|
Post by tnr9 on Jan 2, 2018 20:22:31 GMT
Being an AP, I know what the attraction is on my side towards the DA/FA partner.....but I would love to understand from the DAs here, if you dated someone who was AP, what was the reason for the attraction? Did it mirror something you were familiar with and feel safe? Was the "thought" of the person exciting but getting to know them triggering? Just very curious.
|
|
lucky
New Member
Posts: 29
|
Post by lucky on Jan 2, 2018 21:26:17 GMT
Being an AP, I know what the attraction is on my side towards the DA/FA partner.....but I would love to understand from the DAs here, if you dated someone who was AP, what was the reason for the attraction? Did it mirror something you were familiar with and feel safe? Was the "thought" of the person exciting but getting to know them triggering? Just very curious. I briefly began to see someone who was AP. I can't take it. It makes me anxious/feel angry inside. The amount of contact required makes resentful. The amount of verbal reassurance makes me feel very uncomfortable, almost disgusted. I know that there is someone for everyone, so I broke it off with that person very quickly because that someone for AP is definitely not me . I am very interested in hearing how these two could ever be in a relationship. For me as a DA (I say with a pinch of FA, just because I will strongly consider breaking up at the slightest negative feeling, cold turkey NC), I have an uncomfortable physiological reaction to APs as friends and especially as romantic partners. I just can't do it.
|
|
|
Post by tnr9 on Jan 2, 2018 21:51:04 GMT
Being an AP, I know what the attraction is on my side towards the DA/FA partner.....but I would love to understand from the DAs here, if you dated someone who was AP, what was the reason for the attraction? Did it mirror something you were familiar with and feel safe? Was the "thought" of the person exciting but getting to know them triggering? Just very curious. I briefly began to see someone who was AP. I can't take it. It makes me anxious/feel angry inside. The amount of contact required makes resentful. The amount of verbal reassurance makes me feel very uncomfortable, almost disgusted. I know that there is someone for everyone, so I broke it off with that person very quickly because that someone for AP is definitely not me . I am very interested in hearing how these two could ever be in a relationship. For me as a DA (I say with a pinch of FA, just because I will strongly consider breaking up at the slightest negative feeling, cold turkey NC), I have an uncomfortable physiological reaction to APs as friends and especially as romantic partners. I just can't do it. Well can I say...ouch. But I get it....and I appreciate your honesty. Can you elaborate a bit more on the anger/anxiety? Is it more like resentment for not having your boundaries honored?
|
|
lucky
New Member
Posts: 29
|
Post by lucky on Jan 2, 2018 22:23:42 GMT
Lucky, who do you get involved with then? How do you know what the person is straight away without getting to know them? This is really so unhealthy and absurd quite honestly. Picking people based on attachment style rather than attraction and chemistry and common interests. Jeepers! Toxic to say the least. I don't pick people based on attachment type - that's not even possible - it's not like we walk around with "I will ghost you for 3 days a time" or "I will triple text and then call" on our shirts. Like you said, you wouldn't know their attachment style until you get to know them. I 'pick' people based on the same things you all do: how I feel when I'm with them, If I feel like we're compatible, if we have the same goals in life, if they are genuinely good people, are they intelligent, do I like the way they look, can we talk, if we get along etc. etc. etc. To answer the question of who I get involved with, mostly I don't. I can't handle an AP. It doesn't take long to feel them out as they quickly need more from me than I am willing to give. I've been with a Secure attacher and found out I am a disaster for them. In fact, HE is why/how I realized I needed to make a change. An FA just probably wouldn't happen. They would likely break up w me because I'm not around too much/have no passion & I would let them. I am currently 'not with' another DA. It is great to not worry about much. I don't have to text too much, he never pressures me. I love him. and have told him so. He doesn't respond, but I don't worry if he loves me. I know he does and I don't need him to say it. I'm sure he feels uncomfortable when I tell him I love him. As I grow as a DA and move towards Secure, I require things of him. But, as a former DA, I am able to articulate this in a pretty low-pressure way. I still get scared. It's a learning process. For example, I am slightly FA too. So when my feelings are hurt because he is a DA and responds in some weird, non-response way, my first instinct is to just cut off all contact and never speak to him again. We've been 'friends' for over a year now. it is only just this month that I realized, when I feel like that, I need to spend a few days thinking about WHY I am hurt, and what needs are not being met, and exactly how he can meet them. Then I make my request very plainly "I would like to ... (action)...(at what frequency)." Period. No "Why don't you?" No "Can you do that/is that okay?" Just "this is how it is." He is aware he is DA (just also found this out this month). I am aware I am DA. BUT I am actively trying to change the way I connect with people. I told him, that I will not accept 'part' of him if we were to get into 'a real relationship.' But I also don't pressure him to get into a real relationship. As it is now, we are just two people who choose to relate to each other on a regular basis and for an extended period.
