View Full Version : Is my relationship over with my ADD boyfriend?


chimey24
01-22-06, 07:32 PM
For the past 7 months I have been dating a divorced father of two children who moved to my state over a year ago to overcome his mother's suicide and his own divorce after being married for 15 years. He chose to move to this state because his brother lives here and he knew he would have a good support system to help him "start over." He has Adult ADD, but took his medication regularly and sought counseling from a licensed therapist when he arrived in my state and for four months before I met him. He has been open and honest with me about his ADD and we have always been able to sit down and talk things through using techniques important in any and all relationships.

We met through a mutal acquaintance and actually started out as just friends, I was seeing someone else. After my relationship ended, we began to spend more time together and eventually our friendship matured into a romantic relationship.

Although he missed his children terribly, he believed he was doing what was right for him by taking control of his ADD the best way he could and dealing with all the hurdles and obstacles life had dealt him. Our relationship was very open, I considered him my best friend and we talked candidly about what didn't work in his marriage, of the mistakes he made and I had made in past relationships and the key points the two of us were wanting in a future life-partner.

Two months ago, his brother, who he was living with, told him he needed to get on with his life and that he should move back to where his kids lived because they needed their father in their lives. Of course he missed his children desperately and wanted to be with them, but he knew financially it was not rational to make the choice to move back to his home state.

After much thought and consideration on our part, he told me he didn't think he was ready to return to his home state and he just couldn't ask me to join him as all my family and friends were around me here. And because he wanted the two of us to have a future together and he was happy with me, he was going to choose to stay.

Unfortunately, before he made his final decision, he told his ex wife he may be returning and she proceeded to tell the children their Daddy may be coming home. He was very upset about this, and knew it would hurt his children tremendously, even though he had already made the decision to stay.

One week ago he proposed to me and we decided to set a date to marry. We told my family and friends and picked out rings together. I was skeptical in accepting the proposal because I had been engaged twice before and knew it was a big step, but the choice was easy when I realized I was going to marry my best friend, my best supporter and my best confidante.

Then he broke the news to the ex wife. She was very upset and told him he was choosing a woman over his children and instead of allowing him to tell his 10 year old son and 5 year old daughter, she blurted out to them while he was on the phone, "Your Daddy isn't coming home, he is choosing a woman over you."

Fireworks flew and my boyfriend was very upset. His 10 year old son cried and cried and proceeded to pack pack all the presents his dad sent him for Christmas in a box and told his mom to mail them back to him. The next day, the son wouldn't go to school because it was "Daddy Doughnut Day" and he didn't want to be at school without his dad. And to top it off, he told his dad he "hated him" and didn't want to talk to him anymore.

My boyfriend hurt terribly. . . we talked through the pain and had decided we were going to make a trip as soon as we could to see his children.

The next day I receive a voice message on my phone that he had left. Left his job, most of his belongings, and was returning to his home state to be with his children. The only explanation I received was that he needed to be with his children. Supposedly when he stopped by his home on his way to work that morning, his son had left him a sobbing message pleading for him to come home. It was at that point he decided to leave. He added he didn't feel he would have any amount of peace in his life until he was back with them.

That same day I was able to talk to him. I was hurt, angry and in shock. How could he just up and leave when I just kissed him goodbye that morning and told him I would see him that night?

I asked him if this meant the two of us were over. He told me he couldn't give me a straight answer because he was just focusing on getting home to his children. He reminded me it had nothing to do with his ex wife, but that the children came first and his home state is where he belonged. He told me loved me, but that this was just something he had to do.

What bothers me is that he would just pick up and leave. His impulsiveness can be directly linked to his ADD but he was always very good at thinking things through or at least talking things through with me before making a decision. I talked to his sister-in-law who said he was not taking his medicine, and was herself shocked at his behavior because he seemed genuinely happy about taking the next step in life with me.

Now, I feel like our relatioship was based on nothing, but I want to believe otherwise. During my last conversation with him he told me he couldn't give a stright answer on anything between the two of us. Now it has been three days and I haven't heard from him.

