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Hall Pass

I'm not sure if this is the right place to put this. My husband and I have been married 23 years. Background = we've been having problems in the area of sex, his drive is way higher than mine (I am on medication that lowers my drive and he knows this and I try the best I can). He went away for a week and wasn't in contact like he used to be. Things seemed "off" and my radar sensed something wasn't right. He left his computer open when he went out and I looked at some emails of his trip and one jumped out at me. A co-worker asked him if he enjoyed his "Hall Pass" and his response was "Im a front desk b**ch." Now this is extremely out of character as we are christians and he doesn't ever talk like that. I know he got wasted one night. Claimed his phone wasn't "plugged in right" so he couldn't call me.
I don't want to jump to conclusions, but I don't want to be naive either. This isn't the first 'weird' thing to happen on these trips that his company has each summer.
Advice?

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Married to OCD

My husband has OCD. We got married in our early twenties and had been together for 5 years. I knew that he had a history of OCD which he said started and ended on his early teens. Since he did not struggle with it the entire time we were together, I didn't worry about it. After getting married 2 years ago, his OCD seemed to come back full swing after over 10 years with no issues. He doesn't have OCD in the sense of cleaning too much or organization. His OCD revolves around worries about my safety and his relationships. For example, every time he goes over a bump in the road, he panics thinking he hit a person. The fear is that if he hits a person, he'll go to jail and be away from me, so he will panic or drive around the block multiple times to make sure it wasn't a person. That's just one example of these irrational fears and behaviors. Others have to do with locks, light switches, conversations with friends he is afraid of offending, etc.

My biggest concern is that he refuses to get help. He constantly looks to me for validation or to talk through his fears. Nobody else in his life knows about his OCD but me so I feel really alone. He wants me to be the one he talks through his worries with. He refuses to get professional help because he thinks he will be put into a governmental database and his rights like gun ownership taken away down the road. I'm at my wits end. I think my role needs to be his wife- to support him, love him, encourage him, and experience life with him. I can't be his counselor because it is really damaging our relationship. I find myself viewing him as a child I need to take care of or a friend than my husband. Are there any suggestions out there for spouses with mental health issues they refuse to get treatment for??
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When did you give up?

Just wondering when some have up on reconciliation? It's hard when you're not the one that wants it bc you have no idea what's going thru the other persons head. It's been 3 weeks now. Last weekend he have me hope by having me over and just asking what would change if we did got back together and we talked about counseling. He said he didn't want to give up until everything was tried and two days later bam, nope it's not gonna work and he's been distant this week. Sometimes when I bring the baby over he goes in the room to cry, but bc of that distant feeling I'm getting it makes me want to give up hope.
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Question for Men re: Sex Drive

I've been with my fiancé almost 2 years. Our frequency of sex has gradually declined. The first year it was several times a week. Then when I moved in after a year, it declined - now it probably is 1 a week, maybe 2x most. And most of those times I initiate! He is always into it and glad, but I just cant figure out if 1) he's gotten lazy and just likes me to initiate or 2) his drive has just decreased or 3) he just isn't that excited or aroused by me generally as in the beginning (in other words, Im not new and exciting).

When we do it, I think its great as far as we both are concerned.

I'm wondering should I stop initiating and give him the chance to, so to speak? I feel like the times I have tried that, he doesn't initiate and then I get bitter, so I just assume initiate and be in a good mood. But it makes me sad he doesn't have that "cant keep hands off" or "wanting to ravish me" mentality like he used to.

He is 45 btw. He says Im beautiful and I look the same as when we started dating, and our relationship is otherwise great - we don't argue and really enjoy spending time together.

We have been trying to conceive for almost a year now, and that did put some pressure on him in terms of "having to perform" at certain times, and often 2-3 days in a row, but HE insisted as he wants a child so bad.

I dunno what to do, like how can I get him to have that mad desire for me like he used to have? I read of men on here married 20 years still wanting to ravage their wives 2-3 x week and so depressed and hurt that their wives don't care. Why doesn he have that drive? Sometimes I'll walk around in my lingerie while getting dressed, and he like wont even notice or take his eyes up off the damn ipad.

Oh and Ive checked, he occasionally looks at porn - maybe 2-3 x month? Not excessive and he certainly isn't cheating that I know of, we're together all the time and he always is loving and affectionate and respectful, etc of me (we both are)

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If you're going to get advice...you should give advice?

I wasn't sure where else to ask this. It's not really a suggestion but more of a question. But, in one of the threads it says that if you're going to receive advice, then you should give it as well.

