Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

How to deal with a persistently miserable, doom and gloom DH

50 replies

Boomah · 14/11/2018 21:01

Me and DH have been together 10 years, two kids. Hes on the spectrum, so can be hard to deal with anyway. He's always been abit of a miserable bugger but the last couple of years it's become almost unbearable. Politics, his work, his friends, his family, world events, everything is just doom and gloom and he constantly has to 'enlighten' me. Im scared to have an opposing opinion as he expects a full, masters degree level debate about everything. He's confrontational in his manner, no matter who the person is. No-one can simply say 'i agree/disagree'. He requires sources, and doesn't allow emotional or psychological events in someone's life override fact or factor in how it makes them think or feel towards a situation. He has suffered with depression on/off throughout his life but never does anything about it. He's a 'creative' and feels no satisfaction unless he's doing exactly what he wants, which unfortunately doesn't pay well. I bend over backwards to accommodate him, to the point it's detrimental to my own life. I can't change my job no matter how much I hate it because the change in routine would upset him, I mostly clean the house and do the childcare by myself bar one weekend day where he looks after them by himself. On this day, on more than several occasions, I've gotten a barrage of messages about how he's not coping. He's a very intelligent, articulate person, but very one track minded (as ASD people tend to be) and just never seems to be happy, regardless of how much easier I try to make his life. As such I'm so depressed and genuinely losing the will. I love him, and care for him deeply, but I feel like I have another child. He IS high functioning. He's very organised when it's something he knows well. I have alot of patience and understanding, I truley do. But I dont know how to manage this anymore. This is more of a rant than anything so I apologise if it's nonsensical.

OP posts:
thighofrelief · 14/11/2018 22:31

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Boomah · 14/11/2018 22:31

Catmint way ahead of you. I can access it through my work and waiting for an appointment x

OP posts:
WitchyMcWitchface · 14/11/2018 22:38

My anxiety is constantly through the roof worrying how he will react to things
I think you must have a conversation, when DCs not around, explaining this. It can't go on or you will be ill and surely as the DCs get older they will be tiptoeing round him too. And they might copy his selfish traits.

Aquamarine1029 · 14/11/2018 22:42

You are living in a dark, miserable prison. This is no way to live.

RedPandaMama · 14/11/2018 22:46

Didn't read the whole post as I have a migraine and it was a lot of text (sorry) but your DP sounds so similar to mine. Mine is an absolute condescending arsehole at times, extremely intelligent and knows everything about everything, makes me feel like an idiot 90% of the time. He can be a right twat - and I tell him all of this. Despite this, I love him, I really do, and I try to see the negatives about him in a different light. It means our kids will always know how to fight a good argument. He's all about justice and I like knowing our daughter will be too. He can help her with all types of homework and if I ever need to know something, he usually has the answer.

I think a lot of it is about standing up to them and saying 'you're being really negative and it's upsetting me. You need to stop it, now.'

Butterymuffin · 14/11/2018 22:58

He could still do the bits of parenting he does well if he lived somewhere else. But you wouldn't be sacrificing yourself and your life to him. He will have to find ways to manage, as I expect he does at work when you're not around to see it.

WhereYouLeftIt · 14/11/2018 23:24

"I bend over backwards to accommodate him, to the point it's detrimental to my own life."

"We've been together since I was 16, it was never meant to be long term as horrible as that sounds. We got together for petty and silly teenage reasons (to spite someone else), I moved in to his mum's after an argument with my family, instead of telling me to come home they moved my sister into my bedroom! He was super depressed and full of teenage angst, I was working and supporting him, when we got kicked out of his mum's I remained financially supportive and it's just never ended."

@Boomah, I really hope your counselling comes soon. In the meantime, could you consider - your family made you feel that you didn't matter; and you're still behaving as if they were right. You only seem to value yourself in the service of others. You know you're driving yourself into the ground, but you're reluctant to admit to yourself that this marriage is not working. Well, it's working fine for him; he gets a total skivvy who will bear his children, earn money so he can be 'creative' and be his captive audience! Butit's not working for you - you're anxious, exhausted, and you don't seem to me to feel that you DESERVE any better.

"Despite all this he is a fantastic father."
"My kids adore him, I feel like I would be turning their lives upside down."
No, he isn't a fantastic father. If you have a daughter, he is teaching her to skivvy for a man. If you have a son, he is teaching him that women don't matter. That is NOT fantastic fathering.

I think you should consider how growing up in a household with one PITA joysucking parent and one anxious exhausted unhappy parent is going to affect them.

You really have to stop considering that soldiering on and enduring this is any sort of option. Please.

Adversecamber22 · 15/11/2018 10:07

My sister was married for over forty years, it was her fist BF like yourself OP to a DH who financially provided and was actually emotionally supportive but did zero housework or DIY round the house. He would also do nothing out of the house, he obviously had some undiagnosed issues probably extreme anxiety and was very routine based even down to what he would eat every day.

He died a couple of years ago, my sister now has a BF they actually do stuff together and he does stuff for her. My sister is like a different person, it's like she is fully alive at last.

IamtheDevilsAvocado · 15/11/2018 10:36

My sympathies... Nd empathy... I have this in my extended family... It totally sucks joy out of life....

Think... Really consider... Do you want to be with this man and his behaviour... At 40,50,60,70,80?

How much will you have to massively compromise your own life to do so??

