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Abusive or antisocial personality disorder?

63 replies

LittleZebraMum · 04/11/2019 00:42

Long story! I’ve been with my OH for 5.5 years and we have one child together, I have one from a previous relationship.

BIG RAMBLE coming so hold onto your knickers please! I’ve got a lot to get out.

At first he was amazing (aren’t they all?) convinced me that I should be in a relationship with him after telling him I wanted stability and love and I could do that myself.

Over these years I’ve had a lot of shit. I wanna say abuse, but he says I bandy that word around like I want him to be abusive. This is not the case! I want a quiet life, but I think he may have been abusive.

He’s shouted, demeaned me in front of friends. Told me I’m useless, pathetic, told his colleagues horrible untruths about me to make himself look better and when I found out he said he’d slap me. He’s cheated and lied despite the fact I walked in and saw it. He’s hidden many things from me, including various apps such as using Tinder while I was next to him in bed to “see what else is out there” ooh but he didn’t make an account (because he had difficulty not remorse) so that’s ok right? Right?? He has told me in front of both children that he’ll “break my fucking wrist”. He expresses much disdain and wanting to hurt animals (I haven’t seen this though). He wants to control everything. I’ve had epilepsy the whole time and even when he caused a seizure with which I fell down the stairs he didn’t care. He’s been witnessed while I’m seizing/passed out from my heart condition picking me up by the neck of my jumper and throwing me on the sofa. He denies this. But a friend saw and it was also captured on camera. I also have some awareness when fainting and still I’d better not dare question him! “Fuck you. Cunt” is what I get all the time.
I’m disabled and my mobility is bad along with chronic fatigue, I’ve also got a herniated disc and was in hospital all of yesterday where he blames me for being left with the baby and taking my eldest to/from a club (he wouldn’t harm the kids or I wouldn’t let him). I still have to do everything. He says he has anxiety about going to work so even though I’m in chronic pain and constantly injured I have to make his (2 specific cooked) lunches (plus 3 specific snacks and a specific sandwich and drink) and if I do it wrong (which, of course is more often than actually true) it’s another hounding. I get told I do nothing when he has pushed his only limited chores onto my 11yo which was only unloading the dishwasher and taking the bin out anyway. “I work long hours” I also work but he won’t take baby, brought baby to me in work last time and I’m on a warning but also won’t let me put him in nursery. He uses my disabilities to tell me what I can and can’t do but also if I say I physically can’t do something it’s “well do you wanna be treated fucking disabled or not? Take painkillers!” Bear in mind I do EVERYTHING and stay up crying in pain. He came up at 1am to tell me for 20 minutes (bearing in mind back problems and sleeping baby next to me) how fucking useless and disgusting and messy I am.

I have no friends because of how awful he is to me and them. He blames me for the baby only settling with me because I breastfeed but I think the baby can pick up on his problem! He says he absolutely adores the baby and is very interested in gentle parenting etc but has little patience and it’s “he just wants you”. The baby adores him.

Recently after a horrible and unfounded argument in which he said I’m “damaged goods” (childhood sexual abuse and rape in adulthood) among many other things, he eventually told me he was diagnosed with Antisocial behaviour disorder before we even met. He’s been fucking hideous to me for over 5 years and he knew why? He also said that it’s incurable so he has no intention of seeking help. He took my engagement ring (obviously he had a huge and beautiful proposal that meant sweet fuck all).

Yesterday was bad. He was hissing horrible things at me in the hospital and being wonderful as soon as the staff were around. Like night and day, off like a switch. “Shut the fuck up just shut the fuck up” and then all smiles.

He said he had a history of alcohol and prescription painkiller abuse that I didn’t know about and he doesn’t now. He takes some hormonal testosterone booster for the gym which has made him worse although he won’t admit it. I was dead against it but obviously that was a week of abuse too for daring say something.

He’s been in a foul mood (worse than usual) for days but today he keeps saying he’ll kill his self. He’s been shouting and scaring the baby and doesn’t care. I said something not even inflammatory and got “ill fucking kill you too! I’ll kill you then myself. You’ll see you’ll fucking see” “I’ve got a DNAR do you wanna see it?!” And later “fuck off” (me) “why don’t you fuck off?” Ran out of patience this time. “I will I told you by the end of the week I’ll be gone and you’ll have everything you’ve ever wanted” mind you I’ve done nothing but try to help. But I haven’t loved him for a long time. He just won’t leave. He’s progressively getting worse. I don’t dare breathe for fear of abuse. Today it was “why are you fucking smiling? You’ve been smiling at your phone for a fucking hour!” I was certainly not smiling, looking up the negative effects of parents with the condition.

Is this the Antisocial Behaviour? He has a huge complex about being better than EVERYONE. But he can completely turn it off at work and around everyone but me!

Sorry that wasn’t short at all 😭 I just needed it out. Please no remarks about me being an idiot, I get that a lot. I intend to call around mental health places tomorrow but I don’t wanna risk his job and DBS. It’s my house he doesn’t live here but he’s here a lot and when we argue refuses to leave at all. I’m stuck and I’m scared and I’ve wanted out for so long.

Thank you

OP posts:
QueenOfOversharing · 04/11/2019 11:52

@LittleZebraMum

I hear everything you're saying & I have been exactly where you are, but you are not seeing this as PP has said, from an objective outsiders POV.

No one can tell you what to do, but you have posted, clearly unsure even if this is abuse. It unequivocally is. Is his MH diagnosis relevant? No. You don't even know if he lied about this, but he is certainly trying to justify his behaviour with that terminology.

Everyone's concern is your physical & emotional safety, and that of your children.

