I (29F) told my ex (34M) I was in the ER with stress-induced chest pains. His immediate response: “So does that mean we can’t work things out?” Am I losing my mind?
I really need a reality check because I am at a point where I am genuinely questioning my own sanity and judgment.
I broke up with my boyfriend last week because the relationship has felt incredibly invalidating and emotionally lonely. Since the breakup, he has been constantly trying to get back together, using a mix of guilt-tripping and weird administrative pressure—sending texts like, “You really don’t wanna work this out?"and “Do you want me to take you off the flight itinerary?"
Against my better judgment, I agreed to get on the phone with him today to see if we could calmly talk things through. During the call, he was perfectly calm, never raised his voice, and didn't insult me directly. But the entire hour was essentially a quiet audit of everything I’ve ever done wrong, how my anxiety is an "inconvenience," and how I am the sole cause of our fights and ruined vacations. He didn’t word it that way since he’s an attorney and very smart with words, but I ended the call feeling like an awful person.
I stayed calm on the call, but the next day my nervous system completely collapsed. I started experiencing severe physical anxiety, dizziness, and intense chest pains. It got so bad that I had to go to an emergency clinic/ER to get my heart checked. Thankfully, the doctor confirmed my heart is perfectly healthy and it was just a severe physical reaction to extreme emotional stress.
While processing everything, he texted me a casual “I love you though." I finally decided to be vulnerable and tell him the physical toll this was taking on me. I texted him:”I love you too. I do think I need to focus on my mental health for now. I ended in the er today with chest pains. It ended up being nothing but stress but I just want myself back."His exact, immediate response: “So does that mean we can’t work things out?"
Not a single word asking if I was okay. No relief that my heart is fine. No acknowledgment that I was literally just hooked up to an ECG machine. Just a cold, transactional demand to know how my medical emergency affects his relationship status.
After I replied that I was a little sad that that’s all he took away from that and that I am in no position to make a decision right now. He replied that he was only asking because he couldn’t tell how involved I wanted him to be or wanted his help. He told me to heal and rest.
I’m so confused by this as he last week stated that ‘I always have things and that he’d wish I’d just work through them’. Basically in other words said he can’t be the guy who keeps putting out fires. Which hurt a lot. I broke up with him cause there was a pattern of him going cold and silent and offering no comfort when I got sick or had a panic attack in public.
I’m at a loss here wether or not to give him another chance. My nervous system is clearly suffering. First he basically in other words calls me a burden for having anxiety. Then now he wants to be there and help.. My head just keeps spinning.
TL;DR: Broke up with my ex last week. Had a difficult phone call with him yesterday that caused such severe panic and chest pains I ended up in the ER. When I told him I was in the hospital from stress, his immediate response completely ignored my health. Am I the dramatic one, or is this a lack of empathy?
Posted Jul 13, 2026, 10:44 AM UTC · locked