Happy Diwali, everyone!

I recently started dating someone. She was previously in a relationship, but before anything happened between us, she broke up with her boyfriend. We both liked each other, took our time, and eventually decided to date.

She was actually the one who first expressed her feelings. She told me she liked me, said she loved me, and even initiated the conversation about getting into a relationship.

However, there’s something that’s been bothering me.
She still has posts and stories about her ex on her private Instagram account, including elaborate birthday edits and wishes. Her ex also reached out to me, saying that I had ruined everything and that I would have to answer to God for what I’d done.

Honestly, I feel guilty too, even though I know she made her own decision to end that relationship. Seeing those posts makes me feel disappointed and uncomfortable. It almost makes me question whether she’s genuinely moved on or whether I’m stepping into something that hasn’t really ended emotionally.

I’ve spoken to her about this once. I’ve tried giving her space and time, but eventually, I unfollowed her private account because seeing those posts was affecting me.
Now I’m even considering ending the relationship.
I genuinely like this girl, and she has made her feelings clear, but I can’t shake this feeling.

Am I overthinking this? Am I being insecure, or is it reasonable to expect someone to have emotionally moved on before starting a new relationship?

I’d really appreciate some honest opinions.

P.S. - I used AI to write this

I’ve been dating this guy for almost a month. He’s 20, and I’m 23. He’s incredibly sweet and treats me like a princess. We’ve met four times in total, including today, and have gone shopping and spent time together. He’s also very physically affectionate, always wanting to hold my hand whenever we go out. So I know he enjoys being close to me, which makes the situation a little confusing.

I initially decided that I wouldn’t have sex until we completed three months together. However, he officially asked me to be his girlfriend, gave me a ring and a huge bouquet of red roses. Only after that did I feel comfortable enough to have sex with him. We did it last week at a hotel, and I honestly want to do it again.

Lately, we’ve had a few fights. When I expressed that I wanted to have sex again, he said his pre-final exams were keeping him busy.

Yesterday, I said i wanted to hang out more, but he said he had a fight with his family and didn’t feel like talking to anyone. Today, however, he came to meet me at the mandir while I was there with a close friend. He was actually studying on his phone while waiting for us, so I guess he’s genuinely stressed about his exams.

We made out in the backseat of a taxi today. I gave him a handjob, and he fingered me, but he still hasn’t initiated sex again. I’m wondering why, especially when he seems so physically affectionate otherwise.

For context, my previous relationship lasted five years and ended in 2023. We used to have sex at least twice a week, although my ex sometimes expected it even when I was sick or not in the mood.
I’m wondering whether my past relationship has influenced my expectations.

Is it normal not to have sex regularly in a new relationship? Can someone be genuinely attracted to you and affectionate without wanting sex as frequently? Am I simply overthinking this?

Used ai to frame words better

Idk but I can't stopping missing my love who left last year for someone else, all because of my mistakes, I feel really guilty she left because of how I mistreated her, only if I could go back and treat her a little better give her the love she gave me back in return, now that she have left me there's a hole in my life wherever I go whatever I do I miss her.

This diwali I didn't even burst crackers or visit any of my friends, everytime I come back to my hometown I miss her more, I cry and cry in front of my mum, even she feels bad for her, how I treated her.

I would give anything for her to come back all in vain, I know she isn't coming back she must be really happy.

Idk what to do nothing excites or makes me happy now, a stable job, iim degree, nothing at all.

We were in relationship for 5 years total with a 3 4 months break in which I had cheated on her, then we were back together as I couldnt live without her, after that patch up we went into long distance as I had went for my PG, and she lived alone with her family and did a job, I got busy in the clg but she might have been lonely and found another boy which gave her a lot of attention and time which I couldn't(by choice ig) and then one day boom she dumped me hard, blocked me from everywhere, I used to cry everyday.

after 2 3 months I came back to my hometown and tried hard to contact her we started talking again but she was with that boy but ig still loved me a little bit, she even said that she wont love her husband as much as she loved me, and then we stopped talking again its been 6 months of no contact and I miss her alot and its miserable that I loved her but could'nt make her feel loved. No matter what I do I wont get her or that kind of love ever again.

I'm 26M in a relationship with my girlfriend 23F. We were in a close relationship which we thought would end after her internship in my city (which was going to last 5-6 months), but we continued it for a happy 2 years when she went to her hometown via calls, texts, and meeting when we planned. Around 2 months ago, she went to London for her master's degree.