Am I to assume the relationship is over? I just don't understand, I am completely devastated because my best friend has cut me out of his life and I have no idea if he is all right or living on the streets. I wish him only happiness but I also deserve some explanation. I am not angry he went home to his children, but I am angry about how he handled our relationship.

He even took the time to return our rings, and tell me he was sorry for wasting my time. In less than 12 hours, he went from telling me he was going to enjoy spending the rest of his life with me to leaving me in a blink of an eye with a simple phone message.

I want to believe our relationship matters and I still want to spend the rest of my life with this person, even if it means moving to another state. I don't want to give up on him, but I am hurt in wondering why he hasn't called in three days. Am I jumping the gun, and should I wait a little longer? I just wish he would stop and take a few breaths and realize what he has done. Any advice?

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Crazygirl79
01-22-06, 07:56 PM
Darling

Wow, I didn't read this post in full before but this sounds like a tough situation and I guess the only thing I can say is to tell him how you feel, even if you have to write a letter or take him to a relationship counsellor or whatever you think is best, but when and if you tell him your feelings...be clear.

happycat
01-22-06, 07:59 PM
Chimey, I'm so sorry to hear what you're going through--this has to be devastating. You absolutley have the right to an explanation of what's going on. And really, usually there are 2 sides to a story, but in this case, his ex was totally out of line to say that to the kids--whatever her emotions were at the time, she ultimatly wounded her own kids in a really low way. And IMHO, I think it's extremly selfish of her to hurt you or your bf by using her kids. There's no excuse for that type of behavior.
Yeah, your bf might have been impulsive (and taht's something you should probably consider when/if you choose to marry him) but I don't think your relationship is over just yet.

Talk to him, see what he thinks--don't pressure him to come back in the first convo. Just try to figure out what's going through his head. And I'm confused about one other thing--why can't he marry you and be with his children? I know its tougher, but long-distance relationships are possible (for a while). Do you think it's an option for him to be with his kids for a bit, settle things down, let them know he loves them, etc. and stay engaged to you? Both my sisters married guys that lived long distance (one of my bro-in-laws lived in Ireland, and my sister literally got married within two weeks of meeting him--impulsive, anyone?;)) Both of my sisters did the long-distance thing for a bit, but it worked out because I think they cared enough and had a connection. Sounds like you have that connection with your bf. Don't give up hope, and hear your bf out. You both sound like really caring people.

Best of luck!

chimey24
01-22-06, 08:01 PM
Since I have been with him for awhile, I assume he is feeling angry with himself for what he did and is afraid to call. I have no way to contact him, he has no phone nor address to reach him at. I am tempted to phone his brother and ask if he is all right. I hope the message will eventually reach him that I was concerned for his well being. I do want him to be happy and I hope he has made the right decision to return home to his children. My dream would be for him to come back and wisk me away on his white stallion, but life isn't like the movies and I don't expect much from him except a possibly explanation. I want to believe he truly loved me, but with him leaving the way he did, it's hard to actually believe anything anymore.

happycat
01-22-06, 08:05 PM
Chimey--ask your brother-in-law for his number, or how to contact him. I really think you need to contact him. We add people can be very oblivious to hints--and your hoping that he will figure out that you reached out because you cared may never happen. Crazygirl's right--talk to him and be very very clear about how you feel. If you puruse through this forum, you'll discover that adders can be very obtuse to hints, however obvious they may be.

Crazygirl79
01-22-06, 08:05 PM
If you keep phoning his family and friends to find out about his welfare, this might show him how much you love and care for him and yes you're definitely entilted to an explanation for his leaving and I think you should keep going until you get it, there's nothing worse than having someone leave you whether it's in a romantic relationship or a platonic friendship without explaining why.

Sorry I was slow on the uptake with this post....I'm not focusing too good today and sorry if I appear to be just rambling.

