What's wrong with me?

4 posts / 0 new
Last post
#1 Feb 20 - 8PM
stives23
stives23's picture

What's wrong with me?

Next Friday will be two months since I changed my phone number and have had no contact with the N. I feel very proud of myself for ridding him of my life and sticking to it. Shortly after New Years, I started talking to this guy at work. I had heard he lived with his girlfriend, but he was always flirting with me, and told me he "lived in a bachelor pad" so I thought ok, they probably broke up. Then one night he asked me to go out with him. So I'm thinking well of course if he had a girlfriend he would never take me out! Wrong! So he takes me to a bar, then gets drunk and tries sleeping with me the first night. I of course said no, and the next day I asked him do you have a girlfriend? And he said "Yes, you already knew". I was so mad that he led me to believe different. But after getting away from the last "N", I guess I was extremely vulnerable, and stupidly kept seeing him. I knew all he wanted was sex, and I thought I could convince myself that I would be okay with that, considering I was trying to get over all the painful memories of the N.

Fast forward a month and a half later, I'm still "seeing" this other guy. I should have seen the N warning signs from the beginning. Cheating on his gf, no respect for her or me, the fact that he felt entitled to do it, etc. I think I was just so desperate for anyone to pay attention to me to get my mind off the ex N, that I felt right into the trap again. I know it's my own fault for getting involved with someone with a girlfriend, and I was a fool.

I finally had it with him this past week when he told me he would be at my house in 30 min, and I waited 3 hours for him and he never showed. No apology, no nothing. Then I see him at work a few days later and he acts as if nothing happened, and I ignored him. I texted him later saying if he wasn't such a jerk to me I wouldn't have had to ignore him. Anyways, he acted as if he did nothing wrong, and didn't apologize, so I said forget it, and told him to never speak to me again, and when he sees me at work to ignore me. He said "I hope we can end this on a good note and at least be friends", I said no. I saw him a few times today at work and walked right past him and ignored him. But what's sad is I kept looking at my phone, hoping he would text me, acting like he cared.

Sometimes he would actually act like he cared about, and would want to hang out with me even if he knew nothing was going to happen. I guess I thought I could change him. Then I feel like I'm being a bitch, and should just continue talking to him, but the other part of me feels I deserve an apology and how could someone treat me like this. But then I also tell myself, "what do you expect, he has a girlfriend".

My therapist told me I'm so used to dealing with my narcissistic father, and this is why I am so drawn to these type of "men". My entire life I walked on eggshells around my dad, and always sought his approval. I would never say anything to make him mad, and when he was mad, I would try so hard to make things right. I feel as though this has effected me greatly in my relationships. Just as with the past N, and now this guy, I am so desperate for THEIR approval, even if they are scum bags. I feel like in my heart I deserve so much better, but I have been brought up to cater to a man, which is wrong.

I just don't know what's wrong with me. This new N treated me like dirt, and wouldn't say sorry, now I feel sad and like the bad guy. So why do I have this huge urge to talk to him again?

Feb 20 - 10PM
quietude (not verified)
Anonymous's picture

stives

As it's been stated on the boards, we are like fresh, tenderized meat. You just can't put yourself out there only after two months of being away from bad guy #1. You must give yourself a chance to heal properly, it takes a long time to feel somewhat normal again, and have the strength, armor, and knowledge to try to fend of these predators. I swear, abusers have freaking radar, they can spot us a mile away. There is NOTHING wrong with YOU, NOT your fault...and yes, you do deserve better. But there is no short cut to healing...and learning to be OK with being alone and give yourself a breather. I know how hard it is to 'switch' to this kind of thinking, and hard to do alone. Most of my life, I've been part of a 'couple'. It's so good that you're here for support, and have a therapist...but does she really get the severe damage an N does?? She is treating you as if you are codependent, it seems? Codependency has nothing to do with being sucked in by a predatory N. If you take the proper steps, you will see a big old RED FLAG swaying in front of you much more easily than you do now. I'm sorry you've been hurt like this, but I would definitely block loser bad guy#2 ~ ignore him at work as if he doesn't exist. Forget the apology ~ you won't get one, and even if you do, it means nothing, they are not sincere. Please read through the threads on the boards, do some searches. There is an enormous amount of information here that will answer many of your questions. Take good care!
Feb 20 - 9PM
Antonia
Antonia's picture

Give yourself some time

Hi Stives, you are rushing yourself back into the dating pool. You may make mistakes and midjusdge men until you give youself some really serious you single time. This guy sounds like a total a$$hole, such a huge shame you have to work with him, he showed no respect for you or his girlfriend as you mentioned. The fact that he was willing to create this type of dynamic with a workmate - he sounds like a pathetic, toxic, narc man. I understand lonliness and a man paying you compliments is such a buzz. Being alone sucks at times, I can get soo lonely - however I know this process is a large part of my healing, being comfortable on my own again, in my own skin, (Still not completely there tho.. lol),and with my fingers crossed, eventually a nice guy will come along and off we go... A lot of my friends are couples and their partners are all pretty much 'good guys'. Funnily enough a couple of months ago I met a man by chance, we initially got talking and I thought hey presto, here we go.. We went out for drinks.. so many things he was saying and his actions were setting off red alarm bells, I pulled my 'Oh my gosh, look at the time' and 90 mins into it I couldn't get away fast enough. Give yourself some time, with luck when you have healed from the main narc relationship you will meet one of the 'good guys' and happiness will follow - because until you do from what we have all learned since dealing with our ex N's the chances are you will have only unhealthy relationships with men, which could hurt you further.
Feb 20 - 11PM (Reply to #2)
Barbara (not verified)
Anonymous's picture

stives

Repetition Compulsion! http://www.yourdictionary.com/medical/repetition-compulsion http://www.voicelessness.com/repetition.html There's a reason its 18 months before you should even CONSIDER dating again - and one full year of therapy. Adult children of pathologicals must be especially wary. Predators spot us miles away! ~~~~~~~~~ The world is a dangerous place, not only because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing. - Albert Einstein Visit My Info. Website for Abuse Victims