Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To feel repulsed by DH sometimes..

260 replies

Fedups · 07/05/2018 10:58

Feeling so down about this today..and DH has just stormed off refusing to speak, as he always does. I honestly need some perspective on this, so thank you for reading if you do.
DH has always had a problem with initiative, probably due to growing up with an overbearing controlling mother. He can be sweet & kind and loving, but often lacks such basic drive, it’s been like living with a child sometimes. 3 years ago, I discovered he had been having an affair with a young girl at work, and had been lying to me for 18 months. It tore our family apart, but I managed to keep things together, and for the sake of our young family, gave it another chance. For a time things were great, he seemed interested and motivated by us. And being with us. However, since then, his motivation for anything..has simply disappeared. He takes no interest in himself, has developed a huge paunch. Can’t stand up easily, or bend down to pick things up, because he has got that big.
He eats everything & anything, including tubs of clotted cream..’because he can’..and if I comment, he just eats more.
His dental hygiene has become appalling..which really hurts, as he always had a fresh bottle of lusterine on the go, when he was seeing this girl. His breath is sometimes so repulsive, I can smell it from feet away. But he says he doesn’t care.
As well as this, he has taken to not bothering to shower on the weekends..which I just don’t understand. He really cannot be bothered..and seemingly can’t be bothered about me, or what I think. This morning at breakfast, I could smell BO, and he claims he was simply too busy to shower yesterday. At home all day in the garden, on the hottest day of the year..but he was just too busy to shower.
I’ve finally snapped, and commented that he used to shower twice a day for this girl. In fact he used to make more of an effort with everything. Does he not see how it might seem to me? I look after myself. I am 50, and am slim and still considered young & pretty for my age. I feel like I am wasted on this man sometimes. I can’t feel anything towards somebody who has so much apathy towards themselves, or me!
I’ve tried not saying anything for months, to trying to talk about it gently and openly...but he never responds. He just makes some derogatory ‘yes dear’ comment..and walks away. I honestly don’t know what to do. But it is making me feel so lost & low.
Am I being unreasonable in wishing he would look after himself more? Or am I right to think that a man who truly cared what his partner thought, would take some pride in with his hygiene and his appearance.
I know this all might seem ridiculously over sensitive and inane, but thank you for reading Flowers

OP posts:
JustHereForThePooStories · 07/05/2018 11:56

When you took him back after the affair, you significantly lowered the bar in terms of showing him how he could treat you. He’s simply carried on reducing his effort.

He’s checked out.

MeanTangerine · 07/05/2018 11:57

He wants out but doesn't have the nerve to say it. That would explain both the affair and the deliberately-becoming-repulsive behaviour.

I'm usually firmly in the get-counselling camp - and if you're unsure then a few good counselling sessions can be brilliant for helping you figure out what you really want - but even I think you would be doing both him and yourself a favour by ending it.

RidingWindhorses · 07/05/2018 11:59

He's trying to get you to dump him so he's not the bad guy.

He's here but not present in the relationship.

FizzyGreenWater · 07/05/2018 11:59

Yes, you are wasted on this man.

Meanwhile, are you going to waste this lovely day on him too? Grab some sun cream and get out.

You shouldn't have taken him back.

Leave now - don't waste more time, not at 50.

foodiefil · 07/05/2018 11:59

Sounds like he's trying to turn you off. He had an affair and you didn't leave and now he's stinking you out like Stig of the dump. I can imagine if you left him he'd start looking after himself again but not for you.

FoxySamanthaPetersonTheCat · 07/05/2018 12:00

Ugh dump his arse, what a loser. I could always tell when my ex was getting some elsewhere towards the end because he showered and brushed his teeth. I think when he didn’t it wasn’t just a lack of self respect but a lack of respect for me as well.

As for a lack of motivation in general I don’t think that rings true- he was motivated enough to seek out someone else to have sex with and carry it on for 18 months.

Like I said, dump his arse.

elfies · 07/05/2018 12:01

It sounds as if he wants YOU to walk out of the marriage ,so he has the upper hand in a divorce .

LittleOrphanFunkhouser · 07/05/2018 12:04

What's wrong with eating tubs of clotted cream?

eightfacesofthemoon · 07/05/2018 12:04

He’s clearly being a total coward and wants you to walk away

Sparklesocks · 07/05/2018 12:05

He’s either a) so unbothered/uninvested in your marriage that he doesn’t care how he looks for you, or how his hygiene affects you etc

Or

B) he’s actively trying to push you away because he is too weak to end things himself

Either way, you deserve better than him. You stuck by him when he had an affair so frankly he should be bending over backwards for your marriage now.

