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My wife left me after checking my phone.

168 replies

Hipduptogphit9 · Yesterday 19:11

M35 married F38 together 9 years and married 2 years.
I confess to an 11 year porn addiction.
My wife found evidence on my phone and I came clean.
I hadn’t payed her attention for the last year. I haven’t wanted real sex. The porn was my obsession and the only way I’d have a libido. I used it several times a day. I’m desensitised and have death grip. It made me embarrassed so I avoided intimacy. I looked at porn that got my curiosity. Things I wouldn’t do in real life or expect my wife to experiment with. I didn’t see her like that.
now my wife has left me since finding my only fans account, I admit I spoke to some of the ladies for content. I didn’t care about them or cheat physically. It was sex talk and cams only. No feelings. She feels betrayed that it was only fans and the repeat subscriptions for the same ladies. I had no intention of meeting anyone. It was all digital fantasy I hid from shame.
Now she has left I miss her and our children so much and I understand what I did was wrong. I should have wanted sex with her instead. I told her I want to sort it out and work on my issues. I registered for therapy to show I’m serious. I deleted every porn account and bought a basic phone so no more smart phone or internet access to tempt me. I don’t want to use porn anymore. I’d do anything to have my family back instead. I regret it all. I don’t know why I did it so much but I never saw it as anything but fantasy.
I have low self esteem and never believed women liked me. I started the porn when I was single and it gave me an ego boost. If I needed a pick me up I would use it again even though we had a really good sex life in our first 4 years together. I took her for granted when she picked me as her husband because she is the best wife anyone could ask for and I thrown it away for nothing.
she doesn’t trust me and I understand that. I want to prove to her I love her and won’t do it again but she says she doesn’t believe me and wants space for 2 weeks. I want my family back. I miss putting my children to bed and having evenings with my wife.
What do I do to save my marriage? I can’t face the possibility of her never coming back to me. How do I regain her trust? Do I beg and pled? Write a letter? Or just give her space and wait for her? Please help

OP posts:
Cetim · Yesterday 22:34

She will be looking for signs you care but more importantly signs you are committed to changing for good not just until she comes back. Addictions are life long and you will battle with it every day of your life. Are you ready for the hard work it is going take and raise a family at the same time? Maybe time apart is good. The things you have described putting her through would be alot for her to come back from and forgive you. You need to be prepared to let her go if you're not certain you are willing and able to do the work.

RickA · Yesterday 22:34

The man's life is in ruins. Yes, he caused it himself. He says he realises what he did was wrong. Maybe he needed this to happen to realise the consequences and the severity. Whatever the reason, he now wants to turn his life around and I applaud him.

Too late or not depends on his wife, really, and his actions.

Talk about kicking a man when he's down.

My practical suggestion is to find a sexual addiction program. They exist, much like AA. Also realise that not all women are like the responses you are getting on here. You've made the first step. Every day is a new day.

Hoardasurass · Yesterday 22:47

Hipduptogphit9 · Yesterday 21:50

Yes. I had become caught up in a web and didn’t realise the extent until my wife found out. I didn’t know it was considered cheating or that it was a problem before then. I didn’t do it to intentionally deceive her, it was a coping mechanism for old wounds and I was embarrassed so that’s why I did it secretly. Now I do know it’s wrong and I’m glad it came out so I can stop using it and be a better husband.

Ofcourse you knew it was wrong or you wouldn't have been embarrassed and/or hid it.
More to the point you knew that you were neglecting your wife, a real woman who loved you so you could continue with your affairs (each cam girl/OF model was a separate affair) whilst wasting family money. The way you objectified the women who were preforming for you and the fact that you would pay them to do things that you wouldn't ask the mother of your children to do is deeply disturbing and points to a dangerous sexual and misogynistic pattern of thought most often seen in users of prostitutes and sex offenders.
Tbh I wouldn't want you anywhere near me or my kids.

Sugarleaf · Yesterday 22:56

Wah wah. What a prize. Sadistic porn addict, doesn’t see his children, has no money to even get a fucking bus to see them. If this is real then….just no.

