Hello, I am 22 and I have been in a relationship with my 23 year old boyfriend for 7 years, but since October we have been arguing very regularly and I'm now struggling with the relationship.

I don't like the attitude he has towards me when I've done something he seems to be wrong, I think I should be respected even during arguments, I believe I respect him but he is arrogant and dismissive and scoffs at me when I've said something he finds "laughable" and he is not open to seeing how he has done wrong or how his actions affect me, he actually says I'm in the wrong almost all the time. He shows verbal red flags during arguments, but is otherwise sweet and we do have lovely times together, obviously 7 years of memories I've been with him since I was 14. This attitude appears during arguments but when not arguing he is sweet to me, we get on great and feel an amazing connection. I think we have always had some level of these issues throughout, but I've previously been low in confidence so Ive just let things go, or I was more tolerant than I am now.

I feel if this was a boyfriend of just a few months I would easily seperate, but I am struggling to let go for fear of regretting my decision, and not wanting to go through a breakup, 7 years is a long time and I do love him, but I also know he doesn't respect me when he believes I've done something wrong and that's not right. I don't know what to do. I've shared my situation with my mom and my aunt and they say I should get rid of him, but I'm holding on for some reason, maybe in the hopes that it will change but part of me is also very hurt from all the arguments now. Ultimately I don't want to lose my best friend and partner I've grown up with, I wouldn't want to see him move on with someone else, It feels so final to suddenly never see him again and I do love him, I've put my all into this relationship but I also know his behaviours during arguments isn't right.

We haven't spoken since Thursday when we were supposed to be meeting Wednesday morning, but on Wednesday morning he fell asleep before arranging a time to meet up, so I went to his house to see what was going on as we had planned to spend the day together, I drove in icy conditions etc. When I got there he said I shouldn't have come, I should have waited for him to wake back up (but he regularly can sleep in till 3pm) and he sent me home and said he is too angry to see me today so he wants me to go. I felt belittled and not valued. After this I told him I want some space

Any advice please?