Also... This is soooo true
'' "Despite all this he is a fantastic father."
"My kids adore him, I feel like I would be turning their lives upside down."
No, he isn't a fantastic father. If you have a daughter, he is teaching her to skivvy for a man. If you have a son, he is teaching him that women don't matter. That is NOT fantastic fathering. ''

AhoyDelBoy · 15/11/2018 10:44

You’re only 26, is that right? Leave him. I know it’s not easy but can you really imagine your whole life with this man?

puzzledlady · 15/11/2018 10:49

You wanting to be happy is NOT a selfish reason. You staying Becasue you’re unsure of what the future holds (although I suspect you know he will get worse) is selfish. Especially for you and your children. Flowers

FinallyHere · 15/11/2018 11:29

What would you say to your daughter if she found herself in such a joyless marriage ?

What are you teaching your DC about self respect ?

All the best

Loopytiles · 15/11/2018 11:42

redpandamama, no, it means your DC will have to continue live with someone very difficult and see you suppress your understandable emotions about his unreasonable behaviour.

Your daughter will likely learn that difficult men should be appeased, and later in life may have similar relationships. Or behave like one of you, to her detriment.

DadJoke · 15/11/2018 11:49

Make practical plans for separation - read up on it, think about finances, accomodation and child care so you can actually picture what it might be like.

Then, give him an ultimatum to change his behaviour with measurable outcomes and ask him to get counselling. If that doesn't work out, you are ready to move on.

AmIsickorhungryIcanttell · 15/11/2018 11:54

My mum is like this although not so bad (I believe she is on the spectrum but she would never get herself tested). As a result she is awful to be around and I try not to see her often. She's a dementor and just sucks the life out of me.

Your kids will notice and will realise it for themselves one day. This isn't good parent behaviour.

You are still young (I assume your in your mid to late twenties?) do you really want a lifetime of this? If anything, he's likely to get worse

AmIsickorhungryIcanttell · 15/11/2018 16:50

Ah I killed the thread!

PumpkinPie2016 · 15/11/2018 17:05

Honestly OP I would seriously consider separating from him.

He sounds extremely draining to live with and that will not get any better.

From reading, you are only 26? You have a whole life ahead of you - part ways so that you can live your life.

Him not being able to look after himself honestly isn't your problem - let his parents or social services deal with that.

Good luck!

MistressDeeCee · 15/11/2018 17:27

In your shoes I'd sit him down have one last try at talking and if he didn't actively acknowledge the issues and discuss solutions with you, then I'd be off.

Whats to gain from living out your 1 life with a Dementor - one who always has to "debate" and be right? How utterly tedious and arrogant.

He's not going to change - this is who he is. You could end up with your own mental health in shreds - and don't assume he won't then leave you. Or maybe stay and enjoy grinding you into the ground

I'm minded that too often with women when a man no longer likes and respects us and so blatantly shows that, we still sit there whilst he turns the screw ever tighter. Maybe its socialisation, maybe due to not wanting to deal with taking action.

Your DCs will likely bail out as soon as possible when they grow up, rather than be around him. Hopefully he won't suck the joy out of their lives too. Then it'll be just you and him, but years older

But if you feel the fact you've been with him since you were 16 is enough for you to stay then perhaps you can find ways to screen him out. That's your best option.

I'm idly wondering what he's like with friends and work colleagues. I can guess

SmileEachDay · 15/11/2018 19:43

I feel like I would be splitting up my family for very selfish reasons

No. You are just as important as any of the other people in your family. You’re the primary role model of how relationships should be to your kids - would you want either child feeling as you do?

There are many ways to have a family - living separately isn’t a failure, it’s a different way of arranging things.

IamtheDevilsAvocado · 16/11/2018 05:24

But you do deserve to havel a happy life. Appeasing someone who won't make any efforts to change their outward to behaviour is exhausting.

You could sucessfully Co-parent your kids and you could have ths chance of happiness with someone else!

Snitzelvoncrumb · 16/11/2018 05:46

You must feel very trapped! You can leave, and should when you are ready.
You might literally have to find him somewhere to live, and hold his hand a bit while he gets his head around it all. People learn and adapt quickly if they have to. It doesn't sound like he does much to help, so I'm sure you can manage on your own. He can have little visits with the kids, so he will still see them.
You just need to plan it out, then do it.

Snitzelvoncrumb · 16/11/2018 05:48

Just remember there are two other people, who may be unhappy too.

stopfuckingshoutingatme · 16/11/2018 06:04

Get some
Counselling - just for you

You deserve a life and happiness

Get some 1:1

Good luck - getting this sorted is not easy and you need to be strong and capable and very clear in your intent
Of what’s right and needed

Good luck

Cath2907 · 16/11/2018 07:15

After 12 years married I chose to ask him to leave. I feel guilty, scared for his future and worried about our DD will feel if he can’t learn to cope. However I couldn’t live with an unhappy, frustrated man contributing nothing to our lives any longer. We’ve been separated 6 weeks and I am proceeding with divorce, selling our house so there is some money for him and making plans for mine and DDs future. He is still not working (and doing little to change that), living in our caravan and funding himself from the joint account. When the divorce is final I will withdraw his access to the account and then close my eyes so I don’t have to see him crash and burn. It is heartbreaking but I could see no other option. I’ve spent years trying to get him to be part of the family and to contribute- I just couldn’t do it any longer.

QuickPollPlease · 16/11/2018 08:00

I manage someone like this at work. It is incredibly frustrating, their work is great but my God they are hard to deal with. They hold on to perceived injustices, will not accept their behaviour is rude and strongly believe they are right and honest. Everything is absolutely black and white.

I feel for you all in relationships like this. It would drive me insane Flowers

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread