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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.

DD wants me to divorce DH

421 replies

NewCyanFox · 01/02/2026 18:18

Hi all. Welcome all thoughts here as I genuinely am torn about what to do. Sorry this is long. Background: been married to DH for 20 years, and I have a DD (27) from a previous relationship. We have a DS (21) and he has 2 older DDs in their 30s. My DD, I will call her Abby, lives with us. She is Autistic and has ADHD, and has had mental illness health problems in the past, including OCD. DS (Billy) is at university, is nonbinary but not out to their dad, and attempted suicide last year although is now on medication amd seems stable.
DH and Abby have a volatile relationship. This has come to a head today over some shoes. DH has insisted Abby can't leave her shoes in the front hall. Abby says she needs them there as a reminder when she leaves for work. There are usually 3 pairs. He told her to move them and she didn't so he left them outside her room. She has seen this as another example of him not wanting her in the house. She put them back. He has now sent her a message saying he wants nothing to do with her. This is not the first time he has done something like this. For example, we can't have anyone round as he goes into a frenzy about the state of the house. I can't have a bath without him complaining about me using gas. He says no-one except him does anything in the house, yet he is retired and I still work full-time. Abby wants me to divorce him and says he is verbally abusing her and doesn't want her here. I dont know what to do!

OP posts:
greencheetah · 02/02/2026 07:09

You need legal advice. Your financial situation is strong and you can do this!

You can keep posting or start new threads. We will walk through this with you. 💐

EatYourDamnPie · 02/02/2026 07:24

user1492757084 · 02/02/2026 05:07

Your DD will only get better at executive function if she fails and finds ways to succeed.
Help DD move out. At 27 she needs to not be on your radar nor interjecting on your household arrangements.
Can she find a house share?

Many young people find it hard to 'come out'. Your DH senses something is up and he is anxious about that. Your DS will take his own time. No need for you to influence him. Provide a safe home for the holidays.

You and your husband need to find a new happy way of living alone in your home. Thank him for doing the cleaning and cooking. It's fair that he does most of the chores as you work.
You both need to readjust, then you reassess how you want to live.. There is no emergency - except that your 27 year old gains independence.

He only cooks for himself! Thank him for what?

takingthepissoutofme · 02/02/2026 07:33

DD needs her shoes near the front door to remind her to put shoes on for work? She sounds entitled and at 27 why is she still living with parents?

stomachamelon · 02/02/2026 07:33

@NewCyanFox you said he belittles you. You sound downbeat (probably from everything)

Have a renaissance :) when he is belittling say ‘ that nice dear’ and ignore him. Give him a hard stare. Protect your peace.

With regard to your kids (and I mean this kindly) you can’t micromanage them either. It sounds a LOT. My grown up sons are the same and I had to accept I can’t fix everything nor make life perfect as that’s….. life. Sometimes I have to ‘that’s nice dear’ them too.

Everyone is taking from you. What’s in your bank?

Anotherdisposableusername · 02/02/2026 07:59

This is no way to live at all. I think it's blindingly obvious he's ND, but it's also blindingly obvious he's abusive and coercively controlling, and as someone who has a lovely, kind, funny ND husband, and an ND son who is basically Paddington Bear in teenage form, being ND may explain controlling behaviour but isn't an excuse for it.

You get one life. I would not want to waste any more years with him. See a solicitor, work out what your entitlements would be in terms of property, pension splits etc, and then sadly I'd start the process of divorcing him, because there's no chance he will change or improve at this stage in his life.

I'm so sorry you are in this situation, but imagine retirement in the same home as this man, and this being the last 20 to 30 years of your life?

CrazyGoatLady · 02/02/2026 08:03

Your DD is right, this is yet another man who wants binning off.

sashh · 02/02/2026 08:32

I'm team DD.

Oh and I have a shoe rack in my hall.

miss79guided · 02/02/2026 09:18

LucyLoo1972 · 02/02/2026 03:15

I used ot believe that and I had a background of trauma and poverty as a child with abusive parents. I worked so so hard and built an amazing life. I got a phd in theology form an elite university and then submitted my phd and went into psychosis. I was actually quite a well known Christian speaker and would speak to 500 people at womens bible conventions. God allowed every single thign ot be taken away from me

God allowed every single thign ot be taken away from me
> For God TO allow every single thign ot be taken away FIRST God has TO allow every single thign TO be GIVEN to you - you appreciate the things you
had MORE now they HAVE gone - you don`t now what you have got UNTIL it is gone - God works IN mysterious ways

SleepingStandingUp · 02/02/2026 09:22

takingthepissoutofme · 02/02/2026 07:33

DD needs her shoes near the front door to remind her to put shoes on for work? She sounds entitled and at 27 why is she still living with parents?

