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Severely conflicted in love, need help

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  • #231885
    Mike
    Participant

    My fiance and I broke up nearly 6 months ago over something that she shouldn’t have dumped me over, and moved out.  She made no attempts to save things before she left and only months later realized what she had done and wants to make things right.  She had some emotional issues, and her father left when she was very young.  Her mother wasn’t much of one and she was forced to raise her siblings largely on her own.  She married and had kids very early and had a 25 year marriage, that was abusive both physically and emotionally.  She was taught that love hurts in a nutshell and the peace and tranquility we had in our relationship so often, made her anxious.  I have never connected with another human in my life on such a deep and soulful level.  We fell madly in love and were largely inseperable for 5 years.  She did struggle a lot with becoming whole, as I met her right out of this marriage.  But now I face a dilemma, and I don’t know what to do.

     

    On one hand I have a beautiful woman, whom I have been attracted to since I met her, we are moving quickly forward to a life together, but it doesn’t feel 100% right.  We just don’t seem to be firing on all cylinders.  Maybe its me.  Shes been my friend for over 20 years, and I feel like we might have made a mistake getting together.  I do love her but I don’t know if I am IN love with her.  We definitely have the potential right out of the gate to have a lasting, stable happy relationship.  She is good for me.  She is kind and loving to me.  Something just doesn’t feel right.  We are about to move in together, and I broke the lease on my apartment to do so, but I don’t know if it’s the best move.

     

    On the other hand there is my ex.  She has done some shitty things to me in our breakup, which has lasted almost 6 months at this point.  One of which was leaving me for the 2nd time in 2 years.  We still talk often.  She wants me back, because she says she knows she made so many mistakes, one of which was leaving me.  She says she now has realized the mistakes shes made and is working on fixing herself due to being heartbroken.  She doesn’t want anyone else but she has slept with a few men and is still dating but says she only wants me.  Shes since apologized so profusely for her mistakes.  Shes in love with me.  I am in love with her as well.  I have not been able to get her out of my head in the entire time we have been apart.  We had a soul connection unlike any other person I have ever met, and its not going away.  I would like to see whats what, but if I go here, I will lose my new lover and our 2 decades of friendship, especially if its because I leave her to go back to someone who was so unkind to me.  And if I go back, who is to say she really has changed?

     

    I kind of regret getting involved so fast after she left, because I would have taken my ex back if I didn’t put myself in this position before risking hurting everyone involved.

     

    I don’t know what to do.

    #231929
    Mike
    Participant

    I should add that her dumping me was completely irrational based on what it was in response to.  She had promised me several times, and broken several times, the “no exits” rule we had when we would have an argument.  It was how she dealt with issues in her past before me.  She totally betrayed my trust by doing so as many times as she had.  Since we split shes done a litany of things to deliberately hurt me and further erode it.  Then she started going to therapy, and around that same time she came to the realization that she totally screwed up.  But now I dont trust her anymore.  She wants to show me that she can be trusted but I am having a hard time believing anything that comes out of her mouth anymore.

    #231963
    Katylee
    Participant

    Hello Mike.

    Could you have an honest conversation with your current partner and explain how you’re feeling? Maybe have a break and spend some time on your own figuring out what you really want.

    I think your ex is doing the right thing by seeking professional help for what happened in her past .she probably needs to be alone while she goes through this process. She sounds a little lost and finding herself may change what she wants in the future.

    Maybe you should all be alone until you truly know what you want. Having honest conversations is difficult but from my experience it’s always better to tell the truth and talk through how you’re actually feeling. Good luck

    #231967
    Mike
    Participant

    Thanks Katylee,

    I dont know if that is possible, I will try to.  Not because my current partner isnt the epitome of honesty and compassion, but because she entered into this relationship with me already conflicted because we were such great friends, knowing if it didnt work out it could ruin everything.  And I am fairly positive that this would end very poorly if it comes up again.  See I have been honest about conversing with my ex and it makes her feel less than, why she, with a similar background in childhood, and no issues like the ex, doesnt get the same consideration from me, especially since shes not treated me like $hit.  The ex was on the overly dramatic side of things she said to me, which me, being very emotional for a guy, really took in great pain and it has affected my current.  This really has made things chilled as of late.  The truth is I am scared I will destroy our entire relationship, and it could be all for nothing anyway.  Then I dont know what I would do.

