love is about accepting each other and loving yourself. you love spending time with yourself but somehow you feel lonely. because human are not meant to live alone. we need love. the image of your love is how much he can suit your character. communicating with him is good, but your objective is to let him know what are your feeling and what you need him to do/change. It is not to understand and listen to him. when he criticizes, you shut yourself to listen and blame him for criticizing. don’t try to change someone, always try to listen and understand. your question “when it’s time to call it quits”: when both stop listening.