Dear questioner,
I'm a psychological counselor, and I'm also Xiaoliu, your friendly neighborhood heart detective!
I can see that you're feeling angry and upset. Even though we already know the truth about this relationship, it's only natural that you're still feeling hurt. It's okay to take time to heal and work through your feelings.
I truly believe that you can come out of this dark place.
You deserve the very best!
1. Looking back often involves strong traumatic experiences. Let's try to analyze what happened and re-examine the beginning and end of the incident together. I'm sure that, through this process, we can see more.
(1) Love needs to be nurtured by both parties. In an intimate relationship, it's so important to respect each other.
Involves some "agreements," which I'm sure we can all agree are important!
Of course it does!
Of course, exclusivity is a big part of it.
You were once a couple, experienced mutual attraction, finally confirmed each other as lovers, and have interacted as lovers. This "agreement" means that we cannot just take without giving. It also means that this relationship should probably be based on "love."
It's totally normal to still be attached to him when he tells you that he no longer feels the same way about you as he used to. It's like he's trying to take responsibility for himself, but he's still reluctant to let go of the companionship and emotional value you bring to the relationship. It's okay if he can't guarantee that he can adapt to the empty period after breaking up with you.
He selfishly chose a solution that would allow him to have his cake and eat it too. It's likely that he'll continue to maintain a de facto romantic relationship with you until he finds a new romantic partner who can keep him company, while at the same time publicly stating that he is already "single." This way, he won't have to endure the loneliness of the "window of opportunity," and he'll be able to start a new relationship as a single person.
I just want to say that his behavior is not as simple as "seamless connection." It's actually pretty bad, in my opinion.
He made you go through the awful experience of not being liked by this person, while still demanding that you maintain absolute attachment to him, while he could come and go as he pleased. This is like transferring all the risks in the relationship to you, which is just not fair.
I can imagine this is really tough for you.
I'm really sorry to say that this is not fair to you.
(2) Since the other person already has a new favorite, whether or not the relationship is confirmed, it would be really kind and respectful to both people involved to seriously say goodbye to the previous one and sort out the relationship itself. And he chose to lie.
I know you still can't let go of him, but your subconscious mind is still protecting you. In your statement, you mentioned that you told him that if the other person had someone new they liked, you would choose to cut off contact.
I really admire you for making this proposal, especially given the difficulties you've been facing.
But, sweetie, he doesn't deserve your kindness.
I just want you to understand that when you spend time with someone and start to feel good about them, and then you start to think about getting more serious, it all takes time.
From what you've told me, it seems like he was probably already looking for someone else when you suggested this plan. It's possible that you needed to chat and communicate before meeting. And given that he was in a single person setting, it's understandable that he felt confident about the new relationship until things settled down.
He didn't even let you know, sweetie. He even kept you hanging on, thinking you still had a chance.
In other words, he may have been seeing two people at the same time. He was greedy and wanted to take advantage of the love from multiple sources at the same time.
It's so sad to think that if you hadn't spoken to a friend, you might have ended up in a love triangle without even realising it. And he could have got away with it!
My dear friend,
Oh, don't you worry, sweetheart. None of this is your fault.
You haven't stopped anyone from being happy, though. In fact, he's the one who started it all. He only thought about himself and his own interests, and he chose to deceive you.
This is enough to show that this person is a bit of a hypocrite. It seems like the only person they love is themselves.
Oh, we don't even dare to think about it! If he had tasted the benefits of being loved by both sides, would he have kept it a secret forever? I'm so glad you learned the truth about him before things got any worse!
Secondly, please don't be too hard on yourself for not seeing him clearly in the past. It's okay to make mistakes!
I totally get it. We'll all have dizzy moments in our lives and we'll probably regret falling into certain traps. We'll probably even wonder why we weren't more vigilant in the first place! At that time, the power of self-examination will probably make things even more painful, almost like a punishment.
My dear friend,
Please, be more lenient with yourself, my dear friend.
My dear friend, you've already had a hard time.
