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Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

Am I overreacting or is this not right?

22 replies

PineCones · 07/10/2010 15:48

I'm feeling very guilty for even posting about this here. But I'm very confused and I'd like a bit of perspective from other people.

Is it normal in a relationship to be sworn at, at the drop of a hat? or am i being very old fashioned?
It could be something like "F off" (followed by walking off, or not, or brushing past, sometimes roughly). Or something like "Scrw off"; i was called a 'stupid b' once. and me not being allowed to explain properly (am not a very eloquent speaker- not very articulate when put on the spot- so tend to get cut off or swamped when yelled at). have tried in the past to write a note explaining my thoughts but it triggered a terrible reaction- if i remember correctly, storming off and sleeping in the other bedroom.
The trigger could be something like pointing out that we are on a bus lane, or that i won't cross that particular road (with the pet) at a point that's not the zebra crossing. or even trying to leave the house or packing to go somewhere.
or like today, where i feel the anger at being served late (it was quite delayed) at a food stall was transferred onto me, when i didn't want H to pick up the really greasy food from my box with his hands and handed him the cutlery i was having it with. we ended up having a row on the street corner because he interpreted my reluctance to let him pick up the food with his hands as a reluctance to either share my food with him, or not wanting him to touch my food (whereas it was literally only because the thing was dripping oil). my handing cutlery to him was refused because he wanted the other cutlery (which had fallen in my haste to get up because he wanted to leave). then he wanted to again cross the road with the pet, did it anyway (i went to the zebra crossing) and walked off in the direction of home. i followed and was told to hurry up because he was waiting.

it may have been a warning sign before we were married when i would get blamed for taking a particular route if there happened to be a traffic jam on that route but i loved the man and paid no attention to it. i may have been a doormat till now but something in me has almost had enough.

anger management promises have been made even though my suggestion of counselling was rejected a few years ago. but at the rate of a flare up a day now it doesn't seem to have been very successful.
i am feeling guilty as i say, even writing about this, and i know that it's difficult for anyone to explain or understand the complete context of a marriage, and i don't wish to come across as a saint.
but i certainly haven't had an affair or been physically or emotionally unfaithful, to merit such anger, and i certainly don't start the abusive language. on occasion i have yelled back but hated it, because that's not really what it should be like. plus if/when you had children what sort of example would it be in front of them?

i have had some time at a distance to think things through and though i love H dearly and he loves me too, the daily emotional tension of having such a volatile relationship is eroding my love.

PS- Sorry about the HUGE post. i just realised how long this has become.

OP posts:
Flighttattendant · 07/10/2010 15:57

Sorry to hear this...it's not normal, and not on tbh.

I hope you can get some advice about what to do. I will check back later x

madonnawhore · 07/10/2010 16:08

Been there. It's fucking exhausting and I feel for you. Like Flightattendant said, this kind of behaviour from him is not on. In no universe is it ever ok for someone to so casually and so often swear at their partner in anger.

I'm sorry you're having to go through this because I know exactly how horrible it is. I feel like every time a woman posts on here about how she's unhappy in her relationship, everyone starts shouting 'emotional abuse! Leave him!', but the thing is, if you're not happy in your relationship you can just go, you don't have to waste years trying to force a square peg in a round hole, figuring out why he does what he does and trying to get him to change. Nasty people rarely ever do change anyway.

You can choose not to put up with it if it's making you miserable.

Flisspaps · 07/10/2010 16:13

No Pines, you're not overreacting, this is not right :(

susiedaisy · 07/10/2010 16:18

No its not acceptable on an everyday basis, we all loose our temper and say things, but it shouldn't just roll off his tongue at the drop of a hat, by the way my H does this to me and the kids, which is one of the reasons i am going to separate from him, (there are many more), it grinds you down, and is humiliating to be honest, my H doesn't seem to even be aware of his surroundings and any other people there when he says these things.

thatsnotmyfruitshoot · 07/10/2010 17:57

Oh you poor thing, this is no way to live. I remember feeling similar with my X. I used to literally feel sick to the stomach if we drove up behind a traffic jam. His aggression behind the wheel terrified me.

You don't have to put up with this.

total hijack here, but I'm wondering what your pet is. Am now envisioning a zebra on a lead crossing at the zebra crossing.. [warped mind emoticon]

CheerfulV · 07/10/2010 18:31

It's not right, not one bit. You know this deep down.

clam · 07/10/2010 19:40

What's normal? There are probably many couples who live like this, but really, that's not the point. You're not happy about it, so it needs sorting.

PineCones · 05/01/2011 01:51

More flare ups have taken place. I am glad in a way that the post above documented what happened in October (including the fact that promises were made to control the temper), because I could not have remembered it all so clearly.
It grinds one down, this constant apprehension. suzie , you're quite right.
He called someone who was helping us/ providing a service, a name (not to their face but to me) when the mistake (it turned out later) was actually his. It really irked me, particularly as there was rudeness directed my way. I don't think he understands that rudeness or aggression is a big deal for me, and this is why I think we are clearly not on the same page.
I think we are clearly poisonous for each other.
i'm just sad we both spent so many years on this relationship when maybe we could have been happier otherwise. Sad there have been many happy moments but i can't live with the crushing weight any more.

