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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

I want someone to love me

41 replies

Tiyaddd · 16/01/2021 21:05

I’m 22 all my relationships have been failures, always getting cheated on or left for another female.

I’m trying to love myself but I’m finding it so hard, my mindset right now is that I’d much rather someone just love me or atleast act as if they do.

When I’m bored I try to message my ex’s. I crave attention and love.

OP posts:
MagentaDoesNotExist · 16/01/2021 22:53

@Eckhart's advice is brilliant and wise.

MagentaDoesNotExist · 16/01/2021 22:53

@prawncocktailpringles

We don't live long enough!! I have learned so much in the last 10 years. Wish I could go back and mentor 22 year old me.
Yes. If only. Sad
youvegottenminuteslynn · 17/01/2021 00:24

It took me a long time to realise I wasn't always cheated on (sometimes repeatedly by the same person) because I was rubbish, but because I ignored early red flags the men in question were bad news and then didn't leave when it was painfully clear they were even worse news.

A counsellor of mine who was brilliant pushed me to focus not on why my exes cheated but on why I tolerated their behaviour before, during and after.

Google the shark cage analogy and be single for a good while. It could be the making of you.

You're worth more than valuing yourself predominantly by how men see you. All women are! You aren't defined by male attention.

MagentaDoesNotExist · 17/01/2021 01:18

I so wish I had found this kind of advice when I was your age, OP.

You are worth so much more of this and you can be very happy, but make sure you are happy first. Do not get trapped into a nightmare that will reinforce your insecurities. Go to therapy, please. Say what you've said here to qualified professionals and work through why you feel this way, and then a happy life awaits you. 🤗

Eckhart · 17/01/2021 07:57

It took me a long time to realise I wasn't always cheated on (sometimes repeatedly by the same person) because I was rubbish, but because I ignored early red flags the men in question were bad news and then didn't leave when it was painfully clear they were even worse news

Morning OP!

I just wanted to second the quote above.

It's very important (for everybody, all the time) to know how to listen to, and respond to their feelings, especially in relationships. People who had poor parenting (like you and I) naturally dismiss their own feelings, because, whilst they've been growing up, nobody gave a crap how they felt when their parents were beating each other up, or beating them up, or drinking themselves to oblivion, or whatever the poor parenting style was. The main thing that's going on at home was always something more important than how you felt, right? And now, suddenly, as an adult, the most important thing is how you feel. It's quite a flip. And it's hard to do because you more or less have to already have done it (ie care about your feelings enough) in order to make yourself care about your feelings!

That's why I asked you if you care about yourself, and tried to get you to see that you really do.

I went for years through rubbish relationships, biting my tongue, putting up with stuff I wasn't really happy with. Nothing dreadful (apart from one), but when I went to counselling, I got to the bottom of the problem: Everything I'd put up with made me have the same feeling, and it was the little tiny me, who didn't get looked after properly, screaming inside me 'YOU'RE NOT LISTENING TO ME!!!!'

Often, I hadn't even said what I felt, so, how anybody was supposed to listen to it, I don't know. But that's what stops rubbish and failing relationships. When they do something you don't like, you tell them. If they keep doing it, you leave them. I'll bet that in your relationships you have behaved in ways that you didn't like? Become a person you didn't want to be? That's what happens to people when their boundaries are pushed and pushed and pushed by something they find toxic.

I spent a lot of time here www.baggagereclaim.co.uk/the-blog/ whilst I was sorting my head out. I got quite bolshy Smile Have a read and see if it helps.

Whilst you keep looking to others to validate you, you will never be happy, because nobody knows what you need like you do. You are an adult, and your primary job is to parent yourself , constantly, in a healthy way. Whatever your upbringing, you are no less able to do this than the most self respecting, dignified person you can think of. If you feel like you are less able, that's simply a perception. It's not a fact.

Jumpers268 · 17/01/2021 08:20

@Eckhart you never fail to give amazing advice. You've helped me no end in the past with realising my worth and how my childhood had affected the way I saw relationships. Sorry to jump on your post OP but I just wanted to say thank you!

Eckhart · 17/01/2021 09:11

I'm glad, @Jumpers268

I paid a very good counsellor a lot of money for a year, and cried a lot of tears, and the happy conclusion I reached was that the only thing wrong with me was that I thought there was something wrong with me! If I can offer anybody else support to reach that conclusion for themselves (saving counselling hours and distress), so much the better. Especially @Tiyaddd. 22 is a good age to nip this poorly trained habit of self invalidation in the bud.

Tiyaddd · 17/01/2021 11:22

@Eckhart I don’t really have the funds for counselling at the moment. However I would like to go on this journey by myself but I don’t know where to even begin 😓

OP posts:
prawncocktailpringles · 17/01/2021 11:31

I want to third @youvegottenminuteslynn's quote. I wasn't cheated on but spent years beating myself up for being bad at relationships whereas, whilst there are things I could work ok, the main problem was that I was investing too early, not weeding out the wrong people and focussing way too much on whether I was good enough instead of whether they were. It is amazing how quickly the years fly by with this mindset. So much time wasted pining after the wrong men.

If you can't afford therapy how about some books? There is a book called Reinventing your Life about schema therapy. It is a terrible title but a great book. Also a book called Attached (think the authors are Amir and Geller).
Also the advice on Mumsnet is wonderful. You are very lucky to have found it at your age. I wish I had. Read other people's threads. You will start to see the patterns and this will help you.

Where to start? I think start with what you are interested in. If not now, as a child (I think often our fundamental interests don't change that much).

Also, as has been said, fake it till you make it. Do nice things for yourself. Treat yourself like you would want a lover to treat you.

Tiyaddd · 17/01/2021 11:47

@prawncocktailpringles thankyou xx

OP posts:
Eckhart · 17/01/2021 12:13

www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/pieces-mind/201407/self-validation

Here's a 5 minute read for you Smile

You can start practicing right now. You don't have to pay for counselling. Be the maverick who goes it alone!

ahsan · 17/01/2021 12:28

Why would you message an ex for most of them will laugh and tremble all over you make you feel really bad about yourself no wonder you got low self esteem properly laughing when you contact them and think your still an option if things go wrong with the women they are with come back only to bin you off again when in their stupid mind set find someone with better standards.
Delete block them find someone else to message and work on yourself if you don’t like you who will.

ahsan · 17/01/2021 12:32

Had same childhood as you I’m now a single parent happy with it. Both men I was with were nightmares happy to be alone it’s better. One thing they do is make you feel like a failure and eat at your self confidence don’t let them. Someone will come along love you for you but don’t go running around looking for it or you’ll get into trouble focus on yourself and it will come to you

Doodallysally · 17/01/2021 21:54

Hi OP, do you work? Do you have plans for what you want your career to look like? Do you have hobbies or interests you pursue? Do you have a bucket list of things you want to experience (other than love)? Are you happy with your life otherwise?

At 22, these are the things that should take priority. As achieving things, whether a physical challenge, or getting a promotion, or learning a new language - will give you self esteem and help you love (and feel proud of yourself). Healthier relationships will then follow.

Men cannot fill the gap you feel in your life. Now is your chance to make your life exactly as you want it, and then it will attract the right men into it. Most decent guys will run a mile at the thought you're pinning all your hopes, dreams and emotional validation on them. It's too big a burden to place on another person. Only users and abusers will stay to exploit that vulnerability.

Be kind to yourself Thanks

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