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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

I’m heartbroken. I really hate oxytocin.

245 replies

purpletrainline · 03/03/2025 19:48

I’m absolutely heartbroken. Lots and lots of heart ache.

I just need to vent.

I’m mid 40’s and boyfriend is 50. We met at Christmas on bumble. Got on so well and saw each other lots. Lots of dates. We video called each other most nights. Every morning ‘good morning’ and a ‘night night’ at the end. He wanted me to meet his parents and so I did. They are going elderly but so lovely. He wanted me to meet his children aged 16 and 18 and I did. My children stay with me every alternate week. His children stays with him 100-% of the time.
We were smitten. I stayed over at his home twice on a weekend and he stayed over at my home once in the last two months.
The catch is that we live a 100 miles apart- opposite sides of London! I work in London and he occasionally works in London.

I nearly didn’t go on the first date because of that. I also screenshotted a google map with the two towns in the very first chats . At the first date we had a great time and a lot of chemistry. But I said to him that I thought the elephant in the room was the distance. He reassured me that we will find a routine, that it will work out, that he can work from anywhere and that from Sept he probably won’t have any children in the house. One is off to uni and the other going to college away from home. The younger one since decided to do A levels at their current school.

We also kissed a lot and couldn’t really keep our hands off. Sex was amazing. This past weekend he came to my home the first time. And I guess, it’s not until you get in the car and drive that distance that you realise how far it is.

Friday was great but Saturday when we woke up something was off. I couldn’t put me finger on it. He was more distanced and didn’t cuddle me like he always did. He said he didn’t sleep well and so I thought it was that. We got up and went to the gym- he loves the gym. Then went out and had breakfast in the high street. Back home and took a quick shower. Then went to the cinema and saw the new B J film. He didn’t touch me at all. I thought it was odd. Very unlike him.

We then went back home. He had a conversation with me in the kitchen. Out of the blue. But at soon as he started it made complete sense why was so withdrawn. He said that another 10 days or so will go by and we won’t see each other. Various work commitments, two funerals, him going on a trip, his child having a sports tournament, my children being with me. And that we were both so busy and that he didn’t have time.

And he then told me that I should have a think how all of this can work because he can’t see how it can work. He said it was so difficult to see each other in person. But the way he said it to me, it clearly sounded like he already had a think. I felt upset and pushed away.

He then left and said he would let me know when he got home, like he always did. But he never did. Usually I would get messages mid drive too. But none.

Later he sent me a short message that he was home, took his dogs for a walk and took his mum to the pub. Just a cold message. Gone were the kisses at the end.

I didn’t sleep at all. I felt so sad. It all happened so quickly. Gone was the good night xxx message from him. And the next morning.
I’m devastated. It went completely cold so quickly. It’s unbelievable.

I’m really not happy with oxytocin. Women’s bodies are designed differently. Whether I want it or not, my brain is absolutely flooded with oxytocin after sex and especially after orgasm. That’s the attachment hormone, the bonding hormone, emotional connection, trust, sense of security, love and cuddle hormone. It’s the same hormone that is released right after a woman gives birth.

When someone hasn’t actually earned a space in your heart just yet, oxytocin makes it feel that way. *

Whereas a man’s body is flooded with dopamine, which is the same hormone rush after using a drug. Simpler pleasure. It can go a much longer time without any real connection. Men can sometimes can be driven a lot more by lust and attraction, rather than bonding. Liking and wanting. All thanks to dopamine. My hormones are different.

I feel a little bit used. His sex drive is really high.

i’m just upset and feel a mess, had a proper sob the last couple of days.

I had such an amazing two months with him. I just cannot believe it’s over.

I sent him another message today. “I’m thinking of you loads. Been rather painful but I’m ok. Are you ok?”

He responded “Glad you are ok. I am doing ok, thanks for asking. I know it’s painful.”

I feel like I’m being pushed through a laminator and that all the butterflies and kisses and daily video calls, and good night/ good morning messages, the time spent together, the dog walks the cuddles and intimacy. All of it is being squeezed out of me and I don’t like it one bit.
And I just miss him.

Even though I feel so sad and heartbroken, I should leave him I peace?
Because Sunday I thought about him all day and knew he was at a sports tournament with his 16 year old all afternoon, and by the end of all that I sent him a quick message asking if he was back home.

Hr just briefly replied.
“Yes just sorting washing.”

So cold and distanced. No more kisses.
Today at work I sent him a message, saying “I’m thinking of you loads. Been rather painful but I’m ok. Are you ok?”

