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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:
Kernowgal · 27/04/2012 17:34

I'm still in my relationship after he convinced me to try again, but this time I know it's definitely over. I just don't feel much for him any more, just sadness and pity. It was my birthday the other day and as I was getting dressed to go out he made his usual comment about how he only ever sees me in my work clothes. Well I only ever see him in his shitty scruffy holey manky smelly jumpers. He bought me some nice birthday presents but made much of how expensive they were (even with his 25% work discount). He refused to pay for my brother at my birthday meal because he thinks my brother's a workshy layabout (see below) but was more than happy to accept my dad's offer to pay for the meal. Last night we went out for drinks with friends and on the way home he said "I could really have done without that tonight" - wtf? Nobody forced you to go out, grow a fucking spine. We have my brother (who's recovering from a breakdown and trying to sort himself out) and my OH has barely stopped making snide comments about my brother, who's a really nice guy. He also makes comments about my parents, who have been nothing but welcoming and lovely to him. If I dared say anything negative about his parents or family (which I wouldn't, because they too have been lovely and welcoming to me), he would be furious and wouldn't let me get away with it. Why am I such a doormat? I recently applied for a job that would mean me moving to a different part of the county and he has made so many snide remarks about that. I've been sorting out our garden but he just says "why are you bothering if you aren't going to be here next year?". The reason we aren't going to be there next year is because I can't stand the idea of another winter of him acting like a caged animal and behaving appallingly towards me.

At the moment I feel like I am counting the days (hours?) to our next bust-up. He is constantly bristling about something or other and I feel like I am in a permanent cringe, waiting for the next tirade. I wish I'd stuck by my guns when I said it was over a fortnight ago. I should have moved out until he'd got all his stuff out; staying there while he was there gave him too many chances to worm his way back in. And not once did he apologise for his behaviour or his failure to give our relationship any priority whatsoever. He just turned it all on me, how I'd dumped him and his kids and how I was responsible for it all going wrong.

It's also amazing how little affection he shows me. He claims I only want him for sex (not true) but unfortunately our bed is the only place he ever comes near me (and it's always me who initiates any contact).

It's just making me angry now, and I know he senses it. Place your bets, ladies...

LittleHouseofCamelias · 27/04/2012 17:55

horse well done for getting through the day and HOORAY for the reassurance of a good test result! Life is too short to waste it putting up with bad treatment

horsetowater · 27/04/2012 18:45

Kernowgal - do you share the house? Own it? Why is he still there? How dare he disrespect your family and how dare he not want to be generous on your birthday. Get rid before you normalise it and get back on the rollercoaster that is an abusive relationship.

LittleHouseofCamelias · 27/04/2012 19:16

What horse said!

sunrise65 · 27/04/2012 19:37

horse brilliant that test results were clear xx
Kernowgal it must be awful to be around this man. It shows what a decent human being you are for giving him another chance even when he treats you like dirt. What are your plans for getting rid of this loser? xx

TodaysAGoodDay · 27/04/2012 21:45

Kernowgal why are you still with him? You say you are counting the days till your next bust-up, why? Why not leave now? Why wait for a bust-up (again and again). You need to be strong and believe in yourself. Don't take this shit any longer.

RachelKarenGreen · 28/04/2012 09:34

horse that's great news

Okay, I went back for the extended disco version of 'you look horrible/you're thick/don't see your friend today'.

It's over if I see my friend today...Hmm

pictish · 28/04/2012 09:40

Does he not like you to see your friends then?

RachelKarenGreen · 28/04/2012 09:51

Some of them, no. Which is a control issue I think. He doesn't like this friend...she doesnt like him (wonder why), which is why he doesn't like me seeing her. She lives abroad and is in town for the weekend. He honestly thinks I'm not going to see her. I told him he was being controlling; he said it wasn't about control, it was about me sending a message that I didn't want to sort things if I saw her.

RachelKarenGreen · 28/04/2012 10:01

says we could sort it out on Monday, but can I give him some money. I didn't reply quick enough, so now 'forget it'. Okay!

LittleHouseofCamelias · 28/04/2012 12:49

RKG you would feel so good if you took control. It is within your grasp to get free of him. You don't have to wait for HIM to decide it is over if you see your friend.

