I’ve been lying to my boyfriend of 7 months about being a college graduate

I’ve been lying about having a masters degree. I don’t have any degrees but I am in school now. It has been eating me up and I know I have to confess.

I lied because I’m ashamed but having created this lie has only made things worse. I was afraid of being assumed to be a loser, stupid and I wanted to seem impressive but I’m not. He’s an incredible person, he’s honest and I admire the man he is. and I hate to think that I have ruined this opportunity of love.
I hope he can forgive me and we can continue our relationship but I have lied to him about being a virgin too when we first started dating. he already knows the truth about that.

I dont have any other reasoning for feeling the need to lie but to recognize that I am a coward for not accepting myself. I have trouble being honest when it comes to how I represent myself.

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DrWatson · 70-79, M

I understand the temptation to lie in this way, but of course the longer you let the lie persist, the worse things will go. It sounds as if you realize that.

So, I am imagining myself in his position. If someone I were dating were to confess having lied in this way, and if she and I had been getting along fine, my first reaction would be to ask, "why?" Why did you think you needed to do that? And I would ask with the intention of having an honest, deep conversation about how she sees herself, and how she sees me. (did she think I could not accept her as she is?)

Also, if she had also lied about being a virgin, I would ask whether there is anything else she has been lying about. (In your case, if there is, I think it is best to get it all on the table at once!)