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enthusiasticDog5940
2 381 M Embraced 3
PathStep 3 Compassion hearts20 Forum posts7 Forum upvotes9 Current upvotes9 Age GroupAdult Last activeFebruary, 2026 Member sinceJanuary 12, 2026
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7 Months No Contact After a 5-Year Relationship — Do I Reach Out?
Relationship Stress / by enthusiasticDog5940
Last post
 January 14th
...See more I’m a 32-year-old male looking for honest advice. I was in a 5-year relationship. She’s eight years younger than me and is 24 now. She left on June 14, and June 24 was the last day we spoke. After she moved out, she came back three Mondays in a row and we talked for hours on my lawn. She had a lot of trauma and couldn’t come inside, but the conversations were deep. After that, contact stopped. I initiated no contact. At the time, I thought it was the best option — to protect her from me and rip the Band-Aid off instead of dragging things out. It’s now been seven months. I take responsibility for my part. I was emotionally closed off, withheld affection, and didn’t fully show up. I didn’t cheat or abuse her, but I let the relationship slowly die. During these months, I got sober and gained a lot of clarity. We truly loved each other, and I still feel like she’s my soulmate. My question is: do I reach out after seven months, wait longer, or leave it alone and let her reach out if she wants to? I don’t want to reopen wounds or act from fear or desperation. I’m trying to make a grounded, respectful decision. Any perspective is appreciated.
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Dating Apps Are Burning Me Out — How Are You Meeting People in Real Life?
Men's Issues / by enthusiasticDog5940
Last post
 July 23rd
...See more I’m a 32-year-old guy and I’m feeling pretty stuck with dating. Dating apps just don’t seem to work for me anymore. I might get one or two matches a month, and even then it usually ends the same way — short conversations, maybe exchanging numbers, then getting ghosted or unmatched. It’s draining and honestly discouraging. I don’t drink or smoke, so bars aren’t really my scene. I do like playing pool, but I don’t really have friends to go out and do things with, which makes meeting people in real life feel even harder. I’m not sure where people actually go anymore to meet someone naturally. I’m really just looking to hear from others: * Did you quit dating apps, or did you make them work somehow? * How are you meeting people in real life? * What helped you push through this phase? Not expecting perfect answers — just real experiences. Thanks for reading.
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Struggling after a long-term breakup and don’t know what to do
Relationship Stress / by enthusiasticDog5940
Last post
 January 12th
...See more I’m struggling with a breakup that happened 7 months ago after a 5-year relationship. I really want advice and outside perspective. I met my ex 5 years ago and she moved in with me early on. (When we met Age me 27 her 19, now 32 and 24) I was a hardcore alcoholic before and during the first 3 years of our relationship. She stayed, loved me, and supported me even though I was emotionally distant, closed off, and not very affectionate. I quit drinking about 2 years ago, but I still smoked a lot of weed, and emotionally I continued to pull away. The last 1–2 years of the relationship felt like we were roommates. I didn’t give her the affection she needed — no cuddling, no holding hands, rarely going to bed together. I loved her deeply, but I didn’t show it. I also went through layoffs and financial stress, and money became a point of tension. She later told me she had been emotionally pulling away for months before the breakup. When she left, I quit smoking weed and have now been fully sober for 7 months — the first time in my adult life. I have a completely different clarity and outlook now, and I can finally see how my addictions and emotional distance affected her and the relationship. After the breakup, she came back 3 Mondays in a row and we talked for hours each time. She was deciding whether to try again, but ultimately said she couldn’t right now because she needed to heal from the damage I caused. That crushed me, but I respected it. I initiated no contact because staying in touch was too painful. We haven’t spoken in 7 months. I feel like she was my soulmate. I know I can be the partner she needed now that I’m sober and emotionally present. I want the life we talked about. I just don’t know if it’s too late, if reaching out would hurt her or me, or if I need to let go even though I don’t want to. My question: What do you do when you’ve genuinely changed after a breakup, still love the person deeply, and don’t know whether reaching out is the right move — or if you have to accept that you lost them forever? Thank you for any advice or words of wisdom ❤️
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