Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

DP judging everyone by his own impossibly high standards

260 replies

applesandapear · 16/10/2018 22:19

I’ve had enough of my DPs general attitude towards other people. He is constantly judging others based on his own standards and to be honest I’m starting to question if he’s even a good person

Some examples

  1. If the house isn’t impossibly clutter free he acts like I’m disgustingly unclean (I’m not!)
  2. He has a hobby, let’s say cycling as to not be too outing. He can cycle a certain event in say an hour which is a very very good time. The average person would be happy to achieve the same event in say 1.30-1.45 and be very pleased. Someone posted on FB that they did it in 1.48 (huge achievement) and he said it was embarrassing and they should have done better!!
  3. Told me I’m not achieving anything as my priority is raising our children not earning as much money as possible - I’m sorry but raising well rounded happy children is a massive achievement in my book!
  4. Said that I don’t take any responsibility for things because he asked me to call the house insurance about something which I did but he hadn’t fully informed me of what I was actually asking so missed something off. Said I should be an adult take responsibility and find out. My argument was that I cannot read his mind and therefore cannot be expected to ask all questions he wanted if he hadn’t told me!

I think it’s appalling to be honest. Have your own high standards fine but don’t make others feel like s* when their achievements are different to your own!
AIBU???

OP posts:
ravenmum · 17/10/2018 08:28

my priority is raising our children not earning as much money as possible
I was going to ask if his parents' priority had been making money, rather than raising him - hence his issues. Then you said he grew up in foster homes. I doubt he received much praise or recognition growing up - most likely the only way he could scrape together a little pride in himself, rather than shame, was to make money and put other people down so he looked OK in comparison. Not surprising that he has no clue how valuable a good upbringing and loving parents is. Poor guy, I doubt even therapy would help him much, let alone you trying to change him.

MiddlingMum · 17/10/2018 08:28

For comparison, DH and I have recently "achieved" the same thing. Let's use your example of cycling. So, DH achieved this cycling feat in a certain time, I also achieved it, but took about 25% longer. I baked DH a cake to celebrate his achievement, he bought me flowers. We went out for a meal together.

That's how mutually supportive relationships work. Are you sure you can't be in a better relationship OP?

oldmum22 · 17/10/2018 08:30

Sorry OP , just seen you are not married to him . In that case, start making plans to get out of this relationship as no way is it going to improve.

Loopytiles · 17/10/2018 08:39

You’re not married? In that case your personal earnings should be a very high priority.

KERALA1 · 17/10/2018 08:40

It's like a sick inverse of a relationship. Your dh is supposed to be the one person who genuinely has your back and is happy for you and supports your achievements however modest and you him. What on earth is the point of being in a relationship otherwise?

Stereomum · 17/10/2018 08:44

Sounds like my Fil, Thankfully Dh saw sense and has gone nc.

SadieAndGeorge · 17/10/2018 08:47

I've been through this with someone with OCPD (as said uphread, it is very distinct from OCD).

The view I had of my husband when I met him and we were dating was of a charming, kind, thoughtful, loving and hard working man. Once we bought a home together and married, that's when his true self slowly emerged over a few years. It was then that he revealed his appalling childhood. Looking back, massive red flags were waving but I didn't recognise them. His brother is a classic narcissist - I didn't know that word then and I just thought he was a pompous arse. His dad emotionally abused his mum and she suffered in bitter silence until she died. We very rarely saw his family anyway so I didn't see any red flags there.

I spent several years with him walking on eggshells. He inspected everything I did and then redid it in the "correct" way. Everything from the way I cleaned the sink to the way I poured milk. If anything was damaged or aged naturally - furniture, clothes, etc. - he would lose his temper, automatically blame me for the damage, then spend hours with a torch inspecting it (and I do mean hours).

He progressed to gaslighting me and stonewalling me. I didn't know those terms either back then and I didn't recognise that I was being emotionally abused. His strategy for me bringing up any grievance was to ignore me until I shut up, get up and leave the room, sigh, roll his eyes, flat out deny anything I said to him, or get annoyed with me. As an example - I once saw that a pair of my shoes, which previously I had lined up together neatly, had been kicked right across the room. I asked him, why have you kicked my shoes? He denied it flat out, even though it was blatantly obvious they had been kicked: they were scattered across the floor and on their sides. One shoe was scuffed. He just kept saying he had no idea what I was on about, but with this incredulous look on his face like I was crazy.

I went from a popular outgoing positive person to a nervous tense shell. I ended up with a diagnosis of anxiety and depression, and when I told him that I had been diagnosed depressed and that I was planning on leaving him, he changed overnight. Literally. He accepted everything I accused him of without denying it, he apologised for everything he'd done. He cut contact with his family and he went for extensive psychotherapy for months. He went back to the person I dated. That was three years ago.

Things are good now, but looking back it was exhausting, awful and he nearly broke me. I should have left him and cut my losses. But I only recognised the emotional abuse and the OCPD for what it was after many many years into the relationship. I did extensive research into helping him and onto personality disorders. I like being with him now, he is extremely thoughtful and lovely, and he has worked hard to change himself and is always keen to make me happy. But still sometimes I am resentful at what he put me through and still sometimes I think I should have left him. And every now and then I think that I hate him for what he did. It shouldn't be that hard.

My husband is very very unusual in that I scared him enough with my depression diagnosis and telling him I was leaving that he accepted his problems and sought help. People with OCPD and abusers very very rarely have that level of insight. I would advise anyone recognising these patterns to run for the hills. And then run a bit further.

