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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

Struggling with second break up post divorce

6 replies

Hopely · 13/03/2025 10:10

I'm a few weeks into my second break up post divorce. Was with the guy for a year and rushed into it. We had a lot of fun together and had lots in common but he experienced a major bereavement and depression 3.5 months in and things were never quite the same after that. Physical intimacy entirely stalled after the first couple of months due to significant trauma on his part which he was starting to get help with.

He had a detachment about him that meant that my nervous system never felt completely sure about him. It felt like he had one foot out of the door, even though he said he didn't. We were having such a great time though, and on the face of it had loads in common.

I told him I loved him a few months in which he wasn't able to reciprocate but said he was happy about. Around the six month mark I got upset one night and said that I was looking for someone who could see themselves falling in love with me and living with me in the future. He started to back off and say he wasn't sure after that, but we limped on for another six months. We got close to breaking up once and he came out with all these things about how I was his favourite person and he could spend every day with me, which obviously confused me. When we actually broke up he told me we were very compatible. He'd started to become a bit unkind to me and was being odd about other women. He said he needed to be alone.

When I write all this down I can see that it was messed up but I'm very hung up on him and the relationship. Life feels very grey now. I had new experiences and excitement with him. I don't feel very motivated to do things alone. I managed fine after my marriage split, I was out a lot and doing hobbies and meeting new people. I'd been with my ex husband since I was a teenager. This is hitting differently somehow. I think I was vulnerable and inexperienced.

I'm having counselling, trying to summon some enthusiasm to do things but struggling. I don't think I'm very good company at the moment. Can anyone offer any kind words here?

OP posts:
Hopely · 13/03/2025 10:18

I'm worried that I was asking for assurances about the future too soon and I ruined it :(

OP posts:
tropicalroses · 13/03/2025 10:20

I can't offer kind words I'm afraid. I think sometimes we look at relationships as winning or losing, I think some of this comes from dating shows where you compete and the best person wins a date. As such we want our relationships to be successful and we pour too much effort into trying to make the wrong ones work- because rather than seeing is as the wrong relationship we see it as a failure.

Walking away isn't a failure, you need to be able to focus on this for next time around. Its hard, and I'm sorry its happened to you again, but this guy doesn't sound healthy. You're better off without this one, but you need someone who wants to see a future with you.

PashaMinaMio · 13/03/2025 10:23

He’s an “Avoidant.”
Walk away. It’s never going to work.

TwistedWonder · 13/03/2025 10:40

My advice would be to take time being single and learn to be happy with yourself rather than using a crap relationship with so many red flags to fill a void.

This had disaster written all over it from very early days so to ‘limp on’ was just a waste of both of your time.

I honestly think until you are healed enough to be happily alone, you’re not in right place for a new relationship

glitterturd · 13/03/2025 10:48

Shit happens in life and this sounds like this is the best outcome for you although you don't think it right now. You can't pretend to be someone else to make someone like you or stay with you. Be yourself. You have shown you are open to a new relationship again so take heart from that.

emilysgoldskirt · 13/03/2025 11:10

Poor you OP, I feel for you. I think it sounds like you have energy to fall in love and make a new future, whereas lots of men of this (our?) age simply see themselves as trying to find comfort in the aftermath of their ‘real life’ (which might have ended through divorce or whatever). It sucks. I like the advice of ‘find someone who can match your energy’.

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