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Jealousy of my neighbour is affecting my MH

28 replies

myleftfoot · 19/02/2014 10:37

I've been thinking about posting this for a long time but it's so stupid I feel ashamed doing it. I've named changed for this. Basically my jealousy of my neighbour is driving me to distraction and I need to make it stop.

We're about the same age. She's far more glamourous than me, drives a nicer car, has nicer clothing and hair, has lots more friends (always having people over and parties), has an active social life, has more money. Basically she's everything I'm not. My marriage has been on the rocks for the last few years yet she has a partner who is attentive, buys her things, waits on her every need - everything my husband isn't. They're getting married soon so everything is all about how happy they are. I know all this because I stalk her social network sites almost every day.

I hate leaving the house when I know she's in - I feel like I'm being watched constantly. I've changed the way I dress so its more like her so she can't mock my clothes (I've overheard her friends slagging me off). I hate being in the garden when she's out there. I hate talking when I know she can hear me. I hate hearing them having sex through the wall.

I'm constantly thinking of ways I can make my house look more like theirs (even their house is nicer than mine). They had their garden done last year and I was so jealous I started going out late at night and spraying weedkiller over the fence late at night. I curtain twitch all the time to see what they're up to and any change at their house makes me stressed.

If I'm being honest she isn't a nice person (although it doesn't excuse my behaviour). She sabotaged our building work at the front of the house by spraying water on drying cement (didn't see her but she was the only one around when it happened). She deliberately wakes us up at night by being noisy and says things in my earshot meant for me. We aren't friendly with them at all.

I'm dreading their upcoming wedding, I can't be around seeing all those happy faces the day they get married. I've already planned to be away. I'm fretting about the high probability that they'll start a family very shortly and I simply can't be here when that happens. I think I might go insane if they have kids. I'm desperate to sell the house and get away but we can't afford it. I'm even putting off telling my husband our marriage isn't working - having to split and move out with half my belongings when I know she could be watching makes me feel sick. I don't want her to know even my marriage is a failure like I am.

I don't know who I am anymore. I'm not in a good place in my life generally and this fixation on her is making things worse. It's so simple to say 'just stop' but I can't. I have no-one I can tell all this because I'm so ashamed. I feel like a fraud for even admitting that this is an issue when in the scheme of things its very minor. I guess this is 'Keeping up with the Joneses' gone bad. Please help me. Sad

Thanks for reading such a long post.

OP posts:
NewNameWanted · 19/02/2014 12:54

Please do see your GP.

Tayred · 12/12/2019 10:44

What a shame this has effected you so badly x I have been there but not to extent of this but please try every day to ignore all that is going on as your health will suffer.. I made my hedges higher.. Completely ignoring them hurts more than you know.. Keep busy and look after yourself&family and maybe address your marriage problems. It will be OK lol xx

Woollycardi · 12/12/2019 12:43

Firstly, your post seems pretty candid and honest so thanks for baring your soul about this condition which if we're deeply honest about probably affects most of us. It's why social media and really media of any kind is so popular. You're right that in your case it sounds like it has taken a fairly dark spin, and you're also right that this says everything about you and nothing about her. Sorry. Have you read anything about co-dependency? It does sound like addictive behaviour to me and I wonder if perhaps you can just start by noticing when you are doing it and turning it round to looking at what you are trying to avoid in your own life when you do it. This is hard personal work, and get ready for a life-long commitment to change (which you may require outside services to help you with as it's bloody hard) but imagine a scenario where you live your own life and focus solely on what is going on in your own world BEFORE anyone one else's. Because it is the change in focus that you need and you already know that you are suffering and in pain otherwise you wouldn't be posting here. Just try and keep looking within, and perhaps every time you notice yourself thinking about her you can use it as a sign to refocus your awareness on what you are doing in that moment. Good luck.

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