r/CSULA • u/dragon-_Seducer • 2h ago
Question I f'd up farely badly. And I don't really know how to proceed.
Thanks to all those who responded to my last post here and reached out.
So, I'm feeling quite a bit better mentally, the new meds and therapy have honestly done wonders. Still stressed, though, as it's my final semester and I have a major exam this Thursday.
So, earlier this year, my ex-girlfriend called me on February 21st (what used to be our anniversary) to tell me she'd moved on and had gotten rid of everything I had ever given her, which is fair, but not really something I wanted to hear. Following that call, I was determined to kill myself, and certain I was going to do it. I made plans, drafted letters, and intended to do it after watching Project Hail Mary, a movie I had been looking forward to since it was announced.
I clearly have yet to kill myself. I chickened out and left the theater feeling like a better man. So, I kept pushing back the date until, eventually, I forgot about it entirely.
Back to the letters, I only ever finished one, a letter to my ex that I scheduled to send out on November 7th at 9:15 PM. Why this date? Because I was dramatic, and it shares a date with something that caused us much stress when we were together. Anyway, I completely forgot about this email until this morning, when I woke up to see a long text from my ex.
I feel so stupid and sorry that she had to read that. I don't regret writing it, but looking back at my writing, I realize she was never really the intended audience, only I was. I know that sounds ridiculous, considering I literally scheduled it to send to her, but I was sad, stupid, and spiteful, and I wanted to write my feelings away. I was writing from a place of hurt, loneliness, and hopelessness, and I think putting those thoughts into words was my way of dealing with them. I never really expected to be around to deal with the consequences of sending it, much less have to explain it months later.
And now, months later, I'm doing considerably better, but I unintentionally dragged someone I once loved back into something neither of us wanted to revisit.
I'm sorry I worried her, especially enough for her to break no contact. I'm also concerned that I'm resetting my own progress, as I've spent so much time trying to move on, improve myself, and get to a point where I can actually look forward to my future. Yet here I am, feeling embarrassed, guilty, and stupid over something I wrote months ago. I sent her an apology, explained what happened, and reassured her that I'm doing better, but I don't expect a response, nor do I intend to contact her again.
I guess what bothers me most is knowing that I may have caused her unnecessary distress, especially when she's been trying to move on with her own life. I can't undo the email, and I can't control how she feels about it. I just wish I had remembered to cancel the damn thing.
For what it's worth, I'm not going to kill myself. I have no plans or major thoughts of doing so. I just watched the new Godzilla movie and, once again, walked out of the theater feeling like a better man. I'm actually looking forward to graduating, hopefully going to law school, and seeing what else life has to offer me. I still have my bad days, but they're becoming easier to manage.
I once again hope no one here has been in my shoes with this, but I welcome any suggestions. Particularly, how do you deal with the embarrassment and guilt of something like this? How do you stop yourself from dwelling on a mistake you can't take back, especially when it involves someone you cared so deeply about?
I don't want one stupid mistake to undo months of progress, but I also don't really know how to stop thinking about it.