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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

abusive drunk

68 replies

delilahxx206 · 02/06/2018 23:30

We have been together for more than 3 years now (not married, no kids, I'm 31, he's 41). I have seen pretty early that he likes drinking way too much than it is acceptable, there were clear signs in his behaviour patterns as well. I was madly in love and everyone drinks more in the city so it didn't bother me much in the loved up phase of the relationship.

last year was awful. he was going through hard time at work and was depressed (he told me he wanted to kill himself and was seeing therapist as well). started drinking almost daily and on weekends as early as 12 o'clock.. cider, wine (x2 bottles per night), gin, you name it... abuse would start pretty much every night during the weekend. waking me up when I'm asleep shouting abuse at me (mostly) and threatening to burn my cloths, throw me away (it's his house but I pay him contributions equal to monthly rates). October last year I found out he used prostitutes. Due to the condition he was in a and work pressure I was being very understanding. I was just getting on with it hoping things will change and didn't want to make him feel worse. I must mention all this time he blamed work for his drinking.

he is out of work now (finance is not an issue and won't be for next 4-5 months at least) and even the reason for his heavy drinking is gone he got absolutely smashed yesterday night and abused me again. (I'm at the point where I hear a can of cider being opened and it makes me shake out of rage) I found out he still went to massage parlour couple of weeks ago.

I paid for our nice holidays, changed my car to different one so he can drive it as well, paid for his insurance (recently passed driving test) just making sure he is relaxed and recovers from the hard year that he had. and he did exactly what he was doing last year! I feel he disrespected me and doesn't appreciate things I did for him and all this year of suffering and supporting him and trying to keep him sane.

It doesn't help my dad was absolute alcoholic all my childhood and teenage years.. my unspoken role in the house use to be to sit in the kitchen and talk to him to make sure he is calm and doesn't go looking for mum (which would cause arguments and screaming) till he finally would go to bed (he never was abusive to me nor my brother)

I just don't know what to do now. He's lovely person when not drunk but it has negative effect on me. I just don't want to deal with it anymore, don't want to be silent and trying to do my best to make sure he is ok and entertain him while he's drunk so all of a sudden he doesn't get abusive. however, I feel I should try something else before giving up on him. is there anything I can do try to change the situation? I feel I shouldn't give up unless I have done everything I could to improve the situation. please share your thoughts with me, I don't feel comfortable talking about this to anyone I know..

OP posts:
LittleLionMansMummy · 02/06/2018 23:36

Sorry op, but my only advice is to get out of this relationship while you're still young and have a chance at a happy life. You are not his saviour. He will destroy his life and yours along with it. Run far, run fast.

Unhurried · 02/06/2018 23:36

Leave Flowers

gobbynorthernbird · 02/06/2018 23:39

Stop trying to rescue him. He's an abusive cunt.

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 02/06/2018 23:43

You probably don't want to hear this and it is very easy for me to say it, but I'd be getting out now before any kids are on the scene. Why are you putting up with it. I promise you really do not have to. You say you're madly in love with him but unfortunately that's not enough of a basis for a healthy relationship.
I pray the alchol is out of his system while he's waltzing around in that order rather your car. .
Also I seeing as he's been shagging prostitutes have you been tested, sorry to be intrusive.
Flowers.

PrizeOik · 02/06/2018 23:43

You can't rescue him. He wants to drink so he's drinking. If you tried to help, he'd find a way to make your help a reason to drink more.

You didn't cause this, you can't control it, and you can't cure it.

If you love him, literally the only chance he has is if you leave him and never come back. In some rare cases, having a terrible consequence to drinking might (MIGHT) be what he needs to stop. And even then. If you ever came back, he'd just start drinking again because the consequences would be gone so why not

Leave. It's your only chance at sanity and his only chance at recovery.

ilovesooty · 02/06/2018 23:46

What previous posters said. Get out of the relationship. It isn't going to get better and it will probably get a whole lot worse.

Sparklesocks · 02/06/2018 23:47

It’s not up to you to save and redeem him OP. You shouldn’t have to be walking on eggshells when he drinks just to protect yourself.

Do you want DC? If so, think about how it will be for them growing up with him for their dad. Think about how it was for you.

‘Lovely when sober’ isn’t enough to keep a relationship alive. You deserve a partner who respects, protects and loves you. There’s nothing more you can do for him and you deserve better Flowers

Furx · 02/06/2018 23:50

You can’t rescue someone who doesn’t want to be rescued.

Have a good hard think about the messages you received,about relationships when you were younger OP.