|
|
lucky
New Member
Posts: 29
|
Post by lucky on Jan 2, 2018 22:37:24 GMT
Well can I say...ouch. But I get it....and I appreciate your honesty. Can you elaborate a bit more on the anger/anxiety? Is it more like resentment for not having your boundaries honored? I apologize, I didn't mean to offend, It appears as though you genuinely want to know how we work (and you guessed it, I'm not so good with sugar coating). Sorry. To answer your question: are you one of those people that MUST be on time? Do you get irritated/physically uncomfortable when people make you late? It feels like that. Physiologically, my heart rate and blood pressure increases and I feel angry. When people 'harass' me (which, to be honest, is not harassment at all) I feel put upon. Almost how it would feel if a creepy old man flashed you in public. I feel violated. Yes, like you're not respecting my boundaries. If you WANTED to see that creepy old man's junk you'd ask (lol). If I WANTED to be thinking about you, I would be, and I don't need someone to try to force themselves into my life/my thoughts. But that is just for as it relates to contact. Texting in particular. Phone calls. I feel so drained at the thought of them. What other behaviors do you want to know the reactions for?
|
|
|
Post by tnr9 on Jan 2, 2018 22:50:08 GMT
Well can I say...ouch. But I get it....and I appreciate your honesty. Can you elaborate a bit more on the anger/anxiety? Is it more like resentment for not having your boundaries honored? I apologize, I didn't mean to offend, It appears as though you genuinely want to know how we work (and you guessed it, I'm not so good with sugar coating). Sorry. To answer your question: are you one of those people that MUST be on time? Do you get irritated/physically uncomfortable when people make you late? It feels like that. Physiologically, my heart rate and blood pressure increases and I feel angry. When people 'harass' me (which, to be honest, is not harassment at all) I feel put upon. Almost how it would feel if a creepy old man flashed you in public. I feel violated. Yes, like you're not respecting my boundaries. If you WANTED to see that creepy old man's junk you'd ask (lol). If I WANTED to be thinking about you, I would be, and I don't need someone to try to force themselves into my life/my thoughts. But that is just for as it relates to contact. Texting in particular. Phone calls. I feel so drained at the thought of them. What other behaviors do you want to know the reactions for? I did not take offense. . I have suspected for a while that the texting/email/phone call frequency would be a major point of contention. I tried very hard to keep that to a minimum...a ping for every pong....but silence triggers me....my attachment system goes off and escalating alarm bells prompting me that there is something wrong that must be addressed do not turn off until I hear from my partner. It is a very interesting dynamic. I would love to ask more...but I am noticing myself going into "I failed him" mode and I need to step back from this because if I keep going...I will just go deeper down a rabbit trail that is really not helpful. To understand this better....it seems my unspoken agreement has been "I am responsible for you...for your behaviors, for your happiness etc....and that just makes me extra hard on myself.....but the reverse then is...you are responsible for me...to help me overcome my anxiety, to make me feel ok, to turn the attachment system off for a while...I tried not to make him responsible...but I know he must have felt that as pressure and that makes me sad...because I would never do anything to intentionally hurt the man that I love very much."
