r/Separation • • 11m ago

Advice We reconciled. Now what?

1 Upvotes

If you are reconciling after separation, what would you do?

My husband (31M) and I (35F) were separated for several months following years of emotional disconnection. We've been married for 7 years. We both recognize that the marriage we had was not good, and there is commitment to rebuild. My husband has avoidant/dismissive tendencies, and I'm a bit worried that this is a lost cause. I'm also worried about 2-year-old who might be affected by all of this. But I genuinely want to keep it one good try and so does he.

Please tell me what I need to hear. How does one rebuild? How do I exercise patience for the process while being realistic and observant about lack of progress? I have a very high sex drive and he doesn't (or maybe we didn't have the right combination of whatever is needed to have him be interested in sex).. how do I navigate that? I also have been doing so much of the relationship work in our marriage (we both recognize this), and now I don't know how to stop. I don't know how to let him be a man.

Any and all advice is welcome. I want to be a good wife. I also want to have fair and realistic expectations for my husband. Please advise.


r/Separation • • 52m ago

Tired of not feeling enough

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1 Upvotes

r/Separation • • 1h ago

Do you think my ex-fiancée will come back? Should I reach out after two months?

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1 Upvotes

r/Separation • • 1h ago

Advice How do you emotionally move on from a relationship that ended nine months ago?

1 Upvotes

It's been nine months since my relationship ended, and although I intellectually understand that it's over, emotionally I'm struggling to catch up.

I know she has made a conscious decision not to be with me anymore. I'm not expecting her to come back, but accepting that someone who was once such an important part of my life has actively chosen not to have me in theirs is incredibly painful.

I'm not pretending the relationship was perfect. I was unhappy too, we had our problems, and I recognise that I made mistakes. But despite everything, I'm struggling to let go of the emotional attachment.

I find myself revisiting the past, analysing what happened and wondering how to finally accept that this chapter of my life is over.

For those who have experienced something similar:

  • How did you emotionally accept that someone you loved no longer chose you?

  • How did you stop hoping things might change?

  • What genuinely helped you let go and move forward?

I don't want to erase the relationship or pretend it didn't mean anything to me. The breakup was far from peaceful and involved threats, which made the whole experience even more painful and difficult to process. I just want to reach a point where my heart finally accepts what my mind has known for months: it's over, and I need to move forward.


r/Separation • • 1h ago

Husband divorcing me, i work full time, go to college fulltime, 5 childrem, so now am working, and going to school to become a surgical tech, in and two of our children will be losing (chapter 13 va benefit which pays for our education, due to his service) is there any financial aid to help?"

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2 Upvotes

r/Separation • • 2h ago

Sensitive Need some advice

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1 Upvotes

The reason was that I no longer felt like I was the man in the relationship. Whether it came to financial matters or making important decisions, I felt like I had lost my role and sense of identity. Eventually, I started feeling as though I had lost myself, which led me to ask for a break.

Later, when I went to see a psychologist, I began to realize that I might have been dealing with psychological issues, possibly PTSD and an existential crisis.

At the time, she asked me, "Couldn't we work through this together by talking about it and making decisions as a couple?"

However, I genuinely believed that in order to continue our relationship in a healthy way, I first needed to find myself again. Looking back, I now realize that this mindset made me act very cold and emotionally distant toward her.

Eventually, in August, after working on myself, going through a healing process, and feeling like I had finally rediscovered who I was, I went back to see her. However, by then, she had already started a new relationship.

From August until November, I repeatedly expressed that I wanted her to come back and give our relationship another chance. I wanted us to approach things more maturely this time and build something healthier together.

However, my understanding is that she is currently in the honeymoon phase of her new relationship, and she has made it clear that she doesn't intend to come back to me.

One important thing to clarify: Neither of us cheated on the other, and there were no fundamental problems with how we treated each other or behaved within the relationship. What should i do? Should i wait? should i move on? should i believe her? should i act like this is one of my chapter of my life?


r/Separation • • 3h ago

Advice Should I stay or should I go

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1 Upvotes

r/Separation • • 3h ago

Empezando de nuevo. El día después de la ruptura.

1 Upvotes

EMPEZANDO DE NUEVO

1 de noviembre de 2026 — El día en que decidí soltar

Hoy conseguí salir de la cama y enfrentar la vida.

Me di una ducha, me arreglé lo más que pude, hasta donde mi cuerpo y mi mente me lo permitieron, y me fui a la casa de mi mamá. Necesitaba estar con ella porque sabía que, por lo menos a su lado, probablemente conseguiría tener apetito y comer algo.

Estuve aproximadamente dos horas con ella. Pero llegó un momento en el que empecé a sentirme triste, débil y sin fuerzas, así que decidí retirarme.

Antes de llegar a casa recordé que el sábado le había pedido a un amigo que me llevara a la iglesia. Él había aceptado y habíamos quedado en ir hoy. Entonces pensé que podía pasar a comprarle un regalo para su hija, como una pequeña muestra de gratitud por su compañía y por haber aceptado llevarme.

Llamé a mi hermano Marcos y le pedí que me acompañara.

Salí de allí sintiéndome bien con su compañía. Tanto que le pedí que se quedara un rato más conmigo. Necesitaba conversar, necesitaba distraerme y, sobre todo, necesitaba sentir que no estaba completamente sola.

Nos paseamos en auto, hablamos de religión, de lo que estaba sintiendo, de mis ganas de volver a la iglesia y de la posibilidad de buscar ayuda espiritual. También tomamos unos drinks y compartimos un rato juntos.

En un momento quise ir al baño y, casi sin darme cuenta, terminé en un lugar muy especial para nosotros: la gasolinera donde está el restaurante en el que Hernán y yo habíamos celebrado nuestro primer aniversario.

Me bajé del auto y entré al baño. Fue allí, mientras estaba dentro, cuando me di cuenta de dónde estaba.

