How to Find Yourself After Leaving DV?
I (28F) left my abusive ex (30M) last September. I've done a lot of work on myself during this time but I feel lost trying to find who I am. Being with him was an addiction. He was horrible to me. He assaulted me, belittled me, made me feel absolutely worthless to the point my life became completely to make him happy. The dopamine hits when things were good and how I felt like someone cared; that's what kept me in it for so long; also the fear of being alone. But I lost myself. My dreams and goals went to the backburnner and at this point, I don't even know what they are anymore. I've been dating someone new for 3 months now (30M) and he's very kind and treats me with respect. It's long distance and he's in the military so we aren't able to see each other that often. This new relationship showed me that I have a bit of anxious attachment. I'm working on not becoming lost in the dopamine hits that come from a romantic relationship but it's been a process unlearning that. I feel like it's overall been a good thing for me because I am focused on elevating my own value. I am trying to focus on building a life for myself rather than finding someone to build a life with but I do have a tendency to overthink and ruminate about my new relationship at times. I've found this community so helpful. Before I decided to leave and after I've left i've received so much helpful advice from people who have gone through the same thing. I wanted to know how people found themselves again after leaving a relationship like this? I want to pour myself fully into a new endeavour but I have a lot of hobbies and don't know where to focus. How did you know what you wanted to do with yourself after you left? When you started dating again, how did you deal with the anxiety? How did you manage to detach from the outcome and just enjoy the process? I appreciate any life advice that can help me along my journey. 🙏
Posted Apr 9, 2025, 8:29 PM UTC