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Divorce/separation

Here you'll find divorce help and support from other Mners. For legal advice, you may find Advice Now guides useful.

Turning in to STBXH

1 reply

mynamechangemyrules · 21/09/2018 11:37

I left STBXH at the end of March. He is a selfish, emotionally abusive and controlling man. It is so so stressful divorcing him. He has made some outrageous 'moves' and is still controlling and abusive from afar.
My stress levels are through the roof. I am a full time working mum, I pay for everything from my salary (but can't cover it all so racking up debt month on month) and obviously care for all 3 children outside of my working hours.
I just had shingles which wasn't great.
But the major problem is that I am turning into STBXH. I shout at the children, I have said some really nasty things to them, and this morning I basically pinned the eldest to the sofa whilst losing my shit at him. (No justification for this is possible, but he had just woken all of the house by screaming at the top of his lungs because he'd come in to my room at 4.50am to tell me he would only go to school if I washed and dried his t shirt right NOW. He is nearly 8)

I fuss about money, I'm an unpleasant person who says shit things to my family and I'm addicted to my phone (constantly checking emails from lawyer, banking and work shit.) I AM MY STBXH.

So what was the point in leaving the shitbag if I am becoming him??!!

OP posts:
Soopermum1 · 21/09/2018 13:05

OP, your situation sounds horrendous and I have much sympathy for you. I was, and still am in a number of ways, in your situation.

I was on anti depressants, my ex is a controlling, abusive prick, my teen has been acting up in many, many ways. i work full time and carry the can for everything. I'm exhausted.

BUT, I'm 2 years down the line. here's what I did.

I stayed on the anti depressants, until very recently.

I took all the help I could get from friends and social services. I cast off feelings of shame about it, and talked openly about everything that was going on. I needed help. The teen and I are in family therapy with CAMHS and it has helped me enormously.

I listened to all advice about coping strategies and being kind to myself. Some worked for me, some weren't suitable in my circumstances.

I'm now with a lovely man who is calm and patient and his approach is infectious, he calms me down by example and listens when I'm ranting.

So, my advice would be to do what you have to do to get through this phase. You're clearly self aware enough to know your approach is wrong, and you behaved badly in the incident you described. But try to forgive yourself, work out how you'll handle things differently next time and move on. I don't think i could have mustered a patient response when confronted with what you had to deal with this morning. Lean on friends, seek professional help, particularly if the kids are acting up, they'll need the help too. Actively seek out calming friends and activities.

You are not your ex, you're under an enormous amount of pressure and this situation will pass.

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