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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

DH is being selfish - please tell me if I'm BU

275 replies

FlyingTingTing · 26/02/2019 17:05

I'm so miserable right now.
Background info so as not to drip feed:

Been married to DH for 12 years (we're both early 30s.)
He's always been quite inconsistent, e.g. one minute he wants to do something, gets all excited and passionate about it, then the next minute he changes his mind.
We've mostly been happy. He suffers from depression and anxiety and goes through periods of deep, dark depression where he tends to act a bit selfishly , doesn't want to do anything or see anyone, can be quite horrible, says hurtful things like he wished he'd never got married, thinks he'd be happier being single etc Sad

He's cheated on me twice. Once was 10 years ago, the last occasion was 2 years ago. The last time was the worst. The affair lasted 6 weeks and he lied to me constantly during this time. I only found out by accident. My mental health was quite bad (I suffer with anxiety myself) and this almost killed me. I had to be put on strong meds and was under the care of a mental health team.
He was surprised when I said I wanted to forgive him and was somewhat taken aback I think . I made it clear that i wanted to forgive him and make it work but the road back from infidelity is a difficult one ,and I expected him to do certain things (delete her number, never contact her again) which he did.
He swore he would get help, swore he loved me to bits, swore it was a terrible terrible mistake, swore it would never happen again because he couldn't bear to do that to me again. He swore to do whatever it took, for as long as it took.

Fast forward 2 years to now..He's recently been through another selfish, depressive phase (I've tried my best to be really supportive. ) I've tried to ignore his mean comments.

The last few weeks have been hell. He wants to travel alone. Says it's always been something he wants to do, ALONE. Abroad, without me.

I'm not comfortable with it at all. I think it's because of the previous way he's behaved, but if I'm honest then I probably haven't ever been comfortable with it, even before he cheated. I feel like I would miss him too much, and my anxiety would be too much while he's gone, not knowing where he is or who he's with.
Now he has two affairs under his belt, the trust between us is understandably damaged a lot, and this is a huge factor now too.

I am starting to trust him again (or I was.)
I'm trying to leave the affair in the past and move on, but I can't pretend to be ok with something that would make me uncomfortable.

He's really angry with me for not agreeing to what he wants and is accusing me of being controlling and of keeping him "trapped. "
Last week I tried to compromise and said why didn't he book a few days away with his sister? He agreed. Then I asked why doesn't he go away travelling by himself to visit our friend who lives in Italy ? (This would make me feel more comfortable. )
He agreed and I thought we'd reached a compromise.

Today he comes in saying how unhappy he is with life, he shouldn't have got married at such a young age (22) and he's "just going to do it whether I like it or not."
Apparently I'm controlling him by dictating what he does with his life and who he sees. The compromise we reached isn't enough. He wants to go abroad ALONE and he's booking it right now.
He also made it clear he's not happy about my wishes regarding meeting up alone with female friends (This was because of his past infidelity).

I get sworn at every time I try to talk to him about the subject.

AIBU to not want my husband to travelling by himself?
Apparently "other wives let their husband do it" and I need "to let go and deal with my own anxiety issues. "

OP posts:
FlyingTingTing · 26/02/2019 17:05

Didn't mean that to be so long. Sorry Sad

OP posts:
Horsemenoftheaclopalypse · 26/02/2019 17:07

Erm...You have MUCH bigger problems than him going away for a week or so solo.

Honestly it sounds like he wants out from the marriage but doesn’t have the guts to pull the plug

Isadora2007 · 26/02/2019 17:08

YANBU.
But you would do well to decide what you are and are not responsible for. So you’re not responsible for his actions but you are for your own as a result of his. If you are not happy for him to travel alone, you can decide that is a line you think has been crossed and you can tell him so. If he feels trapped he can be free to leave if that’s What he wants. Why would you want to stay in a marriage he feels is a trap?

TheInvestigator · 26/02/2019 17:12

Your marriage is not going to survive. You will not be together in 50 years.

Do you want to start again now, when you're young? Or wait until you're both miserable and beaten down from a horrid life together? Because those are your 2 options.

LizzieSiddal · 26/02/2019 17:13

Oh my word, you are not unreasonable at all.

He sounds utterly horrendous to live with. You have been caring, patient and understanding about his illness, and he has responded by having two affairs!

You deserve someone who will treat you with respect and loyalty.

Reallyevilmuffin · 26/02/2019 17:14

Big red alarm bells. Literally big red alarm bells. Nothing more needs to be said.

MissBPotter · 26/02/2019 17:15

I think this relationship is over. He sounds like a man-child.

Penguincake · 26/02/2019 17:16

You need to leave him. Do you have kids together?

LongWalkShortPlank · 26/02/2019 17:17

Let him go, and while he's gone pack up all his, or your things and leave him. Don't be there when he gets back, or change the locks. You are far too good to be trampled over, depression or no depression you deserve better, and if he won't help himself then what's the point.

Twisique · 26/02/2019 17:17

While he is away is the perfect time to make the break from him. I think you will be much happier away from him!