Because the housing market is cray cray.
Because she has mental health issues which means she's better off at home.
Because her Mom is happy to have her. I don't care what her Dad thinks, he's a dick.

tara66 · 02/02/2026 09:26

OP please get a recording device and record DH's rants and raves and then play it all back to him - hope reaction is a laugh.

SleepingStandingUp · 02/02/2026 09:28

miss79guided · 02/02/2026 03:11

I lost everythign and havent been able to work
> everythin you need is already inside of you

Go to church God will always love you

Edited

God might live her but he ain't paying the bills or cleaning up the mess. She and op need real life solutions, not belief that something else will fix her problems. Look at the state of the world. If God is so good at fixing it all, what's he up to lately? Sabbatical?

miss79guided · 02/02/2026 09:40

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ThatBlackCat · 02/02/2026 10:01

Your daughter is right! You need to divorce him. He is absolute SCUM! And you should not spend the last of your years walking on eggshell in a prison. Life is far, far too fucking short for that!

TheGrimSmile · 02/02/2026 10:04

I would leave your husband. The fact that his own son daren't come out to him and you arent allowed to have a bath tells me all I need to know.

MiloMann · 02/02/2026 15:32

tara66 · 02/02/2026 09:26

OP please get a recording device and record DH's rants and raves and then play it all back to him - hope reaction is a laugh.

And to us please. pretty please.

notfrommontana · 02/02/2026 16:33

NewCyanFox · 01/02/2026 18:58

How do I ask mumsnet to do that? Ive been on here for years but this is my first post.

Sorry I am not sure - but maybe start a new thread in Divorce & separation & you’ll get good practical support if you do want to go down that route. As PP have said it’s worth getting a free session from a lawyer. Rights of Women can also be helpful & definitely Women’s Aid.
Marriage counselling usually isn’t advised where there is abuse. Having said that I did it, but I wish I hadn’t. It prolonged the inevitable & gave him many opportunities to criticise me for my (apparently many!) failings. Constant criticism is abuse by the way.
I hope you get help.

miss79guided · 02/02/2026 18:29

ThatBlackCat · 02/02/2026 10:01

Your daughter is right! You need to divorce him. He is absolute SCUM! And you should not spend the last of your years walking on eggshell in a prison. Life is far, far too fucking short for that!

Divorce WILL cost money - separation IS best FOR immediate effect.
> leading TO a divorce - then sort the finances out later
ONLY need a divorce IF remarryin - the divorce CAN wait until then
Separate now and work things out later

LeafyMcLeafFace · 02/02/2026 20:07

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That’s your opinion, it’s certainly not the opinion of many people

SleepingStandingUp · 02/02/2026 20:29

This reply has been deleted

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Well according to you, the stuff that came out of my mouth, God did that. What about all the people who aren't walking and talking? The babies that die before they have a chance to live, people who are sick and suffering. He can't get all the credit and none of the blame

miss79guided · 02/02/2026 20:41

SleepingStandingUp · 02/02/2026 20:29

Well according to you, the stuff that came out of my mouth, God did that. What about all the people who aren't walking and talking? The babies that die before they have a chance to live, people who are sick and suffering. He can't get all the credit and none of the blame

... and none of the blame

living it is better than the alternative

> people who are sick and suffering
are living

It is only suffering to you, it is still living

justasking111 · 02/02/2026 21:31

@NewCyanFox I think we've scared her off. Maybe she just wanted to vent.

SleepingStandingUp · 02/02/2026 21:44

miss79guided · 02/02/2026 20:41

... and none of the blame

living it is better than the alternative

> people who are sick and suffering
are living

It is only suffering to you, it is still living

Fine, so what about the people who die before they become old and die of Natural causes?

SleepingStandingUp · 02/02/2026 21:46

miss79guided · 02/02/2026 20:41

... and none of the blame

living it is better than the alternative

> people who are sick and suffering
are living

It is only suffering to you, it is still living

And honestly, if the best your God can do is "you're alive, stop moaning about your suffering" you can keep him

miss79guided · 02/02/2026 21:55

SleepingStandingUp · 02/02/2026 21:46

And honestly, if the best your God can do is "you're alive, stop moaning about your suffering" you can keep him

I do NOT speak for God
> It IS all interpretation - others have a more qualified opinion

saraclara · 02/02/2026 22:04

justasking111 · 02/02/2026 21:31

@NewCyanFox I think we've scared her off. Maybe she just wanted to vent.

Or maybe she came across the whole earlier godly conversation, rolled her eyes and logged off.

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