Dsc1907 · 02/06/2018 23:50

There are lots of things I'd like to say, but reading your post sent me off to retrieve a book of "meditations" I was given just after I left my abuser (as this man is to you), because there is one I would like to share with you. Humour me and read it to yourself - I think you need to hear this:

"My abuser may have had a hard life. The stories of his childhood may be sad, and I wish I could help him. But I have tried to help him for a long time now. It didn't work. Today it's time to start helping me. Saying good-bye to helping him and saying hello to helping me does not make me a selfish person. It makes me a capable, courageous, intelligent person, despite what anyone else thinks or says. I did not cause his problems, and I can't save him from them. The person I choose to help is me. The life I choose to save is my own."

(The book is Time to Break Free by Judith Smith.)

Topseyt · 02/06/2018 23:52

He is an utter shit. Dump him. You don't need to keep going through this.

He won't change. He doesn't want to.

Wolfiefan · 02/06/2018 23:54

He's not a lovely person. He's an alcoholic and one who abuses you.
He visits sex workers (get an STI check)
Blames work for his drinking. Nope. That's on him.
It's not your job to keep him sane.
Get out. Have a happy life and preserve your own sanity.

LadyOdd · 02/06/2018 23:57

LTB it’s just becoming a cycle of abuse you deserve better x

Puffycat · 03/06/2018 00:05

Oh OP please don’t leave him, he’s clearly a very lovely man who’s going through a lot of stress and he really needs the support of someone who loves him and understands the pressure he’s under.
FUCKING RUN LIKE THE WIND!!!!
You are in an abusive relationship he is treating you like shite and quite honestly he sounds a bit unhinged.
Get out!

Pebblespony · 03/06/2018 00:05

Could you go and see a counsellor? It might help to deal with issues left over from your father's alcoholism which may be clouding your judgement here. You don't need anyone to tell you that this behaviour is unacceptable, you can see that for yourself. What you need to do is examine your own response to it. Any reasonable person reading your post will tell you to leave. Perhaps try to see someone who specialises in addiction.

Puffycat · 03/06/2018 00:07

@Dsc1907 that’s a great quote

HughLauriesStubble · 03/06/2018 00:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MayFayner · 03/06/2018 00:20

is there anything I can do try to change the situation?

Unfortunately there isn’t. The quote posted by a pp is very wise. Run away, think of yourself Flowers

BlueEyedBengal · 03/06/2018 00:23

Get out before it gets physical he's a raging drunk who will never stop and will ruin your life. And the crowning glory, he didn't just disrespect you by sleeping with another he when with a prostitute who could have a multitude of things he could have caught and given to you. Another women would be the end of it if it was me, but a prostitute I would get out and straight to the clinic to check for any nasties Angry

emmcan · 03/06/2018 00:24

Your father was an alcoholic too. We seek the teeth to match our wounds. Leave. Leave and get out because this is toxic and you deserve better. x

differentnameforthis · 03/06/2018 00:41

He's not an abusive drunk. He is an abusive man.

The drink is a convenient excuse, and makes it harder to hide who he is, but isn't causing his behaviour.

ohfourfoxache · 03/06/2018 00:46

Run fast and run far.

And don’t look back.

PickAChew · 03/06/2018 00:48

Lovely when not drunk is immaterial when he's always drunk.

You deserve better. He needs to get better before he's ready for s relationship.

LoniceraJaponica · 03/06/2018 08:59

I'm going to be blunt here
You can't change him
You didn't cause it
You can't control him
You can't cure him

Only he can do this. My SIL's husband is in permanent residential care due to his drinking. The fact that your partner is fine between drinking bouts is cancelled out by his drinking. You have no future with him. If anything you are enabling him by staying with him.

For your own sanity you must leave him now.

drivingmisspotty · 03/06/2018 09:29

The thing is, he’s not really a ‘lovely person’ when he is not drunk is he? Because that sober person at some point decides he will drink again, knowing how he behaves when he is drunk.

Perhaps this is a choice, perhaps he is too ill to make a diffeeent choice but either way you need to get out. It is the only way you can save yourself and the only way you may save him too.

And life is just too short. Do you really want to look back and see your whole life spent in this turmoil and being abused? You may have fallen for him but you need to love and respect yourself enough to leave.

IamaBluebird · 03/06/2018 09:40

Please don't post in a year's time and still be trying to make this relationship work.
This man chooses to drink and be abusive , you won't change him. Leave now and start to enjoy your life again. Flowers

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