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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

1 Yr Long Distance Relationship - Call It Quits? Help :(

42 replies

VWarren89 · 27/01/2022 15:21

I met my boyfriend on Instagram over a few years ago. We were friends for awhile first, but eventually got together in an exclusive, long distance relationship. I learned through him that he wanted to keep our relationship private because he has crazy exes. So I respected that, in hope hed change his mind eventually over time. We both do play a virtual game called Second Life, but he'd rarely get on with me or do things with me there.

We never took photos in-game, but he'd take photos alone and always claimed he had those pics in his phone that he never posted. He knows that I am the public type, I love being public about who I'm with because that is my person and I'm not afraid to show my special person off to the world. But he said he was uncomfortable to do so, so I stopped bringing it up. But it would always come up when I'd see him commenting on other girl's photos, or when he'd post something. Yet he always would tell me "social media means nothing to him," and that he doesnt care about the virtual game we play like that.

He also has this best friend the he himself calls easy and has sex with whoever she can. He also has female friends that comment ❤, 😍 under his photos that makes me very upset. He says he pays no mind to it because it doesnt matter to him. He says everyone knows about me, but since we are private, how do I know that's true? I dont even feel comfortable telling anyone we're together because of how he acts about it, which makes me feel like I'm not myself. His best friend even had asked him to visit her to meet her new boyfriend, but I wasnt invited by her or my boyfriend. My boyfriend said he didnt invite me because he knows i dont trust her. How can I trust someone that he himself calls easy? Then I asked him why didnt he invite me and he said "you can come if you want to."

We have made countless plans for him to visit but he has never came once. Hes canceled plans due to family issues because he thinks he needs to fix all of his family's troubles on his own, even their mistakes he wants to correct. Which pushes me to the very bottom. I feel last to him in every way yet he says I'm not. For his birthday, he didnt even tell me he decided he wasnt coming. He decided on his own and didnt bring it up until days after he was supposed to show. He only brought it up because we were arguing because I was hurt because he didnt show. He knew days before he wasnt coming and never told me.

During arguments. He has hung up on me several times and rushes me off the phone to get off before "he says something he'll regret." I told him never to hang up on me or rush me but he continues to do so.

We have broken up at least twice. I believe I have fell out of love with him because I'm honestly tired of him telling me hes going to do something, and then he doesnt yet he gets upset at me that I don't trust his word anymore. This past week he was supposed to be here but he didnt show. We have never met in person. This recent break up, he mentioned we need to learn each other and be stronger. Yet all we've done is the same thing. Sit on the phone. I dont even call or text him like I used to when I was in love. And I dont even care if I go all day without hearing from him.

I am 32 years old and hes 26. I am trying to build my life with someone that is ready, as I am ready to have kids. We havent even met in person for us to fully determine if we are compatible. He wont allow me to visit him because it's too dangerous because he lives in a bad neighborhood, he won't compromise for me to meet him halfway somewhere, and he wont come here because his family constantly needs him for whatever they say.

I believe I stay because of the amount of time I've spent on him. But being in love with him, I'm in love the person he was that made me fall in the first place. Not who he is now. His mother did pass away 2 years ago which has taken a toll on him, but I feel like we cant have a normal relationship. We dont do relationship things. All we do is sit on the phone. We have no deep conversations, and we just watch tv or I listen to him playing the game.

I forgot to mention that, yes we had our honeymoon stage but I felt like that was quickly over. For majority of our relationship, I was always begging him to spend time with me, show me attention, do things with me. He had got to busy to the point where he'd put me on hold multiple times for long periods of time each phone call, then hed have to leave the house. He's been the first to ever show me so little attention, so when I feel like I ask him to spend time with me, it makes me feel clingy or that I'm nagging. I have given him ultimatums, yelled at him multiple times, and we still constantly fight over this. That he barely pays me no mind. And when I'm dealing with something and I need comfort, I rarely get that because he has his own issues. He deals with so much in his life, I feel like relationship problems or my problems I cant express or bring up because I dont want to nag him or make him feel worse. In turn, this has made me out to be someone I am not to satisfy him. In a way, the relationship revolves around him, what he wants, and based off his time.

Since we recently got back together, everything still feels the same. Even today he asked me can we spend time together, I said yes of course but all day he was on his game, answering phone calls, and even hung up to go do something. Deep down, I knew he'd do this because it's a pattern. I already knew.

I'm honestly at the point where I dont care but it's hard for me to leave. I'm obviously not happy but why can I not leave.

