'My girlfriend is commitment phobic'

We don't talk about marriage and family because we've been honest with each other about ourselves from the very beginning. We were both commitment-phobic so we didn't make a big deal out of it and let things the way they are. However, now I am out of this phobia but she is still in it. I feel insecure thinking about the future we will have even if we keep shying away from moving on to the next level of the relationship.
- Mehul

Illustration/ Amit Bandre

Dear Mehul,
You are not the only one to suffer from commitment phobia. This is a common occurrence among both men and women. It is also the major cause of breakdowns in relationships. One person is ready to tie the knot, while the other feels the knot is being tied around their neck. If you have managed to shed the phobia, that's good news. The next step is to make your girl too shed the phobia. Try talking to her and explain how important it is to think of a future together. It will take time but it is up to you to convince her. Best of luck!

Diana will solve it!
Write to Diana at diana@mid-day.com, or fax her on 24150009. You can also post letters to Dear Diana, Mid Day, Peninsula Centre, Dr S S Rao Road, opp Mahatma Gandhi Hospital, Parel, Mumbai 400012