Boyfriends wants some space after 3 years!

Ok, I really need some opinions on this. My live in boyfriend of 3 years has told me that he needs some space/time to himself, a break more or less. He is staying at a friend's house (has been there for 2 weeks already this sunday). We talk most everyday via email or phone (short conversations though) and I even saw him last night. He came over and we ate dinner and talked. This was nice because it cleared some things up for me. He basically said that I am too controlling and need to trust him more. I admittedly have loads of trust issues and I know and want to work on that. He also feels unappreciated but does want to be with me and thinks that a small break would be good for us. Get some air apart from eachother and see where things go. He said that he will come back if I can show him that I am truly trying to trust him more and we can not argue as much.

Now the tricky part.... he want to go for a little bit without any contact. Then slowly start to see eachother for dinner or what not and slowly ease back into it. What the heck is that?? Why not slowly see eachother NOW? I can't understand that... why would he need so much alone time right now? He swears that there is no other girl and we have an agreement to not date or hook up with anybody else. This is a break but not an excuse to look for someone else since we both want to be together.

So then why the time apart? What do you guys think?

Could you provide a sample argument?
What do you mean by "trust issues"?

I'd figure that it would take a month for him to figure if he wants to be in a relationship with you.

Hum, it is kinda strange yes, but I guess you're just stressing, trust him, like you promised you would.
Just tell him you are not ok with the not contacting at all part. Let him know that he's important so you don't want that part but that you can start with the little contact part and go from there, just trying to improve both and the relatioship. You have to tell him, don't say it is because you're afraid he meets someone (it's the trusting part, you are trying to trust so don't go there), tell him that is because you really like him and not contacting him it would make you feel really bad. And he won't want to make you feel bad. But show him you agree with little contact and going slow, so you're giving in a bit, and he has to give in a bit too, it has to be an agreement between both, it has to be something you both want.

Good luck (: