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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Massive debilitating crush!!

131 replies

CrushCrazy · 18/11/2016 11:41

Have nc for this as I'm too embarrassed and worried it's identifying... I have a massive, and totally inappropriate, crush on someone I work with and it's driving me crazy. It's been several weeks now, I can't sleep or eat properly, have lost weight (that I can ill afford), am hyper and think about him ALL the time. It is totally inappropriate for many reasons, main ones being that he is married with kids, as am I and that we work together. Before I get flamed I have absolutely no intention of acting on it, ever - I just want to vent (as I can't in RL) and I need advice on what to do to bring me back to normality!!.

Background: I met him at work a few months ago (we have lots of different projects on the go and work with many different people - it's a v large organisation). I just thought he was a lovely guy initially and although not particularly good looking facially I couldn't help but notice he's in hot shape for his age (mid 40s I'd guess - I'm early 40s). Anyway, it brightened my day but nothing more. We had to meet a few more times over the next few months and it was always a pleasure as I found him sparky and fun (and admittedly easy on the eye), but no more than that. Fast forward to one night where we both attended a symposium type event after work. I arrived there and he sought me out and came over and we chatted, stood together for the presentations and then chatted some more afterwards. There was a small amount of alcohol but it ended early so was by no means a boozy affair. Anyway, I really enjoyed the chat, I find myself feeling really animated when I'm around him, we make each other laugh etc. He's also incredibly bright and everyone wants to work with him, which is also v attractive. Anyway, I found myself thinking about him all the way home. I got the impression he fancied me, although he didn't say or do anything remotely inappropriate - I think you can just tell can't you?. Since that night I have been thinking about him non stop, obsessing about him really. I get giddy when I know I have to meet with him, taking extra care over my appearance etc. I almost have to sit on my hands in meetings as I have a massive overwhelming urge to touch him. He looks at me too, though he is a lovely guy and I'm pretty sure would never do anything. Anyway, after reaching one particularly hard deadline a group of us went to the pub. We chatted as a group and nothing inappropriate at all but moving more towards friends talk than work if you see what I mean. He said that he'd noticed another man looking me up and down and said he thought he was a sleazebag (I didn't notice) but, embarrassingly and inappropriately , I was pleased that he'd noticed that as I felt it made him notice me and that men fancy me ifswim. Gaaaaaaaaaaaah.

It's now got to the point where I'm really excited if I've got a legitimate opportunity to email him or meet with him and I feel like a pathetic teenager. I'm a professional, married woman in my 40s!

Anyway I'm rambling on. What I really want to know is how do I stop myself from feeling like this? I must admit I've enjoyed it up to a point as it's made me feel alive and I've enjoyed the daydreaming, but I fear if it carries on I'll make a fool of myself..... To add context I have 2 small children and a busy husband who gives me no attention and pretty much no emotional support. He's a good man but there's no spark at the moment and I often feel he's distant. We hardly ever have sex as we're both tired and our sleeping arrangements are complicated with 2 small children who co sleep. One night recently though I did instigate it (logistically quite difficult for various reasons and also quite unexpected by him I think atm...) as I was so pent up I just needed a shag!!. Is that awful???

Oh god I don't know what to do. I guess I'm unreasonable but I really don't think I can help biology and I never set out to fancy him, it just happened. The tough thing is that I don't think it's just physical, I admire him and think he's a lovely guy too and has lots of the qualities that I feel my husband lacks. Nothing will ever happen, even if my marriage did end (which I hope it won't) as he belongs to someone else and I'd never do that to another woman, so I'm not U in that sense, but my god it needs to stop!! Does this happen to anyone else or am I am a massive hormonal, mid life crisis crazy woman..??!

Help!!!

OP posts:
CrushCrazy · 18/11/2016 14:56

Hi Bluntness I think you're definitely right that I've escalated it massively in my head. He hasn't flirted though, more that I've caught him looking at me for longer than necessary in meetings, and there's been blushing etc. You're right though I'm pretty sure he fancies me on some level but I'm also pretty sure he isn't sitting fantasising about me!!. The email was actually to a group and no one else has responded either (it asked for a response by a date in December) so I don't think he's IGNORING my emails, more that I was highlighting how ridiculous I was being by being upset that he hadn't replied, if you see what I mean....!

