@ButterflyOfShay @gelatodipistacchio I have had an issue with jealousy in the past when I've committed myself to someone. It seems to be my irrational brain trying to tell me not to commit as I can't trust anyone. I've had it in 3 previous relationships and was a source of (hidden) shame to me. If it ever came out i handled it badly and it turned into anger.
With this situation I know the ex iron was around for 18 months and he has downplayed / been honest about what it was from the start. A dating relationship that was fun at the beginning but then they didn't have enough in common for it to develop into something meaningful. That's ok, I've been there too. I just felt that he'd had ample opportunity to tell me that she'd met his family and he'd never mentioned it before ...
but you know what - I was on the verge of introducing MrBear and had all the arrangements lined up then he showed me his true colours (undermining me and mansplaining and being very manipulative about DD's laptop). I even introduced my stalker to my family 😞 before I realised what a mess I'd got myself into with him.
So I think it brings up feelings of shame from the past and that is the cause and the effect of the jealousy!
And @ButterflyOfShay like you my childhood wasn't perfect so it stirs those early abandonment feelings too.
I know that MrD's past dating life has been active and pretty colourful ... takes one to know one ... and that one he developed strong feelings for one woman but it was a very short lived thing.
If anything, I'm worried about how fast we've taken things and I wonder if I'm going to wake up in 6 months and ask myself where I thought it was all going. But that's ok because none of us know the future or how our emotions might change or lives might pan out. So maybe the jealousy is a strange mix of all of those things. As I said to MrD, I don't like being committed or opening up because then all this other stuff comes out and spoils things. I'm all for the cool sex vibe and ignoring feelings 🤷🏻♀️ as I can't be arsed with feelings anymore 🤪