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You Asked..."Why Won't He Commit?"

Experts and readers answer our members' toughest dating and relationship questions

By Diana Kirschner, Ph.D.; Caroline Presno, Ed.D., P.C.C., and Chelsea Summers Updated: Jun 23, 2008
You Asked...
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"I've been in an on-again, off-again relationship with a man for 3+ years. He had been married for 20+ years. I was close friends with him for three years before that. After his separation, we decided to start dating. He was very upfront with me about his desire to date around a bit because he had not been 'out there' for some time and wants to see what he's been missing. We agreed to be nonexclusive (although I've never liked the idea much). I felt he deserved and needed it.
 
"Over the last three years, we have taken a couple of short (about a week in length) 'breaks' to step back and reassess our situation. One of us always calls the other and we end up getting back in our 'comfort zone.' We have a great time together, are still great friends, laugh a lot, the sex is great and we do not fight at all. We seem to be extremely compatible.
"The problem is, he says he loves me but feels he is not 'madly in love' with me like he feels he should be after all this time. He doesn't open up to me and has his walls up (I believe to protect himself from being hurt and intimate with someone again). He's still in the midst of a nasty divorce and custody situation. The problem for me is that I keep getting my feelings hurt, and although I am normally a strong, independent, happy-go-lucky, non-needy person, I find myself being a little needy and pathetic. My question: Should I kick this guy to the curb like I would have done in the past, or give him more time to get where he needs to be? I hate to walk away from someone I am in love with and totally think I could have something much more substantial with." -- Robin P., 42, Canoga Park, California
 
