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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.

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4 replies

attheline · 19/12/2023 11:30

Hi everyone, looking for practical tips/advice/reassurance I'm not going mad.

In a nutshell I feel like things in my marriage are becoming unsustainable. Together 9 years, married 3, 2 small DC. Before marrying I was aware that DH recreationally used drugs. However, over the past year it has come to light this has developed in to a serious opiate addiction, I think during the Covid/WFH era increased opportunity to dabble came along which snowballed. During this time he has downplayed (borderline gaslighting) the situation. He agreed to go in to treatment this time last year. I couldn't cope with the verbal aggression during the detox part so I left with DC (he wouldn't leave!) then came back on the promise he was committed to recovery and things improved for some time. Fast forward 7 months or so we got in to a blazing row because I called him out on the way he spoke to me. He stormed out bawling, shouting and swearing in front of DC so I told him not to come back. After an hour or so he returned by which point I had calmed down and the DC were in bed. He couldn't get in as I had locked the door and left the key in but when I heard he was back I went straight down to let him in. He barged right past me, sending me flying and I banged my head on the door wall and cut my back. I was stunned and think adrenaline took over as I ran after him to the bathroom and tried to open the door to tell him to get out. Twice he flew out the bathroom and pushed me out of the way, the second time he pushed me down on to the bed and I swiped up at him with my hand out of what I felt was self defence. In the months following this, he has maintained that I am as much at fault here because I hurt him with the bathroom door and I apparently punched him. I don't condone what I done here but I was genuinely reacting in defence/shock and adrenaline. The day after this, I found remnants of drugs on a table. The DC were unlikely to be in this room but could have accessed it. I packed up the DC while they were in childcare but unfortunately could not intercept FIL who was due to pick DC 1 up from nursery so ended up explaining what happened and that I'd had enough. Of course DH was furious and cue weeks of complete vile abuse by text . He says I have painted him a wife beater and should be disgusted at myself, am a cretin etc etc. this was around 4 months ago and I returned on the premise that things would improve. I tried multiple times to get him to leave and let me return alone with DC but he would not. He promised he would engage with drug recovery and counselling. I suspected he wasn't engaging but any time I approached the subject I got vague responses and yarns about appointments being cancelled etc. Last week it was all confirmed that he hasn't been back on his programme at all, but he was attempting to get back on it. He had lied about having children and his support worker found out and came to do a home visit. I was aware this would happen when he went for treatment. But thought it was safer all round to get treatment than not! I suppose what has now tipped me over the edge is that I feel like I've been getting a frosty reception from his family and strongly suspect that he has made me out to be a lunatic over the shoving incident. I feel completely galled as I have over accommodated him and tried to support his recovery whilst also keeping my DC safe. For a large part of time paying all bills/birthdays/Christmas as he has ended up in debt with his issues as well as changing jobs.

For context, he has no social life, his drug use doesn't seem to be for enjoyment or getting high, he simply cannot function without withdrawing.

The end result is I am filled with rage and sadness that he has done this to me and DC. I haven't detailed fully the burden of everything he's thrust on my as it would take too long. I'm at my wits end and constantly living on edge. And after all of this I can't believe his family seem to be annoyed at me after all I've endured. And to note they have taken very little to do with supporting his recovery.

Am I completely off here with being at the end of my tether? Also, how do I get out of this situation? House in my name but he will not leave and a lawyer has already told me it would be difficult to get him removers and would take months. Or has anyone been in this situation? Do I see it though with this next stint and recovery and see what happens.

Also I just want to mention that I am hyper vigilant in ensuring the dc are not in a position they could access his rubbish so please be kind to me on that front because I agonise daily that anything like this has happened in their home.

OP posts:
LemonTT · 19/12/2023 13:24

The main thing you need to accept is that you cannot have him in your life, now or in the future. That’s zero contact with him and his family.

You need to report the domestic violence to the police. This will trigger social services involvement. But it also means any further incidents should get a fast response. Social services will give you and your children support which you need because there will be a journey to freedom for you and your children.

I know this is a strong challenge at a time when you are low and struggling. But you need to work on yourself and find better ways to respond to conflict and risk. He is absolutely responsible for his aggressive behaviour in the night if the incident. Again this should be reported to the police. But how you managed and responded to the risk he posed that night heightened the risk of violence and danger to your children.

He was abusive and the situation got out of hand. As you didn’t want him back and had cause to exclude him, you should have called the police when he came back. The fact that you blocked and unblocked his entry implies you were not firm in him leaving. When he hurt you, you should have called the police. When he hurt you again you should have called the police. When he used drugs in your children’s home, you should have called the police.

As a woman you cannot physically control a man. Nobody can control someone on drugs. Nobody can control someone who is angry and enraged. This is why we have the police.

Instruct your solicitor to apply for an occupation order. Report the crimes to the police. Accept social services involvement. Stop contact with him and his family.

attheline · 19/12/2023 14:20

@LemonTT thank you for this. Your response is validating. It has been such a difficult and strange time as it has all coincided with having the children and my capacity for having lengthy discussions at the end of the day sorting through these issues is zero. I previously had a lot of time to invest in our relationship which I don't have now and I sometimes think when things are less full on running about after toddlers, one of which doesn't sleep much , there will be time for each other other. But I think I've been in the situation for so long and it's very gradually gotten worse means that I've lost perspective and can't tell what is normal pressure cooker life with small children and what is completely unacceptable. I do think he's been gaslighting me for some time and I supposed it's quite hard to accept this has happened with the person I married. I know the drugs/aggression are unacceptable. I guess like you say I need to be open to life without him and not be blinded by what the relationship used to be/what I hope it can be again. Thank you

OP posts:
attheline · 19/12/2023 14:32

And also you're right re my reaction not being the best. I think this is a good perspective. I didn't think my actions were on a par with his but was becoming convinced they were as a result of his family's reaction. They were supportive at first but this quickly turned around after they spoke to him. I've not even been able to bring myself to ask him what spin was put on it at the time as I've just not felt strong enough for the answer

OP posts:
attheline · 19/12/2023 15:31

Also previously been told that getting an occupation order is a lengthy process. I hate how I have left my home twice with two small children. He refuses point blank, says he has nowhere to go which is untrue. He just doesn't want to. Maybe if he's left initially and given us both space for him to work on recovery it wouldn't have gotten this far

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