Dear Sammi,
I have been with my boyfriend for 5 happy years. However, I often find myself having some sort of feelings for other guys, and more often than not they are close friends or ex-boyfriends. I feel guilty just thinking about it. I am not sure how to handle these feelings. What would you do?
Guilty
Dear Guilty,
One thing I learned from having OCD is that doubts are completely normal, especially in relationships. Everyone experiences them. I think that maybe you’re over-analyzing it a bit, which is totally normal! But take a step back and think: “I’m with my boyfriend because I love him.”
You may have slight attractions to other people, but in the end, you are loyal to your boyfriend. That’s what truly matters. Attractions will always be there. That’s a normal feeling, especially when it comes to people you have a relationship with. Past lovers and even close friends will always hold a special place in your heart, not because you want them but because you care about them. As long as you aren’t tempted to cheat or willing to risk losing your boyfriend to satisfy your feelings, then they are not serious and are actually healthy. In fact, you may be interpreting them as something they really aren’t simply because you care so much for your boyfriend and don’t want to upset him.
You’re not doing anything wrong. You’re a great girlfriend because of the way you’re handling this.
Sammi