What about in my case, where I'm younger than all of the members on this website? It feels silly for someone who is my age (20) with less than 2 years of marriage under my belt, to give advice or opinions to someone who is, say 45, and has been married for 25 years asking for advice. I feel silly trying to give advice to anyone, as if my advice is dumb because I'm so young. And even if my advice wasn't dumb, why would someone want to take directions for their life from a 20 year old who doesn't even know herself yet? I imagine them laughing and thinking, who is this kid trying to give ME advice?

I guess I'm just wondering what the consensus is on someone my age giving out advice to those older than me with much more experience than me, when in reality *I* should be the one asking for advice and wisdom from them.

I guess I've just felt really dumb and inexperienced anytime I've attempted to give someone older than me advice. lol :scratchhead:

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Is it me...am I over-reacting? Honest opinions please

Help I don't really want a divorce but I also don't want to be in a marriage where the love, loyalty and commitment I show isn't reciprocated. When my hubby and I started dating he was single and unattached and so was I. Started off as friends, him pursuing me wanting more and me just not wanting to go there again after the bad marriage. Here's the catch he had a "lady" he previously "talked" to a couple of years before me. The story told was is it was never anything serious on his part, she tried to manipulate him into her religion with surprise attacks by church men, she was pushing for marriage, he would make a date and never show up (my hubby's sister told this) etc ..the way she showed up on the radar was immediately once we started seeing each other she decided she would start calling him but only on weekends when we'd be together, she made her a FB page and started messaging him (all this time she was in a relationship). I was assured it was her an d not him, she was just crazy. Later I found out she would call and he would talk to her for long periods of time (of course I wasn't around...I was kept in the dark on this little tidbit) when I did find out I bowed out said handle your business. He came back to me we had a couple other issues always the same thing HER and each time I gracefully bowed out and each time within a few days sometimes hours he would contact me. Assure me it was all her blah blah. So we ended up married and here we are....the problem today is I don't think he has actually called, texted or contacted her but he seems to be mighty interested in stalking her FB page and that's my issue. Let me clarify I made no bones about it that if we were to be together all strings and contact would have to cease with her. I had one particular guy friend that he had a problem with and I blocked him on FB, blocked his number from my phone and told him I was in a relationship and although we were just friends since I was 14, out of respect for my hubby all contact would have to stop. I would expect the same consideration but he flat won't do it. So all I know is he seems to have to "keep up with her" by FB stalking and I don't know of anything else. When I bust him on it he gets mad at me like I've invaded his privacy, won't talk to me about it and when I tell him we need to correct b/c I'm too young to be miserable and too old to waste much time he doesn't seem to care or want to fix it. He is one of those that may be in the wrong but tries to turn it around on me. So am I over-reacting to this whole FB stalking thing? Should I ignore or stand up and see how it shakes out?? All opinions greatly appreciated and sorry I was long winded.:p

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What "issue" ???

Amplexor you have posted the following as a thread with subject title Rumors:

As far as I am concerned the issue is closed. Members involved have received temporary bans. It is impossible for us to see what actually transpired but nothing warranted a permanent ban. I will not respond to any further PMs on the matter.

I would ask that members keep in mind proper boundaries in the forum and not share too much personal information. I would also ask that the rumor mongering stop. Any further posts or threads on this matter will be deleted and will generate an automatic 1-week ban. About a year ago we had a running gun battle between members and a lot of quality people got banned or were hurt so badly they left. We don't want to see that happen again.

Thanks.


I understand the need for forum rules and enforcing them discretely. But the message above goes beyond discreet, it is cryptic. I.e. I and probably most possters on TAM simply do not know WTH you're talking about. what "issue" is closed? sounds like you're addressing some salient incident(s) on some posters attacking others. But when you say I would ask that members keep in mind proper boundaries in the forum and not share too much personal information.
for all I know some posters are stalking other posters. WTH has been happening anyway?

One way rumor mongering starts is when there is insufficient transparency on issues or problems that could affect all of us. This is a public forum. I would appreciate more information.
thanks

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When they say they have come clean, how do you know?

Having an EA is lying by omission, right? It's sneaky. So when you find out, or they come clean, but swear that:

It was the only one.
It never got physical.
They have never lied about anything else.

How do you know? Do you trust your gut?

Basically, in order to save our marriage, H and I need to get past something that happened back when we were dating, but that I didn't find out about until we were 4 years into our marriage and already trying to have kids. To make a long story short, we had a long-distance relationship for a time and said we would NOT date others while we figured out where our relationship was going. I didn't date at all or even so much as talk to another man. Meanwhile, he let a co-worker set him up on a blind date and then later developed feelings for a female co-worker, even going so far as to email friends about it. (Which is, of course, how I found out.) As I said, it was years before I found out.

Even though it was a long time ago and he's great in every other way, I just have some major trust issues. My Dad cheated on my Mom so I'm sure that "damaged" me. I was also then raised by my Mom to believe men are mostly useless and untrustworthy. This is why I feel I cannot simply trust my gut, because all those tapes are playing in my head from my childhood.

