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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

Intimacy gone... nobody's fault but it's destroying me

11 replies

fuzzpig · 13/05/2012 00:24

So much that I just self harmed for the first time in years. DH is asleep.

DH got injured nearly two years ago, it is severe and more complicated than usual injuries of that type because of past injuries (all caused by his abusive mother). In a few weeks he has an appt to discuss yet another MRI to see if they will operate this time. Hoping they will.

Obviously there have been money worries, I now have a job and he is a SAHD which he is amazing at but obviously he can't do much other than school run etc. He keeps saying how grateful he is for what I'm doing but it's not that that's difficult, it is dealing with him being in so much pain that is hard. And I feel so fucking horrible typing that, I really do, because he is in pain not me.

Night time is the worst. I can't touch him most of the time and it hurts. I have never felt this alone before, it kills me that I am right next to him and I can barely even hold hands with him because he is in so much pain. We used to be the sickening 'cuddly sleeper' couple, always entwined, after a bad day we could always just curl up and everything would be fine. Not now. I know it's not his fault.

I am going through a lot of other stuff right now, dealing with some life changing emotional minefields, and in previous struggles I would be able to talk to him about it but now I mostly don't. I feel so helpless, I can't help myself and I certainly can't help him apart from listening to how much he is hurting. I want him to understand that this is hard for me too - he should know, his good friend has a disabled DH and my DH would never dream of saying his friend should just suck it up without finding it difficult. I don't know how to get this through to him without seeming a selfish bitch though. I know it is not his fault but I hate that the man I've been with for nearly 10 years is slipping away. I am starting to get scared that even when he is better, the old DH will not come back.

Everything is falling apart and for the first time today I said that if things didn't change I wasn't sure if we'd last. He was defensive at first but soon realised I was right because of his bad moods (he is not nasty, just snappy) and after a cry and a rare cuddle he said I can just tell him if he's snapping too much. But now in bed I feel it's back to square one, I feel guilty for even wanting to touch him. It makes me want to run away because it is easier if he's not right next to me when emotionally he's miles away.

I don't know what to do. How the fuck are you supposed to keep a marriage together when as individuals you are crumbling?

OP posts:
EclecticShock · 13/05/2012 00:30

I'm so sorry you're in this position. I think you need to try to talk to him. You're not selfish at all, it's a very challenging situation and very hard for both of you. You need to keep talking to each other. I'm sure someone with more insight will be along shortly. You sound very brave and strong. We all crumble sometimes, it's nothing to be ashamed of. Things can improve with time and communication. Sending you my thoughts.

EclecticShock · 13/05/2012 00:32

You both obviously love eachother. Something to be treasured, it's precious.

fuzzpig · 13/05/2012 00:41

Yes we do love each other, I think that's why I'm so scared, I don't want us to push each other away. It would be easy to have no intimacy with someone I wasn't yearning for.

I even told him I was considering making no more moves to touch him, not even holding his hand, because I'm so sick of being pushed away, even though I know it is because of pain it still kills a little piece of my heart.

OP posts:
BandersnatchCummerbund · 13/05/2012 01:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

fuzzpig · 13/05/2012 01:09

You're right about that, I think we are so anxious not to burden each other that we are bottling it all up. The sad fact is there is nobody around... one of the things I'm trying to deal with is distancing myself from my parents as I am sick of being their counsellor when they were never there for me.

I am going to try and finally sleep now but I will be back in the morning Thanks

OP posts:
garlicbutty · 13/05/2012 02:21

I want to write so much to you ... it's probably best that you've gone to bed now and I'm a bit squiffy so will be retiring after posting!

Firstly I am very, very sorry for your husband's physical pain and your emotional dislocation. You sound very loving and very lonely. I remember the distance between me and my husband in bed - it was about a foot, but felt like light years. There's no loneliness as bad as that. I feel for you.

To my mind, the most urgent issue is your self harm. Poor you, fuzzpig, I wish you wouldn't injure yourself. Please don't :(

You're worth so much more - everyone is. You're valuable and precious. I wish for you to love your self and to care about you; you're worth it, not due to any special qualities but just because you exist.

