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Death of a 9 year Relationship

by Andrew
(New York)

As some of the other stories found in here, I didn't suffer the loss of someone but rather, the death of my 9 year relationship. I have already experienced the death of close family members and friends and even though it's been extremely sad, it's been something I have been able to deal with one way or another; something I haven't been able to do with this type of death.

I met her in school when we were 10 years old, we quickly became best friends. When we turned 16 we fell in love. Even at such a young age, I always thought we were going to be together forever. I gave her everything and felt she loved me as much as I loved her, maybe more. We learned everything with one another, she was my first everything. She has been the only woman in my life in every sense. This didn't bother me at all. I actually felt special and unique for having such a connection; love and devotion with and for someone.

Our relationship was always very passionate and sometimes a little bit too extreme and unhealthy, so after 6 years of being together I thought we needed a break for our own good. We were officially apart for 9 months but we talked all the time and no day went by without me thinking of her. It never really felt like a real break up. Eventually we got back together.

When we got back together she often accused me of having slept around while we were apart, which never happened. She was the only woman in my life and even when we were "apart" I could never picture myself with someone else. I later found out she was the one who dated someone while we were on a break. She swore she never slept with him and told me it was nothing serious and that she had ended it before we got back together. That really hurt me because even though we were "apart" I felt we were together. But I let it go, especially since I was the one that decided to take a break to begin with.

We stayed together for 3 more years, and even though we had our problems, I thought we were deeply in love and committed to one another. She often accused me out of the blue of having affairs and cheating on her, which was never true. I didn't understand her odd behavior. One morning, after making up after a fight, she told me she couldn't continue lying to me, and confessed she had been having an affair with the guy she dated while we were broken up, for the past 3 years. She had been in a relationship with him ever since we first broke up. I literally felt as if she stabbed me in the back. my best friend, my "soul mate". It was even hard for me to breathe. For 3 years, everything had been a big lie. She broke my heart, she destroyed me.

Obviously I asked her to move out, and I deleted her from every aspect of my life, I felt so angry towards her, I felt humiliated. At the beginning I was in total denial. I went out every night of the week like if nothing had happened, but eventually things caught up with me. I started vomiting blood every night. I felt really sick, until one day a friend found me lying in the bathroom, I knew I had hit rock bottom. My friend took me to the E.R. I totally broke down, I had a nervous breakdown.

I was in the hospital for only one night. She found out about my breakdown and called me to tell me she missed me and wanted to get back together. I obviously said no, but felt better that she missed me too, and still loved me. A week later I found out from a mutual friend that the same day she called me, she went to an out of town wedding with him for the weekend. I got sick again, and felt so naive and stupid for believing in her once more.

I know I deserve a much better person than her, someone as loyal, honest and faithful as I am, but it seems my heart does not want to listen to my head. I miss her so much, and feel I have lost such a big part of myself. I feel lost, hopeless and profoundly depressed. I just want to go back in time and return to the time when we were happy and in love. Its only been about a month, but I feel completely broken.

I know what she did is unforgivable, after trusting her with my heart and giving her everything I had to offer, but I still fantasize about us getting back together, and I still want to think she loves me and needs me as much as I love her and need her. I don't respect her, and I could never get back together with her after what she did to me. I could never trust her or forgive her, so I don't understand why I miss her and want her back so much. It's like a drug I need, I know its bad for me but I still desperately want it. What bothers me the most is that I can't stop thinking of her and it is so painful to think of them together, its killing me.

I cry every day, I don't want to go out, and I feel I will never feel the same love and passion for somebody else. I feel everything is a terrible nightmare, I just want the pain to go away and to start feeling Ok with myself, and Ok with being alone. I want to feel complete by my own, I want to stop caring about her. I don't want to love or hate her anymore.


Comments for
Death of a 9 year Relationship

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Hope
by: Anonymous

Dear Andrew,

I am 2 weeks out of a 9yr relationship. He cheated on me. I feel every bit of your grief. All I can say is I am sure time takes away the pain and we will emerge stronger out of this. Keep the faith that there is someone out there who deserves your love and respects you. After all trust is the pillar of any relationship. I wish you luck and strength.

Wish everyone all the best
by: Anonymous

Hey Andrew I just got out of a relationship was with my partner for 8 years after getting engaged last year in December we were looking to get married in march 2012 had organized everything booked the reception and all we had lots of stupid fights which brough us to an end it's been a few weeks it's hard I just received my engagement ring back last week and to find out she just started going clubbing partying her friends took us apart it was a hard thing in my life but it's hard lost a part of someone I had a little life with it hurts to hear she's happy with her friends partying going out but u really have to accept what happened and it will take time it's hard but if u have to cry let it out exercise and be strong but time is your best friend I have some good days some bad but it's always better than been married having kids than it gets harder all the best just ask god for help he is always there pray everyday and trust me it will get easier all the best for all of us going through a hard time :))

we are not alone
by: Anonymous

Hey Andrew,

Thank you for sharing your story I also just ended a 9 yr. relationship also known him since I was very young and I thought we would be together forever. I know how you feel, just wanting that person back, even though you know there just not good for you. I think that is what causes most of the pain, the hope that you will get back together in hopes that it will be how it use to be.
I thought I was a little crazy by saying that my lost was like grieving someone but reading your story made me realize that I am not alone. Here is a quote that helps me every time I feel anxious, or just when pain is just to much.