Take Care
SelenaSince I have been with him for awhile, I assume he is feeling angry with himself for what he did and is afraid to call. I have no way to contact him, he has no phone nor address to reach him at. I am tempted to phone his brother and ask if he is all right. I hope the message will eventually reach him that I was concerned for his well being. I do want him to be happy and I hope he has made the right decision to return home to his children. My dream would be for him to come back and wisk me away on his white stallion, but life isn't like the movies and I don't expect much from him except a possibly explanation. I want to believe he truly loved me, but with him leaving the way he did, it's hard to actually believe anything anymore.

chimey24
01-22-06, 08:11 PM
His ex was totally out of line by initiating the dreaded talk to the children about him not coming home. In a perfect situation, it would have been nice for us to take a trip (1000 miles) to his home state and tell the children directly to their faces. We even had decided that after we marry it might be in our best interest to move to his home state so that he could be closer to his children. It was a sacrifice I was willing to take and am still willing to take. I know the situation looks horrible, but if you could only know the love the two of us shared. We connected and it took both of us to a higher level, higher than his ADD and higher than anything else I had ever experienced. We were a good match, friends friends, lovers second. I couldn't have asked for better person to come into my life, even with ADD. In fact, weeks, and days would go by and I would forget about his ADD because from the beginning we decided to take steps to work through the obvious issues that could arise based upon the failures in his past relationships and the counseling he had been through to help him. His ex was not a good person for him, she cut him down and makes him feel like crap. She didn't help his ADD, sorry to say, she contributed to it. I can only hope he loves me enough to see through the light.

Uminchu
01-22-06, 08:18 PM
Just pure conjecture here, but from the experience of some of my own flake-outs in the past, he might think that he totally hosed things up, so wants to just get it out of sight, out of mind.

I have pulled these kinds of run-for-the-hills act in business relationships. One time, I totally screwed up, missing an important deadline and making my client lose one of their biggest clients. I told them I was sorry, and that I couldn't work with them any more. I just couldn't face the havoc I had caused.

A few days later, the president of the company sent me an email saying that there had been difficult circumstances, but that they would like to maintain a relationship with me and move forward. Somehow the way the email was worded made me completely turn around, and I have worked for them steadily since.

I think the key elements were not dredging up my idiocy, showing understanding, and letting me know I had a place to return to.

In another situation where I screwed up similarly, the company wanted to keep working with me, but was accusatory in their contacts. Yes, it was completely my fault, but I still felt no desire to work for them again.

So I guess that if you want to revive your relationship, an understanding, conciliatory, and forward-looking letter/email might be a good idea. I know it is probably hard to strike that kind of note when it isn't in the least bit your fault.

chimey24
01-22-06, 08:20 PM
I just called his brother and sister-in-law - the only people other than his ex wife (who I refuse to call) and left a message asking if he made it home and if he was all right. Hopefully they will call me back. You are right, I am not going to give up on him. I won't let him, I love him too much - ADD and all.

And Selena - you are not rambling. . . you are full of lots of ideas and thoughts, and that is more than what most people can say about themselves!

chimey24
01-22-06, 08:24 PM
Umnichu -
THANK YOU - you are so right. I know in other situations I have been the one to make sure he understands his "failures" were not his intention and have reached out to him so that he knows he is all right. I think he may believe I am angry with him and is afraid of what I will say next.

My last conversation with him 3 days ago, he told me he couldn't tell me a straight answer about "us" because I believe his only focus at that time was his children. His tunnel vision (highly associated with his ADD) was in full swing. I can only believe when the dust settles and he realizes how much I care for him will he want to fight for our relationship. I don't care if I have to move 1000 miles to be with him - if he truly loves me, I am there.

Crazygirl79
01-22-06, 08:29 PM
I can understand you not wanting to call his ex wife and to put it plainly she sounds like a real cow, she should have found a different way to explain to the kids that he wasn't coming back home to her.

Overall you sound like a nice person and I hope this relationship does work out between you two and I hope you both can find the light at the end of the tunnel and keep sailing smoother waters.

Thanks for saying I wasn't rambling...lol I have a tendency to talk in circles and ramble on a bit.

Hang in there!!
I just called his brother and sister-in-law - the only people other than his ex wife (who I refuse to call) and left a message asking if he made it home and if he was all right. Hopefully they will call me back. You are right, I am not going to give up on him. I won't let him, I love him too much - ADD and all.