OP posts:
TheFoundation · 27/01/2022 22:01

I'm 40 with 3 kids. I've had my life

Wow. If you live to a standard life expectance, you have far more adult life ahead of you than behind you, and you'll be free to experience it however you want once the kids have grown up.

Why have you written off all those years you have ahead?

GreyCarpet · 28/01/2022 00:50

It's not the long distance part that's the issue.

It's that you think he's your boyfriend when nothing about his behaviour suggests that he feels the same.

My brother met his wife when she lived on the other side of the world. They didn't meet in person for over a year but were in contact every day. She came to stay for a fortnight and then moved here. They've been together for nearly 20 years.

That is not your future.

PaperBasket · 28/01/2022 00:58

@TheFoundation

I'm 40 with 3 kids. I've had my life

Wow. If you live to a standard life expectance, you have far more adult life ahead of you than behind you, and you'll be free to experience it however you want once the kids have grown up.

Why have you written off all those years you have ahead?

Totally agree.

I'm 47 with 2 children - one independent one nearly there. My life is just getting started!

WildPoinsettia · 28/01/2022 01:08

OFFS your never met in person?! You're not in a relationship. You're part of his fantasy harem. Google narcissistic harem. You're an ego boost, nothing more, he doesn't care about you.

Im2022 · 28/01/2022 01:11

You’re not in a relationship. Get off the computer. Ffs.

WildPoinsettia · 28/01/2022 01:12

@RedFlagsAllOver so if you realised you'd accidentally dropped a fiver down the drain, you'd continue to stand there deliberately feeding more notes through the grating would you? Or would you maybe think "drat!" and step away from the drain?

Time40 · 28/01/2022 01:16

OP, you are not in a relationship. You're just being messed about by someone who likes the attention. He's not your boyfriend. He doesn't care about you. He is most probably in a relationship with someone else.

There is even the possibility that he is a con man. It wouldn't surprise me if he suddenly had a financial crisis, and asked you to "lend" him a lot of money - countless poor women have been conned that way.

SheldonesqueTheBstard · 28/01/2022 01:17

I believe I stay because of the amount of time I've spent on him.

And that is the kicker. Time spent ON him - not WITH him.

It is but a virtual relationship - not a real one. And secret relationships are very rarely a good thing.

I suspect he has a fulfilling real life. And you don’t because you are waiting for him. And he isn’t giving you anything real.

Put down your phone. Find your life. And forget about your second life.

UrsulaBursula · 28/01/2022 01:33

How old are you?
I’m assuming old enough to know better than this Confused

Sounding very minuscule and desperate

VWarren89 · 28/01/2022 03:04

Thank you everyone for your advice

OP posts:
maras2 · 28/01/2022 03:06

ursula
OP ... 32
VB (virtual boyfriend) ... 26.
As stated in paragraph 7 of OP. Smile

SandAndSea · 28/01/2022 03:24

Are you sure he lives where he says?

UmbrellasAndToadstools · 28/01/2022 03:45

I'm relieved you no longer feel you're in love with him because the relationship is dead in the water and this guy is a loser.

Even just as a friendship/acquaintanceship, it's run its course because you're getting on each other's nerves and arguing.

Just think of yourself now, your dignity and your healing, and tell him to stick it.

Hope you feel better real soon. Flowers Cake x

ihateliningup · 28/01/2022 08:03

Op anyone who says they have 'crazy exes' does not in fact have crazy exes. It's the biggest bullshit line of all time.

RedFlagsAllOver · 01/02/2022 20:56

@TheFoundation

I'm 40 with 3 kids. I've had my life

Wow. If you live to a standard life expectance, you have far more adult life ahead of you than behind you, and you'll be free to experience it however you want once the kids have grown up.

Why have you written off all those years you have ahead?

I was trying to support her, she's 30. I wish I was 30 again. I have 3 kids I'm not a catch am I.
kafelnikov · 01/02/2022 21:24

I really recommend you listen to the Sweet Bobby podcast series about a long distance relationship that went on for years, even though they had never met, that turned out to be a catphisher.

Your bf may well be genuine but it's worth knowing just how clever these people can be and how people can get sucked into their lies.

www.tortoisemedia.com/listen/sweet-bobby/

MMmomDD · 02/02/2022 00:03

OP - you sound 12, not 32.
Or maybe you have spent too much time in a virtual game to forget how relationships work.
If you are actually a grown up and want to meet someone to have a family with - you need to stop living in the virtual world, leave the house and meet an actual man, who lives somewhere nearby. Then spend time together.

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