|
|
|
Post by madamebovary on Jan 27, 2018 22:06:59 GMT
I apologize, I didn't mean to offend, It appears as though you genuinely want to know how we work (and you guessed it, I'm not so good with sugar coating). Sorry. To answer your question: are you one of those people that MUST be on time? Do you get irritated/physically uncomfortable when people make you late? It feels like that. Physiologically, my heart rate and blood pressure increases and I feel angry. When people 'harass' me (which, to be honest, is not harassment at all) I feel put upon. Almost how it would feel if a creepy old man flashed you in public. I feel violated. Yes, like you're not respecting my boundaries. If you WANTED to see that creepy old man's junk you'd ask (lol). If I WANTED to be thinking about you, I would be, and I don't need someone to try to force themselves into my life/my thoughts. But that is just for as it relates to contact. Texting in particular. Phone calls. I feel so drained at the thought of them. What other behaviors do you want to know the reactions for? I did not take offense. . I have suspected for a while that the texting/email/phone call frequency would be a major point of contention. I tried very hard to keep that to a minimum...a ping for every pong....but silence triggers me....my attachment system goes off and escalating alarm bells prompting me that there is something wrong that must be addressed do not turn off until I hear from my partner. It is a very interesting dynamic. I would love to ask more...but I am noticing myself going into "I failed him" mode and I need to step back from this because if I keep going...I will just go deeper down a rabbit trail that is really not helpful. To understand this better....it seems my unspoken agreement has been "I am responsible for you...for your behaviors, for your happiness etc....and that just makes me extra hard on myself.....but the reverse then is...you are responsible for me...to help me overcome my anxiety, to make me feel ok, to turn the attachment system off for a while...I tried not to make him responsible...but I know he must have felt that as pressure and that makes me sad...because I would never do anything to intentionally hurt the man that I love very much." I am an AP trying to re-establish contact with my DA. I would like to know more about the texting thing. I know for a fact that he tried to meet me halfway and I annoyed the hell out of him. Here’s the thing, and I’m wondering if this is a hallmark of the DA type (it seems like it may be). I knew I was a lot. I always warned him “I am intense, I have big emotions.” I kept feeling him out and telling him to tell me if I was too much and I would back off. He would always tell me to just do what I was gonna do but he may not be as responsive, but he would slowly back away. Because he wasn’t specifically telling me “please stop,” I didn’t take the hint (annoying AP characteristic) and kept pushing. I eventually broke it off because I could tell he was distancing but would never TELL me that. When I finally did, he was kind of adamant about pointing out that “you are the one breaking up with me” even though, to me, it felt like it was slowly happening for a long time. Why wouldn’t he just tell me to back off? Especially when I was sensing it and specifically asking if he needed space and telling him “just tell me if you need space.” Why not just express your needs?
|
|
lucy
New Member
Posts: 30
|
Post by lucy on Jan 27, 2018 22:40:35 GMT
Madamebovary, I think one of the problems for DAs (some as some other people) is that they are shit in communicating. They are also often confused and conflicted. Not aware of their own actions and how they can be perceived. I am a very honest and direct person...told me DA before we started what I want from a relationship. And he went out with me anyway! When some of my anxiety set in, I gave him very simple tricks to calm me down, non of which he did. We would end up having the same conversations over and over. Sometimes he would lie to me....though in my eyes i think he just panicked and made crap excuses....just that I knew they were lies. Which was very hurtful. I have a better understanding of it now and know not to take all he sais face value. Also I know not all I say really sinks in for him. But I feel we are getting better in a way as time goes by. I think you learn to read between the lines...once you learn not to go into AP overdrive all the time
|
|
lucy
New Member
Posts: 30
|
Post by lucy on Jan 27, 2018 22:48:20 GMT
Madamebo , Also in regards to why doesnt he just express his needs? I used to tell me DA just to send me a quick message saying we were ok, but he needed space and a few days to himself whenever things got too much for him. He also had a lot of family stress at one stage. But he never did. I could have handled that fine. Instead I always went into full anxiety during those days of no contact...until I just got to the conclusion he was too wrapped in himself to understand and care about my needs at that time...so I had to step in myself...accept that kind of behaviour and see it as what it is...or move on. Forcing an issue/conversation over and over wont get you anywhere. Time and really getting to know the other person the way they really are (not how you want them to be ...they ought to be) helps a lot
