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Relationships

Fallen out of love and don't know how to end it

40 replies

mummyceecee · 17/12/2016 12:35

So I have been with my partner for nearly 12 years & we have a 5 yo dd. The last few years have been hard, money wise, he got into debt with PCN;'s that he didn't pay and the charges spiraled out of control. Balliff's have been numerous times & he promises to sort everything out and never does. He constantly borrows money from me and friends/family and its hard work trying to get him to pay it back. I work part time but pay all of the rent and bills, he barely has enough at the end of the week week to contribute anything to the household as he is normally paying me back from what he's borrowed during the week.
Christmas is almost here and he hasn't bought one gift for dd, I have bought everything. I always do. I always have.

I'm at the stage where I just don't want to know him anymore, I come home from work, cook dinner and take dd to bed so I don't have to be around him. We have no physical relationship and never do anything together. I've realized now that I don't love him anymore, except as the father of our child. I also know I can cope without him but I'm hesitant to tell him as he suffers from depression and has been suicidal in the past. He would have nowhere to go and couldn't afford to rent alone (he'd never pass the credit check anyway). He refuses to take anti depressants anymore (mainly because he never has the money for the prescription, he'd normally borrow that off me in the past) which makes me angry as he doesn't seem to want to help himself. I have tried in the past to help him with his finances, offered to contact debt helplines with him but he's so secretive about money. I am open and honest about my finances with him but he lies all the time, about what he earns, if he's paid certain debts, I have no idea where his money goes. I used to think maybe he had a drug problem, he shows no sign of it but he used drugs regularly (weed) before we had dd, this is what I am resorting to thinking as I cannot see any logical explanation about what happens to his wages. He never buys clothes or anything like that. Doesn't drink.

He's lied to me so much that all trust is gone. I have tried talking to him but he isn't very good at it. He finds it hard to discuss things and just gets angry and storms off. The last time I tried to get the truth about something from him he started saying he was going to end his life, said goodbye to our dd and walked out. This left her in tears and then he was back an hour later saying he had no where to go and could he just sleep on the sofa. I don't want to create a situation that makes him feel so low he would do something stupid, I don't want my dd to grow up without her dad but I don't want her growing up thinking its normal to not get on with your partner and live in misery. She's a very intelligent 5 yo and leaps to the defense of her dad if we ever argue, for fear he will walk out again. It makes me feel awful because she must think I am the reason he left.

I don't know how to end a relationship with someone who has depression and debt problems. I don't want him to think they are the reason its over. Its over because I have fallen out of love.

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EmeraldIsle100 · 17/12/2016 15:05

You need to tell him how you feel and explain the consequences that will occur if he continues to refuse to take his medication. Depression is an awful illness and his behaviour shows signs that he is depressed. He has a responsibility to you and his child to take medication and has chosen not to. He says its about the money but it isn't.

If he decided to take the medication would you feel differently or is this relationship over regardless?

I don't blame you for wanting to leave. My EXH was depressed and took it out on me. Looking back there is no doubt that he used his illness as a stick to beat me with. I tried everything to help him, paid for everything, did all the child care and arranged and accompanied him to doctors appointments. When I left him, funnily enough for the exact same issues you are experiencing, he got on top of his depression and moved on perfectly fine.

If you decide to end the relationship you might want to leave the discussion until after Christmas but start to make enquiries and plans in the meantime about how to extricate yourself from this relationship. Knowing that this situation is not going to continue will get you through Christmas.

I know he is not well but that does not mean that you and your daughter should be subjected to anger and threats of suicide if you decide to raise issues that need to be raised.