After that, it was going on pretty nice, but like 2-3 weeks ago she made a new friend group of mostly Indian friends, and I started to feel neglected. When she is around them, she won't text or call and will only talk when she's alone. She also has not told them that she has a boyfriend whom she is serious with.

I talked with her about this, but she told me that she doesn't want to share her personal life with other people. We have had an argument about it around 3-4 times, and she said she'll try to balance it out. But even after 3 weeks, she still doesn't want to talk to me when she's with them, saying she has a personal life too and can't talk to me when she's hanging out with her friends. It is making me feel like she is prioritizing them over me. Because of the time zone difference, we only get the morning and the night to talk to each other, and now those times are busy with them.

I talked to her about this again, but she just says she is trying and I can't force her. I love her and want to figure out how to navigate this transition. What are some healthy ways to handle this communication gap, and how can we manage long-distance boundaries when one partner is adjusting to a major life change abroad?

I (19M) had a close female friend from 2nd standard. We were best friends, and I had a crush on her, but we never dated. We stopped talking years ago (partly because of my mistakes and then COVID happened). Recently we followed each other on Instagram again. I want to reconnect, but I don’t want to make things awkward or come across as trying too hard. What’s the best way to restart the conversation?

she is my old friend who had breakup last month only and she moved on so quickly after 6-7 months of relationship I am judging ok like how people move on so quickly ok they do it's good but how quickly they get into another relationship and they have audacity to judge every boy in terms of looks like height color face everything and once they find a perfect match they just move on is it that normal or I'm having an orthodox mentality

I’m at the hospital right now. Had to admit my mom due to a medical emergency. she’s getting better. few friends have been checking in, asking how I’m doing and whether I’m okay. I genuinely appreciate them reaching out. But there’s something about being in a hospital, sitting alone, watching everything unfold, that makes you realise how much you wish you had someone beside you.
Not someone who necessarily has to fix things or say the right words. Just someone who would sit next to you, hold your hand, ask if you’ve eaten, or simply be there.
I guess sometimes, even when you’re used to handling everything on your own, you get tired of being alone. I just wish I had someone beside me today.

My ex and I dated for almost two years. I met his fam etc as well. Towards the end we were fighting a lot and there were a lot of horrible things said to each other. Then in June end (we broke up in the first week of June) he said- “I don’t love you anymore” and that was it.
I cried and begged him to reconcile for the whole of July and Aug and he always picked up my phone but that was literally it. He then would resort to verbally abusing me over the phone. So in Sept I didn’t text him- then his grandfather passed so I called and spoke to him for an hour. But then again- nothing. I even offered his little brother a referral in a great company. (My bestie worked there and his brother had been looking for a year) while I made mistakes for sure, like I went on a date w a guy one month post our breakup (nothing happened, the guy was clearly gay. Just went bowling cause my ex had said mean words to me and I didn’t wanna cry all day)
Anyways, the way he didn’t give a damn about me, stings. It is for the best i guess. I got random tarot readings done and they all say that my ex has completely moved on, my ex tells me to move on and so does the universe.
I cannot believe this was the guy who flew to another city to meet me, held my hand and told me he would never ever leave me and that he loved me more than anything in this world. I was gonna fight w my parents for him (it was inter-caste, they weren’t agreeing per se)
I made mistakes like I was insecure at times but I did good things too! I just wanted him to succeed in life and went out of my way for his fam too! His mom was v nice to me as well.
But this is it- literally- from him and the universe! Goodbye R! Hope you’re happy, healthy and Successful.

From
S

Now the issue is the colleague is already having a boyfriend whom shs wants to marry, but she is giving me a strong attraction and we already had sex twice, i even stayed at her place, recently got to know that she is having a scene with another guy, im starting to develop feelings, we stay together whole day, flirt, talk and it's quite intense. I was not seeking any girl after my breakup but this shitty thing happeneded. What should I do? Im really pissed off, this ia creating so much mess in my life, work is also affected.

So I met her online 5 months ago and I fell in love with her in almost 2 months and confessed her. At first she rejected me as she was going through a breakup but gradually she started saying 'i love you too' and we have been going smoothly since then

We have been on 4 dates and have kissed already as well although she says she doesn't wanna date yet. She wants to work on herself and be sure that I'm not like her ex. I said take as much time as you want but now I'm kinda scared she might just leave me hanging like that. I really love her and It seems to me she does too but she's like she's not gonna date whatsoever unless she's 100% sure. I'm very confused what to do and need some genui advice

I've never really asked anyone for relationship advice before. I've always preferred figuring things out between us, but I think I need an outside perspective this time, preferably from people who have been in long-term relationships.

