i'm really struggling right now and could really use some hope from people who've been through something similar.
my partner and i got together when we were 18 and spent more than 10 years together. i truly believed he was my forever person. we grew up side by side and somewhere along the way he became more than my boyfriend. he was my best friend my home and the person i pictured growing old with.
there wasn't any cheating or huge betrayal. we just reached the end of our relationship. somehow that almost makes it harder because there's no single reason i can point to. i'm grieving the person i loved the friendship we had and the future i spent years believing was ours.
right now these first few months feel impossible. if you've been through a breakup after a long relationship how did you get through the early days?
i turn 30 next year and i always imagined i'd be entering that chapter of life feeling settled. instead i feel completely lost. i'm scared confused and honestly terrified that the future i wanted has slipped away.
this was my first and only relationship so i've never dated as an adult. i keep worrying that i've missed my chance to find lasting love get married have kids and build the family i always dreamed about.
i know these fears are coming from a place of fresh heartbreak but i'd really love to hear from anyone who ended a long relationship especially one that started when you were young and eventually found happiness again. did you meet someone through friends work or dating apps? did life turn out differently than you expected but still in a good way?
i think i just need to hear that it's possible to build a happy life after losing the one you thought you'd have.
Last updated on:2026-07-23T23:49:12+05:30
Comments (5)
i had to stop measuring my life by the timeline i thought i’d have and just focus on getting through one day at a time. the love you had was real, and your life can still hold so much more.
what part feels the scariest to lose, the family dream, the friendship, or starting over with someone new
I am currently struggling my way through finding out my partners been chatting online with men, I know the relationship will never be the same again, and that’s heartbreaking.
I was in my first relationship from the time I was 17-26, so similar to yours in timing and duration. This relationship was quite toxic however, so I suppose I always knew it wasn’t meant to be no matter how desperately I wished it was or what I did to try to make it work.
Hi sweety. It absolutely is possible to do all these things, but while I know it is a concern on your mind, I would recommended spending a really good amount of time figuring out who you are as a singular person. When you have been with someone a long time from so young, it is easy to lose a sense of who you are. I would spend a good year trying as many new experiences as possible. Hobbies, sports, activities, travel and events. Write a huge list of all the things you have been interested in and give them a go one by one. some will not click, some will be amazing and along the way you will meet new people and figure out what and who you are without him. 🥰