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Relationships

I think I need to call off my wedding, and I'm absolutely petrified

177 replies

Runawaybride1 · 06/05/2015 12:07

I've realy hesitated to post this over the past few days but I need to get this down. Understandable name change. I've been engaged since the beginning of the year and we're due to be married in early September. We've only lived together since last summer and I have 2 dc, 7 & 9.

Before we moved in, dp lived in a hovel. I'm talking something you'd see on TV, it was that bad. I didn't know for a very long time, since with the dc it was easier for him to come to mine. When I found out I was appalled. I was upset for him, and absolutely raging tbh that he'd told me he'd tidied up and there were piles and piles of things so that the floor couldn't be seen, nowhere clean to sit down, and filth about two inches thick in every surface of the kitchen, as well as cupboards full of plates just left with food on to go mouldy. I was shocked, our friends had told me it was bad but I had no idea how bad. I asked him to clean it up, went back a few weeks later and nothing had changed. I spent a whole day scrubbing the kitchen and it still wasn't clean. It became a massive issue for me, even though it wasn't my house. He'd lived there by himself for close to a decade and even his parents didn't know how he was living. I bought him curtains for his bare windows, new crockery for his kitchen, but the curtains were never hung, and the crockery never used.

The time came last summer when my landlord was selling up so I had to move, and we agreed to move in together. This, I see now, was my big mistake. We'd been together two years at that point, and I thought we were ready to move in. The problem was, he still wouldn't see a problem with his flat. He left it right til the last day and brought literally everything with him, and left it in our new garage. He's insisted he'll sell it, it's mostly comics and computer games (he's nearly 40 btw...) Nearly a year later it's still here, and this stuff is beginning to migrate into the house.

We've been to lots of boot sales recently to pick up things for the wedding, and he'll buy stacks of games at each one saying they're for eBay. But they never get listed. I don't understand, truly, why he'd buy more stuff when our garage is rammed with things that need selling.

Last night it came to a horrible head, I asked if we could clear a shelf in the dining room which was loaded with games he'd just left. I started to help and he basically told me to get lost and he'd do it. He ended up throwing a glass award he got from work about 15 years ago into the bin with such force it smashed. I went upstairs, and goodness knows where he went but he went off in the car for a few hours. I went to bed and haven't heard a word since. I was up in the morning with the dc and he didn't say a word before work.

I get that hoarding is a real problem. He has lots of issues from his parents splitting up when he was about 13, and I think that's when his started. Somehow, this stuff makes him feel safe. But I am fed up of playing the nagging wife. We've both been selling on eBay to raise money for the wedding, but so far I've paid for absolutely everything, the church at £700 and everything for the reception so far too. I'm a sahm so this is starting to grate. I'm selling everything I don't use and he isn't stumping up anything. I'm starting to get resentful. I had a truly horrible night last night where I suddenly realised I don't want to do this anymore. I won't tiptoe around this issue, but nor will it ever be solved because I don't actually think he wants to change. He's totally blind to having a tidy house, but to me it's important. He never proved to me before we moved in together that he was capable of living normally, for want of a better word. I was about to end all this by saying ...'but I do love him' but now I'm here I'm not actually sure it's true :(

OP posts:
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BunnyLebowski · 06/05/2015 12:08

Run OP.

Run like the fucking wind and do not look back.

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kinkyfuckery · 06/05/2015 12:10

Do you want to cancel the wedding just, or end the relationship too?

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Owllady · 06/05/2015 12:10

He is unwell, surely?
I'm not suggesting you do anything but he's clearly unwell

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fuzzywuzzy · 06/05/2015 12:12

at least postpone the wedding. He doesn't sound like he will change. Can you live like this forever?

Also who's name is the new house in? You have children to think of and you're a SAHM how will you fund living on your own?

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MatildaTheCat · 06/05/2015 12:12

It's a shame you didn't pay attention when you first saw how he lived. Because that's how he lives. Always will. It's an illness and you can't fix it.

Call the wedding off ASAP and split ups. this sounds harsh but if you don't you are signing up for a lifetime of misery.

Please. Do it straight away.

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Runawaybride1 · 06/05/2015 12:12

Honestly, I don't know. To meet him, you'd have no idea that he was the kind of person to live like that. But I've been imagining myself walking down the aisle and its full of dread :( I can't carry on with his relationship unless he admits there's a problem and does something about it. I feel I've already given him too many chances, and told him far too many times that I feel like his stuff is more important than our relationship

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QuintShhhhhh · 06/05/2015 12:13

Unwell or not, op has children in this.

You need to call off the wedding, and move on. Sorry.

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Runawaybride1 · 06/05/2015 12:14

The house is in both our names, but it was made clear by the agent (it's only rented) that if we split I can't stay by myself as I don't have an income. I feel quite trapped tbh.

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Fudgeface123 · 06/05/2015 12:15

I'd be postponing/cancelling the wedding, give him an ultimatum...he either makes inroads in getting rid of his stuff and contributing more financially or the relationship is over.

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QueenBean · 06/05/2015 12:16

So sorry to hear this, it sounds dreadful

Does he actually know that he does this iyswim? Can you have a conversation with him to tell him it's you or his stuff, basically

Think it's a bit harsh just telling OP to make a run for it without even having a conversation about it first

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scandichick · 06/05/2015 12:16

No matter how hard it is to call off the wedding, getting divorced will be worse. You're very strong making the tough decision now rather than going through with it and regretting it later. The hoarding won't get better if he doesn't want to change and it'll make your and your children's life miserable.