Please get out Flowers

foodiefil · 07/05/2018 12:06

@LittleOrphanFunkhouser 🙄

CoffeeOrSleep · 07/05/2018 12:09

Why did the affair end? Did he want it to end and "chose" you, or has he ended up "stuck" with you?

It sounds like he made an effort to start with so he didn't end up with nothing, but now doesn't really think he has to make an effort to keep you, and doesn't see the point.

He might be depressed, but given he's cheated in the past, you aren't obliged to help him recover.

Why are you with him? Be honest with yourself. (And keep in the back of your mind that if another woman shows him interest, he might be temped again and this time leave, if your answer is "security")

pointythings · 07/05/2018 12:18

He sounds a bit like my STBXH, except that mine chose alcohol instead of an affair. In every other way the resemblance is shocking - lack of hygiene at weekends, no initiative, checking out of family life - it's all there. My STBXH is without a doubt seriously depressed - but I spent 6.5 years trying to get him to seek help, to make the lifestyle changes he needed to be well, and he refused to do any of it because it was too hard and too much effort.

Yours won't change either. I think you absolutely do deserve better than this and you are still young enough to make a fresh start. I'm 50 too, waiting for the divorce to come through, living with my lovely teenaged DDs. We have less money than we used to, but apart from that our lives are infinitely better.

cosytoaster · 07/05/2018 12:22

He had enough initiative to start an affair...

Agreed and I bet he'll have enough to sort out his hygiene issues if you end the marriage and he ends up back on the dating market too!

Zaphodsotherhead · 07/05/2018 12:23

So he cares about hygiene when he goes to work, but not when he's alone with you?

Does that not tell you all you need to know, OP?

Unfinishedkitchen · 07/05/2018 12:34

What do your kids think?

This probably sounds bad but I’d get out before his lifestyle damages his health and you’re expected to look after him.

jay55 · 07/05/2018 12:34

He doesn't see the need to make an effort with you, you kept him around even when he was fucking someone else. Do you think he is trying to see how far he can push you?
Certainly seems like he wants you to end it so he can blame you forever more.

WingsOnMyBoots · 07/05/2018 12:34

Sorry OP but you are right, most women would not want to put with this.

Unfinishedkitchen · 07/05/2018 12:37

I gave the advice about leaving him before his health fails as my friend’s DM ended up stuck looking after her abusuve DH when his heavy drinking and smoking lifestyle caught up with him. It seems so unfair after all he’d put her and the kids through.

MinisterforCheekyFuckery · 07/05/2018 12:38

He's showing you in very clear terms how little he cares about your opinion of him. The fact that he still makes an effort with his hygiene and appearance for work speaks volumes. He still cares what people at work think of him.
Don't waste anymore of your life on this man OP. At best, he's completely taking you for granted. At worst, he's actively goading you into ending the marriage so he doesn't have to. Either way, it's not sustainable and something needs to change.

biscuitaddict · 07/05/2018 12:38

He sounds depressed, I think once you have these feelings they stay. I think it's over Thanks

tolerable · 07/05/2018 12:40

stroppy ungrateful git. Hes being an utter dick. the overeat/lack of self care is a form of self abuse.either at getting caught/feeling the need to be seen to try fix it/..possibly remorse. and/or punishing you. ...mangled into and gona get called "depression" his ma was overbearing-tough. Do you love him? do you have an outside hose?-next opperchancity point that thing at him full blast-let yourself go and yell-fix it or fuck off....and post it note his favourite huff corners with a mirror or twenty and a I LOVE ME-you dont fucking have to reminder. lifes to short.

Beeziekn33ze · 07/05/2018 12:52

I saw 'he works in the city' and was thinking I wouldn't want to be near him on the tube. Then I saw that he sorts himself out for work. Really? Not a faint whiff of bad breath?

mrjoepike · 07/05/2018 12:53

is he doing this to get you to say divorce first/
depression my ass this is a attempt to manipulate.
ndn stopped showering when girlfriend broke it off.
he was 14

LadyLapsang · 07/05/2018 12:54

I agree with others, he doesn't have the guts to ends things / doesn't want to be seen as the bad guy. All this passive aggressive not showering / not cleaning his teeth - yuk. If he was depressed I think he would be more of a slob on weekdays, but the fact he makes the effort then just underlines how badly he is behaving.Do you think he would leave if you started divorce proceedings, or would he dig in at home and be super difficult.