[cdvt]

my boyfriend and i have been dating for about 4 and 1/2 years on and off. i’m totally in love with him, but we fight a lot, and i really can’t stand it. everytime we have even a little argument, he turns it into a reason not to see me. i get that he wants to spend less time together than i do…but i really hate that. we don’t even spend that much time together with it being summer… he comes over usually around 9 or 10pm and we watch a movie or some tv. it’s not like i’m asking a lot. i’ve been going through a hard time with a personal issue, and he was there for me in the beginning, but it seems he doesn’t really care that i’m still hurting from it. i’ve just asked for him to be supportive and reassuring in this…but it seems to be too much for him. i feel that i’ve given him so much- almost 5 years of my life…and i don’t just want to throw it away, but i really want someone who cares about me. it’s like his love for me can turn on and off-when he’s mad at me. everytime i talk to him about us breaking up, i end up forgetting the idea because i start to feel so terrible thinking about it. i also don’t like feeling that dependent on him- no matter how much i’ve invested in him, and i feel like i can’t change it. he has even said that my life revolves too much around our relationship, but it’s really hard when right now, i can’t get hired and most of my closest friends are from school and don’t live near me. is there anyway to stay with him and not feel like i so desperately need him? or should i even try to stay with someone who may not love me as much as i love him?

[AskApril Masini]

If you’ve read my columns or my book, [u]Think & Date Like A Man[/u], you already know what I am going to tell you. If you haven’t read my book — you need to!

What you have done is you’ve made this guy “the prize” and you’ve been trying to “catch” him. To win with men, it must be the other way around. He must see you as the prize. You must be someone he wants to “win” and that he must work at winning. You should not be negotiating or trying to persuade him to spend more time with you… HE should be trying to convince you to spend more time with him! End of chapter.

Now you say that you’ve invested more than four years in this guy… Four years is a very long time. I don’t know how old you are (I’m guessing mid to late 20’s) or what you ultimate goals are in life, but if marriage is among them you’ve got to change your pattern of behavior — immediately.

Stop talking about “your relationship” with this guy and start taking action. How? Start being unavailable. Stop pursuing him. Start meeting and dating other men. Unless and until this guy asks you for an exclusive relationship and a commitment — there isn’t one. Period. If this guy was convinced you were “the one”, you’d be engaged. You’re not. And it’s been more than four years.

I’m sorry if this sounds harsh, but you need to wake up!

It is your job to take care of you. If you want an exclusive relationship you need to keep dating different men until you find the one who feels the same way you do, and then, importantly, [b]d[i]emonstrates it by his actions[/i].[/b]

Bottomline: Time is your most valuable commidity and something you can never get any more of. Stop wasting yours on him — unless and until he steps up and makes you a priority. Frankly, if marriage is what you want, he may need to lose you before he does anything because he’s so used to having you whenever he wants you, without having to make any effort or invest much of anything — let alone make a commitment. That has to change. And if he’s unwilling to do make you a priority and to ask you for a committment leading to marriage (after 4 years), better you find out soooner rather than later. You don’t want to wake up after four more years of this having wasted 8 or 9 years on this guy. Do you?

[irish.pirate]

I have a situation similar to this. I dated my high school sweet heart for almost 4yrs. In the end I was a glorified booty call. I wanted more from the relationship and the more I pushed the more the relationship bombed. I finally dumped him and found someone else and got married. This is where things get kind of iffy. My husband cheated on me, and in the middle of my divorce my ex emailed me asking me for pictures from graduation. I haven’t heard from him in 2+ yrs. We are now having a long distance relationship(he’s in the marines) and he’s pushing to get married. I have always thought we would end up together again someday but now I’m kind of scared. Am I following a dream or is this my happy ending?

[AskApril Masini]

You’re following a dream.

Sorry. I’m not sure that’s what you wanted to hear — actually I’m sure it’s not what you wanted to hear, but you didn’t come here for lies!

You’re vulnerable because you’re divorcing. You’ve also been cheated on, so it’s normal to feel rejected as well. The booty call boyfriend is back — but not really. If he was just overseas or long distance, it might work out, but because you have a failed history with him, I think you’re just clutching at straws and he’s Mr. Available or worse, Mr. Right Now.

