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To burn the book, yet the story remains.

User Profile: MariaSings
MariaSings July 26th, 2014

It's really bad that I almost started this post off with "I used to have a fairy-tale relationship." Heh, I'm still getting used to not saying that anymore. It wasn't. I am a bit of a control freak, and I'm used to being in control of my relationships. However, threeyears ago, I met a boy who changed it all. I had never felt so powerless. He had led me to jump into a relationship, then a month later,left me for another girl. A month or so of that drama happened, and then he let me "win" my place in his heart. I had been self-harming for a couple years prior, and after a couple months with him, I stopped. I didn't understand why until after the break up. DURING the relationship, I thought it was because he was my DREAM GUY (insert girlish squeal here). I had given up my virginity to him, I spent all of my money on him, and he paid me back with words that made me feel so special. He had a way of masking the bad aspects of our relationship with speeches of love and fluffy words and metaphors. However as the relationship went on, I started to notice how much he blew me off, the girls he started talking to, the multiple times I caught him cheating, the mean things he said to me,... It got to the point where he became physically abusive. But I also noticed, and even more so, how increasingly elaborate and "loving" these cover-up speeches got that happened after the abuse.So, I became trapped. I stopped cutting myself because I was getting all the emotional and physical hurt I needed from this boy. Yet I also loved the way I felt when he whispered how special and beautiful I was while cuddling mere minutes after the abuse. So I figured, I was a monster, he was a monster, I would rather him hurt me than let ME hurt me. I liked being out of control because for once, the marks on my body weren't a product of made up problems in my head, they were real, it "wasn't my fault", and that gave me a sort of satisfaction. So, before I really go on and write a novel, I'll cut to the chase. We broke up, it was freeing when I snapped out of my brainwashing. I'm still having some trouble fully admitting that I didn't deserve all of the abuse, but the thought is there and that's something he can't take away. However, I'm entering a new relationship. It's been about half a year, and this man is a whole different person. He has a big issue with men who abuse their partners, and he's just so much more... genuine. He wants to give ME the world on a silver platter, no strings attached. I know that the potential for a good, healthy relationship is there. But it's only been a couple weeks and I can feel my paranoia coming back, my insecurity and anxiety have shot through the roof, and my self-harm has gotten worse. I would love to get help and cuddle and talk from/to my new boyfriend, but he's states away in the navy and wont be home for five more months. We can only talk for about an hour each day and I refuse to spend that precious hour burdening him down with problems he didn't even cause. He means so much to me, but I can't seem to fix what the last boy broke, is there any way I can fix myself while being in this new relationship? My new boyfriend wants me to be the woman he comes home to, settles down with. Every Navy man's dream hehe. I don't want to let him down. I don't want to be the basket case I was six months ago. I want to be healthy, but I don't want to have to leave him to do it. It's just my mind is not letting me take this relationshipfor what it is: smooth, easy. My new boyfriend knows my past and what I went through, he's trying so hard to be everything I want and need. And he's doing such a great job, I just hate myself for not being able to get with the times and not get so paranoid about those stupid "what ifs" and "I'm not worthy of ___"'s. Am I just not ready?

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User Profile: DonaldK
DonaldK July 26th, 2014

I am sorry for your past, It is hard to talk about all of this in the forum. Look me up in Listeners, and I'd love to help.

User Profile: Eugene
Eugene July 27th, 2014

Hey Maria

I am sorry to hear what you have been going through.

The question you ask about how you can fix this is already a big step in the right direction. You want to get rid of extreme feelings of insecurity, low self-esteem, self-harm and PTSD. What you are feeling is not abnormal. Having been in such a bad relationship where you were even physically abused usually ends up with the victim severely traumatized, sceptical and cynical about relationships. When bad people enters our life?s it can disrupt our faith in humanity. When this feelingbecomes overwhelming and cause us to isolate ourselves, or fear new relationships,we have to realize we are making themistake of generalisation. The best way to help manage our relationship dynamics is to become an individualist. This is where you see/evaluateeach person on his/her own merits and not as an extension of a group. In your case the generalisation might bemenlike instead of saying"Men hurt me in the past" replace "Men" with an individualname/s, this is the route to individualism.

You have to congratulate yourself that even though you came out of a horrible relationship you still believe in love and gave this new person a chance.There is nothing wrong to be cautiously optimistic, i.e. trying to be emotionally prepared for relationship failure, because nobody know what the future holds. On the other hand this person seems to love you very much and it might be your soul mate. If you did not take this chance you might forever have the "What if" doubts.

Overcoming PTSD is difficult because sufferers usually engage inavoiding activities, thoughts, placesor feelings that remind them of the trauma. CBT treatment of PTSD involvesgradually and carefully?exposing? yourself to feelings,thoughts, and situations that remind themof the trauma. And this iswhat you are doing now, even though you had a bad previously relationshipyou are entering a new one.

All the best to you and come chat often.

*Self harm is obviously very serious. If you still engage in it please consider seeking professional help. When you have some time also consider working through our self help guide on self harm.

https://www.7cups.com/self-harm/

User Profile: Heartbroken1962
Heartbroken1962 April 3rd, 2016

Maria, Google psychopath. Understanding gives clarity.