H continues to say that he simply fell victim to the circumstances all those years ago when he went on the date and had the almost-EA, or whatever it was. That since it all ended and we stayed together and got married it was all OK. He admits he has the problems listed out in "No More Mr. Nice Guy", including lying to stay out of trouble and appear to be so nice and wonderful.

So, what do people like us do to rebuild trust in this situation? I feel like I must keep pressing him to admit more happened, like I will only believe him if the story has more to it? Is that paranoia or realism?

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Mixed orientation marriages

Perhaps this is as good as it gets. After all, what is 'a successful Mixed orientation Marriage'? We've just reached the first anniversary of my wife's coming out as a lesbian. And we're still together, still exclusive and faithful to each other, and intending to continue that way.

What a year of trauma it has been, mostly for me, but some for her too. The 'd' word has been spoken, divorce. We've looked at all the other options: an open marriage, one side or both. Perhaps we're going for the hardest option, or perhaps it's the easiest, the one involving the least change. We both felt too old to start new lives. After all, there's no guarantee of finding a better, more compatible partner if we separate. We've invested a lot, most of our lives, in THIS relationship. And there's a lot of good in it. We like each other; we talk together, we do things together (and apart). But we've never had much of a sex life, and now we have none.

We've agreed on a weekly cuddle, on a fixed time and day, and being the eternal optimist that I am, I can't help hoping that this may become a little more… But I think that for now, my wife simply isn't able to give any more. Her long (30 years!!) struggles against her lesbian attractions and nature has left her asexual. So there's very little of the intimacy that for me is such an important part of a marriage. The total giving and opening up, the vulnerability, the no hold-back, the intimacy, the desire for the beloved other. And we're both mourning this sexual component of a loving relationship that we've never known and will never know if we stay together as we plan to.

But there's a very deep intimacy all the same. She trusted me, she shared with me her deepest struggle, her darkest secret. We are friends and perhaps even lovers, but without the sex. Can this be enough for me? And for her? We'll see. But it's already a lot. But I have to learn to live with the present, with what I have, rather than dreaming of some future and improbable miraculous change. This can be a good day, with lots of good things in it, even without sex. Perhaps this is as good as it gets, and this is success, not the miracle that I have long searched for on the web, in trying to apply to our situation, our relationship, someone else's experience. With some magical way of arousing a lesbian who has no desire for me at all, but a lot of tenderness and affection all the same. There are no secrets, and there is trust. That's a pretty rare and precious gift too. There are no guarantees for the future – but that's true of every marriage. Ours are just lived with a far greater realism about the fragility of all relationships.

But I'm deeply depressed (on anti-depressants) and discouraged. There seems to be almost no progress, little hope. Most MOMs end in divorce, and there's next to nothing on the web about or for str8 men married to lesbians, where there's masses of fora and material for women married to gay men.

Brassyhub (Andrew)

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To end marriage or not

My husband and I have been married for 11 years and have and 8 year old son and 7 year old daughter.
7 years ago I lied to him about a money issue and we have lived in hell since! A few months after the issue, he was arrested for DV.
So, 7 years of no conversation other than verbal abuse, no closeness, no love, no kindness, nothing. Told that I was a piece of ****, I have nothing to offer our family and that I should just leave and let him and his family raise our children. Our family life had become a business and that's how we ran it.
We still socialized with family and friend on the weekends as a buffer so we didn't have to spend time alone. We haven't slept in the same bed for at least 4 years.
Two weeks ago, I told him I was meeting my friend for drinks. I did meet a friend but not who I told him I was meeting. It was a guy I went to high school with 30 years and it was strictly for drinks. By midnight he got concerned because I was not home yet and that is completely out of character for me. He went on my FB and saw an innocent conversation I had been having with this guy and saw that we had planned to meet. The **** hit the fan when I got home and has continued to two weeks.
Five days later, he choked me, told me to leave, drug me down the hall in front of our children, and slapped me across the phone! I grabbed the phone and dialed 911 but he got it out of my hand. I thought for sure I would die that night.
Now, I hear everyday how much he loves me, he didn't realize what I dark place I had gotten to, and he wants everything to work out for our family. I don't know that I do. I am very conflicted. I want to be happy and I want my children to be in a happy environment. He belittles what he has done and believes the kids are not effected by his actions. We saw a therapist this week.
I'm just looking for an outlet and hoping for some advice. Thanks!

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Serious question... do all drunk girls cheat.

  • Thread Starter

Have you been drunk and not cheated when clubbing girls? Have you been drunk and not had a one night stand?..... i get impression all girls do this when clubbing and drinking.

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Did anyone stay in their marriage after WS affair, to prepare for D on their terms?

