HIS
VIOLENCE SCARES ME!
“ASK DR.
GILDA”
BY
DR. GILDA
CARLE (Ph.D.)
It's no fun to have to walk on eggshells with an angry partner you allegedly love. (I've been there, and I will never be there again!) Here's what I told this woman to do...
Courtesy of Match.com’s Happen Magazine
Dear
Dr. Gilda,
I
need to end things with my boyfriend permanently. I don't know how, and I'm
very shaken up as I type this. We just had a blowout fight and he agreed to go
to his parents' house. When I was driving him over, he asked if we were
breaking up for good. When I said "maybe," he grabbed the steering
wheel, screaming that if I dumped him he'd kill himself and we might as well die
together. He tried to ram the car into a telephone pole, but I managed to avoid
crashing. Afterward, I agreed to give him another chance and to let him come
home after a couple of days. I'm scared to let him back in, and equally scared
of what he might do if I don't.
Dr.
Gilda, this boyfriend has a history of mental illness. I am exhausted from
dealing with his depression and lack of affection towards me. He has no car and
only works part-time. He was institutionalized briefly before we started dating
and has harmed himself before, but I didn't learn any of that until almost a
year after we started dating. Before that, he was funny, smart, charming… but
then his personal issues took over the relationship. I've brought up moving
back in with his parents, but after talking briefly with his mother, she
refused — they can't take the stress of living with him, as his dad has a heart
condition and is about to undergo surgery. They are in their mid-60s; we are
both in our late 20s.
Dr.
Gilda, what do I do? I feel sorry for him, but I can't continue to be with
someone who lies to me and scares me this way. I can't get a restraining order
(the police say he must be documented making threats towards me or that we must
have a history of domestic violence first). He knows the alarm code and has
keys to my condo. The police also told me that since he lives there, I have to
grant him access to his belongings for at least 30 days, so I can't change the
locks to keep him out. I don't know how to deal with breaking up with this
person without putting either of us in harm's way. Help!
Terrified Teresa
Dear
Terrified,
You
can't be in a loving relationship with someone you're terrified of or whom you
feel sorry for! After he commandeered the car into a near crash, your mistake
was to take your boyfriend back.
End
this torment immediately! Tell him you will be taking a time-out from the
relationship for a while. The idea of a separation for a while may seem
less threatening to his unstable mind than hearing about a permanent breakup. I
deliberately use the words "will be taking a time-out" because
this powerful statement leaves no room for negotiation. Further, it's not your
job to help this guy find a place to stay. Why were you the one to ask his
parents if he could move in with them? You seem to have been babying him while
also accepting his poor treatment. As my
Gilda-Gram says, "Being scared NOT to comply is never a reason TO
comply."
For
your own safety's sake (and to observe the law), stay with a friend while your
boyfriend gets his belongings out of your place. Or, have someone join you
while he's collecting his stuff. As soon as he's out, get a locksmith to change
the locks and immediately alter the alarm code. If he makes threats against
you, definitely file a police report, and as soon as you can, get a restraining
order. This guy's scary behavior can never be allowed to continue to affect you as it has
in the past. You're seeing this as an unhealthy relationship, and I'm glad you
recognize that you deserve more.
During
the year you knew him and then lived together, were you frightened by his depression
and angry outbursts? Did you wonder whether to address them with him? Or did
you consciously choose to ignore them? Most folks who pay no heed to signs of
trouble do so because they fear the consequences of a confrontation. But the
people who finally do confront these issues often do so because they are no
longer willing to put up with the lying, deceit and little bits of affection
that you received.
This
is what you must do now:
1.
List the things you loved about this man.
2.
List the things about him that frightened you.
3.
List the ways you dealt with his dysfunctional behavior.
4.
List the reasons you chose not to address your boyfriend's
issues.
5.
List the reasons you are willing to address them now, and come
to terms with what defined your breaking point.
Now review the list you just completed. The qualities you loved about this guy are probably the same ones you'll want to seek in a healthier mate. The qualities that frightened you should become your personal red flags to avoid in your next few dates. Hopefully, you'll ask plenty of questions the next time around.
Especially
study the ways you dealt with your boyfriend's actions. As my Gilda-Gram directs, "Each relationship teaches us something
to apply in the future." If you have a problem with confrontation,
take an assertiveness training class so you feel empowered to speak up before a
potential threat becomes magnified.
While
you may be frightened right now, it is a sign of growth to recognize that you
must leave this unhealthy union. Congratulations for taking the first step in
writing to me for help. Once you have pulled the plug, your boyfriend's threats
of self-destruction will not affect you as they do now. Look forward to more
positive days because you have, indeed, grown.
Love,
Dr. Gilda
XXX
DR. GILDA CARLE (Ph.D.) is
an internationally known psychotherapist, relationship expert, and product
spokesperson. She is Match.com’s
“ASK DR. GILDA” advice columnist. She is also known as the Country Music
Doctor, with her “Country
Cures.” She is a motivational
speaker, professor of psychology & communications, the author of the
well-known “Don’t Bet
on the Prince!,” a test question on “Jeopardy,” NOW IN ITS SECOND
EDITION, 99 Prescriptions
for Fidelity, How to Win When Your Mate Cheats,
and many more. She
was the therapist in HBO's Emmy Award winner, "Telling Nicholas,"
featured on Oprah, where she guided a family to tell their 7-year-old that his
mom died in the World Trade Center bombing. DR. GILDA is
the Love Doc advisor for the off-Broadway show, “Miss Abigail’s Guide to
Dating, Mating, & Marriage!” She is currently developing
her own TV show. Visit www.DrGilda.com and get her
Instant Advice!
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