Simone Paget

Simone Paget

LATEST STORIES BY SIMONE PAGET

 

SEX FILES: How emotional oversharing can derail dates

A couple of months ago, I went on a first – and final – date with a man I’d met through mutual friends. Within ten minutes of sitting down, he told me he was a recovering sex addict and shared details of the abuse he’d experienced as a child. While those disclosures aren’t necessarily red flags on their own (though the sex addiction did give me pause), the timing felt abrupt and overwhelming. I could have easily matched him with my trauma – because, trust me, I’ve got plenty – but I held back. The whole interaction felt like too much, too soon. Unsurprisingly, I declined a second date.

with Video
June 1, 2025 Sex Files
Couple in bed with smartphones

SEX FILES: Why cooking together might be the ultimate relationship hack

Nothing sparks a passive-aggressive standoff for many couples faster than the nightly “What’s for dinner?” debate. You’re in good company if you’ve ever scrolled social media on the couch while secretly hoping your partner starts dinner first. Even actress Sarah Michelle Gellar – forever immortalized as Buffy the Vampire Slayer – confesses she’s not exactly Gordon Ramsay in the kitchen.

with Video
May 11, 2025 Sex Files
A couple enjoying cooking together.

SEX FILES: Does it really take 4 years to get over an ex?

I ended my last relationship in 2023, and to be honest, I’m still not entirely over the breakup. While I no longer have the desire to date or speak to my ex, I still feel haunted by our split. The relationship left emotional scar tissue that I haven’t been able to shake, and I find myself being incredibly cautious about dating anyone new. The worst part is that I feel guilty for feeling this way. It’s been two years. Shouldn’t I be over it by now?

with Video
April 27, 2025 Sex Files
It takes an average of four years for a person to get over a breakup, according to a study.

SEX FILES: Conflict in relationships is an opportunity

Growing up, conflict was something to be feared. My parents rarely expressed their feelings to each other directly – until everything erupted into explosive, emotionally charged arguments. My sister and I would retreat to our rooms, waiting for the storm to pass. What was left unsaid was clear: conflict is dangerous and is to be avoided at all costs. As a result, I learned to swallow my emotions, sure that speaking up would unleash a tidal wave of heated reactions. It’s no surprise that even now, I struggle to voice my needs in a relationship.

with Video
April 20, 2025 Sex Files
Couple ignoring each other after conflict quarrel

SEX FILES: Where do broken hearts go? To camp

When Greg Chociej went through the most devastating breakup of his life, he was left reeling and unsure of where to turn. His friends, though well-meaning, offered the usual prescription: get drunk, hook up, and try to forget. But Greg knew he needed something more profound – a space to feel and process his pain. “I remember thinking, just get me out of the city for a week. Give me some therapy, some water, some basketball, and some trees,” he recalls.

with Video
April 14, 2025 Sex Files
Group of young people near camp fire telling stories near the fire with wood, flames in the nature at night near lake.

SEX FILES: Breaking up and breaking the bank — Is revenge travel really worth it?

In my twenties, my go-to cure for a broken heart was a pair of scissors — specifically, those wielded by my trusted stylist, Maria. Whenever one of my toxic situationships ended, I’d book an appointment at my favourite upscale salon in Yorkville for a much-needed haircut and gossip session. I’d walk in feeling emotionally fragile and leave with bouncy, shampoo-commercial-worthy curls. At nearly $100 a visit, it was a steep indulgence in the early 2000s, but nothing compared to the elaborate post-breakup “glow-ups” that flood social media today.

with Video
April 6, 2025 Sex Files
A young woman stands at the temple gates at Lempuyang Luhur temple in Bali, Indonesia, in this stock photo.
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