Revisit Marianne Williamson's poem, which has reminded millions of people who and what they are:-

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.
We are all meant to shine, as children do.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we're liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

"Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us."

Sometimes, couples are drawn together by their shared 'darkness'. I know I was. When it feels like no-one understands you properly; all the world is a scene from an advert except you (!); it's fantastic to gel with another human being who knows what it feels like. It really is, I'm not knocking it.

But, some of the time, the other person might be looking only for a person who can mirror their pain. Somebody to confirm that life has been harder on them than they deserved; to support their feeling that no-one suffers like they do.

It is true that no-one deserves to suffer so hard! It's untrue that no-one else does. People in other parts of the world, and even some in ours, suffer unimaginable agony and still hold fast to the values that make them human.

It looks very possible that your man has developed severe depression due to his pain. This is reasonable. What's not reasonable is making you miserable because of it. He might be so depressed that he can't see reason, therefore the most crucial thing for him right now is to talk to his doctor about depression as well as pain management.

YOU are taking too much blame for his suffering. You're doing all of the right things. He has his personal responsibility to "shine". You should not, and must not, "shrink". You do him no service by shrinking and, in shrinking, belittle and hurt your self.

Shine. Encourage him to shine and to seek help in managing his distress, but don't shrink yourself because that helps no-one.

All the best! :)

NicNocJnr · 13/05/2012 04:31

You do beautiful work when you're squiffy garlicbutty.

I agree completely. When you are in chronic pain the unremitting, grinding hopelessness of it all does get to you. But it's one thing to feel lost and quite another to take someone down with you.
As you've spoken to him before he sounds receptive, I would be honest, gently, and see if he will consider getting some help and support. Pain, hospital appts, consultations, facing surgery etc can take more of a toll on you than you think as well, sometimes it takes someone to point it out.

ThePinkPussycat · 13/05/2012 09:25

There used to be pain management clinics, I hope there still are, is there one your DH could go to?

fuzzpig · 13/05/2012 10:18

Hello again pink! :)

Um, yes, there are pain management clinics... He was referred to one, but got turned away after two sessions because he was in "too much pain"! He's also had normal physio, acupuncture (on NHS!?!) and hydrotherapy.

Thank you garlic, he agreed yesterday that he will see a doctor about his moods. I think he's a bit nervous about going on ADs, he's on a minimum of 22 pills a day already. We've talked about depression before, we are both veterans of that illness, but until quite recently DH was insistent that he was not depressed. It's only been the last six months or so that he has really turned into this dark hollow man.

He was really cheerful before all this, we had about 9 months where we were together all the time before I finally found a job, and that was amazing. He was so confident and was brilliant at his job (pharmacy manager), he still gets locals coming up to him asking when he's coming back and saying it's not the same there without him (it's true, the store is actually crumbling since he left). The company treated him like shit though.

I think as I've gained confidence from having my job (never really had a proper one before), I have seen him lose his. I only see a glimmer of his old self when he plays with the DCs (and then I'm jealous). Before this his hobby was running, he did lots of 10ks etc, and it's quite likely that he will never be able to do this again. It must hurt watching the DCs play with all his medals. And that he can't play football with them. DD keeps referring to things long ago as "before daddy hurt his back".

OP posts:
Mumsyblouse · 13/05/2012 11:16

You both sound like you are experiencing a massive life-stress right now, and it is not surprising that you are finding it stressful in terms of your relationship and his mood. Is it possible for you to get individual counselling? I think that when something is this 'big', you can feel like you are burdening friends by constantly going on about it (and it may not change masssively), so having someone to talk with is really essential. I also think you husband seeking advice on whether he is depressed (quite likely) and treatment is an excellent way forward.

this is such a big change for you both, don't be too hard on yourself and don't panic it will always be this way. But I do think getting individual support will help.

Mumsyblouse · 13/05/2012 11:18

I would also go to the doctors yourself and say, I'm so stressed about my husband's injuries/pain/disability and how this has completely changed him, I've started to self-harm again. I don't know what the waiting lists are like in your area for CBT or counselling but it must be worth a try. Keeping you supported is just as important as supporting him.

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