this post was submitted on 03 Sep 2023
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Relationship Advice

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I am my gfs first partner, she is my second. The girl I dated prior (for 6 months) was a vlogger and for like 3 months made a lotta relationship and prank videos wth me which I was fine with at the time. Now my current gf is my first ever real crush and Ive been into her for a decade.

So my gf stalked my ex somehow, idk how consodering Im not on social media myself (this account is the literal exception). She then asked a LOT of questions about my ex, I dodged just about every question. After that she just pulled away and was distant and would barely talk to me or meet up. She finally told me she found my ex's yt channel and watched every single thing on there.

Now I think Ive been VERY understanding and comforting to her, reassuring her literally every day since, being very loving and romantic to the point of cringing myself out. But she never really got over what she saw, idk if she rewatched that stuff or not but it was def smth thats always been in the back of her mind. She also knows that I broke up with my ex since I was moving countries and not bc the relationship was bad.

Now for the terrible part, smth i truly did not remember was that me and my ex had made a more personal video which was still saved somewhere on my laptop. I absolutely did not know of this and if I did I woulda gotten rid of it. Now my gf has access to my laptop (with my approval ofc) and she somehow stumbled upon it, I caught her curled up in my bed absolutely bawling her eyes out with the video playing on my desk. I have never felt this disgusting.

This is the first time my gf has denied my hug for comfort or just been so repulsed by me, she wont touch me while i explained everything, I deleted said video infront of her and begged her for a week. First she told me she needed to think things over but knowing her she wanted me chasing and I did just that, second week Ive given her space and theres been no change. We have had 2 dry 5 min convos in the last week.

How do I fix this or make it upto her???

Tl;dr: Gf found an old personal video involving an ex and wont talk to me anymore.

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[–] [email protected] 158 points 1 year ago (3 children)

TBH if this is being caused by just videos of you and your ex doing harmless things, it sounds like she’s not really ready for an adult relationship and needs to talk to a professional to handle it possibly.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 year ago (8 children)

The youtube videos were just romantic stuff mostly, the video she found on my laptop was of a more adult nature. I know she can be insecure bout my last repationship, but I think I'd react similarly if I was in her situation.

[–] [email protected] 63 points 1 year ago

She literally went to try find something from an ex relationship abd then got upset she found it. You made that at the time you were with the person - I know my wife has a diary that discusses her exes when she was with them, and there is no way in hell im going to look into it.

You're in your second relationship so I'll fill you in on a detail from the outside - this isn't normal relationship behavior.

[–] [email protected] 31 points 1 year ago

I think the point was that her initial reaction to the YouTube videos was not appropriate to the nature of the videos.

  1. She stalker your ex online because she's feeling insecure and wanted to compare her to herself
  2. She watched them all even though it was causing her discomfort
  3. She gave you the cold shoulder because of harmless videos with your ex. Is she expecting you to not have a life before her?
[–] [email protected] 21 points 1 year ago

She was.looking for a reason to feel bad and she found it. That's not your fault OP. Your gf is very insecure and it has nothing to do with you, you're just the scapegoat. It seems like she's not ready for a serious relationship, and you may not be either, OP. There's no "making it up to her". Based on the very little bit of information present in this thread (take what I'm saying with a grain of salt because I may very well be 100%) it seems like y'all might have some codependency issues

[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 year ago

but I think I’d react similarly if I was in her situation.

That's worse. You understand that's worse, right?

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[–] [email protected] 68 points 1 year ago (1 children)

If she can’t accept that people have relationships with others, she’s mental

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 year ago (4 children)

I wouldnt wanna see my partners sex tape either! I dont think shes wrong to feel this way.

[–] [email protected] 30 points 1 year ago

Then why would she go looking for a video if someone that she knows will hurt her? Sex tape or not, she tried to find things from your old relationship and guess what - people who are dating fuck.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (4 children)

It's all the stuff before that they are refering to.