OP posts:
CrushCrazy · 18/11/2016 15:01

God Emmageddon I'd be horrified if he realised I was thinking about him like this too!! Bloody hell! Here's hoping he will never, ever find out!!

The more I write and the more people respond it's making me realise how silly I'm being and how I need to just get a bloody grip. Jesus I'd be MORTIFIED if he was distancing himself professionally because he knew I fancy him.... How embarrassing. Maybe that's the thought I need to hang on to to get over this whole sorry thing...!! Thank you.

OP posts:
ItShouldHaveBeenJingleJess · 18/11/2016 15:05

Hmm. I'm going to be hypocritical here, I'm afraid. I usually hate posters who say "If this were a man/woman posting..." etc; but a couple of weeks ago, there was a post by a married man who was clearly attracted to his secretary. He got flamed.

Suppose this guy does make a move on you? That it actually happens? Do you have the willpower to say no? It doesn't sound like it. If your marriage is fucked then either work on it or leave. Cheating won't fix anything. I know you haven't - yet - but it sounds as though you are dangerously close, despite the denials.

PinkPlastic · 18/11/2016 15:09

I read a Bear Grylls quote somewhere - "when you think the grass is greener on the otherside, try watering your own grass".

It worked for me...goodluck OP

CrushCrazy · 18/11/2016 15:10

Thank you ItShouldHaveBeen I'm pretty sure he will not be making a move, but you're right, if it was a quick hand hold or a kiss on the lips at the end of an evening I would find it exciting and may be swept up in the moment. Whilst there's no way in hell I could imagine myself having sex with him in real life I guess it's slippery slop so they say. Anyway, as it's likely all in my head and never going to happen anyway I think I'm safe - just have to ground myself before working on my marriage or not. Thank you everyone for helping me see a bit more clearly.

OP posts:
cherryblossomcarpet · 18/11/2016 15:16

My advice, stop writing about it on the internet. All you are dong is giving yourself permission to obsess about him all the more. Stop writing about him. Stop thinking about him. Start investing the time you are currently spending thinking about him on your DH and family. You'll be amazed the difference that small change will make. You are 40 not 14.

derxa · 18/11/2016 15:19

Don't underestimate the power of hormones and biology in this. They can send you bonkers. If you see it in that way rather than some terrible moral lapse.

CrushCrazy · 18/11/2016 15:25

Thank you cherryblossom, I know you're right, but "stop thinking about him" is easier said than done. And even harder when it's my subconscious i.e. I'm asleep and dreaming. But the comment about him distancing himself professionally if he knew I fancied him has hit home and I feel mortified. I don't think that has happened but I can imagine how I'd feel if it did. There are 2 ways this can end if the crush carries on basically, so it seems from people's advice - an affair if he was into it to, and professional mortification if he wasn't. Neither of which I want, so I'll grow up, try to put the feelings out of my head and make a superhuman effort not to show my feelings whenever we meet. Phew. Thank you. Thank god for anonymous internet fora!!

OP posts:
CrushCrazy · 18/11/2016 15:27

And yes derxa you speak the truth! I've a feeling biology is much crueller to women in this way than it is to men though! How often do you hear of a man having a massive crush on a woman and being affected emotionally by it??

OP posts:
ItShouldHaveBeenJingleJess · 18/11/2016 15:28

Right. First of all, I agree with cherry - the writing about it giving you 'permission' to dwell more. It's sort of the Bridget Jones 'mentionitis' , if you will. Secondly, I had a bit of a crush on someone a couple of years ago. Well, a pretty bad crush, in all honesty. My day revolved around excuses to go and check him out, and in all honesty, if he had made a move, I would have reciprocated. Possibly. I don't know. I'm not very flirty, anyway. That didn't happen.

What happened was that earlier this year, my ex found himself in a similar situation and had an affair. Did it happen because my mind was elsewhere and I wasn't focused on him? I don't know. What I do know is that the day I found about the affair, the attraction to the other guy evaporated immediately.