And Selena - you are not rambling. . . you are full of lots of ideas and thoughts, and that is more than what most people can say about themselves!

chimey24
01-22-06, 08:34 PM
Thanks crazygirl - all of you have been a BIG help to me as I sort through all my emotions and everything else going on in my mind. I just wish I knew the answer. I suppose once I hear from his brother and the message is sent through the grapevine that I called and was inquiring about him, maybe then he will call. I can only hope.

Crazygirl79
01-22-06, 08:45 PM
Just hang in there!!

woodswoman
01-24-06, 06:59 PM
I'm not saying his behavior is 'ok', but my son (14) doesn't live with me and if he called begging me to come home, I'd probably do something stupid and be on the next plane.

Is it right? probably not. but I do know there are way too many emotions flying around for me to make a sound judgement. it has nothing to do with my BF or the quality of our relationship. Heck, my son has been mine for 14 years, but BF has only been there for 3. I think in a way - how can a parent refuse their childs cry for help?

It does sounds like the ex is out of line. he needs to get a grip on that and the children. the ex can have an awful influence on them. maybe him going back can be a good thing. yea, it sucks for you, but if it's meant ot be, it'a meant to be.

I say this as a person who moved 1000 miles away from my son for a relationsihp. Had my son shown any signs he neededme there, I'd have been there. but he seems relatively happy and secure so I feel ok being away. Maybe things will even out and he can move back with you. If not,maybeyou can move to him and become part of his life.

It's just so complicated, but try to see it from everyone's eyes (except the ex - she's evil no matter what :eyebrow: . its hard for everyone.. give it a reasonable amount of time (I'm not saying wait 10 years) and keep an open mind and I'm sure things will work out for the best.

best wishes to you in what sounds like a confusing situation...

Robin

chimey24
01-25-06, 09:45 AM
Robin,
You have helped shed more light on a very difficult situation. I am not going to give up just yet. I am going to give him the space and time to figure things out and I am still going to be here - standing next to him, maybe 1000 miles away, but still standing next to him. I am trying to keep and open mind and realize what I am feeling is a sudden loss of what I believe to be the love of my life. He did what was right at the time and is working through the emotions. I have spoken to his sister-in-law and she has affirmed what I already knew. He loves his children but is soon realizing the move wasn't the best decision he made. He misses me terribly and is hurting bad about what he did. I told her to tell him I am not mad at his decision to leave, I am still here for him and I refuse to give up on our relationship - even if it means moving 1000 miles to be there with him. Time will only tell and I have to believe this is right.

Thank you again for your advice and help.
Have a great one -
D

ms_sunshine
01-25-06, 11:30 AM
I was wondering if the brother/sister in law were able to shed some light on matters when you contacted them?

nasnem
01-26-06, 05:15 AM
I'm a Dad with 2 children and just want to comment that I'd probably react in a similar way. I've rushed meetings, run through airports, begged ticket agents, paid huge change fees and would have ridden in the overhead luggage bin to get home to my children. Many times I disregarded the financial consequences just because one of my children missed me and cried because I wouldn't be home that night. I can't imagine what I would have done if placed in your boyfriend's situation of someone telling his children that he doesn't care about them. I don't know how he managed to wait until the next day to leave.

I'm sure none of us will be able to fully grasp the entirety of your situation, but I also think the best thing you can do right now is let him know by some means that you love him. You may also need to be ready to go where he is if you are going to stay together. In the situation he is in where his ex-spouse is going to poison his children's minds to punish him, I'm not sure he can be far from them. If my children were being hurt I would do anything possible to lessen their pain regardless of how much it hurt me. I'm sure he's hurting on all fronts right now.:(

chimey24
01-26-06, 11:52 AM
I did talk to the sister-in-law and she told me things were not going as well has he had hoped since he left. She told me to give him some time and that I shouldn't give up on him yet. As the days go by and I still hear nothing from him it hurts more and more. He doesn't have a phone so he has to make contact with this brother/sister-in-law before news can be passed to him that I haven't given up. I told his sister-in-law I would call back in a few days to check on things. That was Monday and I figure I will call either tomorrow or this weekend if I don't hear from him. I just hope he hasn't given up on us either.

ms_sunshine
01-26-06, 06:00 PM
If he is able to contact them to the point where sister in law knows things aren't going as well as he had hoped, is it also possible she has an address where mail can be forwarded to him?

