OT: Social Networking: An Internet Addiction?

[Voyager]

i had to wait until my girlfriend went to bed tonight to post this but there is a reason i'm not on facebook or myspace.rip rokken may or may not remember me mentioning this to him once because i know its been almost a couple years since i mentioned it.i am a member of a few forums and i've known a lot of nice people but i can't meet anyone even if its a simple thing like having lunch and its because of trust issues with my girlfriend and i'll explain.a few years back i think around 2001 or so i finally got myself a computer and my first real place where i didn't have no roommates and it was just me and my girlfriend.well i went overboard chatting online and did the adultfriendfinder thing steve mentioned in an earlier post.i was meeting women left and right and quite frankly i was sewing my wild oats but the bad thing was i doing this while i was with my girlfriend and things finally came to a head and she left for over a year.i literally spent all my time online chatting in chat rooms and of course meeting a lot of females.well there came a night about a year or so later where i had a epiphany or whatever you call it.all the sudden i missed my girlfriend terribly.the thing was i had a female with me i met online and i told her the truth.i was really wrong.i needed to correct it so finally the first part of 2004 me and my girlfriend finally got back together and i've got two children now.only thing is we still have that trust issue between us because of me going behind her back and chatting and meeting girls online.we've been back together five years now.how do you finally gain someones trust like i am trying to do with my girlfriend? i am just wondering if she will ever fully get over all that because its in the past.....

Just be glad you're not dealing with the shit like this couple is facing (I found this posted on another forum):

I am a freshman at the university this year. This is the second year at the university for my brother Steve. Our parents decided to get us a two bedroom apartment for us to share. We have always gotten along really well and its been great.

Three weeks ago Steve was sitting around one morning in his shorts studying. I was in my panties and bra when I went into the kitchen to fix something to eat. He came in and hugged me from behind and gave me a kiss on the neck. I turned and we were face to face. It was like time stopped. We looked into each others face and than kissed. It was so cool so we kissed again. We began to kiss longer and soon we were making out and pulling each others clothes off. We ended up in my bed together having sex.

We had not planned it but we talked about it and admitted that we had both enjoyed it. Ever since than we have been having sex. We now even sleep in the same bed together. We both love each other in a more special way than ever before.

The problem is that we are keeping it secret from our friends and family. I would like to just tell everyone but Steve says it is best to just keep it quiet, because they wouldn't understand. I hate keeping this secret from our parents but I know they would be hurt. What should we do? We love each other very much.

Now that is some crazy shit there. You look like the pope compared to that.

[JasonD]

i had to wait until my girlfriend went to bed tonight to post this but there is a reason i'm not on facebook or myspace.rip rokken may or may not remember me mentioning this to him once because i know its been almost a couple years since i mentioned it.i am a member of a few forums and i've known a lot of nice people but i can't meet anyone even if its a simple thing like having lunch and its because of trust issues with my girlfriend and i'll explain.a few years back i think around 2001 or so i finally got myself a computer and my first real place where i didn't have no roommates and it was just me and my girlfriend.well i went overboard chatting online and did the adultfriendfinder thing steve mentioned in an earlier post.i was meeting women left and right and quite frankly i was sewing my wild oats but the bad thing was i doing this while i was with my girlfriend and things finally came to a head and she left for over a year.i literally spent all my time online chatting in chat rooms and of course meeting a lot of females.well there came a night about a year or so later where i had a epiphany or whatever you call it.all the sudden i missed my girlfriend terribly.the thing was i had a female with me i met online and i told her the truth.i was really wrong.i needed to correct it so finally the first part of 2004 me and my girlfriend finally got back together and i've got two children now.only thing is we still have that trust issue between us because of me going behind her back and chatting and meeting girls online.we've been back together five years now.how do you finally gain someones trust like i am trying to do with my girlfriend? i am just wondering if she will ever fully get over all that because its in the past.....

You opened your dialog with “i had to wait until my girlfriend went to bed tonight to post this.” In the middle you wrote “i was meeting women left and right and quite frankly i was sewing my wild oats ..... while i was with my girlfriend ....... she left for over a year.i literally spent all my time online chatting in chat rooms and of course meeting a lot of females ...” then you close with “how do you finally gain someones trust like i am trying to do with my girlfriend?”

Answer: Get rid of your computer. As absurd as that sounds, it's the surest way to regain her trust. Just the fact that you state in your opening line that you waited till she went to bed to post your story means you’re still not worthy of her trust. I’m not trying to bust your balls here, dude, so I apologize if it sounds like I’m coming down too hard on you, especially since I don't know you other than this here story. It’s just that you have to make a serious effort if you hope to regain her trust. You can't have it both ways [ Hush up, Stevew2. That’s not what I meant ]. I’m just saying you have to be willing to show your girlfriend she means more to you than your computer.

And if you need it for school or something, then give her full parental control where she has to log you on in order for you to have access. (I'm sure I'll catch hell over that one from the men.) Still, regaining someone's trust isn't easy. Bottom line is you "F'd" up & it's gonna take some work on your part to undo that damage. Best of luck to ya.

[Rip Rokken]

how do you finally gain someones trust like i am trying to do with my girlfriend? i am just wondering if she will ever fully get over all that because its in the past.....

It's not as hard as you think man, but it all hinges now on whether or not she knows at all that you post here. There's not going to be any easy way to explain a hidden life, that's for damn sure. If that's not an obstacle, the best thing to do is include her in whatever you do. No reason to meet people alone -- bring her with you. Easier to meet guys that girls, because that's much less threatening. And there is a perfect opportunity now... Journey in Memphis, August 8th. I'm putting the finishing touches on the first part of a video of Mud Island Amphitheater I filmed there a week ago to sort of attract some interest in it, and I know few of us will be there and are planning on getting together. Hope to see you there, and good luck man!

[stevew2]

i had to wait until my girlfriend went to bed tonight to post this but there is a reason i'm not on facebook or myspace.rip rokken may or may not remember me mentioning this to him once because i know its been almost a couple years since i mentioned it.i am a member of a few forums and i've known a lot of nice people but i can't meet anyone even if its a simple thing like having lunch and its because of trust issues with my girlfriend and i'll explain.a few years back i think around 2001 or so i finally got myself a computer and my first real place where i didn't have no roommates and it was just me and my girlfriend.well i went overboard chatting online and did the adultfriendfinder thing steve mentioned in an earlier post.i was meeting women left and right and quite frankly i was sewing my wild oats but the bad thing was i doing this while i was with my girlfriend and things finally came to a head and she left for over a year.i literally spent all my time online chatting in chat rooms and of course meeting a lot of females.well there came a night about a year or so later where i had a epiphany or whatever you call it.all the sudden i missed my girlfriend terribly.the thing was i had a female with me i met online and i told her the truth.i was really wrong.i needed to correct it so finally the first part of 2004 me and my girlfriend finally got back together and i've got two children now.only thing is we still have that trust issue between us because of me going behind her back and chatting and meeting girls online.we've been back together five years now.how do you finally gain someones trust like i am trying to do with my girlfriend? i am just wondering if she will ever fully get over all that because its in the past.....

pm coming your way