    For me and the new partner, the universe seemed to align for us at the time.  Also at the time it happened, I thought that I was not only over my ex, but that she wanted nothing to do with me. My ex lived with me for over a month once we had broken up(we had moved into a new apt 5 days prior) and not once did she take a leap to take back what she had said so we could work it out.  She just kept trying to tell me that it was for the best, noting things I had done to symbolize I was done, even though I was on my knees begging her not to do it the first half of that month.  She would tell me constantly how its something she had to do etc etc.  Only once she left did she realize what she had done.  I think she thought I would come running back with the snap of her fingers.  I also want to note that this was the 2nd time she had done this to me, and probably the 5th or 6th time she dumped me while we didnt live together.  Part of me just wants to move on, but the other part of me is dying to see whether she changed or not.  I know right now I dont trust her, and I am not sure if I ever will be able to again.  Also broke my lease, and dont have much time.  If I dont make this move, I will be homeless.

    • This reply was modified 5 years, 6 months ago by Mike.
    #231973
    Anonymous
    Guest

    Dear Mike:

    Clearly you are very angry with your ex. Even though part of you “is dying to see whether she changed or not”, I don’t think you can stomach trying yet again with her, with this history and being dumped and hurt so many times by her.

    No wonder your new relationship “doesn’t feel 100% right” and the two of you “don’t seem to be firing on all cylinders”-  a few  of your cylinders are stuck in anger regarding your ex.

    If you are to move on with your new love interest/ long time friend, better end all unnecessary contact with the ex for good, free those stuck cylinders from old gunk.

    anita

     

    #231985
    Mike
    Participant

    Thanks Anita,

    I am very angry with her right now.  Part of the issue is that she keeps saying she wants me back, and I have maintained I need some space.  Before that all of her messages for the first 2 months were full of anger and hate, saying all the time how she wants to get even with me for what I did, when I wasnt the one who left, nor was I the one who dumped her, after that and since then its been shades of “please take me back, this is the biggest mistake I ever made, i cant lose you, youre the love of my life, etc”.  However she refuses to give me the space I need, despite telling me over and over she would do anything to take away the pain shes caused me.  She wants me to take her back right away.  Just today she agreed to stop contacting me, going on 6 months.  I had requested in the very start of our split that we take a month of no contact so we can sort this out, and she refused.  She said speaking to me helped her get over things(which just turned out to be a nightmare) so I relented and stayed in touch with her.   I stupidly left all the doors open because I love her so very much.  And its caused me nothing but problems.  The one time I blocked her phone number, I didnt tell her, and she had been trying to reach me for a week about some mail that I didnt have.  When she couldnt reach me, I got a very threatening, 1 line email from her, that really set me off.  I responded in anger and said that I had blocked her number and apologize for not telling her, that she clearly wont stop until shes crushed whats left of our relationship into dust and to not speak to me again.  She responded with telling me that she cheated on me with someone that i know of for a year while we were engaged and lived together.  This ultimately is not true, I cant see it to be.  And shes said as much, however I cant tell you the pain that caused me, and I literally cant unfeel that or unfeel how it made me scrutinize years of our past looking to see when it could have possibly happened.  And dropping this bomb couldnt have come at a worse time, as I was on a road trip with my current partner hours away.  It really (I let it) take a lot of wind out of our sails that weekend.  And it really made my new partner feel like 2nd place the way i reacted to what she said.  I do need to tell you that shes a self destructive person, and generally when she feels threatened employs the “scorched earth” policy of trying to pre emptively strike.  Ultimately it doubles her hurt, she is just now realizing it.  I know shes a troubled woman, I want to believe she didnt do what she said, and has maintained after the fact that she didnt.  But she also lied about and made up a whole bunch of stories in that same time just to cause me pain, and has admitted as much since.  Now that shes in therapy, she really appears different.  However I have only texted and spoken on the phone, I havent seen her.  She wants to see me, but I havent wanted to.  I am too angry.  It comes out on the phone, so much so that I really wish she would just leave me be.  I hope she does.

     

    I also really do think that is part of my issue not feeling all the cylinders as well.  Part of me is still deeply connected to her.  Im sure its from regular contact, among other things.