OP posts:
OldLadyKnowsNothing · 05/01/2011 01:56

No, and neither should you. His behaviour is abusive, and you need to make plans to leave. :(

ILoveItWhenYouCallMeBoo · 05/01/2011 02:01

this is abuse. it is not normal.

you deserve so much better than this. don't accept it.

ChippingIn · 05/01/2011 04:09

Pine - I hope you find the courage to leave this abusive man this time :(

quietlysuggests · 05/01/2011 04:21

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PineCones · 05/01/2011 04:34

hi quietly - can't sleep. this didn't happen today so not directly upset but unsettled as have pretty much made up my mind that this has to end for both our sakes.
thank you for your advice. i do have support in RL and have not felt physically threatened apart from very minor shoving which has been more part and parcel of yelling and moving past me IYSWIM rather than targetted shoving.
yes there are a few people who have witnessed the temper and the rows and they feel it has to be fixed as well.

OP posts:
PineCones · 05/01/2011 04:37

i did make a list now though of incidents/ issues, to help me analyse this better over the next few weeks/ months.
i realised after reading my october post that it would be very helpful because otherwise i forget sometimes.

OP posts:
AnyFucker · 05/01/2011 07:20

"accidentally-on-purpose" roughly shoving past you is physical abuse, love

don't call it by another name

this kind of thing ofen escalates to more overt physical violence when the perpetrator realises he is getting away with it

you really must end this relationship x

AttilaTheMeerkat · 05/01/2011 07:29

PC

This cannot though be fixed, you cannot help or save someone who does not want to be saved.

Anger management courses won't help this man. What is he like with other people, does he use verbal violence so readily on them too?. My guess is that he does not and solely reserves all his abuse for you, his wife.

There were warning signs as you say before you got married but love is blind. Now you can see what he's like you need to make plans for your own self and without him. You are in an abusive relationship and no-one benefits from being in one of those.

You may also want to talk to Womens Aid as well. "Minor" shoving is physical abuse shown by him towards you, do not downplay it.

I would suggest you also read Lundy Bancroft's "Why does he do that?" as abuse is also about power and control.

NoNamesNoPackDrill · 05/01/2011 07:55

Hi Pines

Sorry to hear you are being treated badly.

Is there a reason H is angry and irritable at the moment or is it his usual response to anything that frustrates him? Is he able to keep his temper at work or with his friends or does he swear at them as well?

Anger can be a response to having buttons pushed, if he feels he is not being listened to or treated with respect for example.

Is he resentful of something? Are his family like this too?

It doesn't sound easy to fix given that your attempts to share your thoughts in October were treated with such contempt.

Thinking of you today

AllOverIt · 05/01/2011 08:00

Not normal, no. Hope you find the courage to leave this horror of a man. He sounds vile.

mumonthenet · 05/01/2011 08:32

You know that feeling you described in your first post?
.............."and me not being allowed to explain properly (am not a very eloquent speaker- not very articulate when put on the spot- so tend to get cut off or swamped when yelled at)"

This is one - only one of the many - of the signs that you are being emotionally abused. The feeling that, if only you could explain what you meant/intended to mean, he wouldn't get so angry. This is classic EA, -you effectively take responsibility for the whole misunderstanding. And that's what he wants.

Yes do read the book Attila mentioned also Patricia Evans - The Verbally Abusive Relationship. And get all the RL support you can.

PineCones · 05/01/2011 21:16

NoNames yes he does have a bundle of resentments against me.

AllOverIt - it's not always this bad but yes, there have been more incidents than the average couple should have.

Thank you all. It's really great to have some support and to be able to talk about it.

I will try to update the thread to let you know if the situation changes (either which way).

OP posts:
HaveAHappyNewJung · 05/01/2011 21:22

Not normal. That's horrible :(

robberbutton · 05/01/2011 21:37

TBH this sounds a lot like my dad :(. He is a very angry person and my mum bears the brunt of it. I have had to leave the house before with the DCs when he has lost his temper with them.

My mum has never thought about leaving, I don't know what they would do without each other, but the way he talks to her is horrible sometimes, so disrespectful, impatient and rude. She is a very "wordy" person as well. TBH it has def affected how DB and I talk and relate to her Blush. It's only in the last few years that I've seen the similarities and made a huge conscious effort (often unsuccessful :( ) to change my behaviour.

I've tried to talk to Dad but he doesn't really listen. Next time he explodes at one of the DCs I'm pushing for anger management classes though.

Not sure what to write that's actually helpful, rather than wittering on about me. I guess it's if you stay with someone like this, and he doesn't change, your children and grandchildren will be affected too. He lost his temper often with us as children, and I have a horrible temper and often overreact when the kids are playing up as well :(

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