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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

My ex made me ill and now everyone hates me

63 replies

sockling · 23/07/2026 19:01

My ex and I were together for almost 5 years. It was long distance and he only came to visit once but I was sure we had a future together because we spent literal years talking about it. He knew how much I wanted children. He knew how big of a trigger it was to see others our age having children, and he’d always comfort me and promise me that’d be us one day. I’m autistic and fear being alone and falling behind in life. I’m also an only child so if I don’t have children then I’ll have no family left at some point. I also have BPD. I’m only 22 at the moment, but the triggers just worsen as I’ve seen so many Facebook friends posting announcements when I’m still completely alone now that my partner of 5 years left me. When one of our friends got pregnant a couple years ago, I had meltdowns for months because I was so upset and jealous. He knew how upset it made me and he’d spend HOURS comforting me. HE KNEW.

Only about a month after we broke up, he got into a new relationship. That was bad enough for me. My nan had died the day before he left too. I was already struggling, and knowing he was giving someone else what I had broke me. But then I got the worst news of my life. He’d gotten her pregnant, after just a month. The future I spent years believing we would have together was suddenly given to someone else. Worst of all, he tried his best to prevent me from finding out! HE SHOULDN’T HAVE DONE IT IN THE FIRST PLACE! I genuinely made attempts on my life over it. It makes me feel so useless!! I genuinely have been left to feel like I’m not worthy of love in any capacity and that I should genuinely just die. He also gave her an expensive ring when I got a £5 one. He went to therapy when she told him to yet refused to take my advice on therapy for YEARS. It makes me feel completely useless. I’m aware I’m extremely ugly and I also got fat recently (which was only for pregnancy so now I’m losing the weight and becoming underweight again). I also wasn’t always the best partner, I had a gambling addiction and would get upset if he didn’t help me pay off my debts, but would always apologise. But did I really deserve all this?

People have also been so nasty to me over this because they just don’t understand. They ended up losing it which was relieving at the time in my unwell state but that was short lived because no one deserves to lose a baby and it shouldn’t have been made in the first place. I’m still unwell over the fact that his DNA lives inside her when it’s supposed to be me. Mentally and physically. Even my own dad is refusing to talk to me because I said and did horrible things during my BPD episode. Almost all my friends turned on me because of how I behaved. But this was the worst thing that could’ve possibly happened and I genuinely lost control. I’m struggling to sleep, I’m extremely anxious all the time, when I found out I was constantly fighting the urge to vomit and I was actually sick in my mouth at some point. I lost weight from the stress. So many people are on his side and not mine. BPD is so demonised and I hate it. People need to realise it’s from trauma. I’m already in therapy and waiting for DBT. I’m also going on dates with someone new which is helping and she’s really supportive and shares the same life goals as me but we’re both biological females so we’ll have to wait for it. He didn’t. He just gave the life I wanted to someone skinnier, richer and prettier and overall better.

OP posts:
PinkNailPolish2026 · 23/07/2026 19:06

Do you have much mental health support in place?

RoseField1 · 23/07/2026 19:08

There are so many worrying issues in your post. You really need to speak to a trained professional, not Mumsnet. But I will try to respond.
1- a 5 year relationship where you only meet once isn't a relationship. It's not real.
2- you are nowhere near ready to meet a child's needs. You're not stable at all and a baby would be at risk of significant harm in your care.
3- you need to find another thing to focus on. Having a baby is not it.
4- you were abusive to him. Gambling and then coercing him into paying your debts is financial and domestic abuse. You're not a safe person to be in a relationship with right now.

Besidemyselfwithworry · 23/07/2026 19:10

sockling · 23/07/2026 19:01

My ex and I were together for almost 5 years. It was long distance and he only came to visit once but I was sure we had a future together because we spent literal years talking about it. He knew how much I wanted children. He knew how big of a trigger it was to see others our age having children, and he’d always comfort me and promise me that’d be us one day. I’m autistic and fear being alone and falling behind in life. I’m also an only child so if I don’t have children then I’ll have no family left at some point. I also have BPD. I’m only 22 at the moment, but the triggers just worsen as I’ve seen so many Facebook friends posting announcements when I’m still completely alone now that my partner of 5 years left me. When one of our friends got pregnant a couple years ago, I had meltdowns for months because I was so upset and jealous. He knew how upset it made me and he’d spend HOURS comforting me. HE KNEW.