Scatteredthoughtss · 17/10/2018 08:56

Sounds like he needs help. How do you think he would react to a suggestion of counselling?

LucyMorningStar · 17/10/2018 08:58

Any particular reason why you're still with him OP? Do you have means to break free from this dickswab?

MyBrexitGoesOnHoliday · 17/10/2018 09:05

Sadie I’m amazed that you stayed with him. I wouod have got extremely ressentful that he could suddenly ‘just snapped out of it’.
Actually my H did that and I haven’t forgiven him (different diagnosis)

MyBrexitGoesOnHoliday · 17/10/2018 09:07

apple YANBU.
He might have had a really hard childhood but it’s nit your rôle to save him/make him better. This is something only HE can do.
And he doesn’t seem. To have the insight that his behaviour isn’t acceptable.

applesandapear · 17/10/2018 09:17

I just don't know what to do to be honest, I don't want to break up the family if there is a way of solving it.

I have had enough of being spoken down to though. Or hearing his bitching about others when they don't have the same values or standards as him. He seems very unable to see outside of his own ideals.

OP posts:
Raydan · 17/10/2018 09:35

I think what @SadieAndGeorge said is very insightful. The reality is that you cannot and should not continue to live like this. It's up to you whether you try again to reason with him, probably best with a professional to meditate, abd work on the relationship or you finish the relationship now. The end result has to be that he stops this behaviour and starts to treat you with love and respect. You should feel happy supported, loved and safe in your relationship.

paxillin · 17/10/2018 09:36

Judge him by your standards of friendliness, approachability and popularity. Do not fail to rub it in every time he is rude or arrogant.

Raydan · 17/10/2018 09:36

You sound like an intelligent and loving person @applesandapear. Don't let him make you doubt yourself.

SadieAndGeorge · 17/10/2018 09:38

MyBrexit Yes I know - you're right of course. We can spend a few weeks blissfully happy and content. Then wham, I'm hit again with resentment. That's why i wouldn't advise anyone to stay - even though my husband has worked very hard not to end up like his dad, I still wouldn't hand on heart day I should have stayed with him.

Onthebrink87 · 17/10/2018 09:43

Let him know you coped perfectly well before him and if he doesnt sort his shitty attitude you will be showing him you can do it again!

KERALA1 · 17/10/2018 10:15

He is going to end up a very lonely old man alone with his "high standards" that no one on this planet can reach Hmm. Can't think why he is not with the mother of his older child...

slightlyjaded · 17/10/2018 10:19

I don't want to pour cold water, but in 14 years of being on MN, @SadieAndGeorge is the first poster I've ever come across that has been able to turn this kind of behaviour around. I'm not doubting that there are exceptions to the 'they never change' rule (we have one right here on the thread) but they are RARE RARE RARE.

Sadly, you have to make your decision on the basis that HE WILL NOT CHANGE. Don't waste time imagining how you will engineer a better version of him, you won't. You have to think about who he is, what he is like and decide if you want a lifetime of him.

LarkDescending · 17/10/2018 10:25

As @paxillin says, do not lose sight of the fact that he is the one who fails to live up to your standards of kindness, reasonableness, emotional intelligence etc. You are not the one who is failing or inadequate here, however much he will try to make you think you are.

sunshinewithabitofdrizzle · 17/10/2018 10:30

I can't see a way of solving this OP, he's not going to have a personality transplant. He's a bully and a narcissist and doesn't even seem to like you very much. He's going to treat your child appallingly as they grow up, putting more and more pressure on them to reach unreasonable perfection. I know you don't want to break up the family, but you and your child will be so much better off long term without having to walk on eggshells all the time. Honestly, the relief you'll feel is immense.

AlmaGeddon · 17/10/2018 10:31

He had a terrible upbringing in and out of foster care

Really, you don't think this is an issue??
You must watch different TV progs, read different sad stories in the papers, listen to different news headlines.
Unless you are a psychologist with a string of friends who are counsellors or experts in mental health I would leave. This man is most likely seriously damaged through no fault of his own. But unless he is seriously engaging in support for the damage done to him you should leave.

PsychedelicSheep · 17/10/2018 10:38

Look up Unrelenting Standards Schema.

Schema therapy can be helpful in the treatment of personality disorders (it doesn't necessarily use that language). Your husband would have to be willing to acknowledge the issue was his and engage with help though. And it wouldn't be free of course.

AtrociousCircumstance · 17/10/2018 10:39

You can’t change him. Please don’t put yourself through this shit relationship any longer.

As for ‘breaking up the family’ what kind of family is it if he begrudges paying for things for his own fucking child? And favours his first kid? There is no love or real unity or kindness, therefore there is very little real ‘family’.

Ennirem · 17/10/2018 10:45

I've just looked up OCPD on the back of @SaidieandGeorge 's post and OH MY GOD. Everything about my partner suddenly makes sense, it's like it's him. I've always struggled with the idea his behaviour is conscious manipulation to force me into line because that's just not him... But I've also struggled with believing he really thinks and feels as he claims as it's so alien to me. OCPD makes all of that make sense. I feel like the top of my head was just blown off.

Thank you so much for posting SadieandGeorge, your story has really helped me frame my own situation. Would you recommend any particular resources for spouses to try and manage/improve relationships with someone with OCPD? I am conscious however of the fact that few would have the self awareness to be able to take the steps your DH has, and even that hasn't healed all the wounds... xx

Swipe left for the next trending thread