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Can't stop obsessing over ex BIL

215 replies

ThisMellowFox · 12/11/2024 22:44

Hi.

As title states - I have split with my ex husband ages ago. Looking back, my ex husband was the ugly sibling. Extremely thin lips, sickly pale, his nose was crooked sideways from having it broken. EXTREMELY squared face. Absolutely not a single really good quality physically - to top it off he was extremely abusive, eventually physically abusing me and cheating on me when i was 9 months pregnant.

I want to add for context I spoke to my ex husband online for 4 years from age 16-20 when I flew out to his country, married him and found myself pregnant within 2 weeks. I came back to the UK when I was 6 months pregnant and haven't seen him, or anyone in his family since as they live in the MENA region.

Postpartum was hell. I don't know why... but after birth I ended up obsessing over my ex BIL despite us only interacting once. Physically, he was the complete opposite of my ex - big lips extremely nicely shaped, small perfect nose - the type people get plastic surgery for. High cheekbones. Gorgeous eyes. just male model material.

I ended up beating myself up so severely for having a baby with my ex husband. I have plump lips, medium nose, lightskinned.
She ended up inheriting his almost paper thin lips... I'm scared she will inherit his very manly extremely square face. I keep thinking she looks like him, like I've ruined her, ruined myself, wasted myself on my ex, wasted myself having a baby with my ex.
My cousin had made sure to also point out i wasted my "genes" with my ex and how stupid I was and that made it so much worse. That month I almost crashed mentally.

These thoughts have become so deep and intense in the worst of my postpartum depression I reached a point I wanted to surrender my daughter due to... her resembling my ex so much... especially those lips. I don't even know why I fixated so much on them, but to this day, they bother me. They bother me less than before, but some days, I simply can't stop wishing I hadn't focused on being a "good girl", blindly devoted to my ex. I WISH i cheated on my ex with his brother. I WISH she carried his brothers features. At least if her looks were an upgrade... I'd feel like it was "worth it"... if that makes sense? I can't stop feeling like I wasted myself and was extremely stupid having a child with my ex husband. I don't know how to cope with feeling like my daughter is doomed. I can't stop checking ex BIL's social media pages, feeling awful that when he has a daughter she will be the beauty standard and have an amazing life that my daughter won't because I chose to procreate with his brother. I have spiralled so out of control I am contemplating reaching out to ex-BIL, flying out there, starting a crazy sort of affair, getting pregnant, and coming back to the UK... and that then, somehow me flying out in the first place will have been "worth it" because at least I'd get an extremely good looking child out of it... These thoughts have taken such a strong hold of me I think about them almost every single day for the past 2 years. I feel ashamed, but I can't stop beating myself up and obsessing over this.

I try to talk logic into myself. Even if I go over there and get pregnant with ex-BIL... wont that just make my life worse becoming a single mom of 2? having a pretty child wont make my life less difficult and how can it "pay off" with something as shallow as looks... but I just can't stop looking at pics of ex-BIL and trying to draw comparisons from him and my daughter, even though there are none. I am close to a mental collapse by how much my daughter resembles her dad, and his conventionally unattractive features. I guess its made worse by the fact he was abusive during my pregnancy, and eventually cheated and has never paid a penny towards our daughter.

Help guys. I dont know what to do. My daughter is around 2 and I have had these thoughts almost everyday since she was born and I feel them getting worse. At the worst of it I wanted to give her up so I can "try again"... for another child.... with the features I'd prefer.... or even giving her up, then trying again for another child by flying out to my ex's country to try for a baby with his brother. specifically his brother. it sounds SO shallow and insane and out of touch but I can't help it. In the worst of my postpartum depression it would get so bad I would outright reject her some days and my family stepped in. Those worst days have since passed - but the obsessive thoughts have not because a part of me truly believes them...

At the same time I spoil my daughter non stop, tell her everyday shes pretty, I have bought her more stufff than myself, I always place her first. I never let her know whats going on with me and how I feel about things. Shes extremely developed for a 2 year old, can speak quite a few phrases in full sentences, sing songs, count to 10, i have done my absolute best to pour the most affection into making sure she develops... childrens play groups.. and gues what... in all those childrens play groups i cant help but fixate on other baby girls especially if they have bigger lips than my daughter. and subconsciously automatically compare her to them. but never outloud or in a way to show my daughter... just all in my head...

is it possible for kids to be born with small lips and they grow and become big when the

i am becoming so depressed i can barely function at some times during the day, i dont know what to do and i dont think this will stop unless i either have a baby with my ex-bil or my daughter starts to magically get his features. i dont even know how id convince my ex-bil to have a kid with me unless i bribe him which would mean saving up money for it. but then id just end up a single mom of 2.... my kids would be half siblings half cousins... and the dads nowhere to be seen because theyd be a continent away.. like you see how insane this sounds... why would a sane woman consider this... yet for me im actually considering this some days more and more.

i just dont know what to do. i am feeling extremely insecure, crushed and depressed.

OP posts:
Tesal · 12/11/2024 22:47

You sound very immature. How old are you?

xyz111 · 12/11/2024 22:48

You need to get yourself into therapy

Bigearringsbigsmile · 12/11/2024 22:48

You sound ill. You need to go and talk to your GP and get some help.

vodkaredbullgirl · 12/11/2024 22:49

Eh

LadyMacbethWasMisunderstood · 12/11/2024 22:52

Assuming this is real then you are very very unwell OP. There is no one on here who can help or advise you in any way that will be meaningful. You need to make an appointment to see your GP or your health visitor as soon as you can and explain how you are feeling. You need to do this for your own sake and your DD’s.

WigglyVonWaggly · 12/11/2024 22:52

Yes, you need professional help. Not replies on here.

cheercaptain · 12/11/2024 22:53

Utterly astonished. YABVVVVVVVVVU

Letsgocamping67 · 12/11/2024 22:54

Take a copy of what you have written and show your GP. Good luck

TheShellBeach · 12/11/2024 22:54

You can't feel like rejecting your daughter based on her looks.

yeesh · 12/11/2024 22:54

What the fuck is wrong with you

Renamedyetagain · 12/11/2024 22:54

Wtf

Ausish · 12/11/2024 22:55

Good Lord. If this isn’t a wind up, then you need to find yourself a professional to talk to. You have your priorities in the wrong order and need support to grow up.

Sandytoesandcrabs · 12/11/2024 22:56

This can’t be real

Ladyandherspaniel · 12/11/2024 22:56

Your poor child. I didn't even read the whole post and thought WTF!!!

Why do looks matter so much?! Your personality doesn't sound much attractive either!

ThisMellowFox · 12/11/2024 22:56

I think the part I struggle the most with some days is how much she resembles my ex husband, how abusive he was and the fact his features were nowhere near nice and this will hold her back in life.

OP posts:
F2cjky · 12/11/2024 22:56

This has got to be a wind up if not get some help and stop for the love of god obsessing over peoples looks and specifically their lips.

Nix99 · 12/11/2024 22:57

Wait, are you the person who posted about Vietnam not being real, poster who had a very similar username to you. That said post has now been removed and put up again with a new username. Sounds all a bit too convenient to me and that someone is being a bit ridiculous.

ThisMellowFox · 12/11/2024 22:58

Even if neither my looks or personality are much of a catch it just makes it that much worse feeling like I cursed her by picking my ex husband to be her dad, because his features are astronomically worse than mine... it is causing me to become really really depressed again. I am waiting for a new dose of antidepressants, but I don't see how talking therapy or antidepressants will change the fact she inherited bad features from her father and how to cope with it.

OP posts:
vodkaredbullgirl · 12/11/2024 22:58

Nix99 · 12/11/2024 22:57

Wait, are you the person who posted about Vietnam not being real, poster who had a very similar username to you. That said post has now been removed and put up again with a new username. Sounds all a bit too convenient to me and that someone is being a bit ridiculous.

Edited

Yes it was and it wasn't me posting

ThisMellowFox · 12/11/2024 23:00

Nix99 · 12/11/2024 22:57

Wait, are you the person who posted about Vietnam not being real, poster who had a very similar username to you. That said post has now been removed and put up again with a new username. Sounds all a bit too convenient to me and that someone is being a bit ridiculous.

Edited

No. this is my first time posting today on mumsnet... I did stalk a different post/thread on here from YEARS ago about a mom talking about her baby's small lips but thats all. I posted today after a really long time as idk, I just need to vent , or see opinions. I don't know what to do or how to handle these feelings and if others have them too. my ex is not from vietnam- he is arab...

OP posts:
ThisMellowFox · 12/11/2024 23:01

vodkaredbullgirl · 12/11/2024 22:58

Yes it was and it wasn't me posting

I am just figuring out how to reply to comments using quotes just now

OP posts:
Ladyandherspaniel · 12/11/2024 23:01

But your horrible views of people's looks are gonna make HER need therapy in the future.
I hope you never voice these views to HER coz it's bordering abuse.
Grow up and be proud of your child and grateful you can have a child regardless of her features...

Beaubeau8 · 12/11/2024 23:02

This reply has been withdrawn

Withdrawn at OP's request.

icelolly12 · 12/11/2024 23:03

Never say this shite to your daughter

aleesh4 · 12/11/2024 23:03

Think this is a joke wtf have I just read