Hey, not quite sure where to start with this as I feel it is quite complicated, but I appreciate whoever takes the time to read this and gives advice.
I am 22 years old, aquarius female my boyfriend is 30 and is a Libra. We have been together for nearly 7 months now. We have an amazing connection, He makes me really happy and we really enjoy the time we spend together. We plan to have a future together and really can't wait.
However I have some issues that I really can't help. I feel they are really getting in the way of our relationship, and I don't want them too. I suffer with depression, and has got really bad over the past few months or so. I am taking medication for it, but I feel it is not enough. I have very low moods everyday and low self esteem. It is really taking over my life and ruining it. I really need to find a way to cope with these issues but I don't know how.
It may seem silly, but one of my main issues is my boyfriend watching films/tv shows with sex scenes or nudity in. I have this automatic reaction of embarrassment, upset and distraught. I know it is in nearly everything these days, but I jjust can't feel comfortable with it. What makes it more difficult is that my boyfriend is a film critic, so he is bound to come across films with that kind of stuff in. I get upset at the thought of him looking at another naked woman while in a intimate moment. I get scared that he might be liking what he sees and is enjoying it. It makes me feel so low of myself. I'm not embarrassed by sex, I am quite sexually confident with him in the bedroom; But I just can't take him watching someone else.
I have been through some traumatic and horrible relationships in the past, and have really scarred me. I have been betrayed, lied to, cheated on and mentaly abused. 1 Ex in question, had an addiction to watching porn and films with sex/nudity in. I found out when I was on his pc one day and confronted him about it. I explained how it upset me and how it made me feel, and he reassured me that it wouldn't happen again. I believed him cos I loved him. I caught him watching porn again 3 times after that, in which he lied to me about it everytime. I found out that he would go and watch porn after I had left his, even after when we had sex! I just couldn't understand it. it made me feel like I wasn't good enough for him. What made it worse is that he lied to me about it, so it made me lose all trust. There would also be times that if we were watching a
a film and a sex scene popped up, he would get aroused and try it on with me.
I now cannot watch anything with that kind of content in. I explained everything to my boyfriend about it and what my ex did, which he was very understanding. Although when I asked him to not watch that kind of stuff he refused, and said that i can't tell him what he can and can't watch. He said if he agreed with me, then it is letting the depression win. Whenever I know hes watching something with that in, I get angry and it pushes me away from him. This upsets him because he doesn't understand what hes done wrong.
I know hes right that i can't tell him not to watch something even if it upset me, but its hard to not get the impression he doesnt care about my feelings. He says he does and doesn't take any notice if a sex scene comes on, he loves me, he only finds me attractive etc. I want to believe him, but because my ex said similar things, theres always that voice in my head that says "yeah but you have heard that before". I feel we can't come to an agreement because I can't believe what he's saying and he refusing to do what I asked him.
I really don't know how to sort this, but I really need to because it is effecting our relationship. Deep down I know I'm probably being silly but the feelings and emotions are so strong, it just takes over. I just want those feelings of hurt, disgust, embarrassment to go away and be able to watch anything with my boyfriend and not have a care in the world. Not one thought of "I'm hoping hes not enjoying this" or "I hope he doesn't find her atttractive".
If anyone has any adice on how to cope with this, or how to get over this it would be really helpful.
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Mar 30, 2012Comments: 1243 · Posts: 16617 · Topics: 170
The other problem is YOU. You really don't have any business being in a relationship right now because you're dragging your ridiculous issues from previous relationships into your current one.
You are NOT sexually secure in any sense because porn or anything sex related wouldn't bother you that much if you were. You need to realize that men are visual creatures and that is just what they do. Unless it's cutting into your sex life and he replaces you with porn or anything related, you don't need to take it personally or as a threat.
But your flaming insecurity is out of control here. You speak of meds not helping with depression, then change them. Eat better, exercise, etc. Nutrition helps a LOT with depression, as well as exercise because it helps release those happy hormones that keep everything in check.
You need to figure out how to change YOU in this situation because your immaturity is going to ruin the relationship. The age gap is an issue because you are far from a mature woman and are behaving as a little girl and here's a man much older than you who doesn't behave like a 20 year old boy. He's going to start wondering wtf he's doing with you if you keep this shit up. You are not taking any sort of accountability and just blaming it all on your depression. Use the internet to do a little research in how to control that shit and get some control. You WILL ruin your relationship if you don't knock off this ridiculous behavior.
Also, seek therapy. That's not an insult, it's a strong suggestion. You should not be this much of a mess at 22, dear. You will lead a happier life if you learn to get your shit under control.