It might help if he gets a card of support, just to let him know you're still in his corner. My concern is that as the time passes, the fear that he's lost you would keep him frozen from attempting to reach out. A "Thinking of You" and hoping he's well (all positives) might be enough to let him know it's okay to reach out to you. There will be opportunity to address the decisions that have been made in time.

Good luck :)

chimey24
01-26-06, 09:20 PM
I did ask for an address but he doesn't have one yet and when he does, I will take into consideration what you suggest. Good idea.

happycat
01-26-06, 11:26 PM
Chimey--have you let his brother and sister-in-law know that you would like to speak with him directly? I think it might have a huge impact if he could just hear you and know that you love and support him. Do you think if you told his brother/SIL that you would like for him to call you, they would pass the message? Make it very clear that they should tell him that you still want a relationship, and want to be supportive (on a side note--it's really is sweet of you for being this understanding). I think that will encourage him to call--let us know how it goes ((hugs))

chimey24
01-27-06, 10:55 AM
Happy -
I did tell his SIL/brother all those things that you said in your post. His SIL doesn't have a way to contact him and said the next time he calls she will tell him. She is supportive of us and would like to see us find our way back to each other. She said he is really hurting right now and he might need the time to sort through what he did and come to terms with the impulsive decisions he makes. I want him to really think this through. I don't want him to make an impulsive decision about us and then regret it later. I have a feeling that when and if he calls it will be for all the right reasons. I will trust and believe what he says. He will know I miss him and would like him to call, I can count on his SIL to tell him. If I don't hear from him by Sunday I am going to call the SIL again. She told me she would call if she needs to tell me anything. At this point I can only assume he has not reached out to them yet. Other than getting on a plane and finding him, there is no other way to contact him. I can only hope he believes enough in us to follow through.

Thanks for your support - I'll keep you posted.
D

ms_sunshine
01-27-06, 05:09 PM
No one knows where he is staying? This is concerning. He's not homeless, is he? I know he left suddenly, and might have been temporarily at a motel or whatever, but even THAT would have a phone/address. Are you absolutely sure the sister in law is being straight with you?

auntchris
01-27-06, 08:03 PM
This is what I would do Chimney. You have tried so hard to tell him how you feel right? I would go on with your life and just take it one day at a time. If he comes back when he has made up his mind it was meant to be. Dont sit around and wonder what is going on with his life hun, you go on with yours and make it worthwhile. Remember if he comes back look at with caution, because he didnt even tell you in person he was going to go back to see his children in his home state. I would talk to a professional about it and start the healing process, I do remember what it was like when my fiance told me over the phone it was over. Dad pickede me up and told me to pack a bag. I was not going back with him ever. I remmeber the tears in therapy and the confusing feelings. Be smart and go on with your life hun. Take care

chimey24
01-27-06, 08:53 PM
I know where he is staying. I can view his account on line because he gave me his bank account password and I have been watching - maybe for my own sanity, I don't know. I could call his SIL and tell her but she told me she would call no matter what. She said she would tell me either way what he was feeling. For all I know he hasn't talked to them. Maybe he has talked to them and told her he was going to call. I know I need to move on with my life, but keep holding on to the belief he will come through for me. I could call where he is staying and leave a message but I don't want him to be angry with me. He knows I have his account information but will he remember and will he be mad that I contacted him. Maybe he is reaching out by letting me know the hotel he is at. Maybe he doesn't have a clue. Whatever it is, I am not sure what to do. I am going to call the SIL before the end of the weekend. Maybe she can help me with some answers or at least tell me something. It hurts to think he is just wiping me out of his life like this. He has never shown this type of behavior before and it is hard to accept. His SIL told me he feels two inches tall for treating me the way he has. I did see a specialist today and know that I will be okay. I am a strong person with a lot to offer someone and if he doesn't realize that, it's his loss. I will survive.
Thank you again for your help. I will continue to keep all informed.
D

Sindy_Flows
04-23-07, 11:35 AM
chimey24, you have more strength than I do. I would have phoned him at the hotel, and I would have insisted on talking to him on the phone, and I might have even flown to pursue him. Not just because I would be so in-love with him, but because I can't handle a major loose end like that. I can't go on not knowing what happened in such a drastic situation as yours.

