My ex-girlfriend wants me back but I’m terrified of getting hurt again

DEAR DEIDRE: MY ex-girlfriend says she wants me back but I’m scared she will hurt me again.

She’s a lovely woman but she has a lot of baggage and trust issues, which made her run away from commitment last time.

We dated for two years and when she left me, she broke my heart. I’m 32 and she’s 28.

Throughout our relationship, she accused me of cheating or wanting to cheat, when I was totally innocent.

Then, when I finally thought she was beginning to trust me, she had a major panic and walked out.

Now, 18 months later, she’s got back in touch to say she made a huge mistake, is getting help, and wants me to give her a second chance.

It’s been a long time since I felt so strongly about anyone, but I can’t go through that pain again.

What should I do?

DEIDRE SAYS: All relationships come with a risk of heartbreak and nobody can predict the future.

If you still care about her deeply, as it sounds like you do, you might regret not giving her a second chance.

Give her the opportunity to show she’s in a better headspace now.

But try not to get in too deep too fast, so it’s easier to walk away if things don’t feel rig­ht.