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Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

How do you know if youre ready for a relationship?

5 replies

Ihatepickeringusernames · 30/01/2018 09:52

I have been seeing a guy since october last year and he is great in every way - hes loving, funny, hard working, not too bad to look at - perfect really in many ways.

So why do i keep getting this overwhelming urge to run away?

My last two relationships have been disasters, the first one was very controlling - i wasnt allowed to where anything slightly revealing, i was made to quit a job i loved in a pub because of other men being there and i wasnt allowed to buy anything for myself (be new clothes or just a coffee from costa) he insisted he bought it and then insisted i be extremely grateful afterwards
for example i really wanted some shoes one day, had saved special to buy the shoes myself but ex wouldnt let me, after an argument in the shop with me being called ungrateful i releneted and lrt him buy them, we then went to see my friends wearing the shoes and they all said how lovely they were, i said thanks and he stromed off because i hadnt immediately gushed about how he had bought them for me and about how wonderful he was. That went on for a year and then i got out.

I was single for a year and then got another partner. He was worse. All he ever told me was how stupid and thick i was, how i should be grateful he is even bothering to give me the time of day. I had to go to the police about a sexual assault when i was with him (from years previous not commited by him) so afterwards i went round to his looking for comfort and was met with a punch to the face and told "who the fuck do you think you are bringing that shit round here at 9pm?! Do you really think i want to talk about that. Your disgusting" or words very similar.
He was alot older than me (i was 23 he was 35) and had a lot more money than me (mainly selling drugs) and cheated on me the whole time with an ex. I dont know how i was so stupid tbh but he was very good at being manipulative for example if i brought up the fact said ex's knickers were on his radiator and its not on his response was always along the lines of "your so young and stupid do you not realise that adults can share a bed and not have sex, she just a friend and you are being paranoid and pathetic" which obviously i would yhen belive.

Went out woth him for 2 years, got pregnant and was terrified for the future my baby would have so i moved in with my mum and dad, didnt tell him o was going and never spoke yo him again - he still doesnt know about baby who is now 11 months old.

I sorted myself out, i work, i live on my own, i support us both and frankly im doing a good job i think.

This is where i get bacj to original question, now i have met lovely guy, lovely guy seems pefect in every way BUT i keep thinking back to how my previous relationships have seemed like lovely guys at the start so i keep looking for signs its going the same way and now i dont know if they are there or if im making mountains out of mole hills.

Some things that make me cringe are mindless chit chat....first ex i mentioned wanted to text 27 hours a day and godforbid i didnt reply for 10 minutes i was clearly shagging someone else. Now new bf doesnt mind if dont reply but he does love mindless chit chat and it makes me want to run away but i dont know if thats because im relating it other paat experiences??? I feel stupid even asking but i have absolutely no idea what a normal relationship looks like.

He also like to do things for me (carry my shopping bits of DIY etc) and again i just keep thinking oh no this is how it starts all nice then before i know it i wont be allwoed anymore.

This is getting stupidly long so i apologise thanks if you got to the end, any advice is greatly appreciated. I guess really what im saying is how do you tell the right amount of nice from too nice??

OP posts:
Cricrichan · 30/01/2018 11:39

Just keep seeing him but don't tie yourself to him in any way. If you carry on and you love him and he's nice then that's good, but if you realise that you're not compatible or he's controlling etc, you can end it easily.

ThisLittleKitty · 30/01/2018 18:36

I think maybe take some time out from dating if you don't feel ready to be in a relationship. Your exes sound awful. Can I ask what you will do once the baby gets older and starts asking questions?

laura65988 · 07/02/2018 07:40

Take things slow not all men are the same enjoy it and stop stressing u deserve it

Nellyphants · 07/02/2018 07:49

I think you’re ready for a new relationship when you don’t really care wether you have one or not.

It doesn’t have to be all or nothing with this man. Date him. Don’t move in, don’t mix finances. Keep you’re friends & own interests. Just go on dates.

ALittleBitConfused1 · 07/02/2018 12:55

Your bf sounds lovely but I know what you mean when you say they all start off nice.
Women who have been in abusive relationships are more likely to repeat that pattern over and over again.
It seems like you acknowledge and understand the possibility of that happening again.
But that doesn't mean your current bf is abusive, although being conscious of the signs is sensible. That self protection, the need to be always on alert will always be more present for you, unfortunately it's just how it is.
I personally don't agree with the poster who said keep seeing him but keep distant.
I don't think you're ready for a relationship yet.
Did you have any kind of counselling or trauma therapy after your last relationship ended? If not this needs to be your first move.
You need to get to a point where you trust your own judgement again and have the confidence to rely on your own choices. As a victim of abuse it will be very hard for you to learn how to do that without help. Thats why ykur constantly expecting it to happen and that will do more damage than good.
I know what you're going through, I've been there. I am coming to the end of intense trauma counselling and I can't explain how much it has helped, although no way am I ready to invest emotionally in someone again. Good luck op.

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