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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

Head spinning. Would this be a problem to you at the start of a relationship?

69 replies

LolaCreamTea · 02/03/2020 20:18

Head been spinning with this so would really like some opinions, maybe I’m blowing out of proportion

Had many dates with someone since late December. He’d had a break up in later October and we took things very slowly, only did the deed in February and mostly developed a friendship in this time. The last couple of weeks we have got much closer and it’s started to feel like the beginning of a relationship. Throughout the last couple of months I had understood that there were some loose ends to tie up with this ex - some stuff at her house and they were going to meet in the new year just to clear the air. He said he wasn’t really sure why she ended it, it was all vague and quite out of the blue, so he wanted this conversation to better understand what had happened. I was fine with this and he was always eager to tell me he had no desire to be with her (when she did text briefly in January about something practical he sent a very nice but simple message back and didn’t try to chat with her further).

Last week he came over on Tuesday after work. This is usual for us and we’ve been doing it for a few weeks. He seemed a bit down and after a while he admitted that he had seen a photo of his ex on Facebook on holiday with someone she was clearly in a relationship with. He was with her for two years but he didn’t break it off. He explained it was a bit of a shock and that he didn’t want to get back with her but he couldn’t stop thinking about the timing of it and whether she had met him while they were together etc. He also said he felt confused because they were supposed to meet in the new year and he never felt he had the opportunity to properly close the door on it all, a bit like it was hanging over him. I suggested he just ask her about this new relationship and the circumstances if it was affecting him that much. He did and she replied saying they’d met shortly after she broke up with him and that yes she was in a relationship and she said sorry for putting photos up without telling him first.

Anyway...since she’s told him this it’s like a weight has been lifted from him... he even said ‘I feel like a burden has been lifted.’ I’ve asked him why this is and he said part of his poor mental health is that he always wants certainty and to understand things and doesn’t like animosity with anyone. This does ring true for me with him as that’s exactly how I would describe him. BUT all of this has thrown me a bit. I felt we were progressing as a couple and then now I realise that all this time he was still analysing a past relationship? I’ve expressed my concern to him and he’s been desperate to tell me that it’s me he wants and that he sees a future with us and hopes that we will continue.

Would this bother you or put you off? As I said at the start, I really really like him and before this happened I felt deep down that this would go somewhere.

OP posts:
Friendsofmine · 02/03/2020 21:19

"is this just how things run their course after a break up and it has no impact on us"

Sorry OP he is having an entirely normal response. 2 months was not enough time to get over his ex. He has been trying to process and mourn whilst dating you. It was too soon for him to be through that when you started dating.

If I was you I'd slow down. When he no longer feels the need to have processing conversations, when all the swapping of possessions is completed and when he never really mentions the ex, the person is possibly ready to date.

Boireannachlaidir · 02/03/2020 21:27

Hang on. His ex broke up with him. He's been dating you. She's dating someone new. Sounds like they'd both moved on.Why would she have to warn him before putting photos up on Facebook? Confused

Now he's all systems go with you as he has 'closure". It's all too much drama too soon. I think you should slow right down or prepare to be hurt, sorry.

pisces12 · 02/03/2020 21:33

I think you should just ask him if he's over her or if he thought there was my chance they would get back together.
As it hasn't been that long since the breakup he would probably be hurt at the thought of her cheating on him, but the arranging to meet up whilst he was seeing someone new a bit strange.

When I got with my bf it had been about 6 months since he split from his ex properly, and 1 month since he tried to punch a guy on a night out that she was with so I asked him if he was over her and what the drunken outburst was about, then made a decision to carry on seeing him based on his answer.

MrsHusky · 02/03/2020 21:38

He's been honest with you from the start about his feelings regards his previous relationship. He's finally managed to put those feelings to bed, for whatever reason, and move on.

Now he's 'free' mentally and emotionally to pursue something with you, you want to cut him loose because you dont like the change now he has 'closure'?

Your feelings make no sense to me.

Comes across to me that YOU are the one not sure and are now looking for excuses to run from a potential relationship now he's entirely focused on you.

TheBlueStocking · 02/03/2020 21:39

It's not ideal. But I wouldn't end contact with him over this.

LolaCreamTea · 03/03/2020 11:10

It’s odd because I know that she contacted him in January and when he replied it was perfectly polite and civil but he certainly wasn’t trying to push a conversation, which he could easily have done. It was just two messages.

The fact there could have been overlap between him and this new man is obviously a shit thing for him to think about and I get why he would want closure on that. I just find it difficult to reconcile with the way he is telling me he wants me and always did. Is it even possible to feel both of those things at the same time?

OP posts:
Onemansoapopera · 03/03/2020 11:13

Well you want to both finish with him and not so yes I guess it is. Apply your own logic to his feelings maybe?