I'm afraid I would disagree that your children don't "see" his behaviour or it's effect on you - your 11yo will almost certainly be aware of your mood, your checking texts, his mood - even if she has not explicitly heard it.

The idea of changing your locks is to keep you safe if you choose to stay in your home. If he tries to kick down the door, do you not see that this is a criminal act? You call the police. Tbh it is better that your child sees that than him abusing you. But I can understand you want to shield them from everything.

I'm going to bow out of this thread now, as I won't change my responses, nor debate any justifications or "what ifs". I just came to offer suggestions for your safety.

I hope you manage to keep safe - for you & your children! Take care & please do listen to ppl here (& at WA) and stop justifying or excusing. That's how he has kept you in this dysfunctional relationship.

Take care Thanks

LittleZebraMum · 04/11/2019 11:57

I’m definitely not excusing I’m trying to find an actual way out now that I know it is his fault. I’ve made 20 phone calls in 3 hours and I’m no closer to help. He is very deceiving he makes sure nobody at all would even suspect him, even the kids apart from the one occasion before, so that if I leave him I’ll be in the wrong for breaking up the family.

OP posts:
Jaffacakesaremyfave · 04/11/2019 12:05

You are being abused zebra. Anti social personality disorder is NOT a mental health problem. It is another way of saying he is a psychopath/sociopath and even without a formal diagnosis I can tell you he displays alot of the characteristics. These are personality disorders that cannot be cured and no amount of counselling or you trying to "help" him will make him change.

Check out narcsite.com or search narcissisism on YouTube. Little Shamen has some really good videos.

LittleZebraMum · 04/11/2019 12:29

Right. I’ve managed to get through to someone who can provide refuge for a few days and has confirmed that I definitely need it. I’m terrified that social Services will think I’m a shit mum for dealing with it so far and for being disabled but they get every want and need met and I come last. The problem is the shelters are each 2h away on transport and he has my car seat so I can’t get a cab. I’ve asked eldest’s dad if he can stay there due to “housing repairs this week” so he can go to school as normal

OP posts:
Smotheroffive · 04/11/2019 12:35

You will be blamed OP.

You have done amazing to make all those calls.

You need to do all you can to be as safe as you possibly can. The fact you are so scared tells you all you need to know. If you are scared of him your dc will be also, even if they can vocalise this. I don't know how you might have felt when you were subjected to the things you suffered as a child, it must have been horrendous and I am.so sorry to hear what you've been through, its heart-breaking, but try to recall how hard it would have been for you to understand and speak about it to anyone, and how your parents refused to go along with your 'story'.

Calling him out to the world on his abuse will of course mean he will deny, minimise, and blame. He had to stop anyone believing what he is.

You are potentially alone in that which is awful in this supposedly enlightened age, but funding is very precarious for this. Unfortunately, many agencies are out there purporting to be helping women and taking from the pathetically small pot of money that is available and not delivering a specialist service.

Do keep trying. Get sources of support from anywhere you can so you don't feel scared of his reaction.

If you are sooo scared that you cannot do it, thats common too.

Society does put huge pressure on terrified women to do things theyt are too terrified to do.

Plan, safely. WA will help you plan to escape the relationship safely. They will refer to local services who can work with you to do that.

Sometimes its not safe to leave and women and dc do get killed trying if things are not guaranteed safe.

There are safe ways to leave.

You know him better than any, and have the best chance of knowing when safe times are.

You are the expert here, you have the specialist knowledge on what ticks him off, what gets him going,whats safe for you and your dc and what isn't.

Do make sure you have your own money that can't be accessed by him. Look around to anyone that you can trust, 100%. If you dont have then don't trust in case he finds out. He willl use friends to control you, and to cast doubt over your MH.

You are on control here, of how you do this, do it quietly, and safely with all the help and support you can get.

Smotheroffive · 04/11/2019 12:40

X posted, sorry.

Well done! You found a way! And support.

Do keep posting and drawing on any and all support you can find anywhere you can get it.

You are strong, and you are doing this.

Perhaps one of those 'house repairs' can be a lock change? I take it your ex is trustworthy then and not friendly with the stbx?

Do let the police know whats been happening.

They will see you are making plans and they need to put their efforts in supporting you to keep safe, not attacking you for your efforts in reaching out for help.

LittleZebraMum · 04/11/2019 13:24

On the train to my mum I’ve been referred by refuge, my eldest is going to his dads and I’ve got clothes nappies etc for a few days. Thank you

OP posts:
Smotheroffive · 04/11/2019 13:38

Oh I hope your dm takes you under her wing and gives you a well earned break OP. Flowers

Do stay in touch with your local services, if they are good they will be there for you through really getting properly separate from him.

peardrops1 · 04/11/2019 16:17

Well done OP! You're being brave and sensible. Social services will not think you're a shit mum - you're clearly not. You're protecting your kids and yourself as best you can.

Ohnoherewego62 · 04/11/2019 20:23

Did you get there ok OP?

Doyoumind · 04/11/2019 20:27

This is the best thing you could have done. Start a new and happy life away from this abusive twat. Good luck!

Trustyourinnersatnav · 04/11/2019 20:35

The thing is, is he may well have this condition and sure it may not be his fault but you should not and absolutely do not need to put up with this behavior. Nor do your children. Else they will grow up thinking this behavior is acceptable within a relationship. It isn't acceptable. It is abusive. The only way you will see more clearly is by having space from him. You need peace, love and to feel secure. Being on your own with your children will be a hard process, but eventually you will see clearly and find that much needed happiness and peace. Stay safe.

Trustyourinnersatnav · 04/11/2019 20:36

Just read your update! Amazing news! Wishing you all so much happiness

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