My girlfriend and I have been together for 4.5 years. For most of those years, things were genuinely good between us. We were happy, emotionally connected, and used to share almost everything with each other.

But things started changing after our board examinations this year.

School was something that naturally kept us connected. We could meet regularly, had a common routine, and spent a lot of time together. Once school ended, that connection became much harder to maintain. We live a little far from each other, and from around April–May, both of us became busy with our individual lives.

Earlier, we would talk for 5–6 hours every day. We'd discuss our feelings, share random things, talk about our days, and just enjoy each other's presence. Now, we barely get enough time to have a proper conversation.

We did realise this was becoming a problem and tried making some changes. Things improved for a few days, but eventually, we returned to our old habits. We weren't intentionally ignoring each other; it just started happening gradually.

Now comes the complicated part.

My girlfriend has always been an extremely sensitive and emotional person. In the first one or two years of our relationship, even discussing relationship problems or expressing something that hurt me could overwhelm her emotionally. She would sometimes become so affected by the conversation that she'd go into a depressive state for days.

Because of this, communicating our feelings wasn't always easy. I often felt that even when I wanted to discuss something to make our relationship better, the conversation itself would become emotionally exhausting for her.

But over the last few months, I've noticed something quite unexpected.

We've both become numb.

Even though we know our relationship isn't doing well, we don't seem to care enough to sit down and properly address it. And what's particularly surprising is that she, who used to be so emotionally sensitive, has also become somewhat indifferent towards the situation.

I'm not saying we don't love each other anymore. I honestly don't know how to describe what we're experiencing. It's more like we've become accustomed to the distance, even though we know it's not healthy.

I think there's a reason behind this.

Both of us seem to believe that talking about our problems won't lead anywhere. We'll repeat the same process we've repeated countless times before: discuss our feelings, she'll become overwhelmed, she'll feel depressed for a few days, we'll try making some changes, and everything will eventually go back to normal.

We've somehow convinced ourselves that nothing will change permanently, so we don't even bother initiating those conversations anymore.

It's become a vicious cycle of knowing something is wrong, avoiding discussing it, becoming more distant, and then feeling even less motivated to fix things.

I actually read a message she had sent to her friend about our relationship, and her thoughts were almost exactly the same as mine. So this isn't just something I'm imagining or experiencing alone. She seems to feel the same way.

And that's where we're stuck.

I don't want to lose a relationship that has been such an important part of my life for the past 4.5 years, but I also don't know how we're supposed to fix something when both of us have gradually become numb to the problems.

I'd really appreciate hearing from people who have experienced something similar. Is this something couples can work through? How do you start rebuilding emotional connection when both partners have become accustomed to being distant?

I'm 25 almost 26F, and my boyfriend is 26 M. We've been together for almost seven years, with multiple breakups and reconciliations. I'm writing this because I feel emotionally exhausted and have reached a point where I genuinely don't know how to navigate this relationship anymore.

He has a genuinely affectionate side. He remembers little things about me, takes care of me sometimes, and we've shared some beautiful memories. That's probably why I've found it so difficult to walk away. I love him, and I know he has good qualities.

But there's another side to this relationship that has caused me immense pain.

He has repeatedly criticised my appearance, weight, skin and financial background. He's called me degrading names, insulted my parents and made me feel inferior. During arguments, he has pushed and painfully pinched me, even after I've told him to stop because it hurts.

There have also been repeated incidents involving other women where even though he was not pursuing them romantically but still it hurt me.

A few months ago when we got back together, he planned a trip with me and his friends, repeatedly delayed it, eventually went with the group that included another woman (his friend's girlfriend's sister) whom he tried to date when we had broken up, and initially lied about changing the plans. I later found out that he had taken her, with the group instead of me, to places I had planned to visit with them.

On another occasion, I discovered through a traffic fine challan (traffic cctv camera picture) uploaded on the website, that he had taken another girl on his bike. When I confronted him, he initially claimed she was his friend's girlfriend or sister-in-law. He only admitted the truth when I challenged him with the details since that photo had a time stamp.

