Becoming Single
One more vote for not breaking up. But I don't think there is anything to say that hasn't already been said.
EDIT: props for having read 1Q84!
Last edited by MaxE on 24 Oct 2020, 2:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Bit of an update.
I’m willing to work through it. I feel as if I’m making a bad choice but also a good one. It’s very confusing. Thank you all for your encouragement and support. Things are hard lol
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dear god, dear god, tinkle tinkle hoy.
~~~~
believe in the broken clock and who's side will time be on?
I have been with my SO for almost 4 years - known them longer than that. We have essentially grown up with each other, been through so much, they accepted me for being autistic, and were there for me. I cannot ever thank them enough for the love and kindness they have shown me while I was a horrible person to them. Lately I have had feelings where I feel like I need to step away from the relationship. Because of past mistakes, I feel that I had trapped them into a relationship with me. I am their first partner, first...everything. It makes me feel extremely guilty enough to the point where I think things should end. I do not think I can get over it enough to function properly. The pain I caused them haunts me. Thinking about it makes me vomit. We had a long conversation and asked for a little break while I thought things over. There had been other issues as well, but I don't think they are too relevant. I can explain if someone asks.
I still am very torn. I feel bringing this up out of nowhere and break off a decent relationship is very hard. They still love me very much and I do too, but now I see myself breaking up with them as an act of that love. They can be better off with someone other than me. Someone who will not make the same choices I did.
Why do you see these choices you made as irreparable? If your partner still loves you and is willing to forgive you, why can't you and your partner learn from your past mistakes and find ways to do better in the future?
If you feel that breaking up would be best for your partner, not for you, then it seems to me that your partner -- not you -- should be the one to decide whether that is in fact the case. If your partner is genuinely willing to forgive you, why not accept their forgiveness?
My head is full of thoughts and I am too numb to think anymore. I hate myself for bringing this upon them. I want to go back to normal, but if I do resume the relationship, things will continue to get worse. I'm scared and I don't know what else to do.
WHY will things continue to get worse? WHY can't you and your partner figure out a way to change things for the better?
Further down in the thread, you mentioned that you cannot afford therapy. Perhaps, instead of therapy, you and your partner could look up online tutorials on things like how to be assertive (without being aggressive) and how to give and receive constructive criticism, and work through those tutorials together, to improve both your and your partners' ability to work through your relationship difficulties?
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- Autistic in NYC - Resources and new ideas for the autistic adult community in the New York City metro area.
- Autistic peer-led groups (via text-based chat, currently) led or facilitated by members of the Autistic Peer Leadership Group.
I’m willing to work through it. I feel as if I’m making a bad choice but also a good one. It’s very confusing. Thank you all for your encouragement and support. Things are hard lol
You can *always* "jump ship" if things go south later on, right?
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Take your time.
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Can you give examples of what exactly the relationship is lacking for you? In what ways are you unfulfilled?
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The phone ping from a pillow fort in a corn maze
I don't have a horse in your war games
I don't even really like horses
I like wild orchids and neighbors with wide orbits
Oh I have trashed an awful lot of relationships, friendships and jobs by thinking like that.
The problem is, it's self-justifying. You think things aren't right, or you're worried you'll mess up, so then you start acting funny, and then they leave or you push them. When actually there wasn't much wrong in the first place, except an overthinking of negative maybes.
Put some effort into feeling better about yourself.
Otherwise you're setting a precedent for a really sh***y life, as you will cycle through this again and again without ever breaking out of the pattern. And trust me, if you look back on a lifetime of opportunities wasted, because anxiety / low self-esteem led you to repeatedly shoot yourself in the foot, that'll feel a lot worse than you do now.
The_Face_of_Boo
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nick007
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Me & my current girlfriend both have lots of various things besides Aspergers & there are lots of times we both feel like we are failing each other & like the other deserves better than us. We realize that we would feel like that sometimes with anyone else as well. We still both want to be with each other & believe that our lives would be worse without each other so we try to do the best we can to make things work & help support each other as best we can. Life can sure s#ck sometimes but knowing that we have each other & will be there for each other is a huge help.
_________________
"I don't have an anger problem, I have an idiot problem!"
"Hear all, trust nothing"
https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Ru ... cquisition
I have been with my SO for almost 4 years - known them longer than that. We have essentially grown up with each other, been through so much, they accepted me for being autistic, and were there for me. I cannot ever thank them enough for the love and kindness they have shown me while I was a horrible person to them. Lately I have had feelings where I feel like I need to step away from the relationship. Because of past mistakes, I feel that I had trapped them into a relationship with me. I am their first partner, first...everything. It makes me feel extremely guilty enough to the point where I think things should end. I do not think I can get over it enough to function properly. The pain I caused them haunts me. Thinking about it makes me vomit. We had a long conversation and asked for a little break while I thought things over. There had been other issues as well, but I don't think they are too relevant. I can explain if someone asks.
I still am very torn. I feel bringing this up out of nowhere and break off a decent relationship is very hard. They still love me very much and I do too, but now I see myself breaking up with them as an act of that love. They can be better off with someone other than me. Someone who will not make the same choices I did. If I do end things, I will be single for the first time in a long time, I will have to move out, I will have to find a job. All that scares me. I don't want to leave a nice relationship.
My head is full of thoughts and I am too numb to think anymore. I hate myself for bringing this upon them. I want to go back to normal, but if I do resume the relationship, things will continue to get worse. I'm scared and I don't know what else to do.
I wouldn't make a decision for someone else.. there is something to hurting other people with your aspie-ness, especially your mate missing on all the NT traits we lack.. but you won't be doing them much favor by breaking up with them as you imagine, and I would advise against it.
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