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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:
TodaysAGoodDay · 01/05/2012 18:19

Hi sunrise
I'm so pleased you have your name down for a Refuge place, well done. If they offer you a safe house, take it. Once you are there, you can say that you feel very alone and need others around you. They will move you to the main Refuge as soon as they have a place. Just get out, out, out. Please. Think, in a little while you could be where I am. Try and stay strong x

sunrise65 · 01/05/2012 18:58

thank you today, that's a good idea. I'm scared about it all but it should all work out. Bit worried about what I explain to the ex too but I might just cross that bridge when I come to it. My parents have told me I have to pack up my stuff so I have a fun night ahead! Xx

AvaMaria · 01/05/2012 19:47

Thanks fool I feel like I am at the start of a very difficult path, but that there is something better for me at the end of this. I am really struggling as dp is now being df of the year and being bright and breezy with the DCs, but when he appears in the from I am sullen and cold. I hate how am being, it is so unnatural to me, I feel like he is controlling me, yet I cannot bring myself to pretend he is ok, when he is so abusive to me. For the DCs sake I keep thinking I should be more cheerful when he is around....but when I am, like Sunday, he'll pick another row. I was better at detaching, but have become crap at it!

Nothing from the income support people today, I am waiting for a form from them that I need to send back with some docs.

But I did call the FIS about childminding and they are sending me a pack, so that is progress. I am just consumed with hatred and anger for dp, and know this is not good. Others were posting about anger recently, I heel like I could just scream and rage at him...

ThePinkPussycat · 02/05/2012 01:08

No tis good to be angry. Punching pillows is sometimes recommended - as is posting on here. have a [hug] - that goes for everyone Grin

bejeezus · 02/05/2012 09:29

have been absent from here for a long time. Thinking of you brave ladies all the time though

Just swinging by to share this with you;

www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?fbid=345455688850259&set=a.240385392690623.60661.173026209426542&type=1&theater

God Bless Will Smith

Peace

foolonthehill · 02/05/2012 10:01

thanks beejeezus.

hope life is going well for you

OP posts:
arthriticfingers · 02/05/2012 13:17

Hi all,
Been thinking about the similarities between these eejits we ended up with.
Does anyone remember the conversation we had about food control on here not that long ago?
It ended with the question (can't remember who asked it) 'What is it with these fuckwits and food?'
Well, I think I have worked it out. How's this ...
As everything is theirs, especially money, money spent on food for others has been taken away from them. Basically, we are taking the food out of their mouths to feed their our children!
As we are all fat, it goes without saying that we should not eat anything at all Wink
Haven't quite worked out why they do nothing not even traditionally 'macho' jobs like putting up shelves or mowing the lawn, though.
Update, if anyone can be bothered to read, I would be grateful for comments.
FWH is still on best behaviour. He keeps telling me this, or I would not have noticed
I leave with the children for an extended holiday when school finishes in June and leave the country to take up a short term contract in July. The children with either come with me or join me in Britain.
Having a hard time with the day to day living as I have nowhere to go until June and no-one to talk to about my options in September. I suppose I will have to wait for some kind of counseling in Britain. Just feeling particulary isolated at the moment as have no-one in RL :(. Have not told anyone we are legally separated, not even the children.
If you have read to here, Thanks

foolonthehill · 02/05/2012 13:46

hey fingers...missed you.

it's hard being isolated.

are you planning to stay in UK after your work??

OP posts:
arthriticfingers · 02/05/2012 14:47

Hi Fool thanks for replying. That is, in fact, the question/problem.
My eldest goes to University here in the Autumn, but my youngest still has another three years of school to go. They are both very happy here, have lots of friends and are doing well at school, so I would not want to move them. Also, I do have a fairly decent job here (although it pays very little) I can pick up extra work, which brings my income up somewhat. I would not walk straight into a job in Britain as I would have to do some retraining first and I have no savings to live on.
FWH's behaviour is not messing with my head at the moment - he is going for a reconciliation ... Confused But ...
My biggest problem at the moment is being so isolated. I have been away from Britain for a very long time, so could not go straight into telling friends there all this shit. I have no close friends here, and things go round and round in my head.
I have gone on - sorry

TodaysAGoodDay · 02/05/2012 18:07

Hi fingers,
My FWXH would only eat two large meals a day, late breakfast and early evening dinner. I would have cereal for breakfast quite early, then when I went to get a sandwich at lunch time, I would get 'are you eating again?' Actually yes, unlike you I don't eat 1000 calories for breakfast. I never had the courage to say this to him though. Wish I had.
I don't know which country you live in, but can you not get some counselling there? It really would help you to have someone to bounce ideas off.

ThePinkPussycat · 02/05/2012 19:09

Ex did that at the weekend, especially Sunday. He would get up late, cook himself a big breakfast (v occassionally would cook one for someone else, usually one of the DC). And then it would get too late to go out anywhere really, and of course Sunday lunch out was not a possibility, as he had just eaten. So most weeks I (or him, or both) would cook Sunday lunch and serve it about 6.30

Thus somehow taking up the w/end and trapping us in the house at the same time.

