Hi there,

My now-ex partner and I had been together for two and a half years and lived together for a little less than two. Things were great; we had such deep connection, and – being in our mid-20s – talked about the future frequently. 

For the past year or so, though, I’ve been struggling with my mental health. I didn’t have a lot of stability or safety growing up, so when I feel this stability in relationships I tend to subconsciously see any conflict as proof that it isn’t real and withdraw. In doing so, I ended up completely destroying the foundation of our relationship over the course of a year until my partner couldn’t handle it anymore. I feel absolutely horrible for letting things get to this point and for being so complacent. My partner didn’t feel loved or appreciated, and after mutually expressing that we’d felt like roommates for months, we agreed to take a two-week break while my partner went on a planned family trip.

I did a lot of apologizing for my actions before they left. We had a really great few days, but when they came back, they ended things. They say that they still love me deeply, but just feel disconnected/checked out and simply have “no fight in them” to resurrect this.

The thing is, we share a dog and are going to continue living together. I asked how this is functionally any different than remaining a couple, because – with the exception of removing intimacy – we’re still going to interact every day and will have a front row seat to the progress we’re making on ourselves as individuals. They didn’t have much of an answer short of saying that while I wasn’t wrong, this was something they needed to do right now, and while it feels like a loss to them they still want me in their future. 

This has all left me very confused as to where we really stand – broken up, yes, but irreparably? I see things going two ways: either continuing to live together gives us a unique opportunity to rebuild a healthier foundation as a couple, or it will just make it all the more excruciating when one or the other starts dating other people and/or eventually moves out entirely. I feel like we’re in purgatory!

I know I have a lot to work through on my own and am committed to doing so regardless, but I’m wondering how you’d recommend navigating this new dynamic with the additional goal of repairing our relationship in mind. I hate that I inadvertently mistreated and took for granted the person I care about most in this world, and sincerely want my ex to see that I’m capable of being an attentive, loving person again, regardless of the form our relationship takes in the long run.

Any insight you might have would be tremendously appreciated. 

– Purgatory