You can say "Actually whether I see my friend or not is immaterial. The fact you are trying to control me and treat me so badly is enough reason for the relationship to be over now" And you can mean it, block his calls and emails and move on in life to a place where you are available for a proper loving relationship with a decent partner.

Go on - just do it!!!

LittleHouseofCamelias · 28/04/2012 12:49

Also he is a cocklodger

Reelingandupset · 28/04/2012 13:09

Hi everyone, I started a thread yesterday and a few kind people from here suggested I come over and join you.

Here's my thread

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/relationships/1459779-Moving-on-from-bad-relationship

Am slowly reading through all your stories.

Thanks a lot!
Still reeling but moving on x

LittleHouseofCamelias · 28/04/2012 13:16

Hi reeling and welcome to a place none us want to be, which is a fantastic support. Have a Brew

Reelingandupset · 28/04/2012 13:19

Thanks Littlehouse, tis needed!

Am so glad for Mumsnet, I tell you. What an amazing place.

PillarBoxRedRoses · 28/04/2012 13:40

Hello Reeling, glad to see you over here. x

Reelingandupset · 29/04/2012 11:50

Feeling pretty angry today and wondered if others have gone through the same thing and figured out healthy ways to express it.

This anger is bringing up all sorts of things from the past too.

I'm thinking it's not a bad thing that all this is coming out now.

Am finding reading other threads and talking about it on here is good. I go to counselling too.

But just wondered if others have felt this and is so, how you've gone about dealing with it?

sunrise65 · 29/04/2012 13:44

Hi Reeling, I think the anger stage is good. But is quite addictive and you can get stuck in it. I think I am a bit stuck in it too. Although, one minute I'm angry the next I want to try help him and miss him again!! However, talking and writing about things does help.
Sometimes I think I must spend so much wasted time on thinking about my ex. I bet he hardly thinks about me at all. I wish I could just do like he does and forget all about it. It's hard though.
Maybe some others on here will have some good tips about dealing with anger. Looks like I'm not much of an expert!

PillarBoxRedRoses · 29/04/2012 13:49

I find anger quite cathartic because when I am feeling angry it is when I am feeling least confused. If thi applies to you too, maybe try writing things down. Or - get rid of those feelings physically and go for an angry run/speed walk!

Reelingandupset · 29/04/2012 14:26

Thanks v much. I don't like it the anger much at all. I'm normally quite a calm person and it feels like he has got to me way too much. Like he has too much power over me right now.

TodaysAGoodDay · 29/04/2012 14:34

Hi Reeling.
Yes, you will get angry at him, it show's you are thinking about things differently rather than seeing his side all the time. I was very angry with my FWXH for a long time but it doesn't bother me much now. Mostly my anger was 'how DARE he treat me like that?!' and suchlike. Just acknowledge the anger and move on. Try not to overthink anything, and distract yourself with something you enjoy. Stay strong, you deserve it Smile

Reelingandupset · 29/04/2012 14:47

Today, think you're right about trying not to overthink it. I want to rationalise and understand every aspect of it. But I don't think that's doing me any good.

TodaysAGoodDay · 29/04/2012 15:17

No it's not. Don't dwell on it. I used to dwell on things for hours and used to really work myself up about it and ended up having depression. Don't let it/him drag you down to that level, you're better than that.

thebighouse · 29/04/2012 22:17

LittleHouseofCamelias: Whatever you write sounds EXACTLY like my situation! It's spooky!

All the counsellors WE saw were also 'against him'. One time I even found myself comforting XH after a counselling session. WTAF?!

Same situation here too with the divorce/finances here. He has said he has 'worked something out' and the lawyers etc. are a waste of money. My lawyer is lovely but XH doesn't know that I'm not just going to accept whatever he decides on (which is about 40% for me). It's just not RIGHT. He says we have to protect the house (where he lives) because it's the children's home. But it's a home that I painted every bloody inch of, without him so much as raising a finger to help or making me a cup of tea, for ten years!

He is just so ANGRY thogh if I disagree with anything, and won't ever compromise or back down. I'm so used to backing down, because I've been doing that for nearly 20 years because there's no other option with him. He's like a dog with a bone to anyone who dares disagree with him. He is going to go BALLISTIC when he knows that I'm not agreeing with his financial 'analysis'. I understand the urge just to accept it - I'm genuinely so SCARED of how he will react. It's grim. :(

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