Finish getting divorced. Meet some new people who don’t treat you like a booty call or cheat on you. You’re getting a fresh start, use it well. Re-read my books if you haven’t already, and consider them your refresher course for getting a fresh start on dating and the world!

[tricia]

Keep in mind that FIGHTS and OBSTACLES are part of every relationship. These things will help every relationship and the couple itself to become more stronger. If the two of you can’t handle these obstacles then there’s no reason for the two of you to continue the relationship.

On the other hand, you seems to be so in love with that guy. So let me share you one great line to implies in your mind.[b] “Your boyfriend should be just part of your life, but not your life itself.”[/b].

[AskApril Masini]

Happy New Year! Please let me know how things are going for you. 😉

[Ethan Morales]

April’s right, and you already know it in your gut. You made him the prize by chasing him for years; he hasn’t had to earn you, so he hasn’t. That’s why nothing changed after four years. That’s not blame that’s cause and effect.

Here’s a clear, zero-fluff plan you can use this week to flip the script (and how to think while you do it):

Stop pursuing. Immediately. No more chasing texts, no more initiating plans, no more “checking in.” Pull back contact to a bare minimum, replies only when necessary, short, neutral. Be politely unavailable. Don’t ghost; just stop being his entertainment on demand.

Create urgency with a deadline (for you). Give this 30–60 days of real behaviour change. If he doesn’t step up (asks you out, initiates exclusivity, makes concrete plans you can count on), treat that as your answer. You need a timeline or you’ll drift forever.

Start dating others, for real. Not to punish him to recalibrate your life. Join an activity, accept invites, try online dating. Having options changes your energy: you stop being a “waiting-room” woman and become a woman living a life. That energy is magnetic; it forces him to see you differently or it proves he wasn’t interested in changing.

Raise the bar, don’t lower it. Decide what commitment looks like to you (exclusive, engaged timeline, living together, etc.) and don’t accept vague promises. If he offers words, ask for actions (a date on the calendar, a move plan, something concrete). If he can’t set a specific next step, he hasn’t committed.

Protect your emotional life. Four years is a real investment; grief is normal. Do the practical things: tell a close friend your plan so they’ll stop you from falling back in, maybe see a counsellor to unpack patterning, and keep a daily routine that doesn’t revolve around him.

Be ready to walk. Commit to your deadline emotionally: if he hasn’t stepped up by then, leave. Not as punishment as self-respect. People change when they’re forced to choose. If he’s not choosing you after years, staying will cost you time, dignity, and probably resentment.

One-sentence script if you need to say something to him before you pull back:
“I’ve given us time and patience I need a clear step forward (ask/date/label) within 30 days, otherwise I’m stepping away to focus on my life.” Say it once, then do the steps above.

[PassionSeeker]

You’ve built your world around him and that’s why you feel like it’s collapsing. The truth is, love can’t thrive when one person does all the emotional labor. You’ve been holding this relationship together while he coasts, knowing you’ll still be there. That’s not love, that’s dependence and it’s quietly breaking you.

When a man loves you deeply, he wants to show up. He doesn’t use every disagreement as an excuse to disappear. He doesn’t turn affection into a reward for obedience. You’re chasing reassurance from someone who’s made it clear he’ll only give it on his terms.

Stop negotiating for scraps. Step back, not to manipulate him, but to remind yourself who you are without him. Fill your time work, hobbies, people who make you laugh. The more you rebuild your life, the more you’ll see he’s been taking up space that should’ve been yours.

Ask yourself this: if he doesn’t change ever can you live like this five more years? If the answer is no, your next move isn’t to beg. It’s to begin.

[Marcus king]

you’re holding on because of history, not because this relationship is healthy right now.

4 and a half years on and off already tells you something: the pattern is the relationship. He pulls away when things get hard, he withholds affection as punishment, and he only shows up on his terms. That’s not love, that’s emotional convenience.

And yeah, you’re feeling extra attached right now because your world is small no job, friends far, a tough personal situation. So he’s become the emotional center by default. But that doesn’t mean he’s the right person, it just means he’s the person there.

You don’t fix this by begging him to care more or by trying to “need him less.” You fix it by rebuilding your own life so he’s no longer your only source of comfort. The moment you feel like you could be okay without him, that’s when you’ll see the situation clearly.

