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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Am I over dramatic? Advice needed.

86 replies

Materialgirlxxx · 06/12/2018 18:09

Sorry, I know this is really long but I really need some advice.

I think I'm in a relationship with a narcissistic abuset and have been for the last 11 years, I've become isolated from all my family and friends over the years, my parents and brothers basically disowned me because they did not like him from day one and now I've found myself isolated and over the last few years i have started to notice another side to him, like jekyll and Hyde. The problem is, I think I've been gaslighted by him so much over the years that I don't know whether the things he makes me upset and angry over are even true or whether I am just over reacting. I started writing the arguments down after they happened so that I would know for sure it's true, but It's like I still doubt myself. This prevents me from ending the relationship and trying to salvage things with my family. And I guess what I'm asking you guys for is your opinions, am I being dramatic and over reacting?

The latest incident, I have been wanting to put the lights on the Christmas tree and three days ago he was supposed to bring the extension lead in from the garage, he said he couldn't be bothered and would do it the next day, I said okay no problem. The next day he worked a 5 hour shift, and after work I asked him to bring the lights in, he said he would do it in a bit, again I said okay. I meanwhile cooked his tea and then reminded him again about the extension lead and he said he'd do it in a bit. After tea, he asked where dessert was, I asked him if he would go and get the extension lead first because it's getting late and he just said no I'm not doing it now I can't be bothered. I said I've been asking you since last night, he started shouting how he's been working (he works 3 or 4 days a week) and that he doesn't have to do it if he doesn't want to, and said go and get it yourself (the garage doors broke and he knows I can't lift it, plus I'd just cooked tea and cleaned and washed up all while he sat down playing fifa and watching football). I started getting annoyed and told him the next time he asks me to do something for him he'll get the same response, he just said he didn't care.

The next day I was still annoyed so I didn't speak to him and he didn't speak to me. After a minor disagreement over the fish tank that morning, which involved me telling him over the last few weeks that there was an issue with the heater and him telling me it was fine, he decided to tell me that day there was a problem with the heater, and when I said I'd told him that the last few weeks, he started saying "YOU are a liar" and no matter what I said he just kept repeating it over and over that I'm a liar. I don't lie, I'm known for being a bit too honest if anything. I then asked him why he had to make such an issue out of getting the extension lead in and he got really close to my face and looked me in the eyes and said "Because I didn't want to do it, because I didn't want to do it" and kept repeating himself over and over about 5 times, and he does this regularly in arguments and it really freaks me out, it's a bit like Jack Nicholson in the shining and it just leaves me feeling confused and wondering what the hell just happened.

The rest of the day we ignore each other, inside I'm fuming at being told so coldly that he just didn't want to do it, again and again and again, I've never experienced anything like this, the coldness and callousness of him.

A few days ago he tripped over a box that had just been delivered by the postie and he started shouting saying how he's always tripping up over my things and I just said to him he should open his eyes and look where he's going then, as that is what he says to me when I trip over something of his and he turned round and said "Shut up, you nobody". I've never been called a nobody so it really throws me like I don't know what to say back to it.

After an argument he will literally leave me upset for days on end and do nothing to try and resolve it even though the vast majority of the time, the argument started over a promise he broke or over him shouting or being nasty. He just leaves it and then tries to talk to me like nothing happened, and I can't work like that. I need to know he's sorry for what he said and that he won't say it again, but instead he just ignores it and when I bring it up I get called morbid and a cry baby, he mock cries when I cry because of something he did to upset me and will call me a shit bag and a wimp and morbid. When I'm none of those things, I'm normally really happy until he treats me like crap. And it is really like he feeds off making me unhappy, he's happy when I'm unhappy. I don't eat for days sometimes because I'm so upset and feel anxious, but he doesn't care cos he can still eat so it doesn't affect him. I never had anxiety once before I met him, now panic attacks are pretty regular.

The extension lead is not a massive thing I know, but it's the hurtful things he says like he just doesn't care about me and like I don't matter. He will do anything he can to get out of taking any responsibility for anything he's done wrong. I could literally be standing in front of him crying, begging for him to stop torturing me by repeating himself and let me speak and get my point accross and he will tell me I need locking up, I need mental help, he's convinced me I'm crazy with all kinds of conditions over the years. He puts his earphones in when he knows I've got a valid point during an argument so he doesn't have to listen to it and it drives me insane.

Another example of a recent incident. My friends mum died a few days ago and I was telling him about it as we were catching up because we'd not spoken much the day before due to work and he turned round and said God all you do it talk, it's the morning. Who says that when you've just told him your 32 year old friend has just lost her mum? It's like he's got no feelings whatsoever and there is literally loads of examples that are much worse I could give you but I would be here all day, I just wanted to go over the recent things and get some opinions because my head is all over the place and I literally don't know what to do. I've tried talking to him and telling him how it makes me feel but the response is always the same, that I'm over reacting, I'm a drama queen, and that he doesn't give a shit if it upsets me because it wouldn't upset any one else, only me because I'm not normal so why should he apologise.

OP posts:
Poodles1980 · 06/12/2018 18:12

Why stay with him? Doesn’t sound like he has any redeeming qualities at all.

Lougle · 06/12/2018 18:13

Sounds exhausting. Do you have any good days?

Quartz2208 · 06/12/2018 18:16

No he sounds awful

Do you have kids/married

tiredybear · 06/12/2018 18:18

have you read back what you've written?
If you watch the mumsnet video on coercive control and pause it, there's a link to a video about narcissists - have you watched it?

You are entitled to feel happy, loved and respected. Your opinions and feelings matter.

Although it's scary, you already know the answer. You need to leave this man, as soon as possible.

