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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:
whitehorsesdonotlie · 26/02/2019 22:05

Being depressed does not excuse him being a dick/abusive/having affairs.

Perhaps your anxiety will miraculously disappear once you leave him?

Sounds like a toxic relationship. He doesn’t love you.

Let him go off travelling. Think about what YOU want. I have the feeling you’ve been thinking about him and his needs for years, not your own. Time to start thinking about what you want!

longtompot · 26/02/2019 22:43

@BlimeyCalmDown it reminded me of Marion Keyes The Break. Is that the book you were thinkng of?

But OP, your life is not a novel. From what I have read, I agree with other posters that he is trying to leave the relationship without being the bad guy. Don't waste your whole life with him, not knowing from one day to the next what he wants to do. Start doing the things YOU want to do. Good luck!

SparkiePolastri · 27/02/2019 00:17

Wow.

I just don't understand how people get to a place where they go above and beyond - out of their very way - to prioritise some shitty little sub-standard man over themselves?!

Why is his happiness - why is he - so much more important than you and yours?!

I don't get it.

Ditch the loser and be happy for once.

Rockmysocks · 27/02/2019 03:31

Believe us, we're all telling you the same thing. Let him go. Shock his tiny little bollocks off and just agree to him going off for a wonderful wombelling.

Then breathe clean air. Go out with friends, make new ones, find new interests. And change the locks. And get a divorce.

WhereYouLeftIt · 27/02/2019 04:12

"Now he's pressuring me to give him a baby and has insinuated he'll be leaving me if I "deny him a child." "
BLOODY HELL DO NOT INFLICT THIS MISERY ON A CHILD!
Your marriage is in its death throes. Do not tie yourself to this man for the rest of your life by having a child with him. And do not inflict such a chaotic arsehole on a child to be their father.

Nothinglefttochoose · 27/02/2019 04:19

File for divorce. NOW!!

BlackCatSleeping · 27/02/2019 04:36

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

I thought exactly the same thing when I read the OP.

Remember actions speak louder than words. All his actions are screaming that he wants out no matter what he says.

I think you need to be the brave one here and pull the plug.

WellThisIsShit · 27/02/2019 04:40

Sadly the OP is going to ignore everything anybody writes on this thread now her god has spoken and pulled her collar and lead back to him.

OP if you act like a spineless wuss and let someone treat you like shit then lick their shoes and beg for more, then that will be your life. Until you die. No happy ending, just decades of this shit and you desperately running after your master begging him to stay no matter how many times he kicks you in the face.

Unless that’s what gets your rock off, I suggest you go for counselling to try and work on your own self esteem, so you stop your behaviour. After all you can’t stop his, even though you’ve spent years trying, so perhaps you can focus on trying to change the only person you can, which is you.

SecretProfile · 27/02/2019 04:47

@SassitudeandSparkle

I agree with this.

Tell him to take the holiday and say you hope he has a good time.

I had a boyfriend pull this stunt with me and then expect me to collect him from the airport. Chances are noone will want him anyway, and even if they do - it won’t last.

When he’s gone, start telling people he has left you. Start dating other people.

He’s pressuring you for a child so he can keep up his bad behaviour but you’re trapped.

kateandme · 27/02/2019 05:02

do you want him.or do you need him.because of your own mh problems and axietys I think your just scared of this change.of this loss.of how you will be when you've been in this set of beahviours for so long.that all comes along with anxiety problems. but who he I,how he treats you and loves you(or not) do you really want him?or what the representation of him in your life is.
you can be free and be safe and ok in yourself.and who knows how much this drain is actually effecting your health for the worse.could you be lighter.freeier and happier without him.i think so hun.on this one I really honestly think you woul be better making a new life.

let him go.whilst he is away gather yourself.could you get your mum again.get the pappers and all you need to be either gone or sort how you will separate when he gets back.have this time whilst he is away to think "yes this is me now,taken control" then for once let him be the one on the back foot when he comes home and you are making the decisions.

Itsnotme123 · 27/02/2019 06:03

Oooooor if you can’t bear to leave him then tell him you’re going to have a lovely life as well. Both stay together under the same roof and live like lodgers. Try it !!!

Itsnotme123 · 27/02/2019 06:05

But FOR GODS SAKE DONT HAVE A BABY 🧐

Pk37 · 27/02/2019 06:50

I agree with the others .
He wants out but wants you to end it so he can play the victim.
Let him go but get your ducks in a row so you can move on .
He’s damaging your mental health .
Let him be someone else’s problem .

Lifeisabeach09 · 27/02/2019 07:13

He is a total headfuck!
Agree with PP-do not give him a baby.
Ask him to leave permanently.
Do not wait until you are in your 40s with two plus children. It's harder to meet someone else and you'll be trapped.

BlimeyCalmDown · 27/02/2019 07:24

@Bw3344 Yes thanks! It was The Break by Marion Keyes

sweetsaltypopcorn · 27/02/2019 07:26

He knows no other woman will let him behave like this much of a cunt so wants to make sure you are there waiting when his new girlfriend dumps him, OP.
That's why he's now saying he loves you and wants a baby.

RabbityMcRabbit · 27/02/2019 07:36

@Blimey "The Break" by Marian Keyes?x

Twisique · 27/02/2019 07:37

The affairs you know about are only the ones you found out...

Handprints2018 · 27/02/2019 07:51

Don't waste any more time on him. He clearly doesn't love you enough if he fame plays like this and cheats. You love him but the love you feel must be very different to the one he feels.

Cremeeggsareforever · 27/02/2019 08:16

I call my DH selfish when he eats all the biscuits.

OP, this isn't him being selfish, this is him being a total head fuck and pushing you in to ending a marriage because he doesn't have the bollocks to do it himself. Stop saying you're pathetic. You aren't. But you need to look at his behaviour and realise it is absolutely toxic.

ChuckleBuckles · 27/02/2019 09:49

OP the best thing you can do for yourself right now is to seek counselling to get yourself on an even keel, it is easy for people in the internet to say "Leave!" but we are not the ones living your life and to be honest this man sounds like he is deliberately creating confusion emotionally to keep you unbalanced and thus incapable of doing what is in your own best interests. So get counselling and have confidence in the decision you will make from a place of strength.

I was once in a similar position to you, met young, he had many affairs, he blamed my mental health for his mistreatment of me, the behaviour is designed to keep you guessing and tied in to responding to what they want at any given moment, it is emotional abuse. But you will learn what I learned the hard way, that one day holding on hurts so much more than just letting go Flowers

ThreePointOneFourOneFiveNine · 27/02/2019 10:12

You've already wasted 12 years of your life on this man. Please don't waste any more. He is not going to change.

FlyingTingTing · 31/03/2019 02:02

Hi is anyone up?

OP posts:
FlyingTingTing · 31/03/2019 02:03

I couldn't find my thread but just found it .
Husband is leaving. I'm really really hurting and scared of the future

OP posts:
Leeeeemon36 · 31/03/2019 02:09

Oh dear. OP, I haven’t read the full thread but have you got any support in reality? Friends,family? You’ll be in absolute turmoil in the nearest future but life can be so much better than what you described. Hugs.

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