But still having that video is a major fuck up especially given everything else you've said. It basically confirms everything they were worried about I'm afraid.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 year ago (5 children)

Confirms what exactly? That the person they knew was in a prior relationship was in a prior relationship? That they had sex?

Not like I'd want to watch an old video of my SO having sex with their ex but I'm not going to pretend they were a virgin unless they said they were either. Unsurprisingly, a person's life didn't revolve around a person they hadn't yet known.

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Yeah I can't believe I forgot it existed. 😔

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 year ago (1 children)

It's easily done. Especially if you bury your videos properly.

All you can do is hope they believe you. But I'm afraid as they were already being really paranoid about it that may be unlikely.

Best of luck friend.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago
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[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 year ago (5 children)

That’s why you don’t go digging through ancient files and use it to indemnify somebody when they weren’t doing something wrong anyways.

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[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 year ago

You are correct to think she isn't "wrong" to feel this way, her experience is valid and she has a right to feel however she feels. It's her response and actions that I think are the problem here. If I found a sex tape of my spouse I might be upset, but if they immediately deleted the video and if it wasn't part of a pattern of infidelity I don't think it would be a big deal for me.

I honestly don't think you fucked up here, at least given the information that we have. If having that video was a mistake then you should have deleted it... which you did immediately as soon as you were reminded of the video existing. People forget things all the time, and IMO your response to becoming aware of it again sounds like it was perfect.

[–] [email protected] 52 points 1 year ago (1 children)

How do I fix this or make it upto her???

Simply put? You don't. She needs to get over this. Delete the video, of course, there's no reason to have it saved anymore anyway, but then she needs to get the fuck over the fact that you've been in a relationship before.

But be more open with her. You being evasive was not the best move and you need to account for that, but her digging into your past relationship was stupid she'll have to come to terms with that. You guys are young and you're making young people mistakes. You'll get through it.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Thanks, hope this isnt the end for us.

[–] [email protected] 18 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

She's insecure as hell, and that can be ok. People are all different, and maybe she just needs a bit of security right now, but fuck man how much of this shit do you want to eat?

You are going to need to find a line, and on the other side of it is a grown ass woman who doesn't care who you fucked before so long as you ain't gonna burn her. Whether that's the girl you're with now or not is up to her. And you.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 year ago (1 children)

You need to be ok with this being over for your own sake. She's toxic af.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

My ex-wife was like this.

Right when me and her started dating, I went to go see a friend of mine named Michelle who I had been friends with since I was a teenager and I ended up getting drunk at Michelle's place with her and her husband and sleeping on their couch.

My ex-wife for some reason got it in her head that I slept with Michelle that night.

I did everything I could to sort the misunderstanding out. I vehemently denied the accusation, I offered to let her and Michelle talk and to meet Michelle's husband and she refused. She had decided that Michelle would lie for me to cover me and it was pointless to talk to her.

I spent several years trying to fix things, trying to patch over the insecurities and to make things better and to solve the problem and to fix it so that she could trust me and be happy with me and her the way I was.

Despite all of this, I thought we had worked things out, I thought that we were in a good place. We got married 2 years later, we had a lot of fun with each other and things were great.

Several years later, Michelle's mom died. I wanted to go to the funeral, the ex-wife said that I could not go, I had to pick attending one of my best friend's mother's funeral or my wife.

This caused a major rift between us. I did not sleep in the same bed with her again after this. For months I kept my distance and I tried to work things out with her and anytime I brought up any attempt whatsoever to resolve the issue between us she would clam up and completely refuse to talk.

She wanted things her way and anything that I wanted did not fucking matter anymore.

We spent a year in that stalemate, and finally I got an offer to come to another state and get a new job and make a shit ton more money and I told her that I was going to take the job.

She told me that it was her or the job and I had to pick.

