him and insisting he goes to a walk-in clinic to get his booster even though he works long hours and can't take time out to spend hours in a walk-in clinic, and work stresses with an unsupportive manager and a huge amount of work to get done before Christmas.

He seems so down this week and his parents are causing him a lot of anxiety - they were constantly ringing his mobile today to tell him that he needed to stop work and get a booster asap, guilt tripping him by saying he is selfish and not thinking of the family by waiting til his appt next week etc. He blocked them on his mobile and then they rang his house phone!

He is really struggling with the pressure , both from work and his parents. I listen to him when he vents but I don't know what to do to help. When I ask what I can do to help/cheer him up, he just says 'I'll be ok', 'I need to deal with it myself' etc. I haven't come across this way of dealing with problems before - myself and my friends always lean on each other during times of difficulties.

Does anyone else have a partner like this and what do you do to support them through the difficult time?

Offer to book a booster for him?

Stop trying to fix everything for him. Let him know you're there if he needs to talk or vent, but other than that, give him room to breathe. I'm not saying you are, but having someone hovering and constantly asking if you're ok can make things worse.

@Aquamarine1029

Stop trying to fix everything for him. Let him know you're there if he needs to talk or vent, but other than that, give him room to breathe. I'm not saying you are, but having someone hovering and constantly asking if you're ok can make things worse.

This. The problem is his family so it's his responsibility to deal with it, not yours. Are you normally a people pleaser OP ? Someone who puts the desires/needs of others above your own? Do you like being a mother figure to others?

It's great you want to be a support and you sound like a caring person but your post reads as over-investment in wanting to alleviate his problems, when he's a grown man. Would he show the same level of emotional involvement and fussing over you if the roles were reversed? You have to be careful that your empathy is not taken for granted/taken advantage of. Make sure you have healthy boundaries.

@SarahDarah yes I am a people pleaser - i think you have hit the nail on the head. Thank you for your insight/