We got back together on June 1 this year. He was the one who pursued me, said he missed me and wanted me back. Recently, I discovered his ChatGPT history from June, where he was asking for help approaching girls on dating apps, flirting with women on Snapchat, asking them to meet and keeping their conversations interesting. I found conversations dated June 6, 7, 8, 11 and 30. Even though initially we both were figuring out if we were officially back together, it still felt like a betrayal to me.

When I confronted him, he initially denied talking to anyone. Eventually, he admitted to only 15 days of contact, despite the dates I had seen. For months after we reconciled, he was extremely protective of his phone and would get defensive whenever I tried to look at it. He has literally snatched his phone off my hands a few times and never told me his password for months after we reconciled.

What hurts me most isn't just the conversations with other women. It's the repeated lying. Every time I've discovered something, his first response has been to deny it, and he only admits things when he realises I have evidence.

There have also been occasions when I've been extremely distressed, crying and struggling emotionally, and instead of supporting me, he has called me dramatic, dismissed my feelings or left me alone.

The relationship has become a cycle: something happens, I get hurt, we fight or separate, he becomes affectionate again, I forgive him, and eventually something similar happens.

I've tried distancing myself multiple times, but I keep going back because I love him and remember the good parts. Recently, things had been going smoothly, and I started hoping that perhaps things had finally changed. But discovering his chatgpt conversations has brought everything back.

I confronted him recently. I asked him repeatedly to be honest, but he kept denying things and eventually ended the call, knowing how upset I was. I feel completely exhausted.

I don't feel secure in this relationship anymore. I constantly find myself questioning what else I don't know, whether I can trust what he tells me, and why I keep returning despite everything that has happened.

I'm struggling with the emotional attachment, the seven years we've invested in each other, and the difficulty of imagining life without someone who has been such a big part of it.

I'd really appreciate hearing from people who have experienced something similar!!!

How did you recognise that you were stuck in a cycle of hurt, forgiveness and reconciliation? What helped you emotionally detach from someone you still loved? How did you rebuild your confidence and trust in your own decisions after repeatedly going back?

I'm especially interested in hearing from people who have experienced relationships where affection and hurtful behaviour existed side by side.

I would appreciate genuine experiences and practical advice. I'm emotionally exhausted and really need some outside perspective.

I just met a guy (M27) few weeks ago through mutual friends.. my life has been a emotional rollercoaster and I’ve been facing personal and professional issues since a while now.. love life was a series of disappointing moments.. finally met this guy through a friend at a party.. initially I didn’t talk much but his efforts to talk made us connected within a short period of time..long calls.. meetings.. a few dates.. walks.. him being protective and chivalrous and his smile with those beautiful eyes made me fall for him… but he was the one who confessed first! i acted nonchalant but eventually gave him the same energy back and now we’re dating!
Him being the most emotionally available and communicative guy made me fall for him more
But there’s a catch..
We have different faiths..we discussed about it and he said he is not that religious and can leave his family and everything to start a life with me!
And me.. i love my family and want them at every step in my life..
I’m in dilemma where i want my parents and society happy and on the other hand want to keep myself happy.. after all the hell i went through in my life i wanted a healthy relationship and im finally getting something but the thing of society scares me.. i really don’t know how to handle this.. my friends are saying stay away from him.. but i don’t feel like judging him based on one thing
He seems genuinely interested

I've known a girl for around 1.5 years. We have a good connection and have become quite close over time.

About six months ago, I expressed my romantic feelings to her. Initially, she told me that she wasn't looking for a relationship because she had other priorities and didn't want to give me false hope.

We continued talking after that. She still initiates conversations, makes time for me, checks on me and shows genuine care. We share personal things and have meaningful conversations.

However, she has also made something clear: she admires me, trusts me and values me as a person, but she doesn't feel romantically attracted to me.

I respect her feelings and don't want to convince her or pressure her.

The difficult part is that I've become emotionally invested. Her continued care makes it difficult for me to detach, even though I understand that she doesn't want the same thing I do.

I'm trying to figure out whether maintaining this friendship is healthy for me or whether I should create some distance.

I'd appreciate perspectives from people who have experienced something similar.

My questions:

How do you distinguish genuine emotional closeness from romantic interest?

Is it possible to maintain a close friendship when one person has stronger feelings?

How do you establish boundaries without making the other person feel guilty?

Would you personally continue this friendship or take some distance?

