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[–]DevianttKitten[S] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

I'm feeling actually ill today (forgot to take my meds on time so heyo withdrawal) so I'm just gunna touch on the main points, cant promise they're as coherent as they would otherwise be

He's one of two guys I've hooked up with, one was a couple months ago and I spent much longer talking with beforehand (only to be ghosted), and this guy the first time we met was a couple weeks ago before lockdown was enforced. I didn't intend on meeting again til after lockdown lifted but he texted me and he was coming over for another reason as well so I said fuck it. It's irresponsible and I'm well aware of that. Additionally, we're both in areas where there is basically no community transmission. Our state is in lockdown but our area is still active case-free atm, otherwise I wouldn't have said yes to him coming over. Fwiw I did avoid going out or seeing other people outside my household since that meeting just to be safe. I was going to do the same this time.

Secondly, you're making a lot of assumptions about me. A lot are correct but I feel like some context would add to the understanding of me and my anxiety/insecurity. And why I took risks to get laid.
I've had agoraphobia since I was 15; "lonely" does not even begin to cover how isolating being a housebound agoraphobe with next to no friends is. Prior to my first hookup I had not hugged or hung out with another person one-in-one in 6 years. So yes, I'm desperate for some attention and human touch, but who the hell wouldn't be in my position?

This year I've been trying to focus on pushing myself out of my comfort zone more, I finally went and got my learners licence! So I've been trying to talk to and meet people because that's something I am quite uncomfortable with, though it was getting better after I realised I'm better at conversation than a significant portion of Tinder users (I thought I was terribly boring and anti-social, turns out I'm pretty easy to talk to and I don't find it as hard to talk to people in person as I thought I would). I also just really miss sex and being intimate with someone.

I have been in and out of therapy since I was 15; currently there is one psychologist available in my area and she made a very, very poor impression when I had my first appointment with her. So it's not currently an option.

All I do is solitary activities. That's all I've done basically my entire life, because I've always had anxiety and I'm very introverted. I journal and I make art. I also read, and garden. Hell, I've even spent hours sewing masks recently. Pandemic aside, I'm very much someone who needs to do less solitary activities. Being too afraid of people to spend time with them is what helped my anxiety become so severe in the first place.

I was putting myself out there because I was starting to feel more like someone worth spending time with. Because I wanted to explore myself and get to know myself better, because i realised early this year that I felt like I had lost myself and I wanted to regain that, I wanted to know myself again. I've been doing things and exploring things so I can. I feel more like a person and myself than I have in a very long time.

I am also very aware that my insecurity and issues make me a target for shitty men, I do try my best to avoid them. Hell, I was talking to one guy who seemed ok at first and then over the space of a couple weeks starting sounding more and more like an incel and you can bet your ass I called his shit out; if not for the inherent danger in men showing anger, the text tantrum he threw at me for calling out his entitlement would've been hilarious. I do try to suss them out before even entertaining the idea of meeting them, ever, but I let my libido and the excitement of doing something impulsive I'd never even dreamed I'd do before lead me wrong when we first met. I didn't expect a guy who got me off and I had a fun with, to rape me. This was obviously a mistake, I let the first success blind me, I've definitely learnt my lesson.

I am generally more assertive than I sound in this post. All those years of therapy did drill into me that assertiveness is a good thing, and though I obviously still struggle with it sometimes, I'm relatively decent at it. I don't usually let people walk all over me or treat me poorly. It was literally like 2 hours after it happened and I was still feeling very confused and vulnerable when I posted here.

I do appreciate your POV and honesty though. I'm feeling a bit less shaken now, though still physically sore and mentally denial-y about it (I keep replaying it trying to remember if I did anything that indicated willingness; because I remember the thoughts I had while it happened more than my physical reactions) but I promise I am reconsidering my current priorities and will be spending plenty of time doing positive things for myself.

