The thing is, "fool" doesn't apply cuz you're aware of the repeat pattern... conscious of it rather than unconscious in the behavior now. Yeah there's probably another label but labels are something we put on ourselves... like yours was "fool". Not generally beneficial... get down to core issues and to do that you need to self examine and be ruthlessly honest in dissecting the relationships after your wife. What was a pattern? What was different? What baggage did you bring into it? What baggage did they bring in? What was the attraction? Why did you stay or who broke it off and why? Lots of self reflection but a lot can be learned by it. I learned that I could make small changes... but still went for the "familiar" because I was uncomfortable and stunted in socialization... lots of stuff I didn't learn. BUT familiar was like I said above, substance abusing/wounded/abusive/controlling. I had to endeavor to do or try to do the more uncomfortable thing and work on the sense of self worth independently but in tandem with that instead of rolling it all into one big ball to come crashing down on me again and again and again.
It did stop, but I was able to see that I was right in there trying to make better selections for a partner... at the core though I lacked socialization and a framework for what non-dysfunctional was.