ClearingAHouse · Yesterday 22:57

Pinklightning · Yesterday 19:51

Is this AI drivel?

I hope so and not another pathetic man aking for helping after screwing someone over.

Starlia · Yesterday 23:00

RickA · Yesterday 22:34

The man's life is in ruins. Yes, he caused it himself. He says he realises what he did was wrong. Maybe he needed this to happen to realise the consequences and the severity. Whatever the reason, he now wants to turn his life around and I applaud him.

Too late or not depends on his wife, really, and his actions.

Talk about kicking a man when he's down.

My practical suggestion is to find a sexual addiction program. They exist, much like AA. Also realise that not all women are like the responses you are getting on here. You've made the first step. Every day is a new day.

His question specifically was, how do I get my wife back.

Not how do I beat this addiction and become a better man, or how do I show up for my family while I seek treatment.

There is a large component of playing the victim, too.

This is why he is getting his arse kicked, as he should be. The fact that you can’t see this is as unbelievable as the OP’s insistence he didn’t know paying online sex workers was cheating.

Sweetesttabboo · Yesterday 23:01

What a fucking loser.

You make my child’s dad look decent and he once didn’t come to his own child’s birthday party so he could stay home and watch the football later turns out it was to watch porn because he had a porn addiction.

No sympathy from me. I hope your wife can find a good therapist and some future peace and happiness.

Gengha · Yesterday 23:02

“Porn addiction” my arse

Good on your wife for having standards

Username19893847477374 · Yesterday 23:07

I don't know if this is real but anyway, my experience:

I forgave my husband for his porn addiction, it cost him his job, we had to move, we had two small babies, 6 weeks old when I found out. I tried to make it work but asked for 100% honesty. It lasted, maybe 6 weeks, until I could tell it was back on the agenda. When I asked him about it again, he said he couldn't be honest because I was affecting his mental health because of the guilt and shame associated with the addiction
The marriage was over at that point and we are now divorcing.

You need proper help; I had asked for professional support for us as a couple multiple times but he wasn't keen

I don't know about your wife, but I'm pleased I tried everything to keep us together. I couldn't continue in the end but I know I tried my hardest and the addiction was stronger than we were together. Don't under estimate it.

I hope it works out for you both, but she sounds much stronger than me.

DeftFish · Yesterday 23:08

RickA · Yesterday 22:34

The man's life is in ruins. Yes, he caused it himself. He says he realises what he did was wrong. Maybe he needed this to happen to realise the consequences and the severity. Whatever the reason, he now wants to turn his life around and I applaud him.

Too late or not depends on his wife, really, and his actions.

Talk about kicking a man when he's down.

My practical suggestion is to find a sexual addiction program. They exist, much like AA. Also realise that not all women are like the responses you are getting on here. You've made the first step. Every day is a new day.

"Richard, why are you applauding your phone? I'm trying to watch The Rivals?"

"It's just the bravery of this poor misunderstood soul on Mumsnet." Wipes tear away "Never has a man borrowed his mates' laptop for so noble a purpose."

Username19893847477374 · Yesterday 23:11

A lot of the replies on here I don't think understand addiction, and porn addiction specifically. I think (if this is real), you should consider removing this from Mumsnet to be honest. I'll saying this kindly, it won't help the feelings of shame and guilt, which are a real driver for the addiction to continue it's hold.

It's a terrible affliction which is misunderstood, and I say that as a single mother divorcing someone who suffered with this.

Crikeyalmighty · Yesterday 23:13

Lhori · Yesterday 19:54

It isn't just her trust that you have to regain. Porn addiction is very unattractive. She might not fancy you any more.

Can I just say this aspect is often under mentioned - knowing your bloke does this all the time behind your back usually can trigger the ‘not sure I feel the same way’ feelings- I know a lot of blokes snd some women won’t get that but that’s how I felt

malefields · Yesterday 23:29

ExpectMore · Yesterday 22:02

get yourself back on the straight and narrow then make sure your next wife or partner isn’t in the habit of checking your phone. That’d be a serious breach of trust in my books

She obviously had good reason to have a look at his phone and wasn’t snooping around just to be controlling.