LordVoldetort · 26/02/2019 17:18

This isn’t going to work. He resents you for ‘holding him back’ and you resent him for the affairs.
I wouldn’t be comfortable with my DP doing this and I’m fairly relaxed about a lot of things.

Do you think he is looking for an excuse to leave the marriage? That would definitely be the ultimatum that I would be issuing - you can go, but do not come back to me after.

Are you sure he has cheated just the twice? In his mind (maybe, I am not him) he is thinking that it doesn’t really matter if he cheats or not as you have taken him back each time he has done it.

IncrediblySadToo · 26/02/2019 17:19

Depression and anxiety must be awful, really awful. Is he on any medication?

I can understand him wanting to travel on his own and I can understand you not wanting him to.

Relationships can be wonderful and suffocating.

How long does he want to go for?

CarefullyDrawnMap · 26/02/2019 17:19

He sounds like an enormous pain in the arse, really.

Babdoc · 26/02/2019 17:19

I agree he wants out of the marriage. He probably hoped that the second affair would be the last straw and you’d dump him, if he hasn’t the guts to end the marriage himself.
Now he’s upping the ante by wanting to go off on his own- no doubt hoping that once you’ve got used to being without him, you won’t want him back. Alternatively, once he’s away in a foreign county, he can dump you by text or email, without having to face your distress in real life.
OP, I think you should cut your losses. This relationship is doing nothing for either of you - it’s just a source of stress, conflict and anxiety. It’s depressing him and making you anxious. Put it out of its misery and move on.

AuntieGeek · 26/02/2019 17:22

LTB. You know it makes sense.

Grumpelstilskin · 26/02/2019 17:22

There isn’t a very gentle way of saying it. You need to actually listen to him and let him go. And I mean let him leave the marriage. I am not condoning cheating but often it is the coward’s way to leave a relationship. Hence the shock that you decided to forgive him the second time. What else does he need to say for you to accept that the marriage is over? Instead of making him your whole universe and raison d’être, you need to learn to be by yourself. He is an adult, so are you. This has gone way beyond being able to trust him. Maybe you really were too young when you got married. I am sorry for the pain but you need to actually address the issues that he does feel trapped and perhaps you desperately clinging on to a relationship that has run its course. You mention he refuses to discuss this subject but maybe this is because you are refusing to actually acknowledge this is not just about wanting to travel alone but wanting to be alone. It really does sound like you are refusing to hear him. Maybe you are controlling in your martyrdom of forgiveness.

Butteredghost · 26/02/2019 17:23

On just the travel issue, actually I think YAB a bit U. There's nothing wrong with travelling by oneself while in a relationship, especially if it's to a place the other person isn't interested in or can't go for some reason. Sometimes it is nice to go somewhere by yourself. You seem to be mainly worried that he will cheat on the trip, but he could cheat just easily at home as you have found out.

But it just sounds like overall the relationship is over. Perhaps forget the travel thing for now and thing about whether you should stay together.

smartiecake · 26/02/2019 17:24

He does sound like a man child and like he wants out of the marriage but doesnt have the balls to be honest with you. He is telling you that he wants a single life travelling and meeting people. He says horrible things to you and you have to ignore it?
All of these are huge screaming red flags i'm afraid. I dont see how you have much of a future with him. I think you need to start putting your own feelings and mental health first.
Do you have children together and do you have a support network?

cheesydoesit · 26/02/2019 17:25

He sounds like a horrible dickhead. He's using his depression as an excuse to treat you like shit. No wonder you feel anxious. He's being massively unreasonable but he's fucked with your head and confidence so much he has you doubting yourself. I think travelling is a great idea - for you. You got married at 22 too didn't you? Go have fun, put yourself first. Or if you don't fancy that, just end it before he leaves. He'll keep you dangling and make you even more miserable. It's not you, it's him.

CluedoAddict · 26/02/2019 17:26

Your biggest mistake was forgiving the first affair. This relationship is dead in the water.

SheeshazAZ09 · 26/02/2019 17:26

Agree he is pushing you to end the r'ship as he doesn't have the guts to do it himself. Get out now.

LagunaBubbles · 26/02/2019 17:27

Your marriage is over, you just hadn't realised it yet. Sorry.

MamaLovesMango · 26/02/2019 17:27

To me it sounds like he doesn’t want to be married to you and he’s sabotaging the marriage so that you’re the one to finally end it. The problem is, you don’t and so it continues. I’d imagine he’s doing it because he’s a cowardly fucker that would rather like to play the victim once you’ve packed his bags and changed the locks.

The depression/anxiety I get. I understand that feeling of ‘I’m not happy with my life, wtf have I done?’ but if you put all of what you’ve said in your post together, the depression/anxiety part sounds like just a fraction of what’s happening there.

CalmdownJanet · 26/02/2019 17:27

This is not depression he is a complete prick using depression as an excuse, leave him, you'll be far better off

areyoubeingserviced · 26/02/2019 17:28

He wants you to leave him. Grant him this wish
You will both be happier