In other words...you knew you were going to divorce your WS (due to ws failure to help you recover), but decided to hang on in there until you got things sorted for you (financially and with children), by pretending you were recovering and you had forgiven and moved on.

It goes against the grain for us faithful spouses, but is it wrong to think "I'm going to do this on my terms, and give them the shock of their lives when the time is right for ME"?

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How do I get past this?

  • Thread Starter

There's a girl I like who doesn't like me back.

Short story - we've known each other for about 8 months, I realised that I fancied her in February/March but when we were on holiday together with her friends last week I told her. I knew she wouldn't reciprocate but I had to tell her anyway because it was really getting me down thinking about it.

Right now, I'm not sure how to move forward. Sometimes we hang out but now it would just feel strange. I really want to keep her as a friend because she's a lovely girl but I'm not sure if I can handle it.

Any advice?

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Jealous guys

  • Thread Starter

If a guy friend get jealous/possessive when you even mention other guys is he into you?

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Why do girls with boyfriends sometimes lead on single guys?

  • Thread Starter

First of all, disclosure I have female friends and I don't hit on all girls.

I met a girl at uni who I thought was very pretty, seemed to get on with in conversation. In fact, she seemed fairly flirty too. She's on a different course to me. She seemed very friendly with lots of people on her course and her circle seemed to include several guys and girls. She used to laugh and smile with me a lot. In fairness I never asked her out or asked about a bf, but then way later on, I found out from someone else that she has a boyfriend. Whaaat? I mean as well as being friendly, I was pretty forward with compliments about her, so I'm not sure why she didn't bring it up. In fact, from what I heard things are serious and marriage is possibly on the cards!

I know there is no "taken" ring on every girl who isn't single, but I felt she was leading me on a bit! I feel uncomfortable now as I wasn't trying to hit on a girl who has a boyfriend.

Does this happen often?!

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Do guys routinely overestimate their size?

  • Thread Starter

My last hook up was what I consider an average size but the wrapper of the condom I disposed of was 'XL'. It was dark so hard to see the fit I guess.

Anyone other girls notice this?
Guys do you do this?

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How do I tell him I had a miscarriage?

  • Thread Starter

Hey guys, well recently I found out that I had a miscarriage way back in March/early April time as was 3 months pregnant. I wasn't aware of the pregnancy as I had stress and severe depression as well as that, I had taken a pregnancy test back in December which told me I was fine (turns out I took it early).

Anyway, the guy who got me pregnant was an ex friend of mine. I lied to him over a few small things and now he doesn't speak to me anymore. The reason I lied was because I had insecurities and was extremely misguided. Anyway, he forgave me but doesn't want to associate himself with me anymore which makes me incredibly upset.

Because I found this out, I really do need advice on how to tell him. He needs to know as it will only end up playing on my mind for years. The problem is that I have lived a very unbelievable life and because I lied over something stupid, how is he going to believe me? I will have proof yes, but I don't know how to word it or even speak to him.

Also, I do need him. I cant tell my parents or most of my friends and I need to talk to him about it all. I cant help but think that because of this miscarriage and pregnancy earlier, I behaved completely terrible towards him so it is embarrassing.

Please help me try to explain things. I understand that I shouldn't have lied about whatever it was, but this is causing me a lot of emotional and physical pain.

Thank you x

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Feeling Horny 24/7

  • Thread Starter

I'm a girl and for the past few weeks I've been feeling horny non stop, in my free time I'm either thinking about sex, having sex or masturbating. I feel it's interfering with my life anything sexual makes me feel aroused even the mention of IT! I've masturbated twice already today and called my boyfriend to come home early to give me sex and I'm still aroused!!! My boyfriend thinks I want sex too much how can I decrease my libido?

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I always put relationships/girls on a pedestal how can I resolve this?

  • Thread Starter

Ever since I can remember I have always put girls on a pedestal and always been clingy and needy because of this. I guess it's because I've never felt good in myself, or consciously accepted that I don't need love or a girlfriend/relationship to be happy.

I'm a guy in my early twenties at a stage where I should be confident, outgoing and at my peak in life. But right now I don't even enjoy it. This feeds into every avenue of my life, the feeling of inadequacy.

Now, contrary to what this post may suggest, I do have a girlfriend, and have had one other relationship besides this one, but I just feel that (although I love my girlfriend) I am not as confident as I should be with her because of the whole not believing I can be happy without her.

This idea of me putting love on a pedestal makes me more of a victim of my own insecurities (I believe), such as clingy-ness, paranoia, always thinking the worst, and not believing that they are attracted to me.

How can I become content with who I am, I've been this way all my life, maybe compensating for the lack of female attention I had as a child (therefore valuing woman more than myself).

Anyone have any practical advice here?

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