ThePinkPussycat · 02/05/2012 19:10

And no, it wasn't his day of rest after a hard week spent grafting and earning some pennies...

sunrise65 · 02/05/2012 19:40

hi arthritic , sorry that you're not feeling great. As said above maybe counselling would be good. But if this is not possible I have found emailing samaritans such a help. I've pretty much told them my whole life story moaning on and on and they always reply. I think it is good to just write these things out and then sometimes we don't feel as crazy when we look at it back.
I wonder how sweep is getting on. Sweep if u r reading then thinking of u and update if u can or want to.
Randomish question but does anyone know if u r allowed to put a baby car seat in the front of a small van? X

sunrise65 · 02/05/2012 19:47

re food. mine used to insist on doing all the cooking , cuz mine was shit and I thought wow great, suits me! But then when he decided he had had enough of that he blew his top when I didn't have his tea ready when he got back home...
Also we both needed to stop eating as much according to him. I was getting fat even tho people kept saying how skinny I was! I believed him though. I was a size 8. And went down to 6 and a half stone when things got bad. On the other hand has actually got fat! Much nasty comment I know but oh Well...the

sunrise65 · 02/05/2012 19:49

*he has got fat!

arthriticfingers · 02/05/2012 19:54

Thanks for thoughts sunrise much appreciated.
Ok, I have refined my theory about food. While keeping to what I said above, I have added another thought.
I had forgotten the 'Are you eating again?' Today
So... These tossers unfortunate narcissists are so up their own backsides that their very limited brains can't actually incorporate the idea of another being having needs, even basic survival needs. Discuss (if you have nothing better to do :))

foolonthehill · 02/05/2012 19:54

sunrise sweep .......has shaken out her rug and placed it in a new location minus stuff underneath it. She's strong and will be getting stronger by the minute (even if she feels the occasional wobble) amazing what a bit of spring cleaning can do for the soul!!

OP posts:
TheHappyHissy · 02/05/2012 20:30

Evening all...

Just leaning for a while. Not sure what else to do/where else to be.

I have realised that the abusive relationship I had with the boy's father has highlighted and eventually cost me everything. the relationship with my mum, my sister, and my dad. It's cost me my friends over the years, pets, and even my dignity.

OK so I know that the family CAUSED the grooming, that lead me to the self-esteem issues that allowed me to fall prey to an abuser. But the family also sat there and warmed themselves on the flames of hell I was burning in.

They punished me for wriggling free too.

WTF do I do with thoughts like that??

OK so positive head on, I know I have to make a new life. New relationships, friendships, new families. I'm doing this, I'm putting myself back together, but I RESENT paying good money to deal with their shit. I missed the DV support group this week due to work, and they were going to talk about anger, I really needed to be there, but really couldn't.

I've done nothing wrong. Why am I the only C*nt suffering? I wish they would all just fuck off and die so I can just get on with life knowing that they can't disappoint/hurt/manipulate me anymore.

Excuse me for bleugh-ing on the thread.

foolonthehill · 02/05/2012 20:40

it's reassuring that even the Hissy has an occasional "bleugh"...otherwise you would sound like the perfect post-abuse sorted woman...and i would feel totally inadequate ...again!!!!!

Hooray for MN where we can be ourselves......and especially this thread!

BTW have been appreciating your advice on other threads...direct and perceptive as always!!

OP posts:
foolonthehill · 02/05/2012 20:41

PS it's my wedding anniversary today

have spent all day slightly scared that NSDH will appear with roses...arrrgh...he never remembered dates or anniversaries before and i am mighty glad he didn't make the effort this year Grin!!

OP posts:
TheHappyHissy · 02/05/2012 20:50

he he, advice for others is easy.... sorting one's own head out? not so much!

the anniversary would be ironic indeed...

Another reason why I am so glad I never married the shithead! All those years I was so desperate to... thank GOD I didn't! (no offence eh?!)

thebighouse · 02/05/2012 21:14

Hmmm mine wasn't weird about food, although he was weird about washing up, and if I ever left any washing up from making my own lunch (when I was working from home and had to try and fit hours into the school day!) he would get really angry....

Actually there WAS a box of wine that I really wanted to buy last year that he wouldn't let me buy because it was 'too expensive' (we had 50k in savings, this was 100 quid)... I kept asking him and he kept saying no. I've just remembered that. I'm going to bloody well buy it now...

I love reading all these posts but it makes me feel sad that so many of us feel the need to apologise at the end of our posts. It's really evidence that we feel that being emotionally 'needy' is just a drain on other people and wrong, and that any kind of compassion or listening is a treat we don't deserve. :( It's really sad. We are all so similar in so many ways.

Lots of love everyone. x

detachandtrustyourself · 02/05/2012 21:30

definately buy the wine bighouse!

That reminds me of an episode of the Royale family. Nana is talking about her friend whose husband has died. She says "he never let her buy jaffa cakes, only rich tea. I bet she buys jaffa cakes now."

thebighouse · 02/05/2012 21:32

lol! I am going to buy the fucking jaffa cakes!

detachandtrustyourself · 02/05/2012 21:33

I was with the EXH when I saw that episode, and it made me think.