Take it from me ladies, don't ever have an affair. It messes with you mentally, emotionally and physically. I'm angry and agitated at me family, I can't stop thinking of the guy, I'm depressed and I have a lot of guilt. My affair was only for a couple of months thank God. It's hard but I deserve to be punished. I'll get past this right?

I had an affair with a married man for a total of 9 years. It ended because he became verbally abusive to me. Yes I know it was wrong to sleep with someone married, but I was young when it started, he was a bit older, and I was in a bad place emotionally.

I am preparing myself and my mental health for some major losses that will be coming sooner rather than later. I have gone to therapy, quit smoking, lost weight, all because I know I have to be strong and in a good emotional/physical state when these losses happen. I have dealt with the intense fear of losing loved ones most of my life and it has messed me up. I feel strong now, things may hurt me but they're not going to break me.

Stormyweather, (for me) it is just like any relationship that includes sex. I am emotionally attached and sexually attracted to three people. I don't believe it is that unusual. Look at the number of posts here where someone is interested, both emotionally and sexually, in someone who isn't their spouse. I'm guessing you have one person who fits that category (I seem to remember you are married). Several people have two, but don't act on their interest in one of them. Or do, without telling their spouse! I have three, and act on them all. For years I had one, and that was great too, it wasn't like I was missing anything. But if there is someone I get to know and feel an attraction, I act on it (as long as everyone else I am involved with is OK with it). There have been three in the last decade-plus, and I am still with them all. I also have many people in my life that I love but am not sexually attracted too, and those are 'regular' friendships.

just to start off: i love my husband and would never cheat on him physically or emotionally. but there's this hot guy at my gym who i sometimes fantasize about. I've never so much as spoken to him or even made eye contact and it will stay that way. he doesn't know i exist and he never will. but i still feel guilty.

You are a sapiosexual? Attracted to intellect, maybe. It's an emotional affair, if you are attached...good luck. Keep us posted ... I see it turning physical, no?

is there a such thing as "poverty PTSD"? i was jobless and homeless for over two years in my past. it was a very tough time for me emotionally as well as financially. I've since come full circle and now have a full-time job that pays well and own a home. as a result of that tough time I went through I'm obsessed with working as much as possible, rarely take time off, save as much money as i can, and don't ever plan on retiring. as a result of that time, I'm terrified of not having a job or income. thinking of retirement makes me panicky. I don't ever want to go through that again.

I'm really trying to practice emotional detachment. It's hard. I left work today and just thought, I should just not think about any of this until tomorrow. I'm trying. I just exercised super hard and felt like that helped to turn my brain off a little.

Oh boy do I sympathize with this post. Online shopping is my emotional therapy. Gets me every time.

My 18yo brother decided to light a bonfire using gasoline and caught himself on fire. He has 1st degree burns on his arms, legs, and face; 2nd degree burns on his knee; and 3rd degree burns on his right hand and wrist. My mom is being a real bitch about it, saying he was stupid to do it and it's his own fault and he doesn't deserve any attention. We all make stupid mistakes and at least he's OK. I think she's more pissed by the fact that he wants his gf to take care of him. I don't blame him. He was a surprise baby late in my parent's lives, and they both treat him like shit. They think giving him money and letting him do whatever he wants replaces emotional support and they're dead wrong.