[–]StupidHappyPancakes 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I'm glad you're feeling even ever-so-slightly better today, although yeah, withdrawal feelings are a bitch. I hope by now your meds have kicked in properly!

I'm so sorry if I made unfair assumptions about you; I was trying so hard to walk the line between concerned and overbearing even though I suspected I'd still end up more towards overbearing. I was just really worried about you, and I remember you from Reddit too.

I actually DO have some rather extensive experience being a lonely agoraphobe, oddly enough! I've got some serious health issues in addition to really bad social anxiety and trauma, and even before the pandemic, I only left the house for doctor's appointments. I saw something in your words that reminded me of myself, but I guess I also didn't stop and acknowledge that I've got the privilege of having a partner, which wasn't fair of me. I can only imagine how isolating it must have been to have endured this state for six years.

It sounds like you have been taking some really great steps forward, though! Congrats on getting your learner's license; I know how hard it is to do things like that when you've been housebound. The rotten thing about agoraphobia is that the more you stay at home and isolated, the more you WANT to stay at home and isolated. And I'm sorry that you were feeling stronger and more confident and JUST at that moment, you run into a predator. Ugh, sometimes it just feels like predatory men are waiting around every corner.

I don't know why it is so goddamn difficult to find good psychiatrists and counselors! Half of them end of making matters worse or keep you just treading water! If you do end up reaching out to a crisis line, they might be able to set you up with at least some short-term crisis counseling via phone. I know that many mental health professionals are doing video visits too, if that's at all an option for you.

You didn't do anything to indicate "willingness" to Mister-I-Hope-His-Dick-Falls-Off. Sometimes I truly suspect that the state of existence for far too many men is to CONSTANTLY push at women's boundaries, which puts the onus on women to be ever vigilant and guarding against attack. And it sucks because we know WE would never be so predatory, so it's such a slap in the face when you realize those men's motives can be so sociopathic.

You sound plenty assertive to me now, and your growing self-confidence and self care routines will only help you get through this. I just had one more thought on your behalf and I'm wondering if you've ever tried any of the apps to make new friends? It might be a way to build up those social muscles a bit without dealing with man nonsense for a bit.

[–]X_Act 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I also had/have agoraphobia and anxiety issues and can relate. I eventually fucked the most embarrassing, horrible loser that lived next door to me with DIY jail tats that he did in his multiple years of jail time that begin when he was 13 years old...someone I would hang out with and sleep with every day unlike any man I've ever been with before because he was conveniently next door... because I sexually enjoy men, and I could take comfort in being nearby home, even though he was legitimately a horrible person.

When I was a teen, my anxiety was so bad I could barely function day to day. And when I finally became 18 and had some improvement (but still deep down the same mental issues)...i made up for lost time by picking up whatever attractive guy I saw...I'd always be switching up guys, talking to/dating over 5 guys at a time....albeit, I made out a lot, but very rarely fucked (or sucked) anyone.

Side note: I've gotten into a mode of saying "I'm not ready for insert act here yet until we're serious", and basically allowing them to get me off without fucking/sucking them. I've found it works 99% of the time. I've been in half a year long relationships without worrying about sacrificing my body or being used and still getting sexually pleased 😂 You can always set your boundaries however you want. The great thing about not fucking men is less sacrifice/investment of your body, no risk of pregnancy or Stds...just my personal opinion.

So I understand you. I've had plenty of these sort of encounters where you feel like it's a gray area. There have been times where in the beginning of sex or in the middle, it hurt and I said "wait!" "Hold on" and the guy didn't listen. It made me feel like I was being fucked without being there...like I didn't matter. I was a body, not a person. And it makes you feel used, angry and dirty.

The thing is, consent is not just about the absence of "no", it's about getting a "yes". The principle of rape is not about the technicality of saying "no", it's about knowing a woman doesn't want to do a sexual act, and a man doesn't care and does it anyway because he sees the woman, in that moment, as a non-person.

It is rape.