TheLastSilverSaint · Yesterday 23:37

I’m calling reverse on this one. The description of the porn addiction really doesn’t read like a man at all.

CJsGoldfish · Yesterday 23:40

Yeah, people generally go around talking about having 'death grip' and being desensitised. 🙄

Just in case, the only advice is do better next time. Stop feeling sorry for yourself and do whatever you need to do to be a decent partner next time. HTH

ValueofNothing · Yesterday 23:40

I'm always amazed by these men who are married with kids but have the time for porn addictions, only fans interactions, sex workers, affairs.

I can only imagine that they are not simply a shit husband for cheating, they are a shit husband for expecting their wife to take on the burden of organising their family's lives for them, so that they have lots of free time to cheat.

GlomOfNit · Yesterday 23:52

RickA · Yesterday 22:34

The man's life is in ruins. Yes, he caused it himself. He says he realises what he did was wrong. Maybe he needed this to happen to realise the consequences and the severity. Whatever the reason, he now wants to turn his life around and I applaud him.

Too late or not depends on his wife, really, and his actions.

Talk about kicking a man when he's down.

My practical suggestion is to find a sexual addiction program. They exist, much like AA. Also realise that not all women are like the responses you are getting on here. You've made the first step. Every day is a new day.

yes, a lot of us have suggested he seek professional therapy for his horrid sex addiction and desensitisation.
As for 'kicking a man when he's down' - this is a forum largely populated by women. He has chosen to come on here, make a profile and submit a post soaked in self-pity where he explains that his porn addiction is actually longer than the duration of his most recent relationship. It's utterly pathetic. Many women on this largely women's forum have been the victim of porn-addicts like him. Why on earth do you think forum members here are going to give him an easy ride? I wonder what the tenor of your PM to him was. Are we all nasty witches?

Springtimeinsunshine · Today 00:09

I doubt you'll get your wife back.

You cheated via porn and only fans.
You spent family money on porn and only fans.
You spent family/wife time on porn and only fans.
You neglected your wife and her needs.
You (probably) neglected your children - addicts always do.

What do you have to offer her that another man can't?

maxslice · Today 00:12

My husband had a porn addiction. He stopped wanting any intimacy for YEARS. He preferred his computer. I WISH I had kicked him out. He kept promising things would change. They did not. I wouldn’t trust you either. Instead of asking Mumsnetters how you can build trust and rebuild your relationship with your wife, you need to ask HER.

watchingthishtread · Today 00:13

Give her the space. In the meantime do the work you need to do on yourself.

UndeadLife · Today 00:16

You can't get her back.
I was with my fiance for 5 1/2 years, and in January he confessed to a porn addiction. I has been very clear before we got together i had a hard, red line boundary of i see porn as cheating and wouldn't date him if he wasn't willing to be 100% porn free. He swore no porn, and for the first 3 years of our relationship he led me on to believe he was asexual with no libido for anything sexual, wouldn't even kiss me. Seriously it was like being around a platonic friend, there was no physical affection of any kind. He instigated making the relationship sexual at the 3 year point, acting like he'd finally "come around" to letting sex be a part of his life again.

In January he had a panic attack and told me he'd been wanking to porn twice a week behind my back not only that entire 3 years, but it continued after we started having a sexual relationship, for several months, before he finally "quit for me". He admitted he knew if he'd told me about the addiction when i laid out my boundary i would have "friend zoned" him, so he deliberately disrespected me, my feelings and my boundaries and plotted his lie to get me to be with him.

It has destroyed me, and left me with PTSD. He knew i would never have consented to have sex with him without his lies, that if i knew he'd watched porn even once after we got together it would be instantly over. And he wasn't even on only fans interacting with the women in the porn, paying for it, like you were. I'm willing to bet your wife would not have consented to some/a lot of the rare sex she has gotten out of you if she knew what you'd been doing behind her back. That honestly feels physically violating, it can feel very much like having been sexually assaulted, and have a traumatic emotional impact.