I replied, “Glad you are ok. I am doing ok, thanks for asking. I know its painful.”

I miss him so much but he is pulling away more and more? What do do with myself?

I know it was just a short relationship. You can hardly call it a relationship. Two months. I wish we had a selfie but we don’t. An intense fling? But I’m so sad.

OP posts:
Daisyvodka · 03/03/2025 21:49

And what is your relationship history? Because you sound very inexperienced, sorry to be blunt. Just quite naive and not worldly. It's two months - you aren't a teenager - why on earth would you have any respect for a man who would introduce his kids so quick, especially two kids who can be left alone for him to date - there wasn't ever a reason for you to ever go to his house, he did it for convenience...

CJsGoldfish · 03/03/2025 21:51

Stay off Google OP. Hormones has nothing to do with this 🙄

You knew him 5 minutes. You knew the distance may be an issue. It didn't work out, he wasn't as nice about it as he could have been. He's a twat 🤷‍♀️

You are a grown woman, you need to take some responsibility and placing the blame on Oxytocin isn't doing that. Sometimes we make bad choices. It's shit, but it's life. Understanding yourself better, finding your strength..that's the key for next time. You deserve more but you can't just be a passenger.

Sometimes people are just arseholes. No need to place labels and diagnose online.

2025willbemytime · 03/03/2025 21:51

Lyannaa · 03/03/2025 20:37

There is something wrong with him, not you because he has treated you really cruelly. He sounds a bit like my long term (to my cost) on/off ex with whom I also now have a child. I think mine has borderline personality disorder.

It was a similar timeframe to yours - we met at Xmas time and he was saying he loved me by February (one day) then the next week he was saying we're not quite right for each other, this needs to end. (March). By May he was saying he wanted me back and how sorry he was.

I discovered in the end that he had never properly broken up with the gf he had before me and she had messaged him and he had gone back to her. But he never left me alone and it's still going on to this day .

I'm afraid he never did go away. And my guess is that this guy will do the same thing to you and be on and off.

@Lyannaa you have autonomy. Use it. Don't let him mess you around. Don't be someone's option when you're not their priority.

Winterscoming77 · 03/03/2025 21:51

Heartbreak is horrible. It’s so intense and painful and all consuming. Until it isn’t but when you’re in the midst of it the day you don’t even thinking of them seems impossible. But the day will come. But every day you don’t go full NC the longer the day goes away from you. So the sooner you start the better. It’s almost a chemical, predictable thing so start tonight. There’s a great book I forgot the title but it was something like ‘getting over / through your break up’ which was really helpful to me.

I wish you all the best. The right man will feel different.

Richtea67 · 03/03/2025 21:52

Wishyouwerehere50 · 03/03/2025 21:06

@isaknowsbest your post is excellent. It doesn't read like a human being and I didn't notice that.

What is the point of AI doing this stuff on MN. Can AI answer back to our posts.

Agree AI...did anyone not notice the repetition in the sentences of OP's texts and his responses. Massive apologies OP if you are for real!

Lilactimes · 03/03/2025 21:53

Starlight7080 · 03/03/2025 21:39

How are you 40 plus and acting like a teenager.
Maybe just focus on your self esteem and children for a bit.
After 5 weeks you should not be this attached to him.

Maybe - but if you’d had previous unhappy relationships, or were lonely and on your own for a long time you can get very invested in someone where it feels hopefully.

LT1233 · 03/03/2025 21:53

Couple of my biggest regrets in life are making a fool of myself persuing males who didn't want anything to do with me.... Keeps me awake at night sometimes actually, even though it was decades ago. He's too much of a dick to tell you straight so he's being as cold as possible so you get the hint. Get the hint xx onwards and upwards with zero regrets of being made a fool of. Try not to dwell on how he treated you, he sounds like a massive weirdo and you swerved a bullet xx

Isthiswhatmenthink · 03/03/2025 22:07

I thought you were talking about OxyContin and I got really confused.

Richiewoo · 03/03/2025 22:07

He's already checked out. Stop texting him and move on. Be grateful you only wasted 2 months.

PomPomChatton · 03/03/2025 22:12

Icanttakethisanymore · 03/03/2025 21:45

Not to be flippant by I read this title as "I hate Oxycontin" so all the way through reading your OP I was thinking you were going to say that you found out he was addicted to opioids.

Me too!

imtheholidayarmadillo · 03/03/2025 22:15

That sounds really upsetting, OP. If I was you I wouldn't give him any more chances to hurt you.