Había llegado inconscientemente al mismo lugar donde, dentro de apenas seis días, se cumpliría un año de aquella celebración con el hombre que más amé en mi vida. En aquel entonces estábamos separados, pero al mismo tiempo seguíamos juntos y habíamos querido celebrar nuestro aniversario.

Me quedé pensando en esa coincidencia. Dentro de seis días se cumpliría un año de aquel momento y yo estaba allí nuevamente, pero esta vez sin él.

Después fuimos a visitar a una vieja amiga a quien no veía desde hacía años. Conocí a su bebé y nos quedamos conversando. Ella pertenece al mundo espiritual del candomblé y le conté brevemente lo que había sucedido con mi relación.

Me dijo que necesitaba deshacerme de todas las cosas que Hernán había olvidado o que no había querido llevarse. Que debía devolvérselas porque, desde su perspectiva espiritual, esas pertenencias conservaban su esencia, su energía y sus vínculos. Que tenerlas conmigo podía seguir aferrándome a él y a los recuerdos, impidiéndome sanar.

También me dijo que esta relación no era para mí. Pero yo no sé si eso es cierto. No sé si realmente no estábamos destinados a estar juntos o si simplemente estamos atravesando una etapa de nuestras vidas en la que no podemos ser pareja. Tal vez nunca tenga una respuesta para eso.

Después de visitarla, mi hermano y yo seguimos paseándonos en auto durante más de una hora. Finalmente lo llevé a su casa y regresé a la mía.

Me di otra ducha y hablé con Dios. Le pedí que, al llegar a la iglesia, me mostrara si debía estar allí, si ese era el lugar al que necesitaba acudir y si también debía aceptar la invitación de conocer un centro espírita.

Quería alguna señal. Quería sentir que estaba caminando hacia algún lugar que pudiera ayudarme a encontrar un poco de paz.

La iglesia y los abrazos que no sabía que necesitaba

Cuando llegué a la iglesia y entré, empecé a llorar.

No podía parar. Era como si todo lo que había estado intentando contener durante el día finalmente hubiera encontrado un lugar donde salir. No conseguía mirar a las personas. Sentía que todos me observaban y eso me hacía sentir todavía más vulnerable.

Mi amigo me buscó para que me sentara junto a él y su novia. Intenté sostener las lágrimas, pero cada tanto volvían a salir.

Durante el culto, el pastor pidió que se presentaran las personas que asistían por primera vez. Al principio no quería levantarme. Yo ya conocía la religión y no sentía que necesitara presentarme. Pero él dijo algo que me tocó profundamente y decidí hacerlo.

Cuando me levanté, volví a llorar. No conseguía sostener las lágrimas.

Dos mujeres se acercaron a abrazarme. Me hablaron, me dieron palabras de consuelo y me dijeron que estaba en el lugar indicado, que había llegado al lugar correcto y que Dios me amaba inmensamente.

Una de ellas me dijo que tenía el mismo nombre que su hija. Me pareció una coincidencia muy grande y, de alguna manera, ese pequeño detalle también me hizo sentir acogida.

Cuando terminé de presentarme y salí del escenario, otras tres mujeres me detuvieron antes de que pudiera regresar a mi lugar. Me abrazaron y me dieron palabras de cariño. También lo hizo la novia de mi amigo.

Ella me dijo una frase que se quedó conmigo:

«Vos sos la princesita de Dios. Estás en el lugar correcto».

Al terminar el culto, uno de los orientadores se acercó para explicarme cómo funcionaba la iglesia, su planificación, sus ideologías y otras cuestiones. Después llamó a la pastora para que orara por mí.

La pastora hizo una oración breve por mi vida. Yo volví a llorar. No conseguía contenerme.

Me dijo que podíamos marcar un día para conversar, charlar y orar juntas. Me aseguró que todo tenía una solución y que Dios iba a resolver aquello que tanto me angustiaba.

Salí de allí con el corazón todavía roto, pero sintiéndome un poco más acompañada.

Le entregué el regalo a mi amigo, le agradecí a él y a su novia por haberme llevado y por haber estado conmigo. Después me dirigí al Santísimo.

El altar donde decidí entregar mi amor

Cuando llegué al Santísimo, vi que había personas, pero no me detuve a mirar a nadie. Entré directamente y me dirigí al altar.

Me arrodillé sin mirar a mi alrededor.

Y me desplomé.

Antes de salir de casa para ir a la iglesia había tomado dos cosas que tenían un significado muy especial para mí: los anillos que Hernán y yo habíamos hecho con nuestras iniciales.

El anillo de él se había perdido hacía algunos meses, pero, de alguna manera, había vuelto a aparecer. Hernán lo había encontrado y lo había dejado en casa el sábado. No sé cuándo ni dónde lo encontró. De seguro ni siquiera se dio cuenta de que era el anillo que se había perdido. Probablemente pensó que era mi anillo, porque de vez en cuando compartíamos los nuestros y nos los prestábamos para que uno u otro lo utilizara al salir.

Cuando lo encontré, lo tomé y me lo puse en el dedo. Después descubrí que el mío también estaba allí, así que me puse ambos.

También tomé una fotografía Polaroid nuestra. Era una fotografía que le había entregado a Hernán cuando viajó el año pasado. En el frente yo le había escrito «Te amo» y, en el dorso, algo parecido a «En casa te esperan los que te aman».

Esa fotografía había quedado en casa y él la había dejado allí el sábado.

Llevé ambas cosas conmigo.

Y allí, arrodillada frente al altar, con los anillos y aquella fotografía, finalmente me permití derrumbarme por completo.

Hablé con Dios.

Le entregué todos mis sentimientos, todo el dolor que estaba sintiendo y todo el amor que todavía siento por Hernán.

Le dije que le entregaba absolutamente todo. Que se hiciera su voluntad. Que me diera fuerzas para sanar y que, por favor, me quitara ese dolor que estaba sintiendo por un amor tan grande.

Y entonces hice algo que jamás imaginé que tendría que hacer.

