Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To say no one really trusts their partner 100%

247 replies

anxietyaunt · 06/08/2020 09:20

I don’t think I’m a particularly suspicious person but I don’t think anyone can ever really trust anyone, let alone a partner, 100% in life. It doesn’t mean you can’t give the benefit of the doubt, but I think given there are moments we can’t even really trust ourselves it would be naive to believe we can trust another person.

Nothing in particular has sparked this. Just curious to know what others think. AIBU.

OP posts:
TheoneandObi · 07/08/2020 22:21

I wasted the first decade of my marriage not fully trusting my OH. For no good reason except a lack of confidence in myself, and the knowledge that in past relationships I had abused trust. My reasoning was if I could be a chest couldn't everyone else? What changed? I don't don't know really. I mellowed and became more confident t I think.
Stupid waste of time and happiness though

MynephewR · 07/08/2020 22:31

@managedmis

IMHO, the vast majority of men would cheat if they got the chance. I'd say 97%.
Completely agree. Of all the men I've known (friends, family, colleagues, acquaintances) well enough to know if they have cheated on their partners or at least tried, the vast majority are cheaters.
whatdoesntkillus · 07/08/2020 22:43

My husband would never cheat. He’s just not that type. He is a really nice guy. We just had our fourth baby, we’ve been together for a long time and I just know he has more respect for me and our family than that. I read this kind of thread and I honestly feel like I know in my heart he would never cheat.

...is what I would have said two years ago had you asked me.

He did. Hardly anyone knows. They would never believe it.

Rainbow12e · 07/08/2020 22:45

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

InvisibleWomenMustBeRead · 07/08/2020 23:13

Same with my day @Rainbow12e and he was faithful for almost 35 years. Hope yours lasts longer.

InvisibleWomenMustBeRead · 07/08/2020 23:14

My dad, not day.

InvisibleWomenMustBeRead · 07/08/2020 23:16

So sorry for what you've been through @whatdoesntkillus - it's truly horrendous, especially when you've no idea and didn't see it coming at all (& everyone around you is just as stunned).

Hope you're ok. My mum was in a very dark place for a long time but she's in a much better place now thankfully. Thanks for you.

Willyoujustbequiet · 07/08/2020 23:24

I think anyone who trusts their DH 100% is an idiot.

I was an idiot. Happily married for decades then stress resulted in a breakdown with a good dose of domestic violence and sexual assault on the side. It can happen to anyone.

Willyoujustbequiet · 07/08/2020 23:29

I also have to say that I dont think the majority of men cheat. A large number do but so do women. I know a lot of marriages where its the women.

Trust is not just about fidelity though.

whatdoesntkillus · 07/08/2020 23:29

That’s kind @InvisibleWomenMustBeRead , thank you.

We are still together. Hardly any of our friends know. I am not sure I will ever get over the blindsiding tbh.

It happens so much (infidelity) which is quite depressing. I would love to be able to talk to a friend who has gone through it (as odds on there must be one!) and stayed together - but of course nobody (including me) talks about it.

Anything is possible. As Charlotte York said in SATC, how well do we really know anyone? 🤷🏼‍♀️

Purpleartichoke · 07/08/2020 23:31

I trust mine 99.8%. Just Enough to have the occasional stray thought about being prepared financially if he breaks that trust.

InvisibleWomenMustBeRead · 07/08/2020 23:42

Sorry @whatdoesntkillus, I didn't realise you'd stayed with your DH - that must be very hard but also shows considerable strength on your part to forgive or try to forgive and I hope that works out for you. Perhaps try some solo counselling to support yourself and your DH.

Wishing you the very best - hope he earns your love and trust back Thanks

whatdoesntkillus · 07/08/2020 23:44

It’s a long road! But thank you x

InvisibleWomenMustBeRead · 07/08/2020 23:45
Thanks
Pebblexox · 07/08/2020 23:50

Do I trust my husband to remember to empty the bins/change the cat litter or with the food shopping? Nope, he's a forgetful bugger.
Do I trust him not to lie, cheat or harm me or dd in anyway? Yes. I trust him with my life.
If he ever gave me any reason not to trust him with the big things I wouldn't be with him.

MarkRuffaloCrumble · 07/08/2020 23:51

I honestly believe that anyone has the capacity to cheat - trusting someone 100% unquestioningly is a bit naive, but then love can be naive and hopeful, so if that makes someone happy, so be it.

I would always keep a tiny bit in reserve because I know so many people who have been blindsided by a cheating spouse, who was “the last person they could ever imagine cheating”.

As humans, we are prone to make mistakes, especially when drunk, emotional or somehow feeling unappreciated.

I trust my DP about as much as I trust myself, which is to say 99.5%. I’m realistic enough to accept that in an imperfect storm, of circumstances aligned, either one of us could overstep the line.