I read the whole thread, but I didn't see anywhere where you mentioned how his ADD affected him before. I remember seeing where you said he was on meds, but that he stopped taking them. You might want to read more threads here and do some research on ADD before reconciling with him. I know though, how strong that emotional love pull is.

My ADD boyfriend dumped me yesterday. It's the second time he called a halt to a relationship that he initially said he was serious about. The first time he did it, I had to pursue him because I needed to find out why he did what he did. And it was during that reconciliation that I researched ADD and learned just exactly what it is and started developing an understanding of how it affects the ADD'er. It's a pretty serious problem to have, and a very serious problem to live with if your living with an ADD'er.

And I don't know how much you've researched about ADD, but they can get distracted. And from the descriptions I've read about their distractions it's nothing like me, a non-ADD'er would experience. ADD'ers loose track of time for days, and even weeks, and there mind locks down one view point and forgets all others. That is my understanding of it anyway. If I get distracted, it lasts 5 minutes and then I come back to my present circumstances. That's nothing like what an ADD'er can go through. And if my distraction was serious I factor it into my day or my life, but I don't lock down on it for days or weeks.

It sound to me (and I'm no ADD expert) like he is seriously distracted by the pain of his children. But it also sounds odd to me that he moved away from a 10 year old, and a 5 year old in the first place. He must have become distracted by his own emotional needs when he moved away from them, to the point that he thought he'd move to his brother's state. This seems to be how they think. They get distracted by whatever floats to the top of their mind and sits there. I can't help but wonder if a non-ADD'er would have moved away from such small children, realizing that those children need him as they grow up.

As for his ex-wife, well she's a piece of work isn't she? She sounds very controlling and manipulative. She's goona land those poor kids in therapy, no matter what. And ADD is passed down in families, so his kids could have it too! And to be submitted to that shrew.

Whatever counselling your boyfriend has had hasn't taught him how to handle his ex-wife's manipulations. And she sure managed to get him to drop everything and come home. And to say that he chose a woman over his children? This woman is really nasty and goes for the jugglar. She knows that every man has a right to marry whomever he wants. But she knows saying that will push his buttons. And she might even be looking for a little revenge that he left her.

You want to ask yourself why he stopped taking his meds. I was going to ask my boyfriend about his history with meds, since he's had ADD since his childhood, but he left me before I could. Maybe he didn't want to risk loosing his sex drive, or becoming a zombie or something. But from what he told he hadn't been on ADD meds in many years. And in his case, I'm not sure he's fully aware of how his ADD affects his life. In my case, I doubt I'll ever know whether his decisions we're ADD directed, or whether he just wasn't that into me. Because when we did chat, he told me he always wanted to be with me, etc. But I could sense (I have good intuition) that he wasn't going to let me into certain parts of his life, and I couldn't figure out why. Until I read that ADD'ers need time to themselves, now it makes sense. Even though I sensed that, I didn't take it personally. I felt he was pushing away a concept, not me so much.

When I read about the struggles that ADD'ers have, my heart goes out to them. I can see how my boyfriend has formed survival skills that enable him to simply survive with his ADD, going by what he's told me compared to what I've researched. But I think he's somewhat in denial about how ADD affects him. He works wayyy too much, 70 to 80 hours per week, and he blames everything on his job, not realizing that it's his ADD that causes him to simply walk away from relationships the moment he hits a small bump on the road. I know some of the other women he's been involved with and he has a reputation for doing that, even though I don't think he cares. He never told any of them about his ADD, thank God he told me or I would have been suicidal by now. But at least I know what caused him to leave me so easily the first time, and this second time too.