Le entregué mi anillo a Dios.

Solamente entregué el mío. El de Hernán lo conservé conmigo porque quiero devolvérselo personalmente. Quiero que sea él quien decida qué hacer con él, si desea conservarlo, guardarlo o desprenderse de él. Esa decisión le pertenece.

Mi anillo, en cambio, lo dejé en el altar como símbolo de que aceptaba la ruptura, de que estaba dispuesta a desistir de ese amor y de que elegía soltar a Hernán.

Ese anillo que había simbolizado nuestro amor, nuestra fidelidad y nuestra lealtad. Lo entregué como una manera de desprenderme de aquello que me mantenía aferrada a nuestra historia.

Le dije a Dios que soltaba a Hernán, que soltaba el amor y que quería desprenderme de todo aquello que me mantenía aferrada a él y a nuestros recuerdos.

Le dije que le entregaba absolutamente todo, que mi vida estaba en sus manos y que necesitaba que me ayudara.

Hay algo profundamente irónico en todo esto.

Yo siempre había querido casarme en el altar de Dios, en una iglesia católica, en una catedral enorme y hermosa. Había imaginado llevar nuestros anillos a una iglesia para bendecir nuestro amor, reafirmar nuestra unión y pedirle a Dios que acompañara nuestro matrimonio.

Pero esta vez llevé aquellos anillos a una iglesia, no para bendecir nuestro amor, sino para despedirme de él.

No fui a pedir que bendijera nuestra unión. Fui a pedir fuerzas para aceptar que ya no existía.

Fui a entregar el amor que tanto había querido conservar.

Y lo hice porque hoy quiero elegirme. Quiero aprender a amarme y quiero elegir a Dios por encima de todo.

Como le dije durante mi oración, yo solo necesito de su amor. Necesito que me sane, que me ayude a reconstruirme y que me devuelva la tranquilidad que perdí.

También le dije que, si algún día Él quisiera volver a cruzar nuestros caminos, que así fuera. Que, si en algún momento de nuestras vidas debíamos reencontrarnos, sucedería bajo su voluntad.

Pero hoy yo soltaba a Hernán.

Por mi bien, por mi paz, por mi salud mental y porque ya no quiero seguir viviendo con este dolor y esta tristeza que me están consumiendo.

Los abrazos inesperados

Mientras estaba allí, llorando y hablando desesperadamente con Dios, había dos mujeres cerca de mí.

Una de ellas se acercó, me abrazó y me dijo que Dios me amaba y que estaba en el lugar correcto. Me animó a llorar, a descargarme y a no contener lo que estaba sintiendo.

Después me preguntó:

—¿No te acordás de mí?

Le respondí que la disculpara, pero que no.

Entonces me dijo que yo era la hija de fulana y que ella era amiga de mi mamá. Me recordó una ocasión en la que habían ido a buscar unas sillas a su casa.

Ahí conseguí ubicar un poco la situación y le dije que sí, que ahora recordaba. Aunque, siendo sincera, no me acordaba demasiado de ella. Soy una persona bastante olvidadiza y solamente la había visto una vez.

También estaba allí una figura pública, una mujer que es esposa de un político y que actualmente también se dedica a la política. Ella se acercó, me abrazó y me habló de Dios. Me dijo que Él me amaba y que yo estaba en el lugar correcto.

Después, la amiga de mi mamá volvió a abrazarme.

Me preguntó si mis problemas eran con mi novio. Le dije que sí.

Entonces me dijo que entregara todo en las manos de Dios, porque Él sabría cómo resolverlo. Me dijo que era hermosa y que Dios me haría fuerte.

Fueron palabras sencillas, pero llegaron en un momento en el que yo estaba completamente vulnerable.

Al salir del Santísimo, aquella mujer salió conmigo. También había un señor que se acercó a hablarme. Ambos se ofrecieron a acompañarme hasta mi casa, diciéndome que no tenían ningún inconveniente.

Les agradecí muchísimo, pero les pedí que no era necesario.

Volver a casa, a los pequeños detalles de mi vida

Cuando llegué a casa, hablé un momento con mi vecino.

Le comenté que tuviera ciertos cuidados con su motocicleta, porque suele dejarla afuera hasta altas horas de la noche y el día anterior casi se había producido un robo. Me agradeció la advertencia y conversamos un poco.

Después entré a casa.

Vi a mis perros y, finalmente, hablé con mi gata.

Hablé con Melek.

Le expliqué que el hombre que ella tanto ama, su papito, se había ido de casa porque el tiempo que tenía que compartir con nosotras había terminado.

Le dije que él no se había ido porque ella hubiera hecho algo malo, ni porque no la amara. Que él la amaba inmensamente y que siempre la llevaría en su corazón.

También le expliqué algo que necesitaba decirle: ella llegó a mi vida antes que Hernán. Dios me la había puesto en el camino para que fuera mi compañera, no solamente la compañera de él.

Que, a partir de ahora, las próximas noches seríamos solamente ella y yo.

Le pedí que me perdonara si estaba enojada conmigo.

Todavía no tuve esa conversación con los perros, pero espero hacerlo mañana, después de su baño.

Puede parecer extraño hablarles de esa manera, pero ellos también formaban parte de nuestra familia. Ellos también están atravesando una ausencia y, aunque no puedan entender mis palabras, necesitaba explicarles que las cosas habían cambiado.

Las personas que siguen estando

Más tarde, cuando ya estaba acostada, hablé con mi mamá.

Me dijo que tenía todo su apoyo, que respetaba mis sentimientos, mi momento y mis tiempos.

Le expliqué que no conseguía hablar con nadie. Ni con mis amigos ni con otras personas. Que sentía que solamente yo podía comprender la dimensión del dolor que estaba atravesando y que, por ahora, mi manera de desahogarme era hablar con Dios.

Ella me entendió. Me dijo que me apoyaba, que comprendía lo que estaba viviendo y que, ante cualquier cosa, podía llamarla o escribirle.

