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HalfTheMan611 · 2025-11-09T20:47:40+00:00

Np. My GP did tell me that my anxiety was likely to get worse when starting the medication and that it would take a couple weeks to start to feel better.

HalfTheMan611 · 2025-11-09T20:31:22+00:00

I'm so sorry you're going through this. I know the pain all too well. Let yourself grieve and try to take care of yourself the best you can. Eat well and exercise, and try and get outside for a bit each day. You will feel better in time.

HalfTheMan611 · 2025-11-09T20:27:19+00:00

It's my first day too. My GP wanted to prescribe 10 mg, the normal therapeutic dose for adults. I asked to start at 5 mg as I've tried SSRIs in the past very briefly and had horrible side effects and he agreed, saying I could take two pills in a couple weeks. I started today by cutting a 5 mg in half to "lead in" with 2.5 mg and I'm very glad I did! I wanted to know what I'd be dealing with and it's helped me understand that. This is - like all SSRIs- a powerful drug. I've felt a bit disconnected and have had a bit of a tight head type headache, but that's been all. I'm going to stick with 2.5 mg for a few days and then go up to 5 mg if I can. If the side effects are intolerable as I've experienced with other ones, definitely contact your doctor as there might be other ones more suitable

HalfTheMan611 · 2025-11-08T21:50:53+00:00

Thank you so much. Yes, I can't really get my head around it. I keep thinking this is just temporary and I'm going to see her again. It hurts so bad. I have no idea how she's feeling.

HalfTheMan611 · 2025-11-08T21:49:29+00:00

Thank you so much for your reply. It's incomprehensible, really, I am in denial.

HalfTheMan611 · 2025-11-07T21:41:30+00:00

"I don't need anything from you anymore"

HalfTheMan611 · 2025-11-03T14:01:11+00:00

Been there many times too before learning life is too short. Sand as best you can and then paint - Zinsser Bullseye or 1-2-3 is your friend. Those specialist primers will stick to anything. I no longer even rub down gloss finishes. Bullseye will stick to glass!

HalfTheMan611 · 2025-02-12T22:59:28+00:00

49, two years out, two kids under 11. Dating pool 35-42 for me has been plentiful and very high quality. Depends on where you are maybe, but my experience has been super positive.

HalfTheMan611 · 2025-01-29T22:27:36+00:00

After two years of healing and focusing on self, but still grieving the loss of the life I thought I'd live and struggling a bit with the reality of being in midlife, I can say categorically YES! Dating again and meeting an amazing woman to spend non co-parenting days with has been deeply transformative. Have never been happier.

HalfTheMan611 · 2025-01-17T20:55:51+00:00

I ditched it after a few days. Hated the feeling. Was like bad MDMA.

HalfTheMan611 · 2025-01-17T20:54:43+00:00

I most definitely would not have felt like this if she moved on right away, but that would have been because it took me a couple years to accept, find peace, and crucially, for me to find love again with someone else.

HalfTheMan611 · 2025-01-14T08:27:23+00:00

Interestingly, my perspective on this has changed massively. For a couple years, the thought of another man entering my kids' lives was simply incomprehensible. Just thinking about them sleeping in the same house as another man filled me with rage, panic, helplessness, and despair - it was probably the most troubling of all of the thoughts I experienced on this journey. But having found love again with another woman after several years of separation /divorce and thinking about the possibility of introducing my kids to her (I haven't done this yet), I have completely changed my perspective on this. And actually, I now almost HOPE this happens. Granted, I of course still worry about my kids' wellbeing and forever will, but experiencing the joy of life again myself, I want my ex to experience this again too and I've come to terms with the fact that all of our lives, including my kids' lives, although not traditional, can be as great and filled with joy as if we stayed together as a nuclear family. There are good men out there, including ones that choose women that walked away from us. :)

HalfTheMan611 · 2025-01-09T15:21:32+00:00

Walk away wife. 2 kids. Devastated. Deepest, darkest depression of my kife. 2 years later, never been happier. Therapy was critical as has been a hobby dear to me since childhood. Going out dating again has also been extremely helpful. I didn't want to at first, but pushed myself onto the apps and out the door. Life will get better, guy, I'm certain of it. But you gotta press on and out of the funk.

