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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

I think my marriage just ended. What do I do now?

53 replies

kitchencat · 30/01/2011 21:47

We had yet another massive row, which ended up with him screaming at me that I'm mad, I'm insane, this is all my fault. I've done nothing, just a stupid argument - asked him not to stick his laptop under my nose when I'm cooking, cos he wanted to prove me wrongabout something.

I'm rambling, sorry. I'm scared. He left, but will come back. He'll say it's all me. Shit. I just moved, with DS (18 months), we're so far from home, I don't know anyone.

It's not right to be told you're mad is it?

OP posts:
kitchencat · 01/02/2011 13:33

DH came back after work yesterday and we actually went out for a bite to eat. The main idea behind that was to tempt DS into finally eating something (after about 8 days), which worked. He's still not right however so seeing the GP later.

DH and I did speak. He agrees that his behaviour was out of order & seemed totally taken aback that I'd been thinking about what to do practically, i.e. staying on in the house for a bit, then moving back home. So thanks for all the advice there - it really seemed to shock him that I had started to think it through. He has suggested getting some kind of help, anger management or something? I thought that was a good idea, whatever happens. Will be interesting to see how proactive he is in looking for that help. He did say that he felt he had been able to deal with his temper recently, and I do kind of agree with him there. It's far better than it used to be. That makes it sound terrible in the past, but to be very honest, I wasn't in a great place for a lot of our early relationship, quite needy and insecure. Of course that doesn't excuse his aggression, but it did lead to a lot of arguments.

I also brought up the way I've seen him looking at DS, when it seems he's about to lose his temper with him. To be fair to him, he's never lost it with DS, but I pointed out DS is only a baby, he's going to be challenging and testing us in various ways as he grows up, and we both need to deal with that without losing it. He said he understood that.

So where do I go from here? I obviously have a lot of thinking to do. He slept in the spare room last night and whilst I could ask him to leave now and get accommodation up at the base, he's hardly here anyway due to working long hours and being away part of the time. I may well ask him to move out though whilst I think things through. I guess I need to figure out if I want to give this a chance. I've been stressed about the move, I'm lonely and finding it really hard to adjust, and I don't want those feelings to be clouding my judgement about whether to just head back home. There isn't anything I can do till March anyway. Our flat is rented for an initial six month lease, then a rolling month by month contract after that.

DH said he'd move onto the base if I want him to, he also said he'd support us to move back into the flat in Scotland. He feels he can't cope with not seeing DS if that does happen, but I pointed out that whilst I would do everything I could to ensure they have a good relationship, I can't stay here just for DH's sake. He needs to get a grip of this behaviour - I told him that maybe he should think about missing his son when the red mist descends...

Thanks again to all for your support. It's a really sad situation but I will do whatever is best to ensure DS has a happy and safe childhood.

OP posts:
nje3006 · 01/02/2011 13:44

Only you can decide what to do but if you were to consider trying to work things out, I would want to see proof of change from him and the first thing is him enrolling for help with his anger. What has he done to that end? Looked up courses? phoned them up? Done anything at all? If not, why not? Even someone who works long hours can take out half an hour to make some enquiries when it's about saving their relationship.

Words and promises are easy. It's the action you need to be looking at...

ChippingInSmellyCheeseFreak · 01/02/2011 14:26

KC - I have pondered this for a little while.

I would tell him that he needs to move out onto base and that you need time to work out what is going to happen next. I know you say he's not there much, but I think that by getting him to move out onto base it sends a very clear signal that ThisIsSerious rather than something that can be swept under the carpet - that you aren't 'all talk'.

Then I would speak to all of those people that are able to offer you support & assistance and see exactly what is available to you and the time frames for all of it.

You can sit back and see what he does about counselling/anger management course. It's easy to agree to go, but actions speak louder than words. Do not look things up for him or make suggestions, just sit back and see what he does.

He may have been better at 'controlling' his anger for a while - but you can still see the agression there, all he's done at the moment is not put his fist through a wall - and whilst that's great, it's not addressing the underlying problems and when he does 'go off' he's likely to go off big time.

Saying he understands that you both need to be calm when dealing with DS is one thing, being able to control that temper as DS gets older, messier, naughtier etc is quite another. If he can get this angry inside with an 18 month old, what's he going to be like with a 2 year old refusing to do as he's told and chucking a tanty or a 7 year old telling him to do one??

You do need to be sure you are making the right decisions for the right reasons - but indecision is also a decision.

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