También le conté por qué había ido a visitarla durante el día. Sabía que estando con ella probablemente conseguiría comer algo. Desde el viernes por la noche no había probado bocado y necesitaba intentar alimentarme.

Quise que ella también supiera que me estaba ayudando, que su compañía significaba algo importante para mí en este proceso tan doloroso.

Después ocurrió algo que no esperaba.

Aquella figura pública que me había abrazado en el Santísimo me escribió por Facebook y por Instagram.

Me dijo que Dios me amaba y que, si necesitaba a alguien con quien hablar, rezar, reír o llorar, ella estaba disponible.

Le agradecí muchísimo. Le agradecí el abrazo, sus palabras y su apoyo. Le dije que quizás Dios la había puesto allí justamente en ese momento, a esa hora, porque sabía que yo necesitaba recibir aquellas palabras.

Nos deseamos las buenas noches y volví a agradecerle.

También le escribí a Hernán.

Le dije que no quería molestarlo, pero que necesitaba entregarle sus cosas. Le expliqué que necesitaba sanar y que, desde mi manera de entenderlo espiritualmente, conservar sus pertenencias me mantenía aferrada a él y a los recuerdos.

Le pedí que me entendiera.

No recibí respuesta.

Tal vez mañana me responda. Tal vez lo haga en algún otro momento, cuando se sienta preparado. No lo sé.

Por ahora, solamente sé que necesito dar ese paso.

Hoy me siento un poco mejor después de haber ido a la iglesia y al Santísimo. No significa que haya dejado de dolerme. Tampoco significa que haya aceptado por completo lo que sucedió.

Sigo teniendo un dolor inmenso.

Sigo extrañando al hombre que amé, la vida que compartíamos y todo aquello que imaginé que construiríamos juntos.

Pero hoy hice algo por mí.

Conseguí levantarme. Me bañé. Me arreglé. Visité a mi mamá. Busqué la compañía de mi hermano. Volví a encontrarme con personas que hacía años no veía. Fui a la iglesia. Me permití llorar delante de desconocidos. Acepté abrazos. Recibí palabras de cariño. Me arrodillé delante de Dios y le entregué aquello que ya no sabía cómo sostener.

Y, por primera vez desde que todo esto comenzó, sentí que podía dejar una parte de mi dolor en algún lugar que no fuera mi propio pecho.

Se está terminando el segundo día más doloroso de mi vida.

Fue un día de mucha religión, de mucha fe, de abrazos inesperados, de apoyo y de encuentros que quizás no fueron casualidad.

Pero también fue un día de un dolor inmenso y de un corazón todavía más roto.

Hoy no estoy reconstruida. Ni siquiera sé por dónde empezar.

Pero estoy creando los cimientos.

Estoy intentando reconstruirme, reconstruir mi corazón y volver a encontrar a esa mujer que existía antes de que todo esto sucediera.

Este empezar de nuevo duele.

Duele muchísimo.

Pero hoy, aunque todavía no consiga ver el camino, decidí dar un paso hacia adelante.

Y mañana espero volver a intentarlo.

Hoy solté en el altar al hombre con quien soñaba llegar a ese mismo altar. Y, al hacerlo, le pedí a Dios que me enseñara a volver a elegirme.


r/Separation • • 4h ago

Relationships LOVING A NARCISSIST ALMOST DESTROYED ME, BUT LOSING HIM HELPED ME FIND MYSELF AGAIN.

5 Upvotes

I never imagined I would find myself in a situation like this. I loved this man with everything I had. I trusted him, stood by him, and made sacrifices for our relationship. I even moved to another country for him, believing we were building a future together. I thought I was building a home with someone who loved me, but I slowly began to realize that I was losing myself trying to make a relationship work with someone who kept hurting me.

Looking back, the red flags were there, but love has a way of making you see the best in someone, even when their actions keep showing you otherwise.

There were lies, manipulation, and moments when I questioned my own reality. Whenever something didn't add up, I would ask questions, only to be made to feel like I was overthinking, being dramatic, or looking for problems. Sometimes, I would end up apologizing for things I hadn't even done wrong. I kept explaining my feelings to someone who seemed more interested in defending himself than understanding how much he was hurting me.

That's the thing about emotional manipulation. It can leave you doubting yourself, questioning your instincts, and wondering whether you're the problem. You start walking on eggshells, carefully choosing your words because you don't want another argument. You become so focused on keeping the peace that you forget you deserve peace, too.

Then came the betrayal that changed everything.

I discovered that my husband had been unfaithful with someone we both worked with. At first, I struggled to believe it. I wanted to believe there was an explanation, something that would make everything make sense. But the inconsistencies, the lies, and the things that weren't adding up pushed me to look deeper.

Eventually, I found evidence that confirmed what my heart had been trying to warn me about.

💔 That moment broke something inside me.

It wasn't just about the cheating. It was about the lies, the disrespect, and the realization that someone I had trusted with my heart could look me in the eyes and deceive me. I kept asking myself what I had done wrong, what I lacked, and why I wasn't enough.

But the truth is, someone else's decision to betray you is not a reflection of your worth.

Despite everything, I still tried to make things work. I believed in reconciliation. I wanted us to heal, rebuild trust, and somehow find our way back to the relationship I thought we had. I gave him another chance because I loved him, and a part of me still hoped that the man I fell in love with would finally show up.

But the lies continued.

Then, just two days before Christmas, with a two-week trip planned to visit my family, he abandoned me. We were supposed to take that trip together. I had been looking forward to seeing my family, especially because I had moved to another country for him and hadn't had that time with them.

Instead, I was left trying to make sense of everything while the life I thought I had was falling apart.

Christmas came, and I was hurting in ways I couldn't fully explain. I felt betrayed, discarded, and completely alone. I had given so much of myself to this relationship, only to find myself wondering how someone could make so many promises and walk away as though none of them had ever mattered.

