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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

Support thread for those in Emotionally Abusive relationships number *8*

999 replies

foolonthehill · 12/04/2012 09:54

Am I being abused?

Verbal Abuse A wonderfully non-hysterical summary. If you're unsure, read the whole page and see if you're on it.
Emotional abuse from the same site as above
Emotional abuse a more heartfelt description
Signs of Abuse & Control Useful check list
why financial abuse is domestic violenceAre you a free ride for a cocklodger, or supposed to act grateful for every penny you get for running the home?
Women's Aid: "What is Domestic Violence?" This is also, broadly, the Police definition.
20 signs you're with a controlling and/or abusive partner Exactly what it says on the tin

Books :

"Why Does He Do That?" by Lundy Bancroft - The eye-opener. Read this if you read nothing else.
"The Verbally Abusive Relationship" by Patricia Evans ? He wants power OVER you and gets angry when you prove not to be the dream woman who lives only in his head.
"The Verbally Abusive Man, Can He Change?" by Patricia Evans - Answer: Perhaps - ONLY IF he recognises HIS issues, and if you can be arsed to work through it. She gives explicit guidelines.
"Men who hate women and the women who love them" by Susan Forward. The author is a psychotherapist who realised her own marriage was abusive, so she's invested in helping you understand yourself just as much as helping you understand your abusive partner.
"The Emotionally Abusive Relationship: How to Stop Being Abused and How to Stop Abusing" by Beverley Engels - The principle is sound, if your partner isn't basically an arse, or disordered.
"Codependent No More : How to Stop Controlling Others and Start Caring for Yourself" by Melody Beattie - If you a rescuer, you're a co-dependent. It's a form of addiction! This book will help you.
But whatever you do, don't blame yourself for being Co-dependent!

Websites :

So, you're in love with a narcissist - Snarky, witty, angry, but also highly intelligent: very good for catharsis
Dr Irene's verbal abuse site - motherly advice to readers' write-ins from a caring psychotherapist; can be a pain to navigate but very validating stuff
Out of the fog - and now for the science bit! Clinical, dispassionate, and very informative website on the various forms of personality disorders and how they impact on family and intimate relationships.
Get your angries out ? You may not realise it yet, but you ARE angry. Find out in what unhealthy ways your anger is expressing itself. It has probably led you to staying in an unhealthy relationship.
Melanie Tonia Evans is a woman who turned her recovery from abuse into a business. A little bit "woo" and product placement-tastic, but does contain a lot of useful articles.
Love fraud - another site by one woman burned by an abusive marriage
You are not crazy - one woman's experience. She actually has recordings of her and her abusive partner having an argument, so you can hear what verbal abuse sounds like. A pain to navigate, but well worth it.
Baggage reclaim - Part advice column, part blog on the many forms of shitty relationships.
heart to heart a wealth of information and personal experiences drawn together in one place

If you find that he really wants to change

I stay or should I go bonus materials this is a site containing the material for men who want to change?please don?t give him the link?print out the content for him to work through.

The Bill of Rights
bill of rights here is what you should expect as a starting point for your treatment in a relationship, as you will of course be treating others!!

OP posts:
TheHappyHissy · 21/04/2012 20:43

Pillarbox: the fact that you are 26 and OUT of an EA relationship puts you the best part of 20 YEARS ahead of me!

YOU have a chance to undo the harm he did, to recover, to learn, to put healthy emotional living into practice and STILL go on to have everything in life! You WILL meet someone who loves you, utterly, for you! Who works WITH you, supports and trusts you. A man that SHARES his life and all the responsibilities that come with it.

You may feel a bit flat now, but with a bit of peace, some space, some work on yourself, cutting out negative forces in your life, you'll get there.

PillarBoxRedRoses · 21/04/2012 20:52

Thanks Happy. I am proud of myself for making the leap. I didn't even recognise what was wrong with our relationship before I did it. I just knew that I wasn't a normal woman in her 20s! Going to try and make up for it now. Not having known anything different as an adult or teenager makes it hard for me to trust myself, but I will get there.

TheHappyHissy · 21/04/2012 21:33

Fwiw, at 43 I'm not sure I've ever had a normal relationship either!

PillarBoxRedRoses · 21/04/2012 21:50

I intend to swear off relationships for a while and just surround myself by people who make me feel good about myself. I need to find 'me' - cheesy as that sounds!

horsetowater · 21/04/2012 21:51

Rachel it never ceases to amaze me how sharp my stbex's memory is when there is an argument and he feels like bringing up my past misdemeanours. He can't remember his own childrens dates of birth but he can remember the time I had an argument with xx or failed to do xx, usually several years before. He remembers the times that I'm really ashamed of, with such clarity.

PillarBoxRedRoses · 21/04/2012 21:55

I think that may be because, for someone is not abusive, those times are few and far between. I can count on my hands those times for me - still ashamed years down the line.

horsetowater · 21/04/2012 22:00

Pillarbox, at your age I think I had just moved in with mine, I was desperate for his attention and he wasn't giving it (but kept me hanging on), so I moved in with him hoping that way we would see each other more and I would get the connection I wanted from him.

He's still here 20 years later. I knew it wasn't right, at the time, but somehow I was never able to leave - I had tried to, but he would convince me that he still wanted me around. I'm so glad that mn is here now and able to stop people like you going through what I have.