PeppyLemonPombear · 03/03/2025 22:18

Sounds almost like he's enjoying this with the curt replies and no kisses....I bet he loves the power of having the upper hand!

Whilst this is a possibility there is a much greater probability that he's lost interest and that's being demonstrated in his (change in/lack of) communication. Or he is choosing to respond in such a way to OP so as not to mislead her or encourage further communication.

Either way OP's best bet is to stop contacting him.

Nellsbell · 03/03/2025 22:19

I think the fact that you were wary of the distance plus children and life in the mix is what you should have listened to. I know it hurts it’s hard. I wouldn’t have mixed kids and just done you for now. But each to your own. A day at a time op. Make time for self care.

Theextraordinaryisintheordinary · 03/03/2025 22:22

Don’t message him again. He’s a waste of your time. You deserve better.

LittleMissonthePrairie · 03/03/2025 22:23

So sorry OP.

I agree with you that women can get more involved with men because of the hormones. I know a man (friend in his 50s) who's been single for some time and he says he won't sleep with women too early or 'love bomb' as he knows they can get 'attached' and hurt if he backs out.

It's not the distance that is the issue as such. DH and I dated for 3 years with a similar distance. London in the middle!

But we were single and no kids. It only worked as one of us was happy to relocate.

I don't agree with the 'too soon' comments. I've friends who married after whirlwind 3 and 6 months together and it's lasted 30 and 40 years.

But he has opted out and I think you need to muster all your strength to accept that.

It's like grief- you'll be shocked, unbelieving, angry and then slowly accept.

Be kind to yourself and if anything, the lesson learned is long distance doesn't work with kids unless one of you uproots.

Dont contact him. He's trying to be 'decent' by at least replying but the change in his tone and matter of fact replies says it all.

KitsyWitsy · 03/03/2025 22:24

OP you’ve gone a bit deranged over this but I get it. You’re hurt and you can’t just turn your feelings off even if you know it was not going to work or it wasn’t a long relationship. Be kind to yourself and keep busy. Stop texting him. He’s over it. Even if you’re not, act like you are and you soon will be.

steff13 · 03/03/2025 22:24

FeatherFace · 03/03/2025 20:45

God, is no one allowed to change their minds about a relationship these days? Without it being some sort of attachment disorder (WTF?) or syndrome or whatever the current buzz words are?

Right? This wasn't a long-term relationship, it doesn't sound like he's done anything all that bad. He just decided that a hundred miles apart is too far.

steff13 · 03/03/2025 22:24

PomPomChatton · 03/03/2025 22:12

Me too!

Yeah, same.

Catza · 03/03/2025 22:27

The hard truth is that he doesn't want to be with you. The reasons don't matter. So stop contacting him. It won't change his decision. You are just massaging his ego by letting him know you are still there and available.
Here is what is likely going to happen - once you stop contacting him he will get in touch again. He will say he misses you and you will take it as a sign that he wants to get back together. It isn't. He is just looking for reassurance that you are still pining over him.
I dated guys like him. They always reappear and it is always a waste of time to continue the conversation. Do yourself a favor and delete his number and all message history.

mathanxiety · 03/03/2025 22:29

Nine weeks in - this is all much too far, much too fast.

CheekyHobson · 03/03/2025 22:29

steff13 · 03/03/2025 22:24

Right? This wasn't a long-term relationship, it doesn't sound like he's done anything all that bad. He just decided that a hundred miles apart is too far.

The point is that anyone with a bit of self-awareness and maturity would recognise that 100 miles is a long way to travel and would hold off on introductions to family and big promises of “making it work” before they’d had a chance to see how the distance really felt.

It sounds like this guy hadn’t even made the trip once until last weekend yet was taking her to meet his parents and kids and acting like they had a strong future together. That’s just batshit behaviour.

TheMorels · 03/03/2025 22:32

You sound 14, not mid 40s.

Chuchoter · 03/03/2025 22:36

You only met him at Christmas and you've already slept with him and acting so intensive!

What's all that crap about ocytocin?

When you rush into a relationship it's like a flash fire! A big flash of excitement and then it goes out like a light.

Be a bit more cautious and grounded next time.

Yogre · 03/03/2025 22:37

I've never considered that initial rush if feelings to be love to be honest.

True love is decades down the line, all flaws exposed, crisis tested, shared history and still wanting to spend time together.

Ghosttofu99 · 03/03/2025 22:38

I still think it makes a big difference who the two people who died were 🤔 I can see how a new relationship might not be top priority for a little while.