Men’s Mental Health

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I’m admittedly new to running a community anywhere online, but saw a need so I’m trying to fill it and help where I can. I’ve had plenty of my own issues over the years and am hoping for a safe space where men can discuss their own brands of issues. For now we’re gonna run by the Bartender Rule & few other rules stolen shamelessly from [email protected] :

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Realizing my own creeper vibes turned to perpetual avoidance from dating (lemmy.world)

submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

9 comments fedilink hide all child comments

At age 16, against my normal nature , I've asked out my then crush who was my schoolmate.

(In retrospect, it was only sexual attraction, cause her personality was abysmal..)

I say "ask out" but it was one of the childish "wanna be my gf" sort of thing. I didn't have (nor do I have now) "game".
My only valid pretense for hanging with her , and not actually planning a date, was studying together for tests.

Neverthelesss, the excitement and the rush after she showed interest in me was overwhelming , and I spiraled out of control.
I became clingy , needed and over the top in love.

It all came crashing down when I saw her avoiding me while looking afraid and creeped out.
That face is burned into my retina, and all I can think about when I even think about stepping into that arena again.

I'm 31 now, still painfully alone - but with the added bonus of feeling like expired milk and overrun with anxiety and depression.

I'm telling myself again and again that I'm doing the best with the cards I've been dealt with , and partnership or intimacy is just not one of those cards.
I try to keep busy and focus on work - because one moment of boredom sends me to a variety of really dark places.

I know that some day the pattern of eat-sleep-job-repeat won't be enough, but I'm repressing that thought like hell right now.

Thank you guys for creating this sub BTW, much needed.

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

When I was 16, I wrote an entire fucking novel (literally) for a girl I had a crush on. I would write 5 pages or so a day and slip them into her locker. She was actually also a friend of mine and she thought it was weird but charming. Once I finished the book I didn't tell her it was me until the last time we saw each other, on graduation day. So fucking cringe haha. She asked why I never said anything and that she would have gone out with me if I had asked. I didn't know what to say and just said good luck in college and scampered off. My god. Looking back at that makes me turn red still. I still have that novel in a binder somewhere around here.

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

Bro this hurts to read. You went 99% in on a very cringe strategy and if you'd gone 1 step further you would have gone out with her.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

I have had many relationships since, and have four kids. So it's not so bad.