LolaCreamTea · 03/03/2020 11:15

I wish we had met a bit further down the line and now I am not sure whether to carry on or call it a day. Usually I would cut my losses but we’ve had some nice times and I like him a lot. Taken me years to find someone I feel like that about.

OP posts:
Onemansoapopera · 03/03/2020 11:18

OP live for today and enjoy each other 😊

Friendsofmine · 03/03/2020 11:19

You would have been better off suggesting he contact you in the New Year (when it had been longer basically) but you are here now...so I would suggest just pull back a little and slow it down.

Friendsofmine · 03/03/2020 11:21

Yes I think he could be both into you but also cut up about being dumped by someone he still wanted.

isthismylifenow · 03/03/2020 11:25

I think his reaction is quite normal in all honesty.

Seems he had a lot of unanswered questions which were playing on his mind.

But it is quite soon to be in another relationship.

I am not sure I would end a relationship because of this.

picklemewalnuts · 03/03/2020 11:32

Has he told her he is in a relationship?

I'd ask him a little bit about it, tell him you wonder what it means for you.

I dont think I'd end it, but I'd be wary.

LolaCreamTea · 03/03/2020 11:46

For clarity we are not ‘in a relationship’ in the sense that we have had that chat. It does feel more like a relationship in the last couple of weeks but we did take things slowly initially.

The last few days he has been a lot more engaged with me...more relaxed I think? It does seem like a weight has been lifted for him now he knows it is over and has clarity on why it was. My doubt is that he is being like this because he wants someone rather than wanting me. But the last couple of months have been so nice and I did really think he was into this.

Maybe life’s too short and I’m making more of this than it needs to be

OP posts:
Grumpasaurus · 03/03/2020 11:50

Op sometimes life doesn't happen "neatly". I had a similar situation with my now husband of over a decade. Only it was me who was "messy" at the beginning. Looking back now those 6-10 weeks of closing my emotions to my ex and starting to focus on now DH were so insignificant. The only significant thing was that I was open with now DH about where I was at- and we took it slow.

If it's a good thing, even in 6-10 weeks from now this will feel so much less significant.

Grumpasaurus · 03/03/2020 11:52

PS sorry I have a migraine so mightn't be making a lot of sense. What I am trying to say is sometimes we have finishing emotions open on one road- that is coming to an end- and starting emotions on another road- that is just beginning- and that's okay. We you are much further down that new road, the future facing one, the small parallel road time blip really won't matter.

LolaCreamTea · 03/03/2020 11:55

grunpa that’s exactly what a close friend has said. She said look at it in the way that the relationship with the ex is over for certain (or as certain as can be) and that he is interested enough in me to care for my feelings in this and to talk to me about it. He wants to give this a chance.

I hate to admit this but I feel frustrated that it hasn’t been as neat and as clean as I would like. But that’s childish and not realistic, life is messy I guess. I like him a lot I am just wary now that all this time he was hiding a lot of his hurt for his ex and it only came to the surface for me to notice when he saw these photos.

OP posts:
MashedSpud · 03/03/2020 11:57

Set a date, say three months from now. If he’s still moping about her, leave.

anotherdisaster · 03/03/2020 12:28

I would worry that he's suddenly more keen to move on with you, just because she has someone, not despite it.
However, you are second guessing everything at the moment. If I was in your shoes and I was really keen on him, I would probably carry on and see how things go, but be very cautious.

LolaCreamTea · 03/03/2020 12:33

I did query why he suddenly was in contact more (otherwise things had stayed the same) and he said he just felt a weight had been lifted and that he had closure on that part of his life. He’s a massive massive worrier and likes clarity on everything so I can see that something like a vague reason for a break up would be hard for him. I think his increased contact has also been related to him wanting to re assure me.

OP posts:
FromTheEarth · 03/03/2020 12:47

Very tricky. In your shoes, I'd feel the same as you- in all respects.

If you like really like him and see a future, I'd be inclined to hold fire and see how it is in a few weeks time.

But it's a very difficult situation with no clear cut answer or correct response - as you have seen from the reply to hear.

FromTheEarth · 03/03/2020 12:48

*replies here.

Egghead68 · 03/03/2020 13:05

It’s good he’s being honest with you. I agree with the advice to take things slowly/be more like friends for a bit and see if you are both interested in a few months.

Egghead68 · 03/03/2020 13:06

P.S. that is, assuming you like him enough to wait around that long

opticaldelusion · 03/03/2020 13:26

I don't understand mumsnet sometimes. Start seeing fella who's not long out of a relationship. Things are understandably casual at first although feelings are there and it feels like a relationship is developing.

Fella sees that his ex has moved on and feels some closure on the old relationship and becomes more committed to the new one.

And this is a bad thing??? WTAF.