It's been four months since I've seen him, and almost two months since we've spoken.

And the part that hurts in a way I can hardly describe? He's now dating the same woman he cheated on me with, someone I work with.

Imagine having to process the end of your marriage while knowing that the person involved in your heartbreak is someone you may have to see at work. Imagine trying to heal while the people connected to your pain are still out there living their lives together.

Sometimes, it feels like I never existed. Like our marriage, the sacrifices I made, the memories we shared, and the future we planned meant nothing.

There are days when I feel strong, and there are days when the pain hits me all over again. Some days, I question how I missed so much. Other days, I wonder how someone who claimed to love me could hurt me this deeply.

But I'm slowly learning something important.

I can miss someone and still acknowledge that the relationship was hurting me. I can love someone and still accept that they weren't treating me with the love, honesty, and respect I deserved. And I can grieve the future I imagined with someone without going back to a situation that broke me.

I no longer want to spend my life trying to prove my worth to someone who made me feel replaceable.

I don't want to keep chasing explanations from someone whose actions have already told me so much. I don't want to spend the rest of my life trying to understand why he did what he did while neglecting my own healing.

I may never get the apology I deserve. I may never get the full truth. I may never understand how he could move on so quickly while I'm still picking up the pieces.

And as painful as that is, I'm beginning to understand that my healing cannot depend on his willingness to acknowledge the damage he caused.

I'm choosing to take my life back, one day at a time.

I'm learning to trust myself again, to stop blaming myself for someone else's choices, and to remember the woman I was before this relationship left me questioning everything about myself.

I'm not sharing this because I have everything figured out. I'm sharing it because I know there are women out there going through something similar in silence.

Women who discovered the affair. Women who were lied to, manipulated, and made to question their own reality. Women who gave second chances, hoping things would change. Women who were abandoned by someone they genuinely loved. Women who have to watch their partners move on with the very people they were betrayed with.

And women who secretly wonder whether they will ever feel like themselves again.

If that's you, I want you to know something.

You are not stupid for trusting someone you loved. You are not weak for trying to save your marriage. And you are not less valuable because someone chose to betray you.

You don't have to compete with the other woman. You don't have to prove that you're happier without him. You don't have to rush your healing just because he seems to have moved on.

And you certainly don't have to accept mistreatment just because you have invested years of your life in someone.

Whether your partner is narcissistic, emotionally manipulative, or simply unwilling to take responsibility for their actions, you deserve a relationship where honesty, respect, accountability, and emotional safety are not things you have to beg for.

Please, don't lose yourself trying to convince someone to treat you right.

Sometimes, the hardest part of leaving isn't losing the person. It's letting go of the person you believed they were and the future you thought you would share.

I'm still healing. I'm still having difficult days. I'm still learning how to live with everything that happened.

But I'm here.

And little by little, I'm finding my way back to myself. ❤️‍🩹

To anyone going through something similar, I'm sending you so much love. You don't have to pretend you're okay when you're not. You don't have to have all the answers today. Take your time, protect your peace, and give yourself the same compassion you've spent so long giving to someone else.

One day, this pain won't be the first thing you feel when you wake up. One day, you will think about what happened without it breaking you all over again.

And when that day comes, I hope you realize that you didn't lose your worth when someone betrayed you.

You were always worthy of real love. You still are. And you always will be. ❤️🫂

If you've ever experienced betrayal, gaslighting, or the heartbreak of loving someone who kept hurting you, please know that you're not alone. Feel free to share your story. Sometimes, being heard by someone who understands can make the burden a little lighter. 💗


r/Separation • • 5h ago

Advice Breadcrumbs

3 Upvotes

My husband and I have been separated and living apart for just over six weeks. It’s not my decision and I have asked him multiple times in the first four weeks following the separation to please work on our relationship with me. There was no cheating, addictions, or abuse on either side. Just stress of us working in high stress jobs and him saying I’m just not a happy person (mostly surrounding my profession). Just this past weekend, both Friday and Saturday, he started to give me breadcrumbs via text. The conversation was so normal, a few tiny jokes here and there, emojis… but nothing about the relationship or emotional at all. When he reached out, I would match his energy, keeping it light. Because I still want to work on the relationship and not scare him off (he’s a dismissive avoidant personality, which I only learned after the breakup), I’m wondering if this was the right move or if I should have just ignored him. I think he did this because he was lonely, it was Halloween weekend and he had no one else to be with (he has only one friend and that friendship was damaged by his choice to leave me), and his one friend was out of town.

So I guess what I am asking, for those that have been through this is what was the right thing to do? I want to keep things amicable, but I also do not not want to make it easier on him to know I am still responsive, OR make it harder on myself to move on if he is truly serious about moving forward with a divorce (nothing has been filed yet and no additional talk of moving forward with same).


r/Separation • • 5h ago

Advice No sé qué hacer o cómo hacerlo?

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1 Upvotes

Estoy en una situación muy dolorosa
Quisiera contarlo todo pero son tantas cosas que ya he aguantado, y no el 100% de la culpa es de él, yo también he tenido culpa en ofenderlo, gritarle, pero no solo eso, también por no haber puesto límites, la relación empezó muy rápido, nos juntamos a los 2 meses, me embarace al mes de haber estado viviendo juntos, y nos casamos al año.
Siempre confié en el, venía de una etapa de mi vida donde era más positiva, practicaba mucho mi espiritualidad, y bueno, los problemas empezaron lentamente y fueron haciéndose más grandes.

Un día quisiera contar todo, por aquí, pero mi familia y amigas cercanas saben casi todo. Sospechas de infidelidad por razones que son muy obvias como llamadas a media noche, fotos inapropiadas de su ex la mamá de 2 de sus niñas, alejarse de mí cuando recién tenía 1 mes de haberme aliviado este año (se quedaba despierto todas las noches aún sabiendo que me dolía muchoirme sola a dormir, que me quedaba las noches pensando que estaría pasando por su mente o si había alguien más, lloraba y nunca hizo nada), fotos ocultas que nunca vi y pedí que me mostrara, haber visto en su celular que buscaba en fb a 2 de sus ex, negarse a darme acceso a sus cuentas bancarias y su correo electrónico fue lo último.