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 28, 2018 2:29:27 GMT
I did not take offense. . I have suspected for a while that the texting/email/phone call frequency would be a major point of contention. I tried very hard to keep that to a minimum...a ping for every pong....but silence triggers me....my attachment system goes off and escalating alarm bells prompting me that there is something wrong that must be addressed do not turn off until I hear from my partner. It is a very interesting dynamic. I would love to ask more...but I am noticing myself going into "I failed him" mode and I need to step back from this because if I keep going...I will just go deeper down a rabbit trail that is really not helpful. To understand this better....it seems my unspoken agreement has been "I am responsible for you...for your behaviors, for your happiness etc....and that just makes me extra hard on myself.....but the reverse then is...you are responsible for me...to help me overcome my anxiety, to make me feel ok, to turn the attachment system off for a while...I tried not to make him responsible...but I know he must have felt that as pressure and that makes me sad...because I would never do anything to intentionally hurt the man that I love very much." I am an AP trying to re-establish contact with my DA. I would like to know more about the texting thing. I know for a fact that he tried to meet me halfway and I annoyed the hell out of him. Here’s the thing, and I’m wondering if this is a hallmark of the DA type (it seems like it may be). I knew I was a lot. I always warned him “I am intense, I have big emotions.” I kept feeling him out and telling him to tell me if I was too much and I would back off. He would always tell me to just do what I was gonna do but he may not be as responsive, but he would slowly back away. Because he wasn’t specifically telling me “please stop,” I didn’t take the hint (annoying AP characteristic) and kept pushing. I eventually broke it off because I could tell he was distancing but would never TELL me that. When I finally did, he was kind of adamant about pointing out that “you are the one breaking up with me” even though, to me, it felt like it was slowly happening for a long time. Why wouldn’t he just tell me to back off? Especially when I was sensing it and specifically asking if he needed space and telling him “just tell me if you need space.” Why not just express your needs? Omg, it’s exactly the same with mine!! I asked him and he said “you know I don’t talk much”. /rolleyes. When I did the same (distancing), he told me “you should just say that you’re upset”. I wanted to laugh at the irony of it all, but had to keep a poker face to keep peace.
|
|
|
Post by yasmin on Jan 28, 2018 2:35:25 GMT
I think anxious feelings can often mimic the same reactions you might feel when you're in love - like waiting by the phone, being desperate for someone to give you attention or reassurance and feeling overjoyed when you get it. If you're an AP then the DA offers the perfect storm really to keep you hooked on that like an addiction.
I don't think you can tell right away someone is DA, FA or AP (I didn't notice anything odd about the FA I dated until a few weeks into it) but I think someone who is secure is more likely to walk away at the first sings of being dismissed or confused because they're secure enough to not wonder why but to just know it doesn't feel good and to want to get away from it.
I am FA, but I dumped the FA I was dating after about 6 weeks of dating the first time around because I didn't like the hot and cold thing. Total turn off!
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 28, 2018 2:36:34 GMT
Madamebovary, I think one of the problems for DAs (some as some other people) is that they are shit in communicating. They are also often confused and conflicted. Not aware of their own actions and how they can be perceived. I am a very honest and direct person...told me DA before we started what I want from a relationship. And he went out with me anyway! When some of my anxiety set in, I gave him very simple tricks to calm me down, non of which he did. We would end up having the same conversations over and over. Sometimes he would lie to me....though in my eyes i think he just panicked and made crap excuses....just that I knew they were lies. Which was very hurtful. I have a better understanding of it now and know not to take all he sais face value. Also I know not all I say really sinks in for him. But I feel we are getting better in a way as time goes by. I think you learn to read between the lines...once you learn not to go into AP overdrive all the time Yes, I’ve had the same experience regarding the same conversations over and over again, plus lies such as “he forgot what happened” (that guy’s got an almost eidetic memory!), “he was just making bad jokes”. I’ve yet to truly call him out on these excuses, because I was already bringing up so many issues, but this felt very manipulative to me. Things that are important are dismissed at his convenience, even though I can understand they might have been done defensively to protect himself. Even if I’m not in AP mode, it felt almost like gaslighting. Short of having utmost patience and tolerance, I’m not sure how to view such behaviours. How do you deal with it?
|
|