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Polyamory drama

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I am polyamorous by nature ( though doubt I will have another relationship again ) . I do not consider what is happening to you ‘informed, enthusiastic affirmative consent’

Poly doesn’t make a relationship you are in better- it adds a layer of complication if anything. The things under pressure in relationships- time and money come under pressure more. Poly works if when there is a primary relationship it is sound.
 
I really appreciate everyone's support, and info. It does help to know that poly relationships should start with a stable relationship to work. She keeps saying she was happy till she went back to work after having our son. She had some postpartum depression, and hasn't felt the same way about me since. Though as many of you know, I had issues with her a while before she was pregnant. She's making it sound like I have to earn back her affection, which her gf has now, and even then she can't predict how she'll feel about me. I just want someone to feel close to really, I don't even care if it involves sex or not.
 
Thanks for your honesty it's touching. I'm very sorry you are in this position. I call it a role though, because that's what it is for me, specifically, the submissive role.

I won't bore you.ive written a book on it in here already. But reading what you wrote and the responses, which I also found touching and thoughtful, I found your use of terms confusing and prefer a more simplistic approach especially because problem solving is involved.

Whose trying to control whom and why here? This is a really good question right up.front because believe me, people are being controlled and manipulated in my opinion, in the situation you describe.

So what do you have to do for you? IDK I'm not you. I think though you have boundaries that are being violated. These things are incredibly difficult without a third party being involved which complicates it by a power of 10?

You deserve to be treated fairly and with dignity and respect and you shouldn't have to fight anyone for it . Sadly though? Sometimes you do and it's hard because they shout you down. I know because I lived it. I'm still living it. I think.my boundaries are a little better now?

I hope you feel better and things improve in your marriage.
 
Tough to say why I'm staying. I love parts of who she is, there are parts of her I wish were different too. I dont want to be alone, but I'm not afraid of not being in a romantic relationship. I'm totally happy if I just have friends. The most intense feeling is fear of hurting her, or being a bad guy.
 
Tough to say why I'm staying. The most intense feeling is fear of hurting her, or being a bad guy.

You're so, so very not a bad guy.

(Her opinion doesn't count nor change the fact.)

Since I've known you, all your posts were about caring. For everyone. Even people hurting you & yours daily. Even at your most stressed. Even when you could barely breathe yourself.

And you are so damn respectful. Like in so many ways that get me going Damn., every time I read new shit she pulls to hurt you by, because you are So Good Peoples and definitely deserve better / not her.

And?
That she says she is hurt or could would be, doesn't a reality make.
They are just words, just noise.
They are not feelings.

Judging from how she is all glee nonworried with her new gf.
Hurt people don't *act that way*.
 
I can understand your feelings of not wanting to be alone. I hope you don’t mind me asking, on a scale from 1 to 10, ( 10 feeling completely alone everyday). What would you rate the feeling of being lonely is?

The most intense feeling is fear of hurting her, or being a bad guy.

If I treated my husband the same way as you treat your wife, would you be telling me I’m a bad person? If my husband was treating me the same way your wife is treating you, what would you say to me?

I understand not wanting to hurt someone, but isn’t that a part of life? Everyone here can see your pain. Does that pain not come from your wife’s behaviour? If yes, can you share with us why that’s ok for her to hurt you and live for her own happiness, but if you live for your happiness your a bad guy? Because that is so far from the truth. You DO deserve happiness, respect, compassion, kindness and love. I feel you really need to everyday remind yourself of all the things you are worthy of.
 
I'm really sorry you are going through this and it sounds hard. My opinion is her excuse about housework is BS.

First, I agree with this:
You deserve to be treated fairly and with dignity and respect and you shouldn't have to fight anyone for it

Second, I noticed this:
The most intense feeling is fear of hurting her, or being a bad guy.
This caught my eye because of where I'm at in my "recovery" from C-PTSD. My most recent therapist is from the psychoanalytic (I think that's what's it called) and got a big, big help from this type of therapy -- I talk and he "interprets" Ok so, if this doesn't apply to you just ignore it. But this therapist pointed out just how much my "developmental" years are the basis of my entire subconscious mind. And the feeling of "fear of hurting her" "being the bad guy" reminds me developmental messages that may have been ingrained into you from toddler age through your teen years from your parents and then reinforced with your experience with your peers. If that's true, if you can trace back those feelings or why being a bad guy is so fearful to you. It just reminds me of how I gave myself up and away to be good, to be the giver, the helper, not cast in that role of the bad person.

I'm not as good of a writer as the others here, but that caught my eye. I had to find out what makes me happy and I started that in 2019 because I honestly didn't/don't know what makes me happy. I would say "helping others" makes me happy and mean it, but that is not a thing that makes me happy. There are some exercises I started doing and I started reading books on the enneagram and suggestions they had for this "survival style" problem. I'm probably rambling at this point-but I just wanted to say I'm cheering for you to find some happiness!
 
Today, not as lonely as usual. Maybe a 5. My voice has gotten more quiet and timid than it already was, which makes it really hard to connect with new people.
 
I've been her before, trying to claim polyamory while distancing myself from existing relationships. It wasn't malicious and I didn't even realize I was doing it, but it was bad and I learned a lot of things about myself in the process that I had to work hard to change.

And that's the point I wanted to make. SHE is the only one who can change her behaviour. It's not your job, responsibility, or right to change her and honestly even if that was what you were trying to do here, it's not possible anyway. She won't change until she feels like she needs to no matter what you do and in the meantime you are being put through something that is, at the absolute bare minimum, borderline abusive.

A new relationship is not going to help fix the problems (real or imagined) that she has with your current relationship. It's only going to make them worse. There's nothing wrong with polyamory but it has a bad rep because so many people think that they might be able to fix things by bringing a third person in. I'm not excusing what she's doing to you, she is absolutely wrong and it needs to stop asap, but she might not realize yet just how wrong she is. You've talked to her about your concerns, you've tried to change things she's complained about, you've tried to be understanding and accommodating... There's not a whole lot else you can personally do about it.

My advice depends on whether or not you think the relationship is worth saving. If it is, get marriage counselling. Nothing you say (short of an ultimatum which is a bad way to go anyway, it'll just start a fight) is going to make her seriously listen to you but maybe if you can talk to her with a mediator with a degree and nothing to gain in the room she might actually sit up and pay attention. If it's not, it might be time to write the relationship off. Reading through the thread gives me the impression you're going to be looking up counselors, but you are the only one who knows yourself, your partner, and your relationship well enough to make that decision.
 
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