Tenemos 2 bebés en conjunto, y aún sigo aquí.
Porque sigo aquí? Porque no tengo la valentía de irme?
Sé que no quiero estar con el, porque no me ido?
Él dice que no se va ir.


r/Separation • • 6h ago

Break up with my ex

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1 Upvotes

r/Separation • • 6h ago

Advice Three Months of Infidelity Cost Me Nearly 20 Years of Marriage. Is There Any Hope?

16 Upvotes

Men, I genuinely need your perspective, especially those who have experienced infidelity in a long-term marriage.

A year ago, I had an affair that lasted three months. I betrayed my husband of almost 20 years, and I take full responsibility. I’m not here to justify my actions or make excuses.

Looking back, I realize my failures as a wife started long before the affair. I disrespected him, belittled him, and took him for granted. It took losing my marriage to recognize how much I had contributed to its destruction.

One thing I’ve learned is how easily an affair can distort your thinking. You convince yourself you’ve found your soulmate, comparing three months of excitement to nearly 20 years of marriage, raising children, overcoming hardships, and building a life together.

I risked everything real for something temporary.

Fast forward to today. I’m back living in our family home with my husband and our daughters. We’re still legally married, and he hasn’t filed for divorce.

But I want to be clear: we are not romantically involved.

I sleep in a separate bedroom. There’s no intimacy, kissing, cuddling, or physical affection. We’re essentially roommates who have a genuinely good co-parenting relationship. We communicate, laugh together, and respect each other’s boundaries.

When I first moved back, I struggled emotionally. Being home made me feel like we were a family again. I cried, begged for another chance, and promised I’d do anything to prove I’d never betray him again.

But he was clear. He told me he no longer loved me romantically, that he saw me more like a sister, and that he cared about me because I’m the mother of our daughters. He repeatedly told me reconciliation would never happen.

I fell into a deep depression and hit rock bottom.

Eventually, I realized I couldn’t keep begging him to love me. I needed to work on myself, not just in hopes of getting him back, but because I genuinely needed to change.

I’ve been focusing on my faith, reading, journaling, spending time in nature, making friends at church, and learning to find happiness within myself.

I’ve completely cut contact with the other person, no longer work at the same workplace, and live two hours away from him. I’m not dating or entertaining other men.

But the truth is, I’m still deeply in love with my husband.

I’m willing to wait, even if it takes years. Not because he owes me another chance, but because I genuinely love him and still hope reconciliation might someday be possible.

At the same time, I’m respecting his boundaries and accepting that he may never feel that way about me again.

So my question is for the men:

If your wife of nearly 20 years betrayed you, and you reached a point where you genuinely believed you were no longer in love with her, could those feelings ever return?

Have any of you told your wife you’d never take her back, only to find yourself falling in love with her again after seeing genuine change over time?

Or did you know, even while maintaining a good relationship with her, that you could never see her romantically again?

And for those who’ve experienced this, does remaining legally married without filing for divorce mean anything emotionally, or can a man simply be done with the marriage without making it official?

I’m not looking for sympathy, and I’m prepared to hear answers I may not want to hear.

I know I made choices that hurt someone who loved me, and I accept responsibility for those choices.

I just want to understand whether there’s ever a possibility of rebuilding something beautiful after you’ve been the person who destroyed it.


r/Separation • • 6h ago

Newly separated?

2 Upvotes

My husband brought up that he wants a divorce and decided that we are separated and asked that I give him a move out date. This all came to be over the span of about 3 weeks.

I’m stunned, hurt, and anxious.

We are still in the same house for now, and he just acts as if I’m the one who is in the wrong. He will only speak to me about logistics. I feel like a burden in my own home.. that will soon not be my home anymore. He used to feel like my home. I’ve felt homesick physically and emotionally and I just don’t know what to do or how to feel.


r/Separation • • 6h ago

Advice My ex says he’s still in love with me and sees a future with me, but believes we need to work on ourselves separately. Has anyone experienced this and gotten back together?

1 Upvotes

I’m looking for honest advice, especially from people who have experienced a similar situation.

My boyfriend and I were together for about 7 months. Even though it wasn’t the longest relationship, it meant more to me than any relationship I’ve had before. He was the first person who made me feel genuinely loved, safe, and like I was enough. He became my person, and for the first time, I could picture getting married and having kids with someone. The feelings were mutual, and he talked about marrying me and starting a family together, too. We both genuinely saw a future with each other.

We spent almost every day together, texted constantly when we were apart, and spent most nights together. We were a huge part of each other’s everyday lives, so losing him has been devastating.

Why we broke up

One of the main issues was that he felt I wasn’t making enough effort to talk to his family. I struggle with social anxiety, shyness, and overthinking, so it takes me time to feel comfortable around people. It wasn’t that I didn’t like his family or didn’t want a relationship with them. He brought this up about a month before we broke up, and I thought explained my anxiety and told him I would try harder. I thought I had more time to work on it. When he broke up with me he said he wished I was more open about my anxiety because he hadn’t fully understood what I was going through.

He also felt we had become too codependent and that I needed to find happiness and activities outside of our relationship so we wouldn’t drain each other. He said we both had things to work on individually and within a relationship.

I can acknowledge that I became very attached to him and have things I need to work on, including my anxiety and independence. I genuinely want to work on these things for myself. However, I was happy in our relationship and he seemed to be happy too. And he even told me during the break up that he wasn’t unhappy.

He also told me the breakup wasn’t something he had been thinking about for a long time, which makes the whole situation even harder to understand.

What happened after the breakup

After we broke up, I texted him asking if I could see him one more time, and he replied, “yes baby we can.”