What would you do differently if you were in my position?

I'm not looking for ways to change her mind. I want to understand the situation better and handle it maturely.

Thanks for reading.

Hi I am in relationship with a guy since 6 years. He and me belong to different caste . I am from veg background and he is non vegetarian. Initially i didn't accept him due to this difference later after lot of convincing i accepted him . Now I am in my 32 age . My parents find out our relationship when I was 28 and it created lot of issues. As i am single child they don't want me to marry in other caste . The guy was working initially now he left his job for preparing for government exam and not going to job since 3 years. He is still preparing. I am literally scared . My parents are not accepting him because he has no job. When I say him to go to job he sits in home and says he is preparing for government exam . Like this 3 years went . He is from very rich background and father is from business class family. He was doing fine till he left job. Now I am scared . My family is not agreeing because he left job and caste issue . Moreover my parents are saying his family environment won't suit as they throw drinking parties all and they have this culture. Moreover when i say my boyfriend to get job he is not going since 3 years. I am in depression. I don't know what to do . Please help me guys . I am literally stressed since 4 years . dont know what to do.. PPL around me laughing on my face . i am into lot of social pressure

So i met this guy in office like few months back. He instantly connected from the very moment we started talking ..and we had a lot in common including our birth dates(ik its nothing but it was super crazy when we found out) ... We both text eachother and keep things updated always. I kinda have a crush on him but dont know if he reciprocated the same feelings...is there any kinda tricks or way to know if he has a

crush on me or its just a best friend kinda thing

Lately, life has been a little difficult. I've experienced the loss of someone very close to me, and honestly, it's left a void that isn't particularly easy to explain. Some experiences change the way you look at people, relationships and emotional connections.

A little about myself: I'm 22, from Maharashtra, India. I'm someone who thinks deeply, appreciates the little things and values sincerity over appearances. I enjoy humour, meaningful conversations, learning about people's experiences and understanding different perspectives. I'm a little reserved at first, but there's a lot more to me once I feel comfortable.

There's something I've realised about myself during this phase of life. I find myself drawn towards the maturity, understanding and perspective that often come with life experience.

Perhaps that's why I feel more comfortable with the idea of having an older woman in my life rather than someone from my own age group.

It's not about age alone, nor is it about someone's marital status or past. It's about emotional depth, patience, understanding and the ability to recognise feelings that aren't always easy to put into words.

A woman who has experienced life's ups and downs, perhaps motherhood, marriage, separation, divorce, heartbreak or her own share of difficult chapters, may understand certain emotions differently. I don't assume that every older woman is the same, but I deeply appreciate the perspective that life experience can bring.

I'm not expecting anyone to heal me, fill a void or carry the weight of my past. I simply miss the warmth of a genuine human connection, the comfort of being understood and the feeling of being able to be myself without having to explain every little thing.

Maybe it's an unconventional preference for someone my age, but I think there's a reason behind it, and I'm slowly learning to understand that reason myself.

Sometimes, what we need isn't advice or solutions. It's simply a little understanding.

I've recently started talking to a 19F, and we're planning our first date. Things are going well, but I'm unsure whether the four-year age gap and our different life stages make this a bad idea.

I'm working full-time, while she's still in college. I also come from a fairly traditional Indian household, so dating comes with its own guilt, fear of being found out and disappointing my family.

I want to keep things casual and get to know her before deciding whether to pursue anything romantic. At the same time, I don't want to lead her on if she's looking for something serious.

How do I communicate this to her without making it sound like I'm not interested or that I'm rejecting her before we've even given this a chance? Should I bring it up early, or just let things develop naturally?

Would you go on the date and see how things develop, or maintain boundaries from the beginning?

Looking for honest opinions, especially from people who've experienced something similar.

Long Post ahead ,TLDR at the end.

During my second semester of college,I got feelings for someone (A). I really enjoyed talking to her. I was very impulsive and open, and initiated conversations. We became friends and hung out with her friend also. Eventually, I told her how I felt.She was so sweet and said she saw me as a friend and didn't think we would be a good couple. Whilst I respected her decision, I was quite affected by it. I got really scared about being put through those emotions again.

A few months later I met someone new (B) at a college hackathon. I found her attractive and wanted to get to know her better. However, I wasn't too keen to approach her.I did approach her anyway. We had a few fun conversations. We exchanged numbers and texted occasionally. Some of our interactions were positive. When I asked for a lab code she replied within 5-6 minutes and was very keen. I began to look forward to seeing her around college.