He also rolled out the "I haven't physically cheated" bullshit, believe me, it hurts JUST as much as if you had been putting your dick in another woman. You have chosen specific women, sex chatted with them, paid them for personalised content. That is as sexually intimate as it gets. You HAVE cheated on your wife, repeatedly, and by the sounds of it with more than one woman.

It was "only fantasy" to you, because YOU knew everything that was going on, and were having your wants met. For your wife, it was very much her reality a sexless marriage with a man willing to spend money to talk to, wank over and get personalised content from other women, instead of her. Do you have any idea what you have done to her self esteem? you chose every single one of those porn actresses, multiple times a day, instead of your wife. You chose and began sex chatting and paying for content from multiple specific women, choosing them instead of your wife. What she thought was you having no libido, was you having crazy high libido for any and every woman who wasn't her.

You have betrayed her trust, destroyed her self esteem, cheated, possibly made her feel physically abused if you had sex knowing she'd never have consented if she knew about all this, and you expect her to take you back?

Seriously, how can you think any of what you have done is in any way forgivable? YOU chose all those women over your wife, over your kids, and the fact you have now done all these things to go porn free means you were capable of giving it up years ago, you just didn't want to out of selfishness, because you were getting what you wanted at the expense of your wife. It is only now it has consequences you don't like you've even attempted to change, and it is way too late.

If she's feeling anything like i feel about my ex, she is completely disgusted by you, cannot forgive you, and never wants to be in the same room as you let alone ever be touched by you ever again. I hope for her sake she can get out of the marriage and any financial entanglement and afford to split and live free with her kids seeing as little of you for just hand overs as possible.

NortieTortie · Today 00:22

Fix yourself for you and do better for your next partner. You've done enough damage to your poor wife. Leave her be

UndeadLife · Today 00:32

Hipduptogphit9 · Yesterday 21:50

Yes. I had become caught up in a web and didn’t realise the extent until my wife found out. I didn’t know it was considered cheating or that it was a problem before then. I didn’t do it to intentionally deceive her, it was a coping mechanism for old wounds and I was embarrassed so that’s why I did it secretly. Now I do know it’s wrong and I’m glad it came out so I can stop using it and be a better husband.

Bullshit you "Didn't know it was considered cheating or a problem".

If your wife had a vibrator out masturbating to porn multiple times a day, was seeking specific men on OF to sex chat to and ask for specific personalised sexual videos, and paying them for it, and never even looking at or touching you, i bet damn well you'd have thought it was cheating.

Of course you were doing it to deceive her, i bet you weren't putting those only fans purchases through a joint account, or openly telling her how much you'd spent each month on personalised porn were you?

What you are doing is making up a bunch of excuses of why this isn't really your fault, trying to justify it, and shirk the blame. "It was a coping mechanism, I was embarrassed" etc isn't taking accountability that you created any problems you had, and were 100% in a position to talk to your wife, get therapy etc. If you stand any chance of getting your wife back you seriously need to own what you have done. It was all free choices you made, nobody forced you.

ChristinaPaigeDoesNotApprove · Today 00:49

@Hipduptogphit9 If you love her and you are truly sorry then you must grant her an easy divorce and let her go. She deserves a good man as a partner and your kids deserve a present and secure family unit. You had your chance and you had many years to stop and make changes. You chose not to.

ForPinkCrab · Today 00:52

Sorry but this is the harsh reality of porn addiction . You need to prove to yourself you can live without it . You’ll have to get help . If you don’t you’ll end up completely desensitised and a proper physical relationship wont be possible . You’ll get old, bitter and lonely . I’ve seen this happen to a few men I know and knew . One died in very sad circumstances after a lifetime as a player with a porn addiction , he ended up an alcoholic and died too young. Women got wise to him. Sort yourself out before it’s too late , prob too late to get your wife back. You’ll won’t get much sympathy on here I’m afraid