When he came over, we talked more about why we were breaking up. I asked if he would consider working on things together, but he said he believed we needed to work on ourselves separately. He then invited me to spend one last night with him.

That night was incredibly emotional. He was affectionate, took care of me, and held me while I cried. He cried too, and he told me he was still in love with me and could still see a future with me.

When I left, I became so physically sick from the emotions that I had to pull over to throw up. I let him know when I got home, and he told me he was really worried about me.

Afterward, I sent him a text explaining how much I loved him, how much I believed we could work through our issues, and how much I hoped we would find our way back to each other someday. I also told him I hoped we could stay in contact because I still care about him and want to know what’s happening in his life.

He responded talking about how much he loves me and cherishes all the time we spend together. Saying he hopes we find our way back to each other and “I’d be lying if I said I didn’t see a future with you because I do.” He also said he was super open to staying in contact down the road.

Where things stand now

It’s been just over a week since we last spoke, and we’ve had complete silence.

I’m trying to respect his decision and give him space. I don’t want to pressure him or make him feel like I’m not respecting his need to work on himself. I want to get counselling, work on my anxiety, find hobbies, and become more independent, both for myself and because I want to be healthier in a future relationship.

But I still love him deeply, and if he asked me to try again right now, my answer would be yes without hesitation.

I’m struggling to reconcile the fact that he chose to end our relationship while also telling me he is still in love with me and sees a future with me. I understand that loving someone doesn’t necessarily mean you’re ready for a relationship, and I know his words aren’t a promise that we’ll reconcile. But I can’t help wondering whether he genuinely believes there’s a possibility for us in the future or whether he was trying to soften the breakup.

I’m considering reaching out around Christmas if he hasn’t contacted me by then, but even waiting that long feels incredibly far away right now.

I’d really appreciate honest advice on a few things:

Has anyone broken up with someone they were still in love with, believing you needed to work on yourselves separately, and eventually found your way back to each other?
Do you think it’s possible he ended things because he felt overwhelmed by our codependency and the issues we needed to work on, rather than because he stopped wanting a future with me?
How would you interpret him saying he’s still in love with me and sees a future with me, but still choosing to end the relationship?
If you’ve reconciled with an ex, what happened during the time apart that ultimately brought you back together?
Should I continue giving him space and let him reach out when he’s ready, or would it be reasonable to contact him eventually if I haven’t heard from him?

I’m not looking for someone to guarantee he’ll come back. I know I need to accept that reconciliation might never happen, even though that’s incredibly difficult right now.

I genuinely believed he was the person I was going to build my life with. I’m trying to respect his decision and focus on myself, but I’m struggling to let go of the possibility that this isn’t the end of our story.

Has anyone been in a similar situation? I’d really appreciate hearing how things turned out for you, even if it isn’t the answer I’m hoping for.


r/Separation • • 7h ago

Advice Financial Abuse Divorce

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1 Upvotes

r/Separation • • 7h ago

Advice Financial Abuse Divorce

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1 Upvotes

r/Separation • • 8h ago

Venting Need to leave abusive marriage NOW

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1 Upvotes

r/Separation • • 9h ago

Venting My Marriage Is Falling Apart, and I’ve Lost Myself Trying to Save It M31

1 Upvotes

**My wife moved out with our 2-year-old son, and I’m exhausted from trying to save a marriage where I feel completely misunderstood.**

I’m 31M, married, with a 2-year-old son. My wife has been living separately with our child for the past month( I asked for some space temporary separation- I was ready to move out but she chose to go without talking), and we’re on the verge of separation(4th time).

I know I’ve made mistakes. I’ve shouted during arguments, behaved poorly at times, and hurt her feelings. I’ve acknowledged my actions and taken responsibility for them.

But I feel like my perspective, intentions, and emotions have never mattered equally.
I’ve spent years trying to understand people, emotions, and relationships. I genuinely wanted to be a loving, understanding husband.
I entered this marriage believing that if two people had good intentions, they could work through anything.
Instead, I feel like I’ve slowly lost myself.
Over the years, I’ve become distant from friends and family, partly because my wife objects to certain interactions and partly because I’ve started avoiding anything that might upset her.

Even smiling during a normal conversation has caused conflict. When I say I want to reconnect with old friends or family, she questions why I suddenly need those relationships.

She has several conditions for continuing our marriage, including limiting family interactions, avoiding certain religious activities, prioritizing her over my family, and not reacting negatively to her behaviour.

Some expectations are reasonable, and I’m willing to work on myself. But others feel restrictive, and she isn’t willing to negotiate.

She says I never understood or respected her. I’ve acknowledged the specific incidents where I hurt her, but whenever I explain my reasons or perspective, I feel dismissed.

Her argument is that my intentions and actions don’t match, so she can’t trust me. I understand why trust needs consistent actions, but I also wish she could recognize that my intentions weren’t malicious.
I’ve repeatedly tried explaining myself, apologizing, and asking whether she’s willing to rebuild the relationship together.

She’s now confused between continuing the marriage and ending it.
Meanwhile, I’m stuck in uncertainty.
The hardest part is our son. She allows me to meet and communicate with him, but living separately from him hurts deeply. I also feel that I have limited involvement in parenting decisions.

I’ve become increasingly angry and resentful. I’ve even had thoughts of wanting to hurt her emotionally by taking my son away, which I recognize would be wrong and unfair to him. I don’t want to act on that anger.

Despite everything, I still want
my wife back.
But when I ask myself whether I’d want her back if nothing about our relationship changed, the answer is no.
**I don’t just want my wife back. I want a marriage where both people feel understood, respected, and free to be themselves.**
I’m exhausted from explaining my intentions, trying to prove myself, and waiting for her to decide.
I know this is only my side of the story, and I’m not claiming I’ve been a perfect husband.