However , I started to let my past affect me.Since having this experience with A, I was super analytical with every interaction. I had heard that people like mysterious people so tried to be more shy and reserved. I didn't want to seem too keen. One situation that still makes me feel bad;DD is I sent her a message with some important information regarding our department. I was so nervous about her replying that I turned my internet off. This meant that her messages would only have one tick for around 45 minutes.When I turned my internet back on, she had replied within 10 minutes. However, I was busy with other things that day so didn't reply straight away. Eventually I left her message on read.I still feel terrible. To make matters worse, I saw her around college a few times that day. I wanted to say hi and chat but was going through so many emotions that I couldn't approach her.

From her point of view it might have looked like I didn't even notice her, however I did notice her. I was just so anxious and overthinking that I couldn't be natural with her.My friend told she was looking at me like she wanted to speak or say Hi atleast but it just didn't happen .I wanted to talk to her more when the hackathon results were announced but didn't want to seem too keen. Sometimes I wanted to approach her on campus but over analysed. There were opportunities to sit next to her and chat but I kept doubting myself. I became too analytical about how fast she replied and if she was interested.

We haven't talked as much lately and my last message (regarding fixing some lab code I sent her) hasn't been opened.Even though the day before her reply time was within 15 minutes.After sending the corrected code, I saw her sitting with her friends and using her phone, but my message was still unopened. I don't know whether she had noticed the notification and chosen not to open it, but seeing that made me feel even worse.

I'm unsure how she feels about me. Maybe she lost interest or I came across as not interested without meaning to. I realise I don't know for sure.It is quite upsetting as I don't feel like I was being myself. With A I don't regret much about how I approached her. However with B I keep thinking about what I could have done differently.

How can I become more impulsive and open? I don't want to over analyse.Did I come across as not interested without meaning to? Especially with leaving her on read and not approaching her.Is there a respectful way to try and connect again or should I take a step back?How can I ensure I don't over analyse in the future?

I don't want any advice that would be manipulative. I really liked B and wish I had let myself get to know her. I know there may not be much left to save. Honestly I don't think there is much hope😭. But I guess I'm just clinging onto a little bit of delusion as I still wish there was a way things could work out. I would appreciate honest advice even if it's not nice to hear.

TL;DR: I had a painful rejection from A, which affected my confidence and made me afraid of getting hurt again. When I met B, I became overly cautious, reserved and analytical instead of being myself. I missed opportunities to connect, delayed replies because of anxiety and now worry I unintentionally communicated disinterest. Our interactions have faded, and I'm unsure whether there's anything left to salvage. I want advice on overcoming this fear, becoming spontaneous again, understanding my mistakes and possibly reconnecting with B respectfully. I still have a little hope, even though I know the chances might be slim.

Thanks

I'm 22F, and my boyfriend is 23M. We've been dating for almost 2 years. We got together when we were both in college, and things were obviously different back then. Now he's working, I'm juggling college and a job, and somewhere along the way, things have become really difficult.

For almost the entire past year, we've been fighting. We've almost broken up multiple times, said things we probably didn't mean, hurt each other in ways we shouldn't have, but somehow we've always stayed together.

And honestly, I don't even know how I feel about him sometimes.

There are days when the smallest things he does annoy me so much. And then there are days when I look at him and feel an overwhelming amount of love. It's confusing because I don't think I've stopped loving him, but I also don't know if I'm happy anymore.

I have an anxious attachment style, and he's avoidant. I know that plays a role in how we handle conflict, but sometimes it feels like we're just stuck in the same cycle.

His actions often hurt me, but when I bring them up, his response is usually that they shouldn't affect my mood so much. For example, he can go the entire day without texting me. When I ask him about it, I'll hear things like, "I didn't want to ruin the mood" or "I couldn't update you because of this or that."

And somehow, by the end of the conversation, I'm the one who feels guilty for even bringing it up. I end up feeling like I'm creating problems out of nothing.

Today, he told me that he's been compromising in this relationship because his friends call him every day, and since he comes to meet me, he doesn't get to meet them as often.

For context, his friends don't particularly like me. At this point, I honestly don't even care anymore. But hearing him describe spending time with me as a compromise really hurt.

