Why I Broke Up With the Same Man 8 Times in a Row
We had a double-jeopardy, textbook, toxic relationship, and it felt so good until it didn’t.
At 22 years old, I was smart, beautiful, and charming. I graduated top of my college class and made tons of loyal friends. I had created an impressive, internship-loaded resume, and I recently returned from teaching English at a school in Spain. After moving downtown to an up-and-coming city, I began excitedly pouring myself into my first full-time professional job, and then I met Josh — not his real name.
When Josh and I first met at our co-work space, I barely noticed him. He seemed like just another starry-eyed entrepreneur, obsessed with comics, anime, and superheroes. But Josh was best friends with my new boss and hung around quite a bit. After helping me with some software tools I needed, he became curious. Josh asked about my dad — Which seemed odd — and why I always wore pretty dresses. As the conversation deepened, I realized we were both self-improvement nerds, and I felt a spark.
Soon after, Josh asked me to hang out for our first date, thus beginning the roller-coaster-like relationship that led me to a scary depression.* Little did I know, Josh was not only narcissistic but also had an avoidant attachment style. I tended towards an anxious…