    • This reply was modified 5 years, 6 months ago by Mike.
    #231991
    Feathering my nest
    Participant

    Sorry to drop in my nose but I think you need to deal with the anger issues with your ex.

     

    You’ll be clearer on what you want after that.

    #231997
    Mike
    Participant

    Thank you.  Does this mean with her, or to come to terms on my own and release the pain and anger?  Whats the best way to do that?  I am not the best at dealing with anger and I very much dislike unresolved issues between me and loved ones.  In the relationship with my ex there are plenty.

    #232001
    Anonymous
    Guest

    Dear Mike:

    Deeply troubled people don’t change so quickly, even if they attend the best therapy in the world. And even if therapy has planted seeds of change in her, there is nothing like an old relationship to bring the sickness back in full force.

    The seeds of change, these were always been in her, sprouting at times but wilting quickly, haven’t they?

    Basically what you have here is a sick ex and a possible healthy relationship with a new woman/ old friend. The sick ex translates to sick you. This is one choice, continuing the sick-sick relationship. The other choice, the one with the new girlfriend, there is hope there. No guarantee but reasonable hope.

    The ex, she is like an itchy, aching rupture in your skin, oh it feels so good to scratch it, heavenly, but it makes it bleed more and hurt more. Do you think my comparison here applies to you?

    anita

    #232005
    Mike
    Participant

    Hi Anita,

     

    YES! That makes perfect sense.  They would sprout and wilt all the time.  We were in therapy together and did well while we were.  She was also in her own and did well until we couldnt afford it anymore.  I truly am ok with letting her go, deep down I know that what you are saying is true.  I do have the kind of love for her that I just want the best for her even if it isnt me.  I would like to say its true love.  Part of me knows what is meant to be will find a way, and if its us we will find each other again.  But part of me has such a hard time LETTING GO.  This was a woman whom made all the ones before her, when what I thought was love, look like nothing.  We were in love an order of magnitude more than we ever had felt before, along with pain an order of magnitude more painful.  Still to this day I cant explain it, the instant attraction.  The magnetic pull, the amazing love life we had.  I mean earth shattering for both of us.  Shes 9 years older than me, but looks my age.

    #232009
    Anonymous
    Guest

    Dear Mike:

    All that strong emotion, the instant attraction, the magnetic pull, this earth shattering, well all that led to sickness and a mess. I don’t believe there is such a thing as a relationship being meant to be, as in fate, or written in the stars. Who is it that means this or that relationship to be..?

    Your ex shouldn’t be in your life because it is not a good idea to suffer unnecessarily, that is all.

    anita

    #232011
    Mike
    Participant

    Hi Anita,

    I do understand that.  Hard to hear from loved ones, even if its true.  That is why I came here.  Because I often dont listen to those close to me who have my best interests at heart.

    Do you mean sickness in her or in me?  Do you consider anger sickness?  Shes never been shy about being somewhat of a messed up person.  I thought I was strong enough to handle it and her.  I had always hoped she would do what she said she so desperately wanted to do to for her, for us.  But it took losing me for her to wake up.  I guess it needs to stay that way.

    #232019
    Anonymous
    Guest

    Dear Mike:

    By sickness I mean her and you. I hope you move away from her and toward health.

    “But it took losing me for her to wake up”- but she will fall asleep soon enough just like before: “They  would sprout and wilt all the time”, you wrote regarding her seeds of change (or seeds of waking up).

    Your attraction for her, that is like a moth driven to a flame. It is a strong attraction, granted. But don’t imagine you will not get burned in the flame one again, and maybe this time worse than before, maybe one burn too many.

    * Will be back to the computer in about 14 hours.

    anita

    #232023
    Mike
    Participant

    Thanks Anita,

    Again, I do know this subconsciously.  I just didnt want to admit it.  I truly havent had enough time not being in touch with her to even get through the grieving process.  I allowed her into my life over and over again and it kept stalling me in it.  I probably started it a dozen times in these 6 months.  She doesnt seem to understand this.  Once I get some distance, which will start today, I will surely see things differently.

    #232029
    Anonymous
    Guest

    Dear Mike:

    You are welcome. If you wait for her “to understand this”, you will be waiting for a long, long time and getting hurt while you wait.  Post again anytime and I will reply (back in about fourteen hours).

    anita

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