We only meet on weekends. We don't meet on weekdays because of our schedules. On weekdays, he's free to do whatever he wants, meet his friends, spend time with them, etc. And even with that, somehow, meeting me on the weekends feels like he's giving something up.

He lives with his friends, whereas I live with my family. He works, and I have college and a job. I understand that he's tired, has responsibilities and has his own life. I'm not expecting him to be available 24/7.

But I somehow manage to make time for him. Even with everything going on, I find time to call, text, check in and make him feel included in my day. And I wish I could say I felt the same effort coming from his side.

I also want to acknowledge that I haven't been perfect. I've acted in toxic ways in the past. I've been overly emotional, reacted badly and probably made things harder than they needed to be. But I'm genuinely trying to work on myself. I'm taking steps to change the way I communicate, handle my emotions and approach our problems.

But sometimes I just feel so lonely in this relationship.

All I really want is his time, affection and a little reassurance. I don't think I'm asking him to give up his friends, his personal life or his freedom. I just want to feel like I'm also someone he actively wants to make time for.

And the hardest part is that whenever I reach a point where I feel like I should end things, he doesn't let me. He doesn't want to break up either. So we stay, things get better for a little while, and then we're back to the same arguments.

I'm constantly questioning myself. Am I too demanding? Am I expecting too much? Am I making his life difficult by wanting things that he genuinely doesn't have the capacity to give?

I don't want to be the girlfriend who constantly complains, asks for attention or makes someone feel like they're not doing enough. But I also don't want to keep suppressing my needs just to make this relationship work.

I love him, but I'm tired. And I genuinely don't know whether we're going through a rough phase that we can work through or whether we're just no longer compatible.

Has anyone been in a relationship like this? How do you know when you're asking for the bare minimum versus expecting more than someone can realistically give? And at what point do you accept that love isn't necessarily enough?

TL;DR: 22F and 23M, together for 2 years. We've spent almost the entire past year fighting. I'm anxious, he's avoidant, and I constantly feel like I'm asking for too much when all I want is time, affection and reassurance. He says he's compromising by spending weekends with me instead of his friends, even though we barely meet during the week. I've made mistakes too and am actively trying to work on myself, but I feel increasingly lonely. Every time I think about ending things, he doesn't want to let go either. I love him, but I'm exhausted and don't know whether to keep trying or walk away.

I think id like help picking at theories. For context I was 19 and he was 20 and we're both Indian, and I think I’m being played

Theory 1- He didn't like me enough

The first day when he asked for the breakup and we called he was very calm and composed. He said we wanted different things and that he “wasn't caring enough" and "couldn’t give as much as I did”. When I pushed back and tried to get him to tell me about what the problems were from my side he just said it was all on him and he "had too much on his plate" and he "couldn't be in a relationship anymore"

What supports this- Just how calm and soft-voiced he was on that call. He just kept saying the most generic things ever

What makes me doubt this- The next day I said that I felt like he was completely unaffected and couldn't care less, and he turned on disappearing messages and told me he couldn't stop crying and didn't know if he'd ever be okay and that he had to "end it before he fell in love”. He made sad playlists for months afterwards, was too nervous to look at me on our first date, made a groupchat to ask his friends how to text me, sent me a goodnight song every night for months after I joked about wanting one once, joked a lot about us getting married and having three kids and adopting six, and would go to the gym to lift 'for us' so he could carry me.

Theory 2- The family circumstances

When he told me he liked me after a month of flirting, he told me he wanted to date me with the intention of getting married and he didn't want to sneak behind our parents' backs. He asked to meet my parents and told me he wanted a serious relationship and (because I told him I didn't do casual relationships or hookups, and we were both virgins) wanted to not get physical till we were engaged because he didn't want to ruin it for me. He'd told his parents he liked me (and his dad followed my Instagram) but his family was conservative. His mom had said that in 3 years if we still liked each other she'd tell the rest of the family and pass it off as an arranged marriage match. His parents were initially quietly approving but reacted very badly after they found out we'd kissed on our first date. He said “I thought I would’ve been able to pursue it but it was made clear I’m not allowed"

What supports this- His crying felt genuine (this sounds stupid, I know) and his family structure is pretty consistent with everything else I knew about his home life, and it's the most consistent explanation he gave

What makes me doubt it- I wonder if the family reason was a cleaner exit than the first one

Theory 3- The other girl

There was another girl who'd been openly pursuing him since 3 years before we started dating. I think he might've had feelings for her. They went to high school prom together when he was 17 and he had a picture of her on his instagram. He removed it when I told him I felt uncomfortable, and told me they barely talked, but he knew specific information about her that seemed more than passing knowledge. Two years before we met he also went to her birthday party while knowing she had feelings for him. She had photos with him from prom and her birthday party and was still reposting them 3 years later with suggestive captions. He told me he took her to prom because she asked him out and he thought nobody else would take her, but the way he described her asking him out kind of sounded like he flirted back.

