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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

Can I have some uplifting stories

3 replies

EmilyStrange · 09/01/2012 13:18

about couples who survived the shit times in their relationship because I really, really don't want my marriage to end but I just can't see a way through at the moment. So much bad feeling, resentment, arguing. We have lost the people we were and I want them back.

So if you have stories about making it past the shit I would appreciate it. I need some hope

OP posts:
Binfullofsiliconelimbsonthe45 · 09/01/2012 13:42

We have had lorry loads of shit tipper trucked on us over the last few years.

DH ex wife has been such a nasty poisonous woman, hacking into emails, sending emails from imaginary people pretending they have fucked my husband. Pretending to be an old friend on facebook so she can see my life, calling my employer to tell them I am a slut. Telling his children I am a drug addict and alcoholic, and that my son has SN because I drank during pregnancy and posting pics of stange looking babies saying they were my dc. Posting fake pornographic photos of me on websites. Calling my family to tell them that her son has fallen down the stairs and broken his leg and we told her we didn't care.

The icing on the cake was not letting dh see his 3 kids, and then bringing them to a campsite 1 mile from our house, and sending a postcard.

We are both battling depression mainly due to the effects of this behaviour. I also have menhorragia so have to cope with this month by month, makes me tearful and grumpy on top of everything else! His depression is sometimes life consuming.

On top of this we both had to travel a lot and be away from home, don't have immediate family nearby to help with childcare, have had one night away from dc in 7 years, and 5 nights out alone tops.

What I find helpful is to get time to talk. We are trying more to get time alone and away from the normal environment, even if it's putting the dc in Ikea play place and talking over meatballs! we always book a hotel on holiday with a kids club so that we get time alone now too.

You have to sometimes swallow the bitterness down, accept things and move on.

We did have a counsellor, and when we told her the story of our lives, both our hideous childhoods, the last 5 years of ex wife grief etc etc her eyes kept getting wider and wider....she said she was amazed we had stayed together through all of that to the stage of counselling, and made us realise that we had been through soooo much together. We've asked each other openly and calmly if we want to get divorced and agreed that we don't.

Write lists of the things that attracted you to him, and him to you,and be honest with yourself - are you exactly the same, haven't changed at all? Is the blame all one sided? And listen...you may not agree, but it's his opinion, and that makes it personal and real to him. Take his feedback on board.

I also look at old photos, loveletters, etc and I try to think of the positive things he does for me...making cups of tea, bringing me hotwater bottles, not complaining through my tv programmes etc.

It's not easy...but you can do it.

EmilyStrange · 09/01/2012 13:48

Binfull, thank you for sharing that, sorry you have been through so much but how lovely that you are making it through that.

Old photos etc make me so sad because they seem like different people who no longer exist.

OP posts:
Binfullofsiliconelimbsonthe45 · 09/01/2012 13:56

Yes you do change and move on, but remembering the good times might cause you to want to get things in motion and recreate them. i realised the other day that it had been 5 years since I'd been out and danced! These things just slip away unless you keep reminding yourself of why you are here!

Also you need to get quality time for yourself - even if it's just a nice bath, flake and a Grazia once a week..

I hope you get through, it takes guts to admit failure and work at a marriage. You've done the first bit....you don't have to do it alone though, have you looked into counselling? Either alone or as a couple?

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