Only about a month after we broke up, he got into a new relationship. That was bad enough for me. My nan had died the day before he left too. I was already struggling, and knowing he was giving someone else what I had broke me. But then I got the worst news of my life. He’d gotten her pregnant, after just a month. The future I spent years believing we would have together was suddenly given to someone else. Worst of all, he tried his best to prevent me from finding out! HE SHOULDN’T HAVE DONE IT IN THE FIRST PLACE! I genuinely made attempts on my life over it. It makes me feel so useless!! I genuinely have been left to feel like I’m not worthy of love in any capacity and that I should genuinely just die. He also gave her an expensive ring when I got a £5 one. He went to therapy when she told him to yet refused to take my advice on therapy for YEARS. It makes me feel completely useless. I’m aware I’m extremely ugly and I also got fat recently (which was only for pregnancy so now I’m losing the weight and becoming underweight again). I also wasn’t always the best partner, I had a gambling addiction and would get upset if he didn’t help me pay off my debts, but would always apologise. But did I really deserve all this?

People have also been so nasty to me over this because they just don’t understand. They ended up losing it which was relieving at the time in my unwell state but that was short lived because no one deserves to lose a baby and it shouldn’t have been made in the first place. I’m still unwell over the fact that his DNA lives inside her when it’s supposed to be me. Mentally and physically. Even my own dad is refusing to talk to me because I said and did horrible things during my BPD episode. Almost all my friends turned on me because of how I behaved. But this was the worst thing that could’ve possibly happened and I genuinely lost control. I’m struggling to sleep, I’m extremely anxious all the time, when I found out I was constantly fighting the urge to vomit and I was actually sick in my mouth at some point. I lost weight from the stress. So many people are on his side and not mine. BPD is so demonised and I hate it. People need to realise it’s from trauma. I’m already in therapy and waiting for DBT. I’m also going on dates with someone new which is helping and she’s really supportive and shares the same life goals as me but we’re both biological females so we’ll have to wait for it. He didn’t. He just gave the life I wanted to someone skinnier, richer and prettier and overall better.

A person you saw once in 5 years is NOT a relationship and incant see how you ever thought this would be going anywhere to be honest!

PrizedPickledPopcorn · 23/07/2026 19:13

You are still extremely young. You are not ready to have a child- they are extremely provoking and apologising to them after a meltdown is not going to undo the damage your meltdown will cause a vulnerable child.

You have a lot of time to get healthy and become a suitable parent. It’s important to do that, rather than risk traumatising your child and perpetuating the cycle.

I’m sorry for your troubles.

MaryFromGlasgow · 23/07/2026 19:17

OP please ensure you’re getting support. Autism is hard on its own, BPD is hard on its own. The combo sounds very difficult.

NeverDropYourMooncup · 23/07/2026 19:17

What does your psych and community team say? You need to tell them about all of this.

OwlCalledSage · 23/07/2026 19:21

You poor thing. You would really benefit from some counselling. It’s hard for you to understand other people’s reactions but it’s also hard for them to appreciate that you genuinely thought you were in a relationship with someone. It may have felt like one to you, but seeing someone once in five years really isn’t what you could call a relationship. it wasn’t real.

Try and get yourself some mental health support before you even think about doing adult things like relationships and having babies.

PetulaGordeno · 23/07/2026 19:23

This was not a relationship and you are very young at 22, you most have been around this young man since your teen years. You can’t build a future with someone you have only met once.
I am not sure how much help any of us can offer as it’s hard to understand the depth of these very negative emotions. I can understand why loved ones close to you cannot cope - I know that is probably hard to hear.
If you set aside this young man, do you have any actual plans or hopes around what you would like to do with your life? Please don’t bring a baby into just yet, it’s hard enough and it’s clear you simply would not cope.
But you are worth far more than these awful feelings, measuring your worth against a girl you don’t know and a boyfriend you only met once.
As for going on dates with someone else you can’t use one person to get over another. Why can’t you and this young woman build a friendship instead?
You sound very bright OP. Your life isn’t defined by being coupled up or having a baby. Saying ‘we will have to wait for it’ do you mean a baby together? Because that is very concerning.

FIummoxed · 23/07/2026 19:30

Your ex didn’t make you ill, you’re making yourself ill. Therapy and support from your mental health team will help you feel better, but it’ll take time.

He is entitled to end a relationship, and move on with his life.

You really need to stop doing whatever it is you’re doing to find out so much personal information about him and his girlfriend. If he’s contacting you to tell you thing, block him. If you’re looking him up on social media, block him and step away from your phone.

Funchythesnowwoman · 23/07/2026 19:34

You met once in 5 years??

Lexy2345 · 23/07/2026 19:37

You met him once? Come on, he was never your boyfriend. Let him go and live his life, please 🙏

JLou08 · 23/07/2026 19:38

Try and forget about relationships and babies. Now is the time to focus on your recovery. You need to learn to manage your emotions, you need to learn what a healthy relationship looks like, you need to learn your behaviour has consequences and can harm others, you need to learn better coping mechanisms. Autism and BPD makes this harder but it definitely doesn't make it impossible.

