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First time posting I need help...
I met my ex bf 5 yrs ago. We were together for 2 yrs and then he broke up with me telling me he "didn't know how to be my boyfriend" but that he wanted to remain friends. I told him I wasn't comfortable remaining friends because I wasn't over him and I needed a clean break. He said to me that he could not just be with someone for two years and never speak to them again, and that he was friends with all of his exes. He refused to go away, continued calling and texting me until I finally gave in. For the last 3 years pretty much nothing has changed as far as the difference between us being together and being "friends", with the exception of him no longer calling me babe anymore. He still continued coming over whenever he felt like it, mowing my lawn, changing the tires and oil in my car, doing all home repairs and pretty much making me completely dependant upon him. Whenever I asked someone else for a favor and he found out about it he would get upset and ask why didn't I call him. He would make me feel absolutely guilty about trying to do anything for myself. He recently put new wheels on my car, installed a new stereo systen and tinted my windows. I felt so guilty about always being the recipient and never the giver that I wanted to do something for him to show my appreciation for all that he does for me. I decided to go check out his fb page to get an idea of what he liked and needed, since he rarely ever talked about himself, which made me doubt his narcissism and consider perhaps my own. He was very good at making me feel like I was selfish and ungrateful for all he does and that I am emotionally abusive to him.
Anyway I went on his fb only to discover that for the last 3 yrs he has been in a relationship with someone else. This absolutely devastated me to the point of being physically ill. I have been in a deep depression for the last two weeks and sought out a therapist that pretty much told me that my ex is a classic narcissist. I always though narcissists were very rrude and mean spirited people and I didn't think he was. Now I see how absolutely controlling he was of every aspect of my life. This was a man that continued to sleep with me, lived with me for a year after we broke up, showed up to all of my two children's birthday parties, basketball games, took care of me when I was sick and so on and so on. He even stayed with me at the hospice when my father passed away in November and went to his funeral when I was too upset to go. He told me that he and my father had a long talk before he died and he promised him that he would take care of me forever. So for me to discover that he has pretty much been living a double life for the last 3 years has made me almost suicidal. I am even more pissed off at the fact that any time I began a new relationship or started dating he would always mysteriously show up at my home while my guest was there, sabatoging every potential future relationship for me, meanwhile carrying on his own for the last three years. He told me that his relationship was not a good one, he wasn't happy, blah blah blah. When I went and looked at her fb page she seemed to go through cycles of being over the moon happy, then frustrated and sad. She seems like a very empathic, caring easy going person and I feel as sorry for her as I do for myself, as I'm sure he's been as abusive emotionally to her as he has been to me. I don't know whether to tell her about myself , and that he is a narcissist that she should read up on about it or to just not say anything at all and let them both be. When I found out about her I confronted him and told him our "friendship" was over and to give me back all of my keys he had to my house and car. He completely freaked out at the idea of me leaving him and told me how much he loved me and couldn't live without me and that I was his best friend and that I know he is mine as well. He said if I left him he would never trust anyone ever again and that everyone always leaves him. I told him fine and that I would stay just to pacify him, and it's been a week now since I heard from him. I feel utterly lost and powerless and not the woman I used to be at all and I don't know what to do or how to move on. Please help me...
Welcome to Narcville.. Same
May 1, 2012 - 7:43am — HunterWelcome to Narcville..
Same guy different body.. Continue therapy , read and you must go NC..
Hunter
you will get your power back
May 1, 2012 - 7:08am — no more an echoHi Thikrthanher,
Thanks for sharing and welcome!
For me (and I think for most women here), the most difficult part of a break-up with a Narc is the REALIZATION that the 'relationship' NEVER EXISTED in the first place. That's why I call it a 'quasi-relationship'.
I am so sorry that you feel lost and powerless but trust me, as you learn more about personality disorders, vent your anger, frustration & confusion, (here, in therapy, and with friends) you will get your power back. Please be patient with yourself.
We were all duped by our 'Narcopaths' - time, distance (read: NO CONTACT w/Mr. Narc) and knowledge (there's some great books on PD out there!) does take the sting away.
