I think you have done a great job explaining your feelings in this post, so why not just share the same things with your girlfriend?
If you already know that you need therapy and are hopefully making plans to set it in motion, then share that with her too. This will let her know that you are serious about improving yourself and the situation.
In the meantime, I suggest making time to engage in some self care. Self care obviously means different things to different people, so you need to figure out what makes you feel good. For me, it usually involves long baths, skin care, and dancing around in sexy night. or homewear.
The fact that you are asking internet strangers how to talk to the person you've been with for 10 years says a lot.
Do you two talk outside of couples counseling? Do you go out on dates or spend time together? Really, the right time to do it is as soon as possible. There is no way to really soften the blow.
Things you could do. Ask her if she is happy with how things are. Ask her if she still wants to get married. If she says yes, ask her why. Find out why she still wants to be with you. If she agrees that she is unhappy, just tell her that you don't think it makes sense that you two marry for the sake of marrying.
Stress to her that you want to focus on being good co-parents and that you have no intention of abandoning the child or leaving her with all the childcare.
Tell her that instead of spending effort planning a wedding that it seems neither of you are really into, it makes more sense to put your energies toward figuring out how to be good co-parents. And becoming friends again.
Tell her what you want. Ask her what she really wants. Listen to her. Be honest with her that you don't even know how to talk to her about really important things right now and that is a big problem.
It really sounds like one of the biggest things is that you two don't know how to talk to each other. Your post seems completely blank in terms of you having any idea what she thinks or feels about any of this. It also could be that she has checked out of the relationship for reasons you don't know. You've been together since you were kids. It's difficult to make that transition when people grow into adults in different ways. Also, sometimes these relationships keep us from growing, especially when we keep childish patterns in our relationships where we use passive-aggressiveness and teasing instead of just coming out and saying what we want, feel and mean. I hope you can start talking to each other for real. Make sure you really hear what she has to say. She may be becoming a different person than the one you think you've known.
When my 5 yr relationship ended ..uhh…9 years ago? My ex did the same thing. Within a few weeks she was “exploring” while I kind of just worked on myself for nearly a year before getting back into dating. Some people are just like that, I don't think it's a gender thing though, just how different people process I guess.
I'd definitely be honest with current friends and let them know, it's still a huge betrayal of trust. I'd drop any friend instantly if they slept with an ex of mine (for the significant relationships, not like a 1 month fling ex), and even if they asked, i'd probably still drop them, just not worth being around that.
I think you have done a great job explaining your feelings in this post, so why not just share the same things with your girlfriend?
If you already know that you need therapy and are hopefully making plans to set it in motion, then share that with her too. This will let her know that you are serious about improving yourself and the situation.
In the meantime, I suggest making time to engage in some self care. Self care obviously means different things to different people, so you need to figure out what makes you feel good. For me, it usually involves long baths, skin care, and dancing around in sexy night. or homewear.
He is a food addict. And a user.
Get rid of him. He has zero shame. And will keep doing it. Becuase no one stops him.
15 slices of pizza. Holy FUCK. I can't even imagine and I have BED as well.
How someone could eat like that compulsively in front of others with zero regard is shocking.
The fact that you are asking internet strangers how to talk to the person you've been with for 10 years says a lot.
Do you two talk outside of couples counseling? Do you go out on dates or spend time together? Really, the right time to do it is as soon as possible. There is no way to really soften the blow.
Things you could do. Ask her if she is happy with how things are. Ask her if she still wants to get married. If she says yes, ask her why. Find out why she still wants to be with you. If she agrees that she is unhappy, just tell her that you don't think it makes sense that you two marry for the sake of marrying.
Stress to her that you want to focus on being good co-parents and that you have no intention of abandoning the child or leaving her with all the childcare.
Tell her that instead of spending effort planning a wedding that it seems neither of you are really into, it makes more sense to put your energies toward figuring out how to be good co-parents. And becoming friends again.
Tell her what you want. Ask her what she really wants. Listen to her. Be honest with her that you don't even know how to talk to her about really important things right now and that is a big problem.
It really sounds like one of the biggest things is that you two don't know how to talk to each other. Your post seems completely blank in terms of you having any idea what she thinks or feels about any of this. It also could be that she has checked out of the relationship for reasons you don't know. You've been together since you were kids. It's difficult to make that transition when people grow into adults in different ways. Also, sometimes these relationships keep us from growing, especially when we keep childish patterns in our relationships where we use passive-aggressiveness and teasing instead of just coming out and saying what we want, feel and mean. I hope you can start talking to each other for real. Make sure you really hear what she has to say. She may be becoming a different person than the one you think you've known.
When my 5 yr relationship ended ..uhh…9 years ago? My ex did the same thing. Within a few weeks she was “exploring” while I kind of just worked on myself for nearly a year before getting back into dating. Some people are just like that, I don't think it's a gender thing though, just how different people process I guess.
I'd definitely be honest with current friends and let them know, it's still a huge betrayal of trust. I'd drop any friend instantly if they slept with an ex of mine (for the significant relationships, not like a 1 month fling ex), and even if they asked, i'd probably still drop them, just not worth being around that.