Although nobody ever really wants to go through a breakup, sometimes it’s the best thing to do for a relationship that no longer works. It also helps protect folks from their toxic exes, but, in some extreme situations, even this might not deter controlling people.
This is what a woman realized after things ended with her boyfriend of four years, who kept harassing her or giving her ultimatums after that. Things got even worse when he sent a threatening message to her current boyfriend, just to cause drama.
More info: Reddit
Sometimes, even after the relationship has ended, people might find it hard to escape their toxic exes
Image credits: benzoix / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The poster shared that she had been in a long-distance relationship with a man for four years and that he was quite controlling, jealous, and prone to fits of rage
Image credits: Gray StudioPro / Freepik (not the actual photo)
Eventually, the man broke up with the poster, and she refused to get back together with him later on due to his extreme red flags and stalking behavior
Image credits: DC Studio / Freepik (not the actual photo)
After a while, the woman began dating a new guy who was quite good to her, but she didn’t let her ex know about the relationship because of his rage and jealousy issues
Image credits: garetsvisual / Freepik (not the actual photo)
One day, when the poster's new boyfriend tagged her in a photo online, her ex angrily called her and threatened to contact her partner and ruin her relationship
Image credits: The Yuri Arcurs Collection / Freepik (not the actual photo)
Although the woman’s new boyfriend wasn’t fazed by the text that her ex sent him, she still felt worried that their connection had been ruined
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Eventually, the woman decided to have an honest conversation with her partner about the issue, and she assured him that she had blocked her ex
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The poster was glad when her new boyfriend understood her plight and also attended her family’s Thanksgiving, while being supportive of her
Even though the OP and her ex had been together for 4 years, it seems they had a tumultuous relationship. Despite living in separate parts of the country, the man kept finding ways to put the poster down or control her life. All of this became quite challenging for her, but she still tried her best to stick with him.
Although it might seem odd for a person to stay for so long with a toxic partner, experts state that it’s usually because they might not know how to escape the relationship. It could also be because of the level of control that the manipulative individual has on them, which can be difficult to break free from.
It definitely seems like the woman didn’t realize how horrible her former partner truly was until he finally broke up with her. That’s when she began to recognize the red flags in his behavior and realized she shouldn't get back together with him, especially since he began stalking her.
According to research, when a person leaves a controlling relationship and feels like their ex is following them, it’s important that they speak to their trusted people as soon as possible. This can help them create a circle of safety that is there for them in times of need and also offers protection.
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Even after the poster left her toxic ex, she still kept in touch with him, even though he was always harassing or stalking her. She wasn’t able to break free from him because whenever she tried to do so, he always guilt-tripped her or tried to make her responsible for his painful emotions.
This manipulative tactic is used quite often by dominant individuals to keep someone under their influence. That’s why professionals explain that it’s important to get some space from such people who always use guilt-trip tactics, and to either reach out to friends or get professional help to deal with their behavior.
The OP did her best to distance herself from her ex, but things got even worse when she started dating a new man. She realized that her former partner would do everything in his power to ruin her relationship, so she decided not to tell him. She also told her new boyfriend a lot about her past so he’d be on guard.
Unfortunately, the ex found out about her partner when he posted a picture of the two of them online. This angered the man who tried to sabotage her relationship by sending a threatening message to the other guy. Luckily, it didn’t turn out the way he expected, because the poster and her boyfriend discussed the issue in depth and worked through it together.
Have you ever dealt with a toxic ex like this, and what did you do about their behavior? Do share your experiences in the comments below.
Folks were shocked by the ex’s behavior and were glad that the woman was able to escape from his clutches