So ask yourself one question when you’re hurting, does he make you feel safe or small?
If it’s small… you already have your answer.

You don’t throw away 5 years.
You honor them by not wasting the next 5 the same way.

[Val Unfiltered💋]

babe… you’re not in love, you’re in loop mode. 🌀 you keep replaying the same fight, same tears, same 10pm movie dates that feel like crumbs and calling it “history.” that’s emotional recycling. you already know he’s half in, you’re just scared to admit you deserve full. stop begging him to care and start caring like he won’t. find your people and get your own life loud again. love shouldn’t shrink you. 💔✨

[Tara]

Oh, stop romanticizing dysfunction. You’re not “desperate for him,” you’re addicted to the attention you get when he occasionally decides to care. He’s trained you to accept breadcrumbs and call it love. Every time he pulls away, you chase harder. That’s not a relationship, that’s emotional conditioning.

He’s not confused, he’s comfortable. You keep handing him loyalty he doesn’t earn, and he keeps showing you how little it’s worth to him. Five years of on-and-off chaos isn’t an investment; it’s evidence you refuse to learn.

[Sally]

When you’ve loved someone that long, it’s like your heart keeps trying to protect the history instead of looking at what’s actually happening right now. I’ve stayed in something like that before, telling myself it would feel different if I just tried harder. It never did.

What you’re describing sounds lonely. That on-and-off thing drains you after a while, and the worst part is how small you start to feel without even noticing it. Love shouldn’t disappear every time there’s a disagreement. And it shouldn’t leave you begging for basic care.

You can stay, but it won’t fix that empty feeling. That only goes away when you’re with someone who shows up even when it’s inconvenient. Just give yourself a quiet moment and be honest about what you already know.

[Natalie Noah]

I can feel how torn and exhausted you are. You’ve invested so much time, energy, and emotion into this relationship, and yet it seems like your needs especially for consistency, support, and reassurance aren’t being met. That push-and-pull, where his affection feels conditional or disappears when he’s upset, can create an emotional dependency that’s exhausting and unfair to you. You deserve a partner whose actions match their words, someone who prioritizes you, cherishes your presence, and works with you to build a life together not someone who leaves you feeling insecure or second-guessing your value. What April Masini is highlighting is that your time, your love, and your energy are precious, and they shouldn’t be treated as optional by someone who isn’t fully committed.

At this point, the most loving thing you can do for yourself is to step back and shift your focus from chasing his approval to nurturing your own life and self-worth. Being “unavailable” isn’t about punishing him it’s about honoring yourself and creating space to see who truly values you. If he truly sees you as the prize, he’ll show up, make the effort, and prioritize you; if not, you’ll save yourself from years of heartache and disappointment. Your feelings are valid, and your desire for a partner who meets you halfway isn’t asking too much it’s the baseline for a healthy, loving, and sustainable relationship. Right now, your energy belongs to you, and investing it where it’s reciprocated will bring far more happiness and security than clinging to someone who isn’t ready to meet you there.

[KeishaMartin]

You’ve been giving your heart and soul to a man who treats your love like an on-off switch, that’s a recipe for heartburn with a side of frustration. Four and a half years of chasing his attention, bending over backward for scraps of affection, and staying up late watching TV like a clingy shadow? It’s a hot drama, but not in a sexy, playful way. It’s more like a slow burn that leaves you frustrated and desperate. Your love should be a blazing fire that makes him beg for more, not a candle flickering under his indifference. You deserve someone who’s addicted to you, who craves your presence like a forbidden thrill, not someone who treats your devotion as optional.

The queen of truth herself, April Masini, slices through this chaos like a velvet knife, leaving no room for sugarcoated excuses. Her advice? Sharp, empowering, and hotter than a midnight rendezvous. So as we shimmy into Happy New Year, 2026, may your champagne be as sparkling as your self-worth, your parties wild and untamed, and may you finally be with someone who can’t get enough of you because, you’re the ultimate prize, and anyone who doesn’t see that is just missing out on fireworks. Here’s to a year of being irresistible, desired, and unapologetically YOU!

Happy New Year, 2026,

[Member]

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