Diana Kirschner Answers
Dear Robin -- It sounds like this man is still "married." You've been flexible, open and available while he has not. Because of the bitter custody/divorce situation, his mind is fixed on his wife and kids. And he has had no push to get beyond this and really look at what he has with you.
If you are serious about wanting fulfilling love, the most powerful thing you can do is what I call the fear-of-loss.
“Tell your boyfriend that you want the whole enchilada”
Tell your boyfriend that you want the whole enchilada and will end the relationship if he does not step up. If he does not respond, follow through and let him know that you will be dating other men. Then be strong and do it. Look around and find three guys to date casually (hold off on sex because it bonds you too quickly).
Losing you will open up his appreciation and longing for you. It will propel him to choose you without reservations, if that is what he desires in his heart of hearts. If he does not, you will be ahead, because you will be out in the dating world. And there are great guys who are baggage-free and available!
Wishing you all the best.
Diana Kirschner, Ph.D. is a psychologist and author of "Opening Love's Door" and the forthcoming book, "Love in 90 Days" (Center Street). Subscribe to her free newsletter Love E-tips at openinglovesdoor.com
Caroline Presno Answers
Hello Robin -- I know it's hard to walk away from someone you love, but it's time to start thinking about walking toward something better. You deserve a man who loves you just as passionately as you love him. When you find it, you will see that reciprocated love is so much more deep and fulfilling than one-sided love.
It seems like he is the one who is getting the most out of this relationship. He gets to date around whenever he wants and then he gets your love, support and comfort. And you end up feeling hurt and confused.
“Take some time to self-reflect about the things that are keeping you in this relationship.”
Take some time to self-reflect about the things that are keeping you in this relationship. You mentioned that you and he are stuck in the "comfort zone." Could it be fear that is keeping you in this relationship? Are you worried about getting out there and meeting new people again and starting over with someone new? Remember, the best decisions we make come out of courage rather than fear.
If you decide to move on, you need to make it stick. It's not a good idea to stay "just friends" with him, because he will most likely pull you back in. If you decide to continue the relationship with him, make sure that he is not the only one who gets to be "nonexclusive." You need the chance to date other people.
Caroline Presno, Ed.D., P.C.C., the "Date Doctor," is a psychotherapist and author of "Profiling Your Date: A Smart Woman's Guide to Evaluating a Man." Look for her online at ProfilingYourDate.com.
Chelsea Summers Answers
Dear Robin -- That's quite the conundrum. To be honest, I know the feeling, having myself been in a three-plus-year relationship with a commitment-phobe man whom I love deeply. It's not easy to give up on companionship, great sex and deep love served with a side dish of hope that it will lead to lasting commitment. I feel your pain.
I have to say that your case is a bit different than mine, as your man is still going through a very nasty divorce. The freshness of those kinds of wounds would very logically scare a person, if not make it downright impossible for him to separate his fears from his lovely reality. It's just an awful lot to contend with on the inside. I don't hardly wonder why his walls have yet to come tumbling down.
“My advice to you is to be open and honest with him about what you want.”
My advice to you is to be open and honest with him about what you want. If he can't give it to you immediately, reassess whether you're getting enough of what you want to make hanging in there worth it to you. In the words of the immortal Rolling Stones, "you can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes you may just get what you need." You may have to settle for need.
On the other hand, if after checking in with your interior self, you honestly know that neither your needs nor your wants are being met, then it is indeed time to take care of yourself and, for lack of a better expression, kick him to the curb.
Chelsea Summers writes about relationships and sex because she has a lot of experience with both. She uses a pseudonym to protect the identities of parties about whom she writes who are far less innocent than she. You can read more of her work at chelseasummers.com.
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Leave a comment COMMENTS50 COMMENTS
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A Yahoo! Contributor
Too many men out there don&#39;t want a commitment!
A Yahoo! Contributor
I think your are in denial. You have already answered your own question. He is Married. How can he commit to you when he is morally commited to someone else. He is not emotionally free to love you when he legally still belongs to someone else. You are having sex with a married man. Have you thought about STD&#39;s. If he loves you that much he should be willing to wait until he is divorced before he becomes emotionally involved with someone else. I think they call it adultry. That destroyed my marriage. And guess who who the attorney&#39;s were in favor of during the divorce settlement the wife. If he doesn&#39;t have the decency to wait to starts a new relationship until after the divorce, he probably was cheating on his wife all along. I hope the wife gets everything. He sounds like a loser to me.
A Yahoo! Contributor
Dear Robin - I know just how u feel since I was in the same situation with my now ex-boyfriend who I dated for 3 yrs, on and off. Since we are from the Indian culture he was hesistant to marry me because i have kids from my previous marriage and he then left me to marry a girl 10yrs younger than him to have kids, since he has no kids. He is 45 and I am 40 so he told me I&#39;m too old for him. He was insulting, rude and disrespectful to me during the relationship so I left him which was the hardest thing i ever did. Then he married that younger woman set up by his family and 10 months after their marriage he and her filed for divorce. Now I know he is looking to make his way back to me who has always been there for him through thick and thin. I am hesistant because after leaving him I had the time of my life dating other guys and realise my self-worth, learnt to love and respect myself more.
A Yahoo! Contributor
I must admit I was in a somewhat similar relationship. The difference was that he was divorced twice and that should&#39;ve been a clue! But, NO, I thought the things I saw in him was really what I wanted in a relationship. We had very good times together, attended family functions, traveled, etc. But when his second ex got wind of our relationship, she began a quest to get him back in her good graces any way she could. And he was gullible to fall for it. One month we were thick as thieves, the next I would only hear from him two or three times. After a couple of these episodes, I decided that this just wasn&#39;t working for me and called it a day. I was hurt, missed him, but was determined that I would not be a doormat any longer. I&#39;m now seeing someone who has all that he didn&#39;t! Things are going GREAT and I give myself a high-five for not wasting any more of my time with that character.
Terri
I think he really doesn&#39;t know what he wants, because he hasn&#39;t had time or opportunity to know. Even though he isn&#39;t commited to his wife in the same way he was when he was married and living with her, he is still committed to working on a relationship with her until the time of his divorce and long after. He needs time to sort that relationship out before her can begin with yours. He is in the middle of a tornado, and you provide the calm during the storm. Since you are getting hurt by his actions, I think you need to do whatever it is that will make you feel better and stop thinking about his needs. He is not thinking of yours, so you must.
A Yahoo! Contributor
yes, anyone should leave that type of person, because there is no love or connection, if somone won&#39;t commit now, they probley won&#39;t in the future either.
A Yahoo! Contributor
Let him go. You don&#39;t want anyone elses seconds. He&#39;s already been married. He&#39;s had his soulmate and you need to find yours. Find someone who hasn&#39;t been married already.
A Yahoo! Contributor
He&#39;s just not that into you....
A Yahoo! Contributor
Thank you for putting this situation in such eloquent simple advice. The fact that you focus on finding someone who appreciates you and reciprocates your love is what is most important. That getting out there and dating others only helps you in the long run - it allows you to see what you are missing and if you truly do need to feel more appreciated than you do - that reciprocated love is far more fullfilling than one that is one sided with hope. I just went through this with just an emotionally unavailable man, it tore my self esteem and self worth apart - i&#39;ve moved on and have three different dates this weekend - How the hell that happened I have no idea..... I&#39;m a little scared, still a little insecure but you know what? If I can handle losing the love of my life I can risk rejection from men I don&#39;t know!
A Yahoo! Contributor
I like the first lady&#39;s comment, she knows what she is talking about. I am in the same situation. It SUCKS! I think I need to leave him after reading this and feel courageous I can.
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