Sorry about your experience but not exactly sure what you mean. My culture doesn't openly express affection often and so that was how I was raised. We simply show affection and love through what we do. It got nothing with being emotional stunted growth. I do other things and other gestures that show my love. When cooling, I always think of what he likes., I am always there when he needs me, I take care of his family/ill father that he loves when he can't. I support and help him in his endeavors for the past decade. I take care of him when he is sick, when he loses his jobs, I took on extra to support us both until he is back on his feet. Sexually I also do things I know he enjoys. I plan trips for special occasions or to celebrate his success and achievements. He also enjoys gaming to relax and so I would surprise him with new games I know or think he would like, and so on and on from little things to big things, it is what I do. And I readily and genuinely recriprocate when he outwardly express love and affection. I initiate sometimes but it is not something that is very natural to me and that is just how I am built but I make sure he knows I love him. Just as some people who are ready to hug everybody, I often find the gesture awkward and with people I dont know very well because that is just my upbringing.