You are still so young, you have plenty of time to get yourself into the position where you can be a good mother and partner. You are not there yet and if you jump into things before you're ready it is just going to bring more trauma to you and them.

Blueeyedmale · 23/07/2026 19:38

I had a lot of mental health diagnosis when I was young op i was diagnosed with EUPD,PTSD anxiety, depression adjustment disorder and anorexia at the age of 16.

It took me years of intense therapy for me to be even begin to like myself,I think like others have said the priority now should be focusing on your mental health and getting the support you need.

That's not to say you can't enjoy a loving relationship and have children in the future,like you I wanted to be a parent from a young age but what children need is stability my son is now 15 but I'm glad I waited until I was well enough to be a parent.

SleepingStandingUp · 23/07/2026 19:38

I assume op means she did all the travelling.

op you sound like you're still quite poorly, please get some professional help.

you don't sound ready for a new relationship

Runsaway · 23/07/2026 19:39

He was never your partner, and you’re far too young and mentally ill to have a child right now.

pimplebum · 23/07/2026 19:45

You should not be in a relationship as you are so mentally unwell

you definitely shouldn’t have children they would be taken iff you as you are very unstable its not fair on them

sorry but you need much more therapy and medication before you can manage a relationship

sorry i wish you well

PrizedPickledPopcorn · 23/07/2026 19:53

To add to what others have said, while you are so unwell you cannot have a healthy relationship. Other people don’t make you better. You need to be really strong mentally to navigate a close relationship with other people. Your friends and family are struggling with you, too. Adding in a new person just brings more accommodations and compromises.

Get stable and healthy on your own- that’s the priority. Then get stable and healthy with other people. Then- only then- consider a relationship. If that goes well, a baby.

Honestly, people without your extra difficulties find relationships and being a parent really really hard. For you it will be even harder- the stakes are really high!

sockling · 23/07/2026 19:56

PinkNailPolish2026 · 23/07/2026 19:06

Do you have much mental health support in place?

I have as much as I can possibly get. NHS waiting times are very long. Currently I go to a mental health gardening group once a week, I get counselling once a week which I’m paying for, I’m in contact with my crisis team and I’m waiting to get DBT but that could take a few months.

OP posts:
sockling · 23/07/2026 19:58

MaryFromGlasgow · 23/07/2026 19:17

OP please ensure you’re getting support. Autism is hard on its own, BPD is hard on its own. The combo sounds very difficult.

I’m getting as much as I can right now

OP posts:
sockling · 23/07/2026 20:00

Runsaway · 23/07/2026 19:39

He was never your partner, and you’re far too young and mentally ill to have a child right now.

He’s even younger than me and also very mentally ill so it really upsets me how he got there first. I had worked very hard to become more stable but him doing this has made me worse than I’ve ever been before and it’s a massive setback that’s essentially ruined my life for the moment. I’ve only just started seeing a way out. I graduated uni this past month so at least there’s that.

OP posts:
sockling · 23/07/2026 20:01

NeverDropYourMooncup · 23/07/2026 19:17

What does your psych and community team say? You need to tell them about all of this.

They’re aware of it all and they’re giving me help but waiting lists are crazy long

OP posts:
sockling · 23/07/2026 20:02

Besidemyselfwithworry · 23/07/2026 19:10

A person you saw once in 5 years is NOT a relationship and incant see how you ever thought this would be going anywhere to be honest!

He was going to move here this year or next. Except he randomly changed his mind right before leaving me.

OP posts:
PrizedPickledPopcorn · 23/07/2026 20:05

sockling · 23/07/2026 20:00

He’s even younger than me and also very mentally ill so it really upsets me how he got there first. I had worked very hard to become more stable but him doing this has made me worse than I’ve ever been before and it’s a massive setback that’s essentially ruined my life for the moment. I’ve only just started seeing a way out. I graduated uni this past month so at least there’s that.

Ruined your life…. For the moment. Remember that. For the time being.

And if he isn’t well, he won’t be a good dad. So forget about him, a young unwell man who accidentally got his girlfriend pregnant. Or worse, did it deliberately.

Concentrate on getting better yourself. You need to be able to keep it together on your own to have a fighting chance of keeping it together when someone else is being annoying. And believe me, other people are often annoying!

Jellybunny98 · 23/07/2026 20:05

He wasn’t a partner OP, you met once in 5 years, he was a penpal. Agree with PP, I don’t know how you ever saw marriage and babies with someone you’ve barely even met.

Cardamomandlemons · 23/07/2026 20:08

You are super young and you have plenty of time.
If you are maximizing the professional help available already, then supplement with self-care (note, blokes and babies are not self-care, avoid both for now).
Figure out a hobby. Get a good job (congratulations on graduating uni). Eat healthy. Exercise. Travel maybe.

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