Last time, I didn't go to my friend's mom's funeral, I didn't do what my wife wanted either. I spent a year in misery over that decision. I wasn't going to do that again, so I told her I was moving.

The last thing she said to me as she was packing up her stuff to leave was that "I know you fucked Michelle" as she slammed the door.

That insecurity stayed with her our entire relationship and ruined everything and there wasn't a goddamn thing I could have done about it.

Even if I had devoted my entire life to serving her every minor whim and need in the back of her head she still would have been thinking I fucked Michelle.

[–] [email protected] 46 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Your girlfriend "stalked" your ex and watched all of her YouTube videos?

Do you think that's a bit much?

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 year ago

"How do I win her back?!"

Lol

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Depends how many videos and how often the guy was in them. Plus how long their relationship was. It's not crazy to be curious to see what things your SO likes in another person.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

I was in the videos for about 3-4 months, id say 10-15 videos. She had the channel from before that. Issue is they were relationshipy videos, like a viral tiktok "prank" was just kissing your partner all day and she did that and put 10 mins of us just making out online. My gf 100% hated that, but also why watch it then???

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[–] [email protected] 34 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Honestly, you both sound like you have some maturing to do. She's got insecurity/jealousy/stalkerish problems, and you're acting like you have something to hide (dodging her questions was your first mistake).

Based on your description, you didn't do anything wrong in your previous relationship. You don't need to hide or act like it's retroactive cheating.

By the same token, your girlfriend needs to learn to not ask questions when she doesn't actually want to hear the answers.

I'd suggest that you give her a bit more space. Give her time to miss you and to get over herself.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I just dont wanna say smth that might hurt her. But yes I've long had a tendency of being secretive, it's smth several close friends of mine have mentioned too.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 year ago (4 children)

Can I be honest?

It's one thing to be empathetic. It's another thing to be a doormat.

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[–] where_am_i 32 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Don't dodge your partner's questions about exes. Answer honestly. Don't chase -- this is ridiculous.

However, assure in the most non-blaming way positive that you want to be with her and why. And that you absolutely don't want your ex.

Now, given the situation, it's probably best to compose a long text message. Work on it offline. Give it some thought, don't just brain dump.

And then give her however much time she needs to either change her mind or not.

But essentially someone that insecure will have to work on it. With some of your help. An oh boy this will not be the last time a tantrum like that happens.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago

Thanks, I think I'll write her a letter.

[–] [email protected] 29 points 1 year ago

I'm trying to be as gentle and understanding of her as possible but it all comes down to her having issues with immaturity around relationships and trust issues.

First she went looking for trouble by stalking. Then she found media if your previous relationship by accident. Then she refuses to participate in healthy and reasonable discussion.

I'm trying to find a way that she's not at fault, but this is all her fault.

You are allowed to have had a life prior to meeting her, just as she's allowed to have had a life before you.

You will also have a life after each other.

If she can't put her big girl pants on and discuss an issue between immediately and 24 hours then that's bad behaviour on her part.

Far as I can see she's not yet mature enough to be in a relationship, and that's on her.

I don't know what you held back when she asked about your previous relationship, it might have been things that you're very much entitled to hold back... it not. You may or may not owe an apology for this, but she sure owes you an apology for her shitty behaviour.

[–] BellyPurpledGerbil 28 points 1 year ago

I don't have a more polite way of putting this, and as a woman I just can't sympathize.

She fucked around and found out.

What was she expecting? I'm going to snoop into my boyfriend's most intimate moments with their ex, unprompted, and... THEN WHAT? CRY ABOUT IT? Your girlfriend is a dumbass. She hurts herself and then she takes it out on you? Not a single bit of this is your fault. If she's giving you grief, ignore her or exit the relationship if she can't get over it. Holy fuck I'm annoyed by this story.

[–] [email protected] 22 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I don’t know that you can fix it because it sounds like her issue. I obviously don’t know the contents of the video but it sounds like you have done everything to assure her that you are committed to her and want to be in a relationship with her. People have pasts and if she cannot accept that then it is something she needs to work on not you.