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Runawaybride1 · 06/05/2015 12:17

It's not that he doesn't contribute, maybe I've not made that clear. He pays the rent and does the food shopping, I pay the bills with the tax credits and child benefit. It's just the wedding. I feel I'm driving it all myself

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however · 06/05/2015 12:17

Yes, he's unwell, clearly. But hoarding is notoriously difficult to manage, let alone 'cure'. And it's torture to live with if you like a clean and orderly existence. Think carefully before you shackle yourself and your children to this man.

You can't fix him.

I wouldn't hesitate to do as Bunny suggests.

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LucyInTheSkyWithDonuts · 06/05/2015 12:18

If he hasn't changed by now then he never will. You don't want years and years of dealing with this. Finding a new place for you and your kids to live is a temporary problem which you can fix.

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BunnyLebowski · 06/05/2015 12:20

Harsh??

He's 40 years old
He lived/wants to continue living in a hovel
He is a hard core hoarder
He's violent

Which bit of my post was harsh?!

OP you deserve better than this. If you marry him you are signing up to a LIFETIME of being second to his stuff. The rest of your life trying to negotiate with him and pander to him.

You. deserve. Better. As do your DCs.

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WhoNickedMyName · 06/05/2015 12:21

you knew how he lived, did you think he was magically going to change the day you moved in together?

do you think he's magically going to change the day you walk down the aisle?

he's not. cancel the wedding.

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momtothree · 06/05/2015 12:22

Youre not describing mess but filth. Canx wedding ask him to get help or youre moving on. You are never going to feel better about the filth it will just get worse.

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QueenBean · 06/05/2015 12:24

Bunny this man is clearly unwell

Would you be giving the same advice if op's partner had other mental health problems? Wouldn't you advise her to have a conversation with him first, explain how his behaviour is making her feel and urge him to get some help?

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ouryve · 06/05/2015 12:25

You will always come second to his stuff.
He will never agree with you that the way he was living was squalid.
And he will never pull his weight.

I think you've seen enough to run and never look back. Maybe the next thing that gets thrown will be in your direction. You have children and you can't risk them witnessing this.

He needs help, but he needs to accept that he needs help and you can't ever be the one to help him, because it will always be down to you if he slips back into his hoarding habits.

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QueenBean · 06/05/2015 12:26

he's violent

How?! Because he threw a glass award in the bin and it smashed?

I think sometimes people on MN forget this is real life, trotting out the LTB line is very easy online, much less so in real life

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MsMittens · 06/05/2015 12:29

I have to say I think a lot of the replies on here are pretty harsh. Your DP has mental health issues like depression/anxiety. Hoarding is a symptom of this. If OPs other half had cancer would you suggest LTB?!

If you love him, which I am guessing you do or there would be no wedding in the first place, why don't you try and encourage him to seek help with his issues and postpone the wedding if necessary. With the right help there is no reason why you both can't get through this together and have a happy future together. If he point blank refuses help, offered in a non confrontational way and not as part of an argument etc. then perhaps you need to consider leaving.

My DH suffered from depression and anxiety for years before we married and it came to a point where I could not stand it anymore and so I told him seriously about my concerns and he admitted that he needed help. 7 years laters and we are happily married expecting DC2 and he is a much happier and healthier person. He needs to keep an eye on his mental state but it's just like living with any other illness. So people can change if they want to. I would avoid any hasty decisions and consider your options.

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BeaufortBelle · 06/05/2015 12:30

Even when there are no doubts at all and everything is good OP, marriage can be hard and needs to be worked at. If there are doubts before the wedding there will for certain be trouble after it. He clearly does have a serious issue and it needs to be dealt with. I think you need to split until he has received the help, probably professional medical help, to help him deal with his issue(s) which will be far deeper than what manifests itself as hoarding on the surface. If you split and if he deals with it then there might be a joint future but marriage I think is a very long way off.

I think splitting now will be harder than marriage and then splitting/divorce etc.. You have the chance to get out before you are in deeper and it might be catalyst he needs. If he can't deal with this then you and the children are better on your own.

Good luck and I am sorry you are going through this.

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IKnowRight · 06/05/2015 12:30

The man is clearly unwell yes, but unless he's willing to accept he needs to make progress towards getting better then why should the OP live in an environment that could well end up being a hazard to herself and her children, with a man who makes promises (cf selling stuff to pay for the wedding) that he doesn't keep, who throws things around when challenged?

OP I think the fairest thing to do would be to tell him that you're calling off the wedding until he clears out some of his stuff and the relationship is over unless he admits he has a problem and seeks help.

However I really wouldn't blame you if you just ran - the throwing things when confronted would be a big problem for me in itself without any of the rest of it.

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however · 06/05/2015 12:31

QueenBean, Because he threw something with such force that is smashed, stormed out and hasn't spoken to the OP since.

All over clearing a shelf. A fucking shelf.

Imagine what he might to if she tried to tackle the garage full of his shit?

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IKnowRight · 06/05/2015 12:32

QueenBean Wouldn't you advise her to have a conversation with him first, explain how his behaviour is making her feel and urge him to get some help?

It reads to me as though the OP has already done that.

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