NavyandWhite · 18/11/2016 15:31

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Clandestino · 18/11/2016 15:35

First of all, I can't imagine where people take the time and energy to have affairs. How do they do it? I have neither even if I contemplated one.
My suggestion is, imagine waking up next to him after a boozy night. The stench of farts and booze oozing out of his pores (and yours). The breath - the combination of alcohol and unwashed teeth. The shame at the thought that you just cheerfully wrecked two marriages. If you can live with that then fine. If not, try spicing up your own relationship.

crushymcnamechange · 18/11/2016 15:36

interesting thread and no flaming here, some very good advice all round.

ItShouldHaveBeenJingleJess · 18/11/2016 15:44

I do think that a crush this serious within a marriage is a warning sign (and should have paid a bit more attention myself). A bit of flirting and fancying other men is fine, but when you become emotionally invested, it's time to stop and explore why and how this has happened. Ex and I are both quite childish and would not have found a way to have such a frank (and, let's face it, potentially hurtful) conversation. I do wish we had.

CrushCrazy · 18/11/2016 16:17

You're right ItShouldHaveBeen it is a warning sign. And I have told my husband that we need to be more intimate. It remains to be seen if he gives 2 hoots but there we go. Like others said that is separate from the crush.
Thank you everyone so much for your advice and insight. Hopefully the Christmas break, when it comes, will take the heat out of the crush. In the meantime I know I need to focus on being professional at work. I think I have been reasonably so, re-reading any emails before I sent them - a test being "would I send this email to my (female) boss?". I think I still have plausible deniability despite some blushing and eye contact and standing a bit too close to him on occasion. So if anyone said anything or asked me about it I could plausibly deny any inappropriate feelings. But I'm aware that the hot mess that I am I'm in danger of letting that slip and making a fool of myself with the slightest encouragement from him and that I CANNOT AFFORD. I love my job and it would be very very hard to get another as great (for me). And I'm not talking about actually doing anything physical here, more just about letting slip how I feel.
A part of me does hanker for the days of youth when everyone was single and a crush was an exciting and welcome thing. It seems a tad unfair in a way that we have to suppress our biological desires when we get older and attached. But that is for another thread I think ;-)

OP posts:
CrushCrazy · 18/11/2016 16:45

And meant to say good luck to all those out there with inappropriate crushes. Hope they subside soon. Maybe we should start a special work out class for people with crushes to relieve their frustration through exercise (single sex of course). "Crush crusher" - could become the new hot thing..!! :-)

OP posts:
crushymcnamechange · 18/11/2016 16:52

You too CC although I suspect you want to keep this thread running so you can talk about your crush ;)
I do too. It's insane.

didthedeed · 18/11/2016 17:02

I think that's the sort of exercise that should be a solo activity CrushCrazy!

CrushCrazy · 18/11/2016 17:17

Oh god you might be right crushy.... Tell us about YOUR crush to divert me from mine... :-))))

OP posts:
wotoodoo · 18/11/2016 17:29

I have a lovely dh and I have a huge crush on an 18 y.o who is the most gorgeous young man ever: beautiful, great with my dc, kind, I can.t even liok at his tanned, muscly arm without swooning!

Everybody knows, he likes me too and probably knows too, my dh probably knows too but it is all innocent as nothing will ever happen.

I love having a crush, it makes me warm inside and the diy certainly works for me.

I am sure it will fade, it is totally inappropriate after all but in the meanwhile I enjoy and acknowledge this silliness.

I certainly haven't let it interfere with my dc or day to day life though, that would turn something woozy and lovely into something negative and destructve.

NavyandWhite · 18/11/2016 17:31

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

CrushCrazy · 18/11/2016 17:34

18?? Jeez, how old are you?

OP posts:
wotoodoo · 18/11/2016 18:12

All my friends with sons who have brought home their uni friends have had a huge crush on one or 2 of them. I think you'll find it's completely normal.

Emmageddon · 18/11/2016 18:17

My two sons are in their early 20s and I have never fancied any of their friends. I've known most of them from toddlerhood anyway and it just seems a bit off. Maybe that's just me though...I have a friend who thinks Harry Styles is gorgeous and she's 40ish and he's only 22. But that's a bit different to having a crush on someone in real life.

wotoodoo · 18/11/2016 18:37

I don't think it matters if it is in real life or not, as long as no boundaries are crossed and the taboo remains in place!

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