Materialgirlxxx · 06/12/2018 18:24

We do have good days otherwise I would have left a long time ago, but the rows are very frequent. We recently went two weeks without a row and I was shocked and started to feel like my old self again, happy and confident, but I knew it wouldn't last for long. Shortly after two weeks of no arguments he called me a nobody like I mentioned in my OP and told me I love myself because I bought myself a new top, and that people have told me I love myself. The people he is referring to are two female housemates he used to live with when we first got together. I moved in with them and him and one of the girls told me that the other girl had said to her "I love me, who do you love?" Referring to me loving myself. It's the only person who's ever said it and it was 11 years ago, so why bring it up now? It's like whenever I'm happy he tries to cause an argument to make me unhappy again. It feels like a constant cycle but he tells me I'm being over dramatic and imagining things and I really feel like I'm starting to crazy because of it. Like I don't know what's right or wrong any more.

OP posts:
RangeRider · 06/12/2018 18:25

He's a bastard, simple as that (unless there's a huge dripfeed on how he's lovely 99.9% of the time and hand-feeds newborn kittens - I'm not thinking there'll be one though).
Walk away. Better still, jog.

Materialgirlxxx · 06/12/2018 18:27

Quartz, no we don't have children despite being together for 11 years and my biological clock running out at 33, I would never bring children into a relationship where there are arguments, so I go without. I keep trying to explain the basics of respect and my boundaries to him and the few times he does actually listen and act like he wants to change, is what keeps me hoping that he will, but after 11 years i guess I have to accept that he won't. Still writing all this, I still feel like maybe I am over reacting because he told me I am, but deep down I know I'm not so I feel so conflicted.

OP posts:
TightPants · 06/12/2018 18:29

You’re really wasting your time with this guy OP. Hopefully you’ve not got kids with him.
LTB

TightPants · 06/12/2018 18:30

Cross post!

BarbarianMum · 06/12/2018 18:33

What does it matter. Youre very unhappy , so end it. You dont have to have to prove abuse - to yoyrself or anyone else. All that energy youre putting in to trying to work put what's going on could be better used in making a new life for yourself. Also, it will probably be a lot easier to reflect on this relationship when you're not in it.

giftsonthebrain · 06/12/2018 18:33

11 years invested, not a healthy enough relationship to have children together. Family don't like him
LEAVE don't waste any more time.

Quartz2208 · 06/12/2018 18:35

So OP what is making you stay with him - because you are sacrificing everything for him, your friends, your family, your chance of having children - in effect your happiness.

So why are you staying

bagpiss · 06/12/2018 18:35

Two weeks without a row you think is good? blimey I've been married for more than 25 years and whilst we've had small disagreements that we talk over easily we've never had heated rows. Please get out now, don't live the rest of your life like this! The good days will never outweigh the bad. Make up and go back to your parents.

jessstan2 · 06/12/2018 18:36

Why on earth don't you just end the relationship? Neither of you are going to change and he sounds so stupid, it's almost embarrassing.

Thank Heaven you have no children, what sort of example would they have from either of you.

Are you incapable to going into the garage and finding the extension lead? You could also buy another one, they aren't that expensive.

I don't like people who whittle on when I've just woken up either.

Purpleartichoke · 06/12/2018 18:37

You don’t have children with this man. There is no reason to stay if you aren’t happy. He doesn’t have to be bad enough or mean enough. Just not being happy is enough reason to go.

SantaClauseMightWork · 06/12/2018 18:38

What are you wasting your time with him for? Get out, have kids, find a man. Do it in that order.

itsboiledeggsagain · 06/12/2018 18:40

Is he fish tank man?

JamieVardysHavingAParty · 06/12/2018 18:42

How does he make your life better?

Materialgirlxxx · 06/12/2018 18:42

I guess because I have invested so much time and went against every piece of advice that I was given, I guess I've felt like I had to stick it out and prove everyone wrong. Every time I would tell him I'm leaving because of the way he speaks to me and treats me, after telling me to just go, the moment I'm walking out of the door with my bags he eventually says he's sorry and begs me not to go and I always think he'll change. I haven't spoken to my family in over a year so I feel like I need to mend some bridges before I can speak to them about this. They would accept me back home with open arms but I don't want to leave in a crisis and just turn up at my mum and dads house, I want to at least be on talking terms with them first so I guess that's what I need to do. I just wanted to know if IABU or whether this is what I think it is because everything feels really distorted right now.

OP posts:
Thejezebel · 06/12/2018 18:43

If my husband called me a nobody, that would be the final nail in the coffin for me. He'd soon find out exactly who I was and what I was capable of. Namely, booting his abusive ass out onto the streets like the dog that he is.

Materialgirlxxx · 06/12/2018 18:44

Tiredybear yes I've read back what I've written about 10 times or more and I still think, is it really that bad though? It's almost like I've not even written it. It's so hard to explain. I haven't seen the video on coercive and narcissistic abuse but I will definitely give it a watch, thank you.

OP posts:
Thehop · 06/12/2018 18:45

Sounds like you’re both bloody miserable. Why don’t you just split? Can you leave?

FascinatingCarrot · 06/12/2018 18:46

Get the fuck away. My ds started a relationship with a gaslighter a year ago and slowly started to move away from us. She can't see it. We are worried sick.
Please leave, go, get out. It wont get better. You are NOT a drama queen and you need him away from you.

Pachyderm1 · 06/12/2018 18:47

He sounds truly, truly awful. You have nothing to lose except your anxiety and misery and fear. Please get out of this foul relationship.

gamerwidow · 06/12/2018 18:50

Leave, even if the individual events aren’t terrible in isolation you are so obviously not happy. It’s not normal to not go 2 weeks without an argument, it’s not normal to put you down and you a nobody and it’s not normal to aggressively get in your face and shout you down.