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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Was I BU? Should I tell DH?

10 replies

Abcdefu2 · 23/03/2022 13:58

I’ve posted on chat but not had many responses so I’m posting here for traffic. Please help!

At the weekend whilst drunk, I told a friend/ neighbour about the tricky start to my relationship with my now husband. I was in my late teens when we met and was just out of a violent relationship. I also suffered emotional abuse by one of my parents throughout my childhood so safe to say I was pretty messed up at this point.

When DH and I became a couple, it was a long distance relationship and I basically carried on acting like I was single. I treated him so badly at this time because I genuinely never believed anyone truly cared about me. I suppose I was self destructing.

A few months into the relationship, I realised how stupid I was being and that in fact, this person was the first person who had shown me that they really cared. I sorted my life out at this point.

In more recent years, I’ve done counselling and also told DH everything and he forgave me so it’s not a secret as such, but I told my friend everything when I had too much to drink. She’s also a friend of DH’s and I feel like I’ve somehow betrayed DH all over again.

I’m so unsure on how to handle this. It wasn’t shared in a malicious way. My friend had opened up to me about her husbands past trauma and when it’s caused them issues in their relationship. I was trying to support her by telling. It all happened over 13 years ago so it’s so long in the past but I also don’t want a neighbour and friend of mine to know and DH not to know that they know.

Should I tell him? If I do, I’ll just be bringing old wounds back up again. But I also don’t want to be deceitful by not telling him.

YABU - don’t tell him. He doesn’t need to know.
YANBU - tell him. He needs to know.

OP posts:
Unsureaboutit9 · 23/03/2022 14:00

Are u feeling bad because you told this friend? Even though your DH already nos about it? Sorry I got a little confused understanding the OP

Papayamya · 23/03/2022 14:01

Tricky one. The important thing is that you've been honest with him in the past, so at worst it's the act of telling someone rather than the stuff itself- although not great as they're a mutual friend. I guess it depends on whether you think the friend will say anything to him, it doesn't sound like you said it to be malicious or get back at him, it was just misjudged perhaps, but unless they're likely to say anything (I think it's best it comes from you if so) I suspect telling him would just be worse for him overall.

ThinWomansBrain · 23/03/2022 14:03

Your history happened - it's a part of you - doesn't mean you can never talk about it with anyone. Presumably given the subject matter that friend/neighbour also shared, you both have an understanding that it was a private conversation - why do you feel you ought to share the conversation with your partner?

Abcdefu2 · 23/03/2022 14:13

I would be incredibly surprised if the friend said anything to him. She was confiding in me with things that would be more damaging, so I really don’t think she’d consider doing that for one moment.

OP posts:
Teeturtle · 23/03/2022 14:18

If I were the neighbour and you shared that thirteen years ago you took your relationship fairly casually for the first few months, well I wouldn’t find it that scandalous to be honest. I probably wouldn’t think very much about it at all. You seem to be asking should you tell your husband that you spoke to your neighbour, I personally don’t think that you need to tell your husband the details of every conversation you had with another person. I think you are making too much of it.

Abcdefu2 · 23/03/2022 15:00

Maybe I’m being dramatic. I do have previous for that if I’m honest. I’m quite good at catastrophising. 🤦🏻‍♀️

OP posts:
Abcdefu2 · 23/03/2022 16:02

Thanks for all the replies and votes.

OP posts:
Indoorcatmum · 23/03/2022 17:38

Yes, you need to tell him, imagine how blindsided he would be if she brought it up to I'm.
I would sit him down and say you feel bad but believe in being honest and tell him you're very sorry.
I promise him bring a bit upset will be much better than you feeling guilty. It didn't just your past that you shared, it wasn't just your story to tell, it was his too.

I don't think you did anything wrong sharing with her but I do think not telling him would be wrong.

Indoorcatmum · 23/03/2022 17:39

Sorry for typos!

Ohsugarhoneyicetea · 23/03/2022 17:44

You were a teenager and you weren't married at the point so I think your guilt is probably a bit over the top. Tell your DH if you're worried about her somehow upsetting him over it, but otherwise let sleeping dogs lie.

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