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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Sad and isolated

13 replies

BayTiger · 22/06/2019 23:52

I’ve posted before about my marriage, and I took everyone’s advice and rang WA. They were wonderfully helpful and also confirmed what people had said to me on mumsnet. When I first asked for help I genuinely thought everyone would say I was being over sensitive and to get over myself.

It really shocked me when people said my husband was being emotionally abusive. The two people I’ve spoken to at women’s aid also said the same and suggested he may have narcissistic traits.

I read into this and was shocked to see that this would seem to be the case. If you met my husband you’d think he was wonderful, interesting, funny and charismatic.

I have found it shocking to think that he really is being abusive at times. If I told anyone we know they would not believe me and would think I was being over sensitive or a nag/controlling. At the moment I’m not able to think about leaving.

I hope you don’t mind me posting in light of this, I’m just in need of some support/hand holding, I feel quite isolated. He’s been working at home more lately and really watches when I’m feeding our daughter. She has always had trouble sleeping and doesn’t eat that well. Our GP and HV are more than happy with her and have told me to tell my husband to relax.

Our daughter wouldn’t go to sleep tonight, which is really difficult but just one of those things. She is quite wild and runs about and is very hard to manage. He has just had a big rant at me about how my job is to make sure she eats and sleeps and I’m not doing that. I think she picks up on his anxiety and obsession. He lectures me like I work for him. She’s not a great eater but I’ve been told there is nothing to worry about. My husband gets so worked up about it. I was really pleased that she ate some meat today and he’s fuming as I gave up to soon and didn’t make her eat all of it before giving a pudding.

I’m following the advice the health professionals have given but he says I’m lying and it’s rubbish what I’m saying. I tried to say that his anxiety is being picked up on by all of us but he just says no it’s your anxiety we are all picking up on. He looks so angry and says I’m being ridiculous,

Our daughter’s nap time is changing and sometimes she doesn’t have one. He feels this is my fault and that if he feeds her at the weekends eats more and has a nap on time, the truth is we are all more relaxed when he works away.

I told him this and he said I was a bitch. I know I keep posting here but I am very isolated in real life and can’t tell anyone. I’m always willing to hear I’m in the wrong, I spend hours up in the night with our child making sure he can sleep. I hide leftover food in the bin so it looks like she has eaten more.

My emotions have become numb and I can’t feel anything, I can’t help feeling he is spoiling everything. Thanks and sorry.

OP posts:
BayTiger · 22/06/2019 23:53

Sorry I meant to put this in Relationships where I have posted before.

OP posts:
Chocolate35 · 23/06/2019 00:00

You’re not unreasonable and if your child is picking up on his aggression then you need help to get out. Did women’s aid give you advice on leaving? You shouldn’t be treading on eggshells. Children change, one day they eat everything, the next day they don’t, same with sleep. As a parent, if he can’t deal with that he shouldn’t be around her.

BayTiger · 23/06/2019 00:07

Well he is very very loving towards our daughter, always very affectionate. It’s more towards me that his annoyance comes out when provoked, like tonight when she wouldn’t sleep.

If you didn’t know us and saw us out you would think he was a wonderful dad, it’s just me that sees another side.

Women’s Aid were really helpful but I said I wasn’t in a position leave right now. It was enough for me to be validated if that makes any sense. I’ve posted in Relationships a few times and found the support really amazing and just felt a bit unhappy and sad tonight :(

OP posts:
CSIblonde · 23/06/2019 00:18

He's emotionally abusive. Which is why you feel so ground down. I don't know why you can't leave, but something to think about: children model (copy) the behaviour they see at home, so your child will think this is a normal relationship. It's not. When they reach adulthood they also may unintentionally be attracted to similarly abusive partners because that's all they know. Relationships experienced in early childhood set the template for a child's future relationships. Can you at least start to think re an exit strategy. Just thinking about it will help you feel you're taking back control. Do you have friends or relatives who'd put you up for a while? Do you have any skills re part time work?

BayTiger · 23/06/2019 00:33

Hi thank you for replying. I copied this to the Relationships section too so hopefully I won’t be in trouble! Thanks for the thoughtful advice, I’m mindful of this and am thinking of a long term plan, just that right now I can’t make any plans. I can do part time work too so think things would be fine from that point of view. Thanks for your kindness, I was feeling very sad and can’t speak to anyone in real life.

OP posts:
springydaff · 23/06/2019 01:07

Go to the Freedom Programme. You'll meet women there you can talk to (if you want..) and women who know what you're going through because they're going through it too.

I was also married to Mr charm who everyone thought was the most wonderful man. People still wax lyrical about how wonderful he was, what a Nice Man Hmm

So you're not alone with that. Keep going because it takes a while to get your head around this stuff - I remember this time and it was very difficult, the shock was so great: I had to get my head around the whole idea because I had also been brainwashed by his charm and I was convinced I was the one with the problem (he certainly told me enough I was the one with the problem!).

Cheeringmeup · 23/06/2019 01:09

I’m so sorry that you’re suffering through this - it really does sound abusive.
You must trust yourself that you are doing the right things for your child - do not let him undermine you, he is not right.
I know it’s easy for internet strangers to advise you to leave, it I really feel you need to try to plan for that x

Leeds2 · 23/06/2019 01:20

Would it be possible for him to accompany you to a HV/midwife appointment, so that he can hear the advice first hand himself?
It may make your life a little easier until you work out how you can leave him.

Meangirls36 · 23/06/2019 12:44

Stop being soo nice and tell him to his face to fuck off and leave you alone. He's not the boss of you or anyone else. He has no right to talk you like that.

Meangirls36 · 23/06/2019 12:49

If you are not scared of him tell him to go fuck himself very loudly how dare he treat you like that.

HennyPennyHorror · 23/06/2019 12:53

Agree with others. Tell him to fuck off. Do it when your child is at nursery. Or just leave.....there are shelters. They can get you a flat or house.

BayTiger · 23/06/2019 21:13

Thank you I just saw these replies and I had meant to post in Relationships so added it there. I had asked him to let the HV give him a call but he refuses to speak to her. I’ve just told him we will have to carry on with the way I’m doing things and following the medical advice or do things his way but we must be consistent. So he’s said we will carry on for three months following the HV advice.

He’s obviously very mad at me and has just said I’m defensive and stubborn so think I will just go along with things and agree with him. I think he wants to engineer a big row for some reason.

He’s just made me agree to have a cleaner which I think most people would be happy about but for me I know it’s a dig that my cleaning isn’t up to scratch.

I laughed at the suggestions to tell him to fuck off as I am the least sweary person and people are always stunned if I say something like shit.

OP posts:
Meangirls36 · 24/06/2019 14:39

That's the point he will be shocked and know not to mess with you. He's messing you round because he can and that makes him a total knob jockey. He's a bully and I would seriously think about your relationship. What's he gonna be like when your child talks back to him or doesn't perform well enough. I hope you and your child are ok and you get this sorted out. Don't let him treat you like a doormat.

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