"God give me the serenity to to accept the things i cant change, courage to change the things i can and the wisdom to know the difference"

Good luck to us,



8 years
by: Anonymous

I am so sorry for your loss...I was with my boyfriend for 8 years and it recently ended. The pain is all too real. I was not cheated on but, I have been and know how that feels. I too wanted to throw up all the time and I just remember feeling so ugly and rejected. That was years ago and I think when something like that happens it changes you. I imagined my body shifting to fill in the huge hole that was left behind and that's why it hurt so much. The pain will subside...I promise. My current relationship ended one month ago after 8 amazing years together...I'm devastated to say the least. I find myself shifting again. I just cannot imagine never seeing him again, it hurts so bad...we're all in this together.

I understand
by: Natalya

Hi Andrew,

I'm so sorry you are dealing with so much emotional and physical pain. About 1 year ago, my 8 year relationship ended. Like yourself, I discovered that my ex was also cheating on me. I will never forget the devastating internal pain that I experienced during that time. It was sadness, grief, and despair like I had NEVER experienced before.

It's only in the last month or so that I seem to be coping better and thinking about him less. What has been helping me is to realize that everyone is on a journey and you have to just let things happen. Perhaps your break-up was just meant to happen and it's ok and it will be ok. All that it means is that there is something better and more wonderful out there for you and it will find you. This may sound crazy, but try to look at what happened to you as a gift or an awakening. You are now and a new journey that will be filled with amazing experiences.

Another thing that has helped me is letting go of anger. You have to let go of the anger you feel towards your ex-girlfriend. You have to love her for who she is and remember the wonderful times you had with her. It is then that you will be able to let go and be free from your pain.

You also have to think about all the things that make you happy and do all the things that make you happy. You have to take new chances and be willing to meet new people. Over time, you WILL feel better. You will always have a piece of your heart that will miss her, but when you let go of the anger that you have towards her, you will feel so much better. I doubt that she meant to hurt you. You never know what the future holds....who knows, maybe she will be in it. And if she's not, you will be just fine. You have to believe that and want that.

Do not dwell on sadness for too long. When you find yourself thinking incessantly about what happened, change the channel and think of things that you love! Best of luck to you and me! Oh, and you should read The Power by Rhonda Byrne.

I can relate
by: Melissa

Hi, I just got out of a 10 year relationship. My boyfriend broke up with me. I am feeling a lot of how you were feeling. It is very tough, and the feelings are so intense and unpleasant. I pray everyday for God to make me happy again, like he was never in my life. With time the wounds will heal. I've been told to move on, but no one can set a time time to when a person will completely move on. The other half missing feeling is hard to swallow. The feeling that that person would stick by you through thick and thin and you would always be together is a tough one too. But, like some others have said, that with an ending, even if one doesn't want it to end, there is a NEW BEGINNING! A better world out there that is full of love and nice people. You just can't see it if you are mourning the loss of your long term relationship. I am speaking to myself too, because my breakup was most recent, and shocking. I did not see it coming. Good luck to all of us, keep moving on and find some good friends or a counselor to confide in. The grief and pain, constitutes a good counselor I think.

The illusion
by: Anonymous

You are mourning and depressed because you have lost the hope of your future with her. You have loved her all of your life. It was an illusion, not real; she is not right. You need to grieve and cry and let the pain wash over you. Get in touch with the concept of the grief stages and recognize where you are currently are in those stages.

Be patient with yourself and take gentle care of yourself. You mustn't give up on love, just give up on the illusion of a future with her.

I know how you feel, I lost my soulmate also.

9 yr.
by: Anonymous

While I was reading your experience what you said sounded like it was coming out of my mouth. You know you deserve better, but you love her... miss her... she is like a drug to you.

I'm so sorry. I was only in my relationship for 2 1/2 years, but I felt the same way... we were meant to be together and could overcome anything like you and your love.

This has even made you physically sick. I just wish I could give you a hug. You do deserve someone who loves you as much as you love her. I hope that somehow you can find that. I'm going on my first date since my love and I broke up. I don't want to go, but I'm forcing myself. I hate it. Just know that I feel the pain you are in and I'm so, so sorry. You are in my prayers.

Feel for you
by: Anonymous

Hi Andrew,

I am sorry for what you are going through and I feel for you.

I am 8 months out of a 10 year relationship and struggling.

All you can do is ride it out, feel the feelings, don't bottle them up.

I struggle a lot because I only have 2 friends I can talk to. I am on my own a lot because they are busy. I am seeing a counsellor because I have low self esteem and low self confidence and don't want to become depressed, although I fear I might be.

Do good things for yourself everyday. Exercise - it is the best.

Take care of you.

Lisa

So sorry
by: Jennie

Andrew,

I am so very sorry to hear about your tragic breakup with the girl you thought was your "soul mate". And I offer my condolences on your loss.

In some ways, the breakup with a loved one is almost worse than the death of one, because there is almost always guilt, loss of self-esteem and major hurt involved. (Why did she do this terrible thing to me?)

I really have no easy answers for you, Andrew. I do think you will stay on the right track if you determine that there absolutely is no future for you with her. You would never trust her, and the hurt and resentment would always be lurking there.

I know you don't want to hear this, but time really will help you heal. It has only been a month, and you are devastated by what she did to you. You have a right to a full bereavement over this! Take as long as you need to heal and recover, and don't let anyone tell you to "just get over it!" It's not that easy.

Take the time to read through the many pages of the site, they are just as appropriate for you, too. Trust the grief; time will help you heal.

Good luck to you Andrew,
Jennie



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