Oldsu · 08/08/2020 00:01

@Pebblexox

Do I trust my husband to remember to empty the bins/change the cat litter or with the food shopping? Nope, he's a forgetful bugger. Do I trust him not to lie, cheat or harm me or dd in anyway? Yes. I trust him with my life. If he ever gave me any reason not to trust him with the big things I wouldn't be with him.
I could have written that I wouldn't have been married to my DH for 48 years if I didn't trust him 100% and he trusts me the same
lynsey91 · 08/08/2020 08:36

@MarkRuffaloCrumble what exactly do you mean when you say "everyone has the capacity to cheat"?

Yes of course it is possible for everyone to cheat but many don't Many never would. I know I never would and my DH knows he never would.

You're another one who says "we are all human". That it is such a pathetic thing to say. Yes we are human so we have brains, we hopefully have morals, a sense of what is wrong and right. We are perfectly capable of thinking that being unfaithful is wrong and therefore not doing it.

Rubbish about being drunk. It's just making excuses for people who have no self control, no morals. I have never been so drunk that I didn't know what I was doing and anyway being drunk doesn't make your clothes fly off does it? I thought men couldn't "perform" when drunk anyway so that argument doesn't wash.

Your remark that trusting someone 100% is naive but if it makes them happy so be it is condescending but if that makes you happy then so be it.

Not sure why so many posters find it hard to believe that you can trust your OH completely but then I can't believe how many posters say they can't be sure that they themselves would not be unfaithful! How sad that it. Either you think infidelity is wrong or you don't. Do you wonder if one day you might rob a bank or kill someone?

lynsey91 · 08/08/2020 08:39

@Willyoujustbequiet maybe it can happen to anyone but it doesn't does it?

Thanks for calling me an idiot. I think I am far from that and you are an idiot for not realising there are many good and faithful men and women. We don't all have the morals of an alley cat

InvisibleWomenMustBeRead · 08/08/2020 09:01

@lynsey91 the problem is that my dad felt exactly the same way as you, as did my mum - both very moral, didn't drink, good living, honest, hard working people with strong friends and family network around them. Hence why it came as a massive shock to my mum when it turned out that my dad had cheated on her after over 30 years of marriage (& 35 years together).

As I said before, I believe he had some kind of mid-life crisis but who knows - he hadn't cheated before and as far as I know, he hasn't cheated on his wife since (he married the woman he was cheating with). It was all so out of character as he was exactly the sort of moral person you describe.

I trust my own DH completely but I still know that if my dad could turn out to be someone to have an affair, then anyone could and so I'm not complacent or smug about our relationship as it can happen to anyone in my opinion. I truly hope it never happens to you or anyone else for that matter as the fallout is truly devastating especially after such a long marriage.

InvisibleWomenMustBeRead · 08/08/2020 09:03

Should say, the reason I believe it was some sort of mid-life crisis is that the woman he cheated with was someone much younger (only a couple of years older than me) and he had a 'big birthday' coming up that he was vocal about dreading, so I assume she made him feel younger / better about aging.

MarkRuffaloCrumble · 08/08/2020 11:42

You’re another one who says “we’re all human". That it is such a pathetic thing to say. Yes we are human so we have brains, we hopefully have morals, a sense of what is wrong and right. We are perfectly capable of thinking that being unfaithful is wrong and therefore not doing it.

But the part of our brains which is moral and capable of thinking is not the same part which controls our drive to have sex, which is why many people seem to compartmentalise their lives and do something so stupid and risky that they could lose their family and their home for a shag.

We’re animals and our base desires to eat, sleep and fornicate come from a totally different place to our morals and desire to make others happy.

In the book The Chimp Paradox by Dr Steve Peters, that part of our brain and the accompanying behaviours are referred to as our chimp - and his explanation is that when you haven’t exercised your chimp - ie fed it, had sleep, taken it out to run off some energy, had sex, and put in back in its box, you’re not capable of rationalising, because your body shuts down those responses and is running on pure animal instincts to do all of the above. It’s what causes road rage, when the chimpy response to territorial invasion is to get angry, and it’s why we get hangry, or snappy when we’re tired, as our chimp needs feeding and then normal responses and behaviour go out the window. We try to make a point not to have any big discussions late at night because the chimps take over when you’re tired, and say unhelpful things. Of course we’re all able to override the chimp with more helpful human responses if we take a moment, but for some people that probably comes easier than others.

I do believe that some people have better control of their chimp than
others, but I fully believe that people who cheat on their spouse as one-off are able to compartmentalise it at the time due to their chimp being in the driving seat, having switched off rational thought and consequences until it gets what it wants. Those who have a prolonged affair are a different category as that requires some preplanning, lying and manipulating, which are not chimp traits, but sadly all too common human ones.

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