We all here will tell you how crucial it is that you break ALL communication with your Ex. Just as he was 'unable to be your boyfriend' or 'didn't know how to be your BF'- YOU WILL NEVER GET CLOSURE FROM THIS MAN. It will frustrate you to NO end if you even try! Plus, if you give him 'airtime' he will try his hardest to SUCK you back in. And it sounds like you have CAVED IN to his 'SUCKING TACTICS' before!
Get very far away from the bamboozle so you can clear your head. Without 'no contact' you cannot even start the healing process.
We're all cheering for you!
We're so sorry for your pain
May 1, 2012 - 6:58am — chris53We're so sorry for your pain and you had gone through so much with your Narc. we can feel your pain and we're all together here to heal. this is a amazing site and the people here are awesome! :-)
Feel your pain
May 1, 2012 - 3:03am — Lucky EscapeHi and welcome to this amazing site - you will find so many inspirational and like minded people here who all have similar stories. You have come to the right place.
All I can say, after 3 years with my exN is 2 months after the split and having totally no contact, it does get easier. Read up all you can about them. It helps beyond belief. Don't beat yourself up, easier said than done i know but this man is fundamentally wrong, you are not, you believed in something that didn't exist.
Try and stay away from him, recognise him for what he is - I so know where you are - I am still finding it so difficult to accept that mine has already declared undying love for his new woman but that is the measure of an N.
Knowledge is power - start there and give yourself time to start the healing process. Be strong, you are not powerless and the woman you are is still there.
The people here are amazing.
May 1, 2012 - 3:32am — bluegirlThe people here are amazing. Read through some of the stories. It will make you realize that you were not especially gullible, or ignorant, or did anything to cause this. The women here are beautiful, educated, kind, giving and none of them saw it coming. We just came across someone who is GOOD at what they do, and when someone is that good, it is hard to look for the signs. Especially of a disorder I had never heard of before.
I did not know what this
May 1, 2012 - 12:46pm — MeAgainI did not know what this disorder was either until therapy and neither do my friends and family so I cannot discuss with them. Everyone always says "he's a keeper" so I don't know how to explain to them I won't be seeing him anymore. Still undecided as to whether or not I tell the new gf what he is because she also seems very miserable and I doubt she knows what a narcissist is either.
Thik, I advise you to stay out
May 1, 2012 - 2:04pm — spinningof anything involving the disordered one.
New supply probably wouldn't believe you anyway. She's still in it and even if she is miserable, you remember what that was like...right? It won't have any bearing and will just be used against you...You will seem like the jealous ex to your disordered one and that's what he'll tell her. Don't waste your breath. Their relationship is not your problem.
Focus on you and whatever it is you need to do right now to feel better and then start doing it.
Read all you can and get it out. Work the steps...they do work. We are here for you.
Sincerely,
(not) spinning. BECAUSE I'M ON THE PATH FORWARD NOW AND ALWAYS
That's really awesome advice.
May 1, 2012 - 2:46pm — MeAgainThat's really awesome advice. I'll do that. I messed up yesterday so today is my first day of NC. We've never gone more than 3 weeks without calling or texting each other. I know this may seem a bit obsessive but I've gone through my old phone records for the last year trying to make sense of it all and from what I've noticed, the pattern is usually me making the first call or text, then him responding to it, then me ending with the last text. Then if I get upset or frustrated with him I won't call or text him anymore. Then after about three weeks of not hearing from me he'll initiate the first contact by sending a text. If I don't respond to that he'll follow up with a phone call. If I don't respond to that he'll come to my house or job, getting me sucked in all over again. Then I am the one calling or texting him constantly until the next time he pisses me off and the cycle starts itself all over again.
Agghhhh the Pattern
May 4, 2012 - 2:10pm — ErinMarie79You too are a "3 weeker" ditto on that.
I have been the one to walk away everytime in the last 3 years, always the same story - cant seem to keep his lies strait or his pecker in his pants, but I too along with many others cave into the NC as soon as the Im so sorry's and the tears and promises come, cant forget the... you are the one, I love you ....I am going on yet another NC of almost a full week, every weak moment I have and there are a LOT, I read...I dont give in, we have been split for almost 3 weeks again....Im sure its coming yet again, I have been reading a book called The wizard of Oz and the Narcissit, between that book and this site I feel so much stronger this time around. They dont change, such a hard lesson to learn.