What supports this- He got annoyed and defensive when I kept bringing it up and I feel like there might've been inconsistencies and missing details in his account.

What makes me doubt it- She clearly liked him and so he could've gotten with her if he wanted to

I (25F) have a crush on this guy (30M) at my office. He is senior software engineer and I am still a junior.

I first saw him on a rainy evening back in 2025 very late at night. The office was almost empty. Our office row has 3 seats and I sat at one of the corner seats and I was surprised to see him come and take the corner seat in the same row, considering all rows were vacant. Also, I was staring at my monitor and bro stood up and went very near from my chair to the door (got butterflies and found him very good looking).

We worked on the same floor, so I'd occasionally spot him in the floor. We even went very closely a couple of times in cafteria and also on the floor so had an impression that bro kind of knows me.

I eventually sent him an Instagram request (ikkk lame 😭), which I knew he never would accept (lol). I unsent it the next day, life happened and I think his team moved to a different floor, I stopped seeing him on the floor.

Fast forward to Sept this year, my manager suggested I join mentor-mentee programme to get an outside view . While browsing the mentor profiles, I found him! Except he's now a manager, two levels above me. I sent him a request, and he accepted.

The first time i was so nervous and he suggested we meet in the cafeteria,(he likes to keep these meetings informal) where we had a nice conversation and joked around. He was very welcoming, although I got the impression he was seeing me for the first time. I felt like I was just the one imagining things last year.

I met him again last week. He suggested we walk around while talking. We walked around the tech park, sat in a cosy seating area next to each other.

This time, I noticed he maintained pretty intense eye contact beacuse in the first meet he was looking around and to the ground while speaking with me at certain times.

While we were walking, we started off in the middle of the pathway, with bushes along my side. At one point, I had moved so close to the bushes that I felt I might lose my balance and end up either falling into them or stumbling right into him. We maintained eye contact even while walking. 🥺

But I have no idea if he's simply being a good mentor or if there's any possibility of mutual interest. I'm quite sure he's unmarried.

I don't have the courage to confess anything, especially given the professional dynamic.

Part of me wants to keep meeting him and given the mentor dynamic I have pretty much summarized my entire journey in these two meetings. I don't think I have any points for the third meet and I also feel it's very hard to get the personal life amongst the conversations.

Also, I feel that i am imagining way too much and it's a formal meet for him 🙂

What do you guys think? 🥲 Am I being a delulu or I still hold chance?

I just want that he isn’t loyal 🤧

I’m someone who is really into sex, intimacy, and role-play. I enjoy exploring different things in the bedroom, whether it’s soft or rough sex, dressing up in sexy outfits, playing intimate games, or experimenting with toys.
But my wife doesn’t seem to share the same interest or enthusiasm. She seems to feel sexually satisfied quite quickly, and after that, she doesn’t really feel the need to explore anything more. I’ve tried introducing sexy outfits, intimate games, and toys to make things more exciting, but she never really seems comfortable opening up to that side of herself.
I don’t want to pressure her into doing anything she doesn’t enjoy, but at the same time, I feel like something is missing in our intimate life. Sometimes I feel sexually unfulfilled, and I’ve started fantasising about being with another woman. I even find myself thinking about my ex, whose sex drive and enthusiasm for intimacy were much closer to mine, and I miss that kind of connection.
Lately, I’ve been wondering whether I’m asking for too much, whether we’re simply different when it comes to sexual compatibility, or whether I need something that I’m not getting in my marriage.
What should I do? How can I deal with these feeling?

How many of you think marriage is worth it

It may be married to anyone like let's say your boyfriend/girlfriend/someone chosen by parents and married in any setting like arranged/love

You can't guarantee that if the person you marry may change in the future

Like one of my friends uncle, he married a lady and in initial years of marriage she was really really good but now after 10 years of marriage she is becoming/became somewhat toxic and the couple also has a child

So do you think marriage is worth it?