I don't know if I agree that you should talk to her about this.
Sareitha Sedai Send a noteboard - 12/02/2013 04:30:14 PM
That depends on what you want to do about it, and on what you know of what kind of person/woman she is. Essentially what I'm getting from what you're saying is that she's not enough for you. It's not enough that she loves you, desires you, admires you...you "need" to feel that from other women too. Do you want to give her that message? It could fundamentally undermine the relationship between the two of you. But if she isn't likely to take it that way and you think she could help you work through whatever it is about you that makes you "need" this, by all means ask for her help. Now if you decide you can keep doing this and just keep it under control (whatever that means), then that's a risk to her security in the marriage and the life she thinks she's building. In that case you do owe it to her to make her aware of it so that if she does decide she wants to take the risk of staying with you, it's her decision. This is even more important if you guys are thinking about/planning to have children. She needs to know this about you before she can make that decision. Unless you are going to decide to stop.
You said "I love my wife too much to risk losing her." Do you really not think you're already risking losing her? I think (in general) that it's fairly typical for men to think that anything less than physical sex isn't cheating, and it's fairly typical for women to view "emotional cheating" (which is absolutely what you're doing) as equally bad if not worse. Your wife may have a different view; I don't know her. But just understand that whether you actually follow through and have sex with someone else or not, if your wife finds out about any of this (especially if she finds out not from you), the end result might be the same and it might not be your decision any more.
You said this in another reply. I think the first 2 sentences are very astute by the way:
Couple thoughts here. You're probably not ever going to get to the point where you don't feel the inclination unless you are willing and able to figure out where this comes from...that will take some serious soul searching and very likely some good therapy. But in the end it doesn't matter. You're going to have to start acting like you don't have the inclination long before you actually stop having it (feelings follow behaviors a lot of the time, as much as we'd like that to be the other way around). One way to accomplish this is every time you have that inclination, turn it into doing something nice for your wife. Put all that energy you would have put into "seducing" another woman into doing something that strengthens your bond with your wife. You say that you want women to know you're not serious in your flirting, but that to me just sounds like you want to make them responsible for anything that comes of it or whether anything comes of it (which isn't really fair).
You said "I love my wife too much to risk losing her." Do you really not think you're already risking losing her? I think (in general) that it's fairly typical for men to think that anything less than physical sex isn't cheating, and it's fairly typical for women to view "emotional cheating" (which is absolutely what you're doing) as equally bad if not worse. Your wife may have a different view; I don't know her. But just understand that whether you actually follow through and have sex with someone else or not, if your wife finds out about any of this (especially if she finds out not from you), the end result might be the same and it might not be your decision any more.
You said this in another reply. I think the first 2 sentences are very astute by the way:
I don't think harmless flirting is wrong. But what I'm doing is not harmless. I take it too far. I want to get to the point where I feel no inclination, or at least able to stop the flirting when it goes too far. It's my personality. I love to flirt. But I need to keep it under control, to where the woman is completely aware that I'm not serious in my flirting.
Couple thoughts here. You're probably not ever going to get to the point where you don't feel the inclination unless you are willing and able to figure out where this comes from...that will take some serious soul searching and very likely some good therapy. But in the end it doesn't matter. You're going to have to start acting like you don't have the inclination long before you actually stop having it (feelings follow behaviors a lot of the time, as much as we'd like that to be the other way around). One way to accomplish this is every time you have that inclination, turn it into doing something nice for your wife. Put all that energy you would have put into "seducing" another woman into doing something that strengthens your bond with your wife. You say that you want women to know you're not serious in your flirting, but that to me just sounds like you want to make them responsible for anything that comes of it or whether anything comes of it (which isn't really fair).
If you are from Betelgeuse, please have one of your Earth friends read what I've written before you respond. Or try concentrating harder.
"The trophy problem has become extreme."
"The trophy problem has become extreme."
I am on the verge of having an affair
11/02/2013 11:41:57 PM
- 1755 Views
Ditch the wife or stop being a prat.
12/02/2013 12:30:30 AM
- 1013 Views
Great. Helpful advice
12/02/2013 12:33:36 AM
- 897 Views
What exactly do you want to hear?
12/02/2013 12:47:06 AM
- 876 Views
I don't know, something helpful
12/02/2013 12:59:23 AM
- 942 Views
The telling you to grow up bit wasn't the advice
12/02/2013 01:09:54 AM
- 903 Views
So there is no situation in which advice helps?
12/02/2013 01:23:21 AM
- 941 Views
I didn't say nobody could help you at all
12/02/2013 01:41:19 AM
- 926 Views
My opinion ...
12/02/2013 01:21:38 AM
- 940 Views
That's not really advice
12/02/2013 01:28:42 AM
- 940 Views
Why is it obvious?
12/02/2013 01:42:26 AM
- 955 Views
Get therapy or get a divorce. Your wife deserves better than the person you're being now. *NM*
12/02/2013 04:00:38 AM
- 500 Views
Careful you don't fall off that high horse
12/02/2013 04:53:11 AM
- 981 Views
You might try 4chan. Their morals seem more in line with the ones you're currently espousing. *NM*
13/02/2013 09:29:04 AM
- 463 Views
What exactly did you want to hear?
12/02/2013 04:31:56 AM
- 843 Views
role play. *NM*
12/02/2013 04:41:07 AM
- 491 Views
I appreciate something other than judgment. Thank you!
12/02/2013 04:51:56 AM
- 965 Views
i was poly for a decade. maybe that's a thing to consider? opening your marriage for both of you?
13/02/2013 05:12:06 AM
- 841 Views
If you don't have kids, then just leave the marriage or have an open relationship. *NM*
12/02/2013 05:19:27 AM
- 447 Views
You have 4 options
12/02/2013 06:03:43 AM
- 870 Views
Number one is not an option, it is a looming and growing disaster.
13/02/2013 02:57:19 PM
- 884 Views
I'm not sure there's enough context to offer much useful advice, but I'd line up incentives
12/02/2013 08:29:41 AM
- 963 Views
I don't judge you. I am exactly the same way.
12/02/2013 01:56:58 PM
- 1037 Views
I don't give a shit about polyamory. I give a shit about honesty.
13/02/2013 09:26:56 AM
- 888 Views
I don't know if I agree that you should talk to her about this.
12/02/2013 04:30:14 PM
- 1022 Views
Do you want help making a decision, or validation of one already made?
13/02/2013 02:47:59 PM
- 943 Views
Hehe, love that things are pretty much the same around here. *NM*
14/02/2013 12:29:56 AM
- 486 Views