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[–] [email protected] 19 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

This is a her problem, not a you problem. She needs to get over it. You didn't do anything wrong. She's being immature and needs to grow up.

[–] [email protected] 18 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Small question: Why did you dodge "just about every question"? I think that would concern me more than any of the videos would if I were her. :(

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

My post wasnt very clear, I'm sorry. I did dodge questions initially, after she saw everything on youtube I told her most things she wanted to know. Also I broke up with my ex bc i was moving back to the country I'm in now and my gf knows this so she cant expect anything sus happening. I could try giving her all the information she wants, but I don't think she'd like that. We also live in a culture with arranged marriages and no talks of exs. Plus there were some bizzare questions that I dont regret avoiding.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Is this about having the video, or that you had sex in a prior relationship? It should be about the first, but it sounds like it's about the second. That's deep seated insecurity on her part. Frankly she will have to accept that you had a prior relationship, you had sex, etc. You can be polite in this regard (sounds like you have been) and help her through it, but ultimately it's something that she will have to accept.

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[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 year ago

You’re 22. Go fuck someone else - this girl has red flags all over the place.

She’s mad/upset because you have a past. Guess what? We all do. She needs to grow up.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 year ago

She's got problems. She's torturing herself with old media of your previous relationship for no reason and resenting and blaming you for it. If she can't grow up you shouldn't have to deal with it.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Like the others said:

She needs to grow up, accept that you had a previous relationship before this and that's ok.

You need to also accept that that's ok and stop acting like you've got something to hide. You're not protecting her or your relationship by doing that, you're just making yourself look suspicious and untrustworthy. #1 trait of every good relationship is trust, even if that means saying difficult things now and then. A relationship without trust is not one worth having.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (4 children)

Here's the thing, you were caught dodging questions about your ex (don't think for a second she didn't notice) and now she finds an intimate video on your laptop.

You have to realise how that can paint a very damning picture for her. The worst part wasn't the video, but the fact that you were dodging questions. If it wasn't for this, you could have explained it, but given how you were dodging questions about your ex, now she's going to doubt any answer you gave her.

There is a fundamental issue of if she can trust you. And you've painted a pretty damning picture.

If you want to address anything, address this part. Invite her to ask her anything and everything, even the parts you don't want to bring up.

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I think the first partner second partner is key here. The rest is just the result of that. Natural curiosity into your past and no experience to understand where that curiosity inevitably leads is a recipe for despair and jealousy on her part. As someone who was on the other side of an…investigation… like this she does need to wake up and understand that right now, you are her partner. I wouldn’t just let her suffer though, try to be more outward in terms of your dedication to her. She seems sad in the same way a person feels when they have lost a competition. It hurts more because you know someone else had more/did better than you. So, compete! Unfortunately she has seen your old relationship in detail—likely a distorted version bc social media. Maybe try to tell her about things that weren’t great in your old relationship. Tell her things she does better than the old girl, maybe how much more attractive you find her. What’s killer here is the contrast between what she feels she has and what she feels the other girl had. Wash away that contrast, even flip it.

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago (5 children)

You dodged her questions? Why?

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

From her perspective, her brain is basically responding in the same way as if she caught you having sex in person. I know you didn't cheat on her. She knows it too. But there's still a subconscious part that is going to respond that way because brains don't naturally understand video and real life. Depending on how new the relationship is, there may not be enough of a bridge to repair yet. Sometimes relationships fail through no fault of either party. Mistakes happen. It especially depends on how you acted on the relationship video and prank videos. Even if it was "for the camera", if you appear differently in those videos than now, she may not fully trust which version is you. It depends on how strong that foundation was beforehand and simply the ages of everyone involved. Young relationships are messy because no one has much life experience about what's happening, and a lot of times it's from TV, movies, and music.

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