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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:
foodiefil · 07/05/2018 16:02

You love the man you married but he's no longer the man you married 😔

Ohyesiam · 07/05/2018 16:07

I mean this gently op, but I think your young family would benefit much more from seeing you choose happiness, and splitting up from their father.
He isn’t present, which isn’t a great thing to grow up thinking of as a normal relationship. Surely you’d want more for daughters, and want your sons to give more in an intimate relationship.
Find the courage and move on, and don’t tell yourself you’re staying for the kids.

placebobebo · 07/05/2018 16:19

He checked out of the marriage when he had an affair and refused to take responsibility for his part in that.

He now feels trapped in the marriage refusing to accept that was also his choice and is blaming you and making you suffer by making himself as unattractive as possible. Pouting like a child and muttering I'll show her.
He is an adult. If he didn't want to stay he didn't have to.

He wants out, but he refuses to take responsibility for his own choices and so is forcing your hand so he can continue to blame you for all the ills of his life.

Cut your losses, he has developed such an unhealthy dynamic around you both physically and mentally.

placebobebo · 07/05/2018 16:35

Forgot to add. You cannot carry the marriage alone, no matter how optimistic you are. Your children would be better served by you modelling healthy relationships and healthy boundaries rather than teaching them "Hey kids in years to come this could be you or your partner, isn't it great?!"
Seriously do you want your children to grow up and think this is an acceptable way to behave in a family. do you want them to think this is all they can expect from a partner and set their bar so low that they only ever attract pond scum and spend their lives reciting Tammy Wynette "Stand by your man"

Or would you rather they had enough self worth to realise when they are being treated badly and say they deserve more move on if their partner refuses to treat them with respect?

You can try to work on being successful co parents but again if he won't engage then it is him that is losing the relationship with his children. Do not continue to be a door mat to try to get him to parent. He is an adult it is solely his responsibility. you concentrate on your side so that at least one of you is being an adult and showing them how grown ups deal with difficult situations in a mature way (not behaving in the same manner as you do in the marriage by trying to do everything and ignoring the obvious, trying to will it away with positivity, but over the dynamic of the children).

He is successfully killing your love and respect for him. That's not a healthy dynamic for children either, it will get worse and your keep calm and carry on attitude will not be looked on positively by them as the negativity will affect them no matter how much you don't want it to. At least divorced they can have a haven away from it with you, if he continues with his behaviour.

Staying for them is a cop out when you are just too scared to take the step yourself and with the best will in the world in their eyes makes you no better than him. It is harsh but true as the result is just as damaging.

Grieve for the relationship you wanted, because it isn't the one you have now or are going to get in the future with him.

MyOtherUsernameisaPun · 07/05/2018 16:38

Christ love, just ditch him. Honestly, it's not worth wasting your own time and wellbeing and happiness on this lazy, disrespectful man who doesn't care about you or your marriage. You deserve so much more - and you would be setting a good example to your children. Divorce isn't easy on families but neither is growing up in a family where one member so obviously doesn't see the value in the family.

ALongHardWinter · 07/05/2018 17:26

I would give him an ultimatum. Either he cleans up his act,or your marriage is over.

Juells · 07/05/2018 17:33

I think the time for ultimatums is long gone. He doesn't care.

Ohmydayslove · 07/05/2018 17:45

Mmmm love really? If you were my dd or indeed if you were my dil I wouldn’t be minimising his affair unlesshe was 100% trying to save your relationship and you were the focus of his life.

Your friends and family arnt expected to share a bed with Him and trust me soon your kids will be repelled and embaressed by his bad smells. Disgusting pillock.

Op listen to everyone and throw him out.

Your kids can tell him how smelly he is energy other weekend or not. Get fucking rid of this twat

Ohmydayslove · 07/05/2018 17:47

Seriously a 100% mumsnet consensus here op. Go on love you deserve so so so much more Flowers

ghostyslovesheets · 07/05/2018 17:57

my ex also waited for many years for me to throw him out, inflicting such damage in the process I really thought I couldn't recover

yes - I can so relate to this - my ex did not want to be the one to leave as he thought it would make him look bad so he did his best to make me kick him out :(

OP - move on from him - he's checked out

ThreeJoeys · 07/05/2018 18:20

Agreed with other PPs, he's checked out. Time for you to do so as well. My DH wouldn't kiss me in the morning until he brushes his teeth and he's incredibly clean which I love. I can't imagine being with someone who has BO. Grim.

colouringinagain · 07/05/2018 18:28

OP your family and friends don't see the DH that you do, so they can never have any idea what it's like for you.