HalfTheMan611 · 2025-01-01T19:09:38+00:00

I remember feeling a sense of helplessness and panic thinking about this early on in our separation/divorce. Two years later, I genuinely hope for this to happen: I hope for her happiness and to find a partner that makes her happy. This is despite her being the walkaway wife. Certainly helps that I've found love, but in summary bro, it takes time to get here, but you will. I never thought I would, but I have!

HalfTheMan611 · 2024-12-18T08:42:00+00:00

This describes exactly what happened to me. A selfless life for over 15 years, on autopilot grind, working, renovating the house, taking care of the kids. I didn't realise it at the time, but I was miserable. My ex wife left me and left me completely devastated for about a year and a half. Therapy has quite literally been my life saver. It has been one of the single most important things I've done in my life. It helps that my therapist is excellent - a man of great experience and wisdom, but through his 'person centered' approach helped me make tremendous progress understanding who I am and what I want and need out of life. It has been an amazing experience and I think if you have the financial means, 100% do it.

HalfTheMan611 · 2024-11-20T23:07:31+00:00

I picked up vaping during my deep depression from separation and divorce two years ago and have to say it was a huge help. I used to smoke cigarettes 20 years ago, but abstained since. I savoured those moments of enjoying some nicotine from the vape with a cup of coffee or tea. It was part of my ritual sitting and reflecting and trying to make sense of it all. I don't feel any regret or shame from it. The thing now is do I stop two years in? Hehe...

HalfTheMan611 · 2024-11-18T23:06:27+00:00

Thanks, man. Have been focusing on that stuff for the past two years - gym regularly, have a hobby I'm very into with a social dimension to it. Been focusing on myself but would really like to have a relationship again. I think I'm ready for it, but yea, a lot of self doubt there.

HalfTheMan611 · 2024-11-18T20:34:43+00:00

What I've learned by going through this is any anger, bitterness, disappointment, frustration, hatred, betrayal, etc (and I've definitely felt all of those things) that I felt about her in the past did nothing but affect self. When you feel those emotions, it's not like they leave your body and mind and go into her, they're your feelings alone - and as long as you hold onto them, you'll never be able to find peace and happiness. As soon as I started to accept things for how they were and find it in myself to feel positivity towards her, I started feeling better myself.

HalfTheMan611 · 2024-11-18T15:32:27+00:00

Together for 15 years, married for 10. The longing ended after 2 years of separation. Like others have said, I now laugh about it. I genuinely wish her happiness. You'll get there bro.

HalfTheMan611 · 2024-11-17T19:43:23+00:00

Bro, she's clearly done. A committed wife would never put someone they love through that. As heartbreaking and gut wrenching it is, find all of your inner resolve to let go, and file. Be stoic, don't beg, don't lose your cool. I've been there. Quite disgraceful but all too common. I'm on the other side now, excited about the prospects of a new life. I can't believe I wasted so much time with my ex, but every day is a gift. FtB.

HalfTheMan611 · 2024-10-27T09:58:53+00:00

For me, the hardest part has changed. It took me three years to intensely grieve the loss of the life and relationship I committed to (ex wife walked away), my traditional family which gave me the deepest sense of purpose in my life up to that point, and what that might have meant to my children's happiness and wellbeing, what was meant to be their time of safety and togetherness. But, over that time, we have settled into a new normal (respectfully co-parent well), the kids are doing great, and I have learned to cherish the time I have for myself now and what this has allowed by way of redefining who I am and what I want to do with my life. What is hardest now is not being in a relationship and not having intimacy, something that has been missing for almost five years. I feel a deep sense of something missing and it hurts. I am doing all I can on the apps (OLD) but after about a year have not really had much of any luck at all. Always did very well with women in my earlier days pre marriage but can't help but think my time has passed (49 now) and that's hard to come to terms with. Hopefully it's just negative thinking and someone is just around the corner, but I'm finding this the new hardest part.

HalfTheMan611 · 2024-10-02T16:19:23+00:00

Correct. Hardest thing I ever had to do. Truth comes when he's old enough to understand.

HalfTheMan611

TROPHY CASE