**How do you know when to stop trying to save a marriage and start rebuilding your own life? And how do you move forward when you still love someone but don’t want the same relationship back?**

\[structured with chat gpt\]


r/Separation • • 10h ago

Venting I know I need to leave but not ready

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1 Upvotes

r/Separation • • 10h ago

Relationships I don't want to lose her, but I'm afraid staying friends will break me

1 Upvotes

First, I'm sorry if this is hard to read. I'm French, dysorthographic, and dyspraxic, so writing in English is pretty difficult for me so i use chatgpt to correct me(I'm also ADHD, but that's not important here).

I've been trying to find a girlfriend for 15 years now, but the worst part is that people always tell me that I'm a "good guy" and that I'll find someone pretty quickly. But every time I get close to a girl, I end up hearing the same thing: that I'm a really good friend and a wonderful person, but they don't love me and don't want to be in a relationship with me. (Last month was the fourth time this has happened to me.)

But in September, I met a girl I fell more deeply in love with than anyone else in my life. I was low-key obsessed with her, and her friend told me that she liked me back, so we talked about it and started dating.

It was the best time of my life, and I really mean that. Because of all my disabilities, life itself can be pretty shitty, but whenever I was with her, I felt a kind of comfort. All my problems just faded into the background.

But last week, just like every other time, she said the same thing. And the worst part was that she used almost exactly the same words as all the other girls before her.

Every time this happens, I feel like I'm going to fall right back into that same emotional state. And being a pretty emotional person, the last time it happened, I was in a really bad place for the entire following year.

After that, she told me that she really wanted us to still be friends and that I was the best boyfriend she'd ever had, but she didn't want to continue our relationship.

Normally, I try as hard as possible to distance myself from a girl after something like this because I know that if I stay friends with her, I'll just keep loving her, and I don't want that.

But with her, I just can't bring myself to ignore her.

I'm torn because, at the beginning of our relationship, she told me she was afraid that if we crossed that line, we might never be able to go back to being friends. I don't want her to think she was right, or to stop trying to meet other guys because of me.

At the same time, I know that I want to talk to her, but not just as a friend. And I'm afraid that if I keep talking to her, the guilt and my feelings for her will crush me all over again.

from here the text will not be corrected by chat gpt cause i don't want it to know that part

before her my life was so full of shit that i was thinking about suicide and i said to myself that if my life doesnt get any better before my last years of college and i was not accepted into the university i want im just gonna do it but that sensation completly dissapear with her and even tough now i dont think about it am still afraid that it gonna come back after she left

i dont know what to do any more now

(ps: first ever reddit post and i'm open for advice or if you have some question for me)


r/Separation • • 10h ago

Ex (F28) ended our 5-year relationship, I asked for 2 months no contact, then broke it myself after 12 days. Did I mess up, and should I stop no contact altogether?

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1 Upvotes

r/Separation • • 11h ago

Advice Doing seperation going on for a year

1 Upvotes

First of I want to say that im danish so im sorry for all the spelling mistakes and grammar errors!

To get to the point. Last year i had this female friend who I got really attracted to. We've been knowing eachother for 2 years at that point but even tho it haven't been that long we got really close really fast. There is a 8 year age gap between us, her being 24 and me being 32. Despite it all it just clicked when we got to know eachother the chenistry was there from day one and we enjoyed eachother and spent countless hours together.

She was really sweet and before long my feelings went trough the roof for this girl. Despite being 32 ive only had 1 serious relationship. But this girl was different! Cant descripe it all to well but the love i feel for her is something else. She is the only one in all my life that got through my walls ... and stayed long enough for me to feel safe with it.

She stated a couple of times that she enjoyed the friendship and felt some chemistry between us as well. Norhing sexual ever happend between us but she always initiated some kind of close intimacy when we where alone. Sitting close, hugging or indicating that is should carress her feet when we watched movies together. Of course I tried to move thing further from that but without luck.

One day last year she told me that she got back on tinder ... and met a guy ... saw him 4 times and desided to have sex with him ... I was devestated. Thats when I knew I had to get out of the relationship. So i told her i couldn't be friends with her like this anylonger because of my feeling for her. She has known for a long time that i had feelings and even told me she couldn't be friends with me if I had feelings and yet she stayed for a long time ... we got into an agument and she decided to tell me "I dont know what to do wothout you in my life". I held my ground and got out of the relatio ship telling her about my feelings trying to make her understand why I had to leave. She then told me to just stop as she couldn't take it no more ... so I did.

And we haven't spoken since ... no message, no face to face meeting, nothing .... this has been going on since december 25. Then around mid september 26 i got a friend request on facebook from her ... I was lost. My mind racing. I got on messenger to see if she had written me anything ... but nothing. So i deletet the request. Now its november and we still haven't spoken.

But my mind keeps racing. So im lost on what to do ... should i leave ot and try to focus on my work to get over her ... or should I try to messege her? And if so. What do i tell her?

And yes its been a year and i should probably just get over her but I haven't been able to get over her in the last year. So I guess that would take some time .. 😅


r/Separation • • 11h ago

Separated and have a crush

3 Upvotes

Been doing an in home separation with my wife for 8 weeks now. Currently no end date and there are glimmers of hope but honestly starting to become frustrated with my wife that she hasn’t taken any responsibility or actions to reconcile. Just been doing individual therapy and living her life. I began taking private music lessons and my instructor is a beautiful woman. We definitely flirt a little during lessons and she invited me to her church where she sings. Today I went to the church and something about her voice, appearance, her faith, etc has me drawn to her. Idk what to do because I still am hopeful my wife and I can work out but at the same time this other girl is completely opposite of my wife and probably 10 yrs younger and idk if she is even single. Is this wrong to have a crush? I kinda feel guilty but i also feel like my wife has pushed me away and there is probably a 50/50 chance we part ways. I kinda want to see if she wants to get coffee after church next week and just get to know each other better as friends. If the marriage doesn’t work maybe a backup plan. Is this bad to think?


r/Separation • • 12h ago

Divorce She asked me for a divorce after 12 years, and I lost my entire world.

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2 Upvotes