I know the prospect of breaking up your family is horrendous - I've been in your shoes but for different reasons. Yes it is hard, and you lean on friends and family. But then it gets better, you adjust, your children adjust, you make a new beginning and one day you realise you feel good, and you made the right decision. There are plenty of mumsnetters like me who will hold your hand. You are important, and you deserve to be happy and respected.

tolerable · 07/05/2018 18:35

op. ..fraid im not joining the masses on this...Ive never been married.My mum n dad were THE very best marrieds in the world ever through my early childhood-then it all went tits up-then they fixed it.Its never gonna work with a man down...hes maybe toying with depressed,i dont mean conciously,you have to be firm.lay your cards.treat him like the self loathing lump of shite hes behaving and tell him he HAS to fix it or go.you do deserve better,if you think hes worth it(cleaned up)give it a go-point out his good points,your commitment and send him/go to-to your nearest ifit.its ten mins out a day.buy him a wash scent you like.pamper him a bit but dont mother.or force him....wtf does he think hes gonna do alone..daft cnut! goodluck xx

WidoWanky · 07/05/2018 18:41

Considering your last reply, i would move out.

Tell him you love him - if you do, tell him you dont appreciate the lack of respect he has for you. Tell him if he wants his family back, then it's up to him to make an effort. No nagging there, just facts. If you meet someone else or move on with your life before he gets his act together - if indeed he does, then thats on him. He is a successful professional, he knows how to wash. But he is choosing not to.

I personally think his passive aggressive behaviour and lack of respect towards you means he is waiting for you to end the marriage. Time to get your big girl pants on, and actually let him do it from afar.

I bet 3 months of living away from him you will be much much happier.

WidoWanky · 07/05/2018 18:46

I speak as a divorcee. Its hard. Its not what i wanted out of life. But.... i found that years had been a lie. I regret those years but at least there was a cut off point. . At least now i am living for me and my kids, not my ex, who in ways was very similar to yours.

Good luck!

Sally2791 · 07/05/2018 18:52

I could not live with that. Big chat and move on time

Kidinhouse · 07/05/2018 18:58

He sounds like he is suffering from depression. Probably because he doesn't want to be in the relationship anymore ...the first sign he didn't want to be was the affair. The problem is not him by himself he is unhappy and can't verbalize that to you and probably feels trapped. I think when people have an affair they are looking for an escape out of a relationship they are unhappy with. When the other person forgives you and says they will take you back that person can feel trapped because what they really wanted to happen was for their partner to say right that's it it's over.....and then they are off the hook. Now he has adopted passive aggressive behaviour in the hope you will say that's it I can't bear you any more you smelly fat man im leaving. So you can give him what he wants and be the instigator of the breakup or sit and down and talk to him to find what he is not happy about in the relationship and is it solvable in his mind.

juneau · 07/05/2018 19:06

You love the man you married, but he doesn't exist any more. In his place is this overweight man with BO and a bad breath who doesn't care enough about you to wash regularly. No one is so busy that they can't take a shower or see a dentist. Open your eyes. This is a man who cheated on you for 18 months and lied about it. He's still lying to you, just about different stuff. THIS is the man you have now, not the rose-tinted version of him that you married.

OuaisMaisBon · 07/05/2018 19:19

Move on.

Shampaincharly · 07/05/2018 19:28

Time to call it a day. If he can shower and brush teeth for work, he is not depressed.
He does not seem interested in the marriage.

Cambionome · 07/05/2018 19:45

He's not interested.
Sorry but you really need to wake up and smell the coffee.

Vangoghsear · 07/05/2018 19:56

Time to tell him you cannot love a smelly, unfit, overweight man and you want him to leave.

BlueSuffragette · 07/05/2018 20:05

Time to move on you deserve much better.
Suggest he seeks medical advice as he sounds depressed.

0hCrepe · 07/05/2018 20:13

He’s making himself as unattractive to you as he can. He wants you to leave him alone. Do yourself a favour and stop trying to love a man who doesn’t want it. Find someone else who does and can give it back and enjoy yourself.

antwaki · 07/05/2018 20:28

Really feel for you Fedups have been in similar situation and it ate away at my confidence due to being cast as the overbearing nag. Sharing a bed with someone who stinks and you can't ever imagine having sex with again is super grim and heartbreaking. With all the struggles of being a single parent and single for many years now - am 100 times happier not twisting my guts in knots trying to solve my Ex's problems and taking them on as mine. Had some good therapy to focus on being kind to myself and raising my own self worth. You could view this a crossroads and take a different road for your self. The strength i feel for ending things and not dealing with passive aggressive non- engaging shitty behaviour took a while but totally worth it. Good Luck, you deserve better. Thanks (coz there is no air freshener symbol).