PillarBoxRedRoses · 21/04/2012 22:08

I am so glad too. It helped me trust my gut instinct something wasn't right. For ages I thought kids would make things better - thank fucking goodness I knocked that thought on the head!

horsetowater · 21/04/2012 22:14

Yes, I went from one life stage to the next, thinking each time it would get better, but then it just slips back again. Only this morning we had the crazy car argument - him telling me how to drive, etc. On a journey I make every day, about cars and signs I am fully aware of. And then the dreaded day trip - lots of ignoring yet engaging with everything except me.

ThePinkPussycat · 22/04/2012 00:04

A small confession. I was channelling LeonieSnell, if you thought her second post made her out to be a bit of a cow, well she is Grin

fool got it, she must be the only one of you who listens to The Archers. I thought the storyline might develop along EA lines, but it hasn't.

Twas accurate channelling though, as you can check out on R4 at 10 am today, Sunday.

LittleHouseofCamelias · 22/04/2012 00:13

Just home after a nice day out in the fresh air in good company.

I had The Talk about Divorce with FWH which had been scaring me for days, and it was a breeze! I arrived and he made me coffee, then we went into a quiet room. He had a big zit on his nose and was utterly miserable. We had a round of Poor-little-me, then some Martyr and Victim, then a quick burst of Mr Nasty and some controlling stuff, then back to Poor-little-me again.

Reader I watched, I detached and I didn't get upset or angry. Then I left.
It was weird and I felt quite sorry for him.
And on Tuesday I have my solicitor chat to sort out what I want to ask for next. I think he was afraid I would force a sale of the family home, or get into legal battles, or just be plain difficult.
I was sweet reason, but I didn't commit to anything until I have run it past the solicitor. Thanks for the advice I've had. I feel strong!

LittleHouseofCamelias · 22/04/2012 00:15

Pink I got you, but thought giving Leonie attention was bad for her.
Ignore attention seeking behavior and reward the good!

ThePinkPussycat · 22/04/2012 00:20

Ex and DD cleaned the kitchen today, and then DD posted about it on fb. Then her lovely bf did a bit more, unfortunately he mentioned it to me, and it pressed a button, OH NO!! Cue a shouty rant from me.

It's not that long since I was begging then FWH to give me just 10 min of his time, he just flatly refused. Grrrrr!

ThePinkPussycat · 22/04/2012 00:22

...time to clean the kitchen, that is

LittleHouseofCamelias · 22/04/2012 00:41

Don't feel too guilty about having your buttons pressed Pink, they are still wired to the mains and still respond! But you have noticed them and that is the path to ignoring them and staying calm.
I feel worse when my sister or my DDs press the buttons FWH used to press and I get snappy. It kind of feels like I am the one with the problem then, instead of having lived with a tormentor!

Bobits · 22/04/2012 00:45

Angry for you, pink , you are still in the same house, aren't you? The annoyment in that must be unbearable... just bide your time, you'll get peace soon! xx

Bobits · 22/04/2012 00:49

little - well done, standing your ground and being strong makes such a difference...even in just little ways, it is affirming to no longer feel afraid and to see your fhw's behaviour for what it is there and then for what it is - it shows courage and sends a huge message - he cannot and has no control. Cheering for you xx

Bobits · 22/04/2012 00:50

fool HAPPY ANNIVERSARY (in ten minutes!!) :)

ThePinkPussycat · 22/04/2012 00:58

Trouble is, it just reinforces DD(20)'s view of me as a drug-crazed vindictive woman, especially as I haven't told her about the cocklodging (not that she would believe me, and she would just make excuses for ex). It breaks my heart...

Looks like we are all stuck under the same roof for at least the next 2-3 months.

LittleHouseofCamelias · 22/04/2012 01:05

Pink my DDs live with my Ex in our big family house without me. and since I left they have become very close to him, and even taught him to bake cakes. This is of course a good thing, but it enrages me.

This man NEVER helped clean up the kitchen but his DDs can wheedle him into it. He has taken to giving me cooking tips. Bloody hell, who taught his DDS to cook?

Deep breaths. You will have to take the long view. She will always be his DD.

Bobits · 22/04/2012 01:07

Thankfully pink, you know the truth and have the strength to act and get out - i'm sure this is a very hard transitional period for you. I would say in a short time, when the seperation is complete and you and ex are settling into 2 different lives, your strength and confidence will grow, his perception of his hold on things will weaken and he will show her who he is. it is tough now and seeing that is hard but you will be there, good luck :)

TodaysAGoodDay · 22/04/2012 08:26

Hi Pink and Camelias
I know what you're saying about the kitchen and making cakes. Why do these men do everything they can for their mothers, sisters and kids willingly, but won't give their wives/gf the time of day? My X would positively jump at the chance to help others, but would completely ignore me. How do they justify it to themselves, or don't they bother?

PillarBoxRedRoses · 22/04/2012 08:31

Mine wouldn't do anything for anyone. At least that is one way he was consistent.

RachelKarenGreen · 22/04/2012 08:51

received texts in the night, i am riled. Mind if I post and my would be response so I don't get drawn in...

'Just know that when you licks [boss's name]'s arse or walk around work or go away with your mates or take the piss out of me those are the reasons we aren't together'

twenty minutes later

'everytime you stormed off as well'

  1. I don't lick arse, I'm an employee. unlike you, cocklodger
  2. walk around work - I don't even know what that means!
  3. go away with my mates - sorry for having friends!
  4. take the piss out of you - you are a joke
  5. I stormed off when you were abusive to me. So if you feel like that was alot, look in the mirror
ThePinkPussycat · 22/04/2012 09:40

No reply would be the best response. (Mind you I called mine a cunt yesterday, not by text!)

Thanks ladies for your support. DD and I without ex around get on well, even though I know she thinks he is wonderful, when he is there too we are slightly different people...