I would say that your boyfriend probably loves you and wants to be with you. But he also loves his children tremendously and he's with them right now because he feels that devouting himself to those children is the right thing to do, and it is. But he is strongly distracted by his love for his children right now. Just like he was strongly distracted by his need to move to his brother's state leaving his children behind without thinking about how it would affect them to move away. A non-ADD'er would be more likely to think about how moving away from his beloved children would affect them before pursuing their own emotional interests, or letting those personal emotional interests distract him into moving away from his children.

And maybe others on this board will disagree with me. But when you read how distracted ADD'ers can get, it's like their mind gets locked in a way of thinking, and they need a great deal of stimulation to get unlocked out of that mode and remember the rest of their concerns.

I found one thread on here that starts out "You know you have ADD when..." and then gives a whole bunch of examples. I haven't been able to find that thread again, but I saved a few of them. But for example, an ADD'er can pick one thing up off the floor, and then end up cleaning the entire apartment... while someone is parked outside in a car waiting for them, for example. That's a serious distraction problem.

So when my boyfriend wrote me last night and said he would be distracted a lot the next month because he is working and travelling with a job partner, well I knew he wasn't kidding. His mind gets locked into his job, and then he acts like nothing else exists. And so because of that he left me... no other reason... but I don't think he wanted to feel the pressure to maintain contact with me when he would be so seriously distracted... Either that, or he's not just that into me. But like I said, he has a reputation for doing this sort of thing. I'm sure I need to read more about ADD, but I do wonder how an ADD'er can have a "normal" life when they don't seem to get the concept of shared focus. And in your case that means that your boyfriend can love his children, and love you too, but he doesn't seem to get that. And whether he will ever get that while his ex-wife still has such power to manipulate him, I don't know. But realistically, he should have never moved away from his children in the first place. If he needed his brother's affection for a while, he simply should have just gone there for a visit.

But again, even the concept that a person can have more than one big concern at once, seems to allude some ADD'ers from what I've read, and from experiencing my boyfriend. They seem to think and act like it's all or nothing. And that's what your boyfriend is doing... His children are his all right now, and your nothing. If you went there and stimulated his brain into remembering you... he might want to move back with you and forget the children again! At which point you need to point him back to his therapists' office and point him in the direction of those meds he quit. But right now, he's just not getting the concept that it is possible to have more than one large concern at a time in life. I've been doing it for years, like most non-ADD'ers.

From what I've seen from my boyfriend though, the idea that you can have a job and a girlfriend (yes it's done all the time) is over his head.

Sorry for the long post... I hope it helps some. Do some ADD research chimey, and see if all of this heartache is something you want to continue with, while he's hyperfocused on his children. Because of this kind of crap won't stop. It will manifest itself somehow, if you marry him. Especially if he won't take his meds. Do you know why he quit taking his meds? That is important to learn too.

Take Care... Sindy

iluvkoalas
04-23-07, 05:45 PM
I just called his brother and sister-in-law - the only people other than his ex wife (who I refuse to call) and left a message asking if he made it home and if he was all right. Hopefully they will call me back. You are right, I am not going to give up on him. I won't let him, I love him too much - ADD and all.
I feel your pain. I really do. My ex-boyfriend with ADD left me several years ago. I always hoped that he would come back. However, my friends thought that if he left me so quickly that he took me for granted. It wasn't until recent events that this was proven to be true.

I certainly hope everything works out for you in any way possible.


I am trying to keep and open mind and realize what I am feeling is a sudden loss of what I believe to be the love of my life.

This is exactly how I felt when I lost my ADD boyfriend. I think that if he suddenly left you it's not just his ADD. It's inconsideration, and he shouldn't have gotten involved with you until he straightened out his situation.

But you have to decide what's right. Just don't wait years like I did...

elektra9982
04-23-07, 05:49 PM
When faced with the decision to choose your children or your partner, most will choose their children. Do you really want to deal with all of the drama? His ex-wife will make both of your lives a living hell if you move there to be with him. Just be ready to deal with that.