Please, don't take on any responsibilities you don't have to.
Love is not Bluetooth, my dear friend.
It's not something you should share, sweetheart.
It's so important to recognize that the other person is trying to shift the blame onto you. They want you to feel like the little bit of care you get from them is something to be grateful for. Unfortunately, they've distorted the relationship into one where they're in the high position. They can sit back and relax while they treat their love as a scarce resource for the other two people to fight over.
This is a sign that he has some extreme narcissistic tendencies. He's trying to make you feel bad about yourself and make you feel guilty.
It's so important to be careful in these situations because the other person might be trying to manipulate your emotions.
3. Based on your situation, I'd love to offer you some suggestions that I hope will be helpful.
(1) It might be a good idea to cut the ties for a while. We need some time to adapt and face it.
If we keep getting tangled up with them, we'll probably end up in a relationship. It's important to realize that this kind of relationship can be risky for us. I get it. We were once in love and dependent on each other. It'll be tough to adapt, and it'll be hard to break free from the inertia and longing for the intimacy we once had.
But this may seem like a sweet thing, but it's actually poison.
It's so important to take care of yourself right now. It's time to focus on your own happiness and rebuild your boundaries. You've got this! You can do it! You'll be amazed at how much better you feel when you stop connecting with this person and try not to pay attention to everything about him.
This is just a little bit of self-care!
(2) Give yourself permission to be happy first, distract yourself, and enjoy your own life.
I know you're going through a lot right now. It's natural to feel the pain of a breakup. We tend to look at the other person's situation and it's hard not to. But it can also lead to internal conflict. This can make it hard to sleep and affect our emotions.
So, the first thing we should do is take care of ourselves. It's okay to feel sad or angry. But remember, this relationship isn't going to last forever. It might be over already.
It's so important to learn to make peace with yourself. You need to recuperate now, my dear.
We can try going out and enjoying the beautiful scenery, letting nature heal us, watching our favorite movies and books, and enjoying the warmth of life. We can also give love and care to those who really care about us.
It's so important to love yourself before you love others.
You deserve all the best, my friend.
3. Please take care of yourself mentally and consider talking to a professional counselor.
My dear friend, your world has been hit by a storm.
It's totally normal to feel a bit down or anxious after going through something traumatic. If you're struggling to cope, it might be helpful to chat with a mental health professional or try regular counseling. They can help you work through your feelings in a safe and supportive environment.
Because when we're hurting, our minds can get in the way of us understanding our feelings. That's where talking to someone can help. It can help you understand your thoughts, express your feelings in a safe space, and help you feel less anxious.
I can see that you still have endless power within you, which is your own wonderful psychological resource. You are so brave and admirable for writing down this problem.
It's a wonderful time of new opportunities!
That's all I can say for now!
I just wanted to say a big, heartfelt thank you for reading!
I wish you all the very best!
Hi, I'm Liu Quanyan, a listening therapist.
Please, don't hesitate to talk to me.
Comments
I can't believe how much I've allowed this situation to drag me down. It's clear now that I should have set firmer boundaries from the moment he first said he didn't love me as much. It's important to respect my own worth and not settle for a relationship that's uncertain or disrespectful.
It's really hard to see that someone you cared about so much could treat you this way. But maybe this is a sign that it's time to move on and find someone who truly values and respects you. You deserve a partner who sees you as their priority, not an afterthought or a backup plan.
This whole experience has taught me a lot about what I won't tolerate in a relationship. I should focus on myself now, healing and growing. There are plenty of people out there who would appreciate me for who I am, without any games or hidden agendas.
It's painful to realize that our connection meant more to me than it did to him. But at least now I know where I stand, and I can take steps to protect my heart. Cutting ties with him, even if it's tough, is the best thing for my wellbeing. I need to prioritize my peace of mind.
Reflecting on this, I think it's crucial to recognize that my feelings are valid. It's okay to feel hurt and disappointed, but I also have the power to choose how I respond. By letting go and moving forward, I can open up space for healthier relationships and new opportunities in my life.