Hi,

Firstly, I am not bitter towards women. In fact, I love women. I've seen some anti-female sentiments since I've lurked here & this is not one of them. Having said that, my experiences with women in relationships have suggested that there is a familiar pattern to their behaviour and most of the common perceptions of women by this group do hold true.

I'm 31 & I am a serial monogamist - I've been in 5 long-term relationships since 16 with little "single" time. I need the validation of the opposite sex to feel as though I'm worth something.

I love the physicality of a woman & the connection that's made when we're being intimate. I've dated & had some good experiences since the break-up but I've discovered that it is like a drug - I need more & more of that "feel good" feeling. I wake up in the morning, look at myself in the mirror & think "You're a piece of shit." I guess I need to work on that.

So - how did you, when you first decided to go your own way, how did you manage these thoughts & feelings & what reading materials/videos would you recommend to somebody struggling with their sense of 'Self'?