Unhealthy obsessions with men

I'm 48 and have been single now for 3 years after leaving an abusive partner after 15 years. I was diagnosed with autism last year. I've always struggled with friendships as I'm not able to communicate my feelings so if I feel uncomfortable with a situation I will avoid the person which ends the friendship. Also I've also had an unhealthy obsession with men since about the age of about 11. I started to develop crushes on men that I saw around me, for example, a builder next door the boy around the corner. I think I was hugely influenced by what was on TV at the time. There were programmes such as Benny Hill and Kenny Everett and page 3 where the women where sexualised. I also became obsessed by the glamorous ample breated women, hoping to be just like them one day. I became obsessed with sex although I wasn't old enough to know what it was. 

Since then I've had a string of very unhealthy relationships with men which has resulted in myself and my daughter being abused. I will become obsessed with any man that shows me kindness and fall in love with them. When they don't reciprocate my feelings I'm absolutely heartbroken and want to end my life. 

This is the situation I find myself in now and I know it doesn't make sense and I don't want to feel like this. It's so frustrating. All that the doctors suggest is too take citralopram which has made me feel like a zombie.

I was wondering if anyone else has had this problem?  Is it autism or am I just really screwed up? I hate myself so much and nothing makes me happy. I could win a million pounds and go to a beautiful exotic retreat but I'd still be sat there crying over my latest heartbreak.

I hate myself for feeling this sorry for myself but the man I am in love with lives next door and I've had to listen to him and his new girlfriend having sex which is destroying me. I keep having meltdowns and there's holes in all my doors. I want to kill myself 24/7 but won't do that because I don't want to hurt my daughter but I hope that I don't wake up when I go to sleep.

Parents
  • Well it seems to me that you have a very high sex drive which is completely normal and a strong desire to be loved by another which is again completely normal.

    One problem you do seem to have is getting emotionally attached to people before you really come to Know them as people or developed to much of a relationship with them. For That I can only recommend counselling.

    there are however some things for you to consider.

    1. casual sex. It’s probably very easy for you to get And would help you to scratch that itch without putting yourself in a position of being abused or exploited. Provided you keep it sex only. However given your  Predeliction  for getting attached I think you’d find the emotional toll too difficult.
    2. i’ve sometimes heard it said that those who appear to be vulnerable attract those who would wish to abuse. It’s possible that manipulative people are attracted to you as someone they believe is easy to manipulate. One way to negate   this affect would be to actively seek a romantic partner. Do not wait for a man to select you and show you some kindness. Flip the script. Go out there and try approaching some men. Maybe try speed dating. You don’t need to worry if a man has selected you and approached you because you have victim vibes if you are in fact the one who selected and approached him.
    3. you need to develop a sense of the kind of man you are compatible with. People with similar interests people who complement your points of view and the things you enjoy. Kindness is a wonderful property. Everyone should require that their partners be kind. But for most people it’s not enough. If you select potential partners who have these extras, the special criteria that some people might require for thinking there is  a relationship in it, then you have a better chance of them reciprocating your feelings.
    4. there’s absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to be a glamorous and ample breasted woman. If it makes you feel good about yourself to spend time dressing sexy or making your body look sexy then why don’t you do it if it improves your mood. although I would emphasise it is best if you do it for yourself rather than because you think it will attract men.

    regarding  The role  autism  plays  I will say I do think autistic people do tend to get attached early on and quite easily. I think if you experience social isolation you are always going to be a little bit desperate for social contact with others and you’re going to tend to latch onto those who Enter your social sphere more than other people might. I also think sex has a special interest even among prepubescent autistic children is probably far more common than most people expect. All children are attracted to secrets what is hidden what is forbidden. But autistic children do not see the non-verbal social warning signals saying ‘this is really bad you shouldn’t really get involved in this.’ More to the point it’s just pretty interesting. And since pretty much every human being goes to a phase when their hormones are really high and sex is constantly on their mind, it’s not surprising a lot of autistic teenagers would also develop a special interest in sex.

  • With a lot of respect to your answer, it still doesn't scratch the surface of finding a solution for this. When it's one negative incident then small changes can help, when it's a life cycle of obsession and abuse then only therapy can help. 

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  • With a lot of respect to your answer, it still doesn't scratch the surface of finding a solution for this. When it's one negative incident then small changes can help, when it's a life cycle of obsession and abuse then only therapy can help. 

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