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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Trigger warning...need a hand hold

10 replies

Whugo · 16/12/2023 21:32

Im writing this as I need some support for the next few weeks. I posted in this forum for traffic.
I have been with my partner for 6 years, most of which hasnt been great.
At the beginning of the relationship, i was very vunerable and just lost one of my parents. I was displaying the common unhealthy behaviours to cope with it...drinking all the time, getting myself in stupid situations until i met my partner who was kind to me and i fell quickly.
Probably sensing my vunerability, they started to treat me really unkindly. Falling out with me for hours and hours, being violent towards me slapping, kicking, choking, hitting, bruising my arms, pushing me on the side of the road and saying horrible things which you cant even imagine. The most horrible and most upsetting thing for me is that i accepted that, i didnt want to leave and infact i cried to them to make things better. I begged them to stop and stay. That is what makes me feel the most angry towards myself.
Around two years ago, i got the strength to leave. I got my own place and moved, but they followed where i lived and got their family to constanstly call me and tell me to come back. It was non stop and i felt so alone...they promised to see a therapist and too stop. Their family told me to go back and they would help me. I went back again. I feel so stupid.
Things were good for a while but things got progressively worse later, my in laws didnt support me (thats not their fault, they didnt know the truth i guess) and their erractic behaviour continued. I was threatened with a knife, pushed, hit and argued with. I made the stupid decision to give them chance after chance. I felt like i was trapped. I wasnt allowed to have friends, social media and always emotionally messed with and lied too. I am still feeling so confused.
I stupidly believed that getting married would solve things, i was always told that their controlling behaviour was because they cared about me so much and they need to see commitment from my side. On my wedding night, they beat me by hitting my head and face in a drunken rage.
Again, promises to change and risk of losing face, i stayed. I was pushed again a few weeks ago and screamed at for going to some training for my work. I have never been violent back, its not who I am. But when i was pushed, i went into a type of anxiety attack. I couldnt breathe or see clearly. I felt my late parent put their arms around me. I feel like im losing my mind.
I am a shell of the woman I once was. I dont want to have sex, i dont want to be touched by anyone and i am completely numb. I cry but never experience joy. I have found a place to live and escape too. Luckily i have a good job and i know i can rely on some friends. I feel so ashamed for asking my friends and family to attend a wedding for me to be with someone like this. I feel so ashamed to have stayed for so long and finding the strength to leave is so exhausting. I made so many excuses for this person.
I want to know things will get better.

OP posts:
SallyWD · 16/12/2023 22:29

I'm so sorry for all you've been through. The important thing is that you've left. Well done - that must have taken great courage and strength. Please don't ever consider going back. You are very vulnerable right now and must be feeling extremely fragile. I promise you things will get better. You are free from your abuser and you will recover from your trauma. I don't know if you're able to see a counsellor but I think I would help you to make sense of the past and move forward.

ItsThatTimeOfYear · 16/12/2023 22:38

Bless you op,
Are you safely away from him now?
The only way things will be better is if you stay away from him. Then indeed your life will be happier and safer.

Wishing you all the best!

Dartmoorcheffy · 16/12/2023 22:43

Are you safe from your ex now? Do they know where you live? You have nothing to be ashamed of.

Hallmark1234 · 16/12/2023 22:49

I'm so glad you finally got away, but feel so sad you've gone through so much trauma and violence from a partner that should've loved and cared for you. I just cannot get my head round why some people are like this.

Never, ever go back, no matter what anyone else says or does. Take the time to heal and I hope one day you will meet someone decent (if that's what you want).

Keep posting on here; people will want to help. ❤

VitoCorleoneOfMNMafia · 16/12/2023 23:11

I feel so ashamed for asking my friends and family to attend a wedding for me to be with someone like this.

Your family will, if they are half-way decent, be glad that you are out of there.

I feel so ashamed to have stayed for so long and finding the strength to leave is so exhausting.

It takes most women several attempts to leave.

As long as you don't let him have your new address and don't go back, you'll be fine. He can send divorce paperwork via your solicitor.

Nicole1111 · 16/12/2023 23:13

They will get better, I promise. You need time to heal, to work on your self esteem (the book overcoming low self esteem is a good place to start or your local iapt should do a self esteem course), to do the freedom programme (preferably in person if you can so you can meet other survivors) and support from a therapist or domestic abuse charity.

Panjandrum123 · 16/12/2023 23:53

I put YABU because I think you’re being so hard on yourself. We all have regrets, of varying shapes and sizes and we all justify things to ourselves. Coercion is such a terrible thing to have done to you.

Please focus on a future away from this man and the good life ahead of you. It won’t be easy but you’ve taken a big step in setting up your escape route. You can do this. Don’t tell him where you are, he will lie to you again, he will not change.

Try not to be ashamed, it’s not helpful. Explain, if you wish, why you stayed. But more importantly, if you feel you want to, explain why you couldn’t stay.

💐🫂

Whugo · 17/12/2023 01:00

Thank you everyone for your support. I have not left yet, two weeks to go. Ive rented a house far away and kept it all secret.
Im counting down the days.
For christmas i will be with my family and then have set up the move for the new year.
They have twigged something is going on, i can feel that, they keep being nice and promising things will get better and they have improved so much.

OP posts:
Frozensun · 17/12/2023 01:28

Keep your confidence up for moving on! The greatest indicator for killing in a domestic scenario is choking. You can do this. You deserve to live in peace and contentment - which will never ever happen with this person.

Lochness1975 · 17/12/2023 07:50

You are doing amazing! Keep that strength up. Please don’t be fooled by the change in them, you know it will only be short lived. Think about how it will be when you are free from him. When you have left think about attending therapy, he will have torn your self esteem to shreds. Wishing you all the luck in the world.

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