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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Is DP a terrible communicator, or am I?

15 replies

nellytheelephant5 · 22/11/2023 12:19

i am a massive worrier but DP does something to worry me, he will tell me it’s not true and then just move on. He expects me to just take his word for it.

For example, I said today that I was worried he wasn’t very into having sex anymore, because he rarely initiates anything like he used to, and doesn’t flirt with me as much.
He simply said that’s not true, and that he is.
I tried to explain and say that no matter what he says, it still feels that way.
He then got really angry, saying that I never drop things and that I should just believe him the first time he said it.

He does this a lot in similar situations and it makes my viewpoint feel really invalid.
Am I being silly?

OP posts:
NotLactoseFree · 22/11/2023 12:29

Well, I'd say the issue here is that he's not willing to listen to you. He probably feels defensive about the lack of sex.

Is this the kind of issue you have all the time?

LimeOrangeLemon · 22/11/2023 12:32

Hmm I have a little bit of sympathy with him here, OP. When you said "no matter what he says, it still feels that way" aren't you kind of setting him up to fail? You literally told him there's no point him saying anything as nothing he says will change your mind!

justalittlesnoel · 22/11/2023 12:33

I think if you are a massive worrier and always needing reassurance / time to talk through worries etc that can be really exhausting to deal with, especially if there's no foundation to the worries and it's more due to you (I say this as an excessive worrier with anxiety!). I would try to deal with that internally / externally before putting the onus onto your partner to deal with your worrying.

Catza · 22/11/2023 12:37

Well yes, I think most of us would expect for what we say to be taken at face value. Imagine the reverse situation, you say something is true and then your partner continues to questions it. I think it would be quite annoying.
What might help is maybe rephrasing what you say. Instead of saying "I worry that you are not interested in me anymore" - which really is a bit of a thinly veiled accusation. Try "Hey, I was wondering how we could make out sex life more exciting. What do you enjoy? What do you think might be fun to try?".
Out of interest, how often do you initiate? Because I noticed that my partner cooled off in that department a bit (which is natural after while) and I just said, sod it, and started being more assertive myself. And also not taking it personally when he says no because, frankly, I am not up for it 24/7 either. This completely rescued our sex life.

Cas112 · 22/11/2023 12:39

He's ok to say that but he then needs to show you

ManateeFair · 22/11/2023 13:14

I'm sorry, but I would be exhausted by someone who was asking me for constant reassurance about things, and wouldn't accept my honest answer without a big discussion every time. It would drive me mad.

Tistheseasontobejollytrala · 22/11/2023 13:17

I think what he said was dismissive, but also what you said sounded like an accusation so he felt the need to be defensive. So you could both learn to communicate better.

laclochette · 22/11/2023 15:46

At the moment, your communication approach is to say what you think or worry he is feeling. "I'm worried you're not that interested in sex" etc. That is often something people do from a very well-intentioned place, but it's often counterproductive because a) it's only ever going to be a guess and b) it makes people defensive.

I would try to focus on expressing your feelings first and foremost rather than making observations about his feelings which he can then disagree with you about, which then leads to an argument. It's an approach called 'feeling statements', and I find it really helpful.

So in the above situation, instead of making a statement about how you think he is feeling, you could say something like, "I feel less desired and less satisfied than I used to be about our sex life, and I'd love to feel excited and satisfied by it again". It can feel hard at first because expressing our feelings makes us feel vulnerable, which is why we often leap to projecting into how we think other people are feeling, but it's much more empowering!

He can't - at least he shouldn't, because he can't reasonably - disagree with you on that. Because it's a statement of your feelings. He can't tell you, "No, you don't feel that way", whereas he can argue with you about observations you make about his state of mind. Because only you are the authority on your feelings. He could of course say, well I don't care that you feel that way - but then you'd have a very different problem on your hands, a partner who doesn't care about your feelings.

But, assuming he cares about your feelings, the question that follows on from that is, what would need to happen to make you feel the way you want to feel (which ideally is something that you both have to engage with or do, so it feels like a collaboration).

SuperGreens · 22/11/2023 19:32

If he doesn't initiate sex or flirt with you anymore its reasonable to think and say it is because he is not interested in it anymore with you. Him saying no thats not true and then not expanding on why exactly its not true is akin to gaslighting frankly. Because all the evidence suggests it is true. Being told to just believe someone and not question them when they are clearly either lying or withholding is abusive.

scarcitymindset · 22/11/2023 19:34

justalittlesnoel · 22/11/2023 12:33

I think if you are a massive worrier and always needing reassurance / time to talk through worries etc that can be really exhausting to deal with, especially if there's no foundation to the worries and it's more due to you (I say this as an excessive worrier with anxiety!). I would try to deal with that internally / externally before putting the onus onto your partner to deal with your worrying.

Came to say this.

Hankunamatata · 22/11/2023 19:43

It sounds like an unhealthy dynamic you have both fell into with you both communicating badly.
Your seeking constant reassurance. Do you believe your partner when he does reassure you or does he have to do this multiple times. If so he may be minimising as he is tired of the repetition.
Couple counselling could be good for both of you to work on communication

LusaBatoosa · 22/11/2023 19:47

Can you give another example? The

zurala · 22/11/2023 19:51

SuperGreens · 22/11/2023 19:32

If he doesn't initiate sex or flirt with you anymore its reasonable to think and say it is because he is not interested in it anymore with you. Him saying no thats not true and then not expanding on why exactly its not true is akin to gaslighting frankly. Because all the evidence suggests it is true. Being told to just believe someone and not question them when they are clearly either lying or withholding is abusive.

I agree. My DH does this and it's so unhelpful because his actions are clearly showing me one thing then he verbally claims the opposite when I try to talk about it and won't discuss it further.

AnneLovesGilbert · 22/11/2023 20:21

You think it’s true, he doesn’t. You could both be being honest about your observations. I wouldn’t like being told to drop it, that’s rude and dismissive. Equally, he might be feeling there really isn’t an issue and you’re going on about it and his answer won’t change. Frustrating for both of you and going to breed mutual resentment.

Are there other examples?

Morewineplease10 · 22/11/2023 20:46

If you're not really having sex and he says that isn't true then he's gaslighting you isn't he?

Can you give any more examples?

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