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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

Support thread for those in Emotionally Abusive relationships Number *9*

999 replies

foolonthehill · 06/06/2012 15:53

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 · 22/06/2012 11:30

Glad you're okay net. I like my name as well, but sometimes I do have bad days, then my name changes to TodaysNotAGoodDay. Ho hum.

Don't worry about not feeling anything, your mind is going to be a bit numb for a while. I think my first emotion after I left was relief, overwhelming relief. Then the anger set in, I have realised I am very, very angry about how he treated me and DS. Now I don't feel anything towards him, except for mild irritation at times, like when he phones DS and asks to speak to me.

You will get there, the emotions will happen, don't worry too much about not feeling anything yet, you will.

jan my FWX asked me to go on holiday with him and DS. I haven't had a holiday for 2 years, but I would rather chew my arm off. The only reason he wants me to go is because I drive and he doesn't. He needs a chauffeur. I refuse to be used any more. For the sake of your sanity, do go on separate hols, you will spend the time so much less stressed. Enjoy.

Netcurtainstwitching · 22/06/2012 12:56

Nini drives you round the bend I bet. I hate things I used to like because he got hold of what I liked and he loved it too death. If that makes sense. That's what drove me crackers. I can't take anymore of the same stuff over and over.

Jan your so brave, a 9mth old baby, best time to do it though...I've got to have a talk with my two soon :( and h has had time to indoctrinate his beliefs in eldest at least.

Todays thank you :) liking the mild irritation...

Friend who seemed not supported asked me for a coffee, went round and she was supportive, did suggest I should have sorted it years ago so went through with her what he does in arguments and she seemed to get it. But supportive of break up. Going to see another one in a moment. Their being brilliant I don't know what I would do without them and without all you. I'd be with him still. Its not even been 24 hours yet. Noticed he's been back while I've been out and rung a few numbers...one was the vets, hope his dog is alright.

Feeling sad for him again...need to snap out of it...! Oh and told plygrp about split, v supportive again. I did cry for first time since talk but only cause it was so formal...got a nice hug anyway. Better tell school as well, just done...god I'm efficient sometimes. So...dont' need to worry about breaking down at school now to tell them why dc is upset...they will know. Right better sign off and get to friends house. Thank you all for support...just got tonight to face with him in the house...how uncomfortable is that going to be...

AnastasiaSteele · 22/06/2012 13:14

Just in a bit of a spin and here for reassurance that I'm not being oversensitive.

Off work today. FW annoyed me for the following reasons: he's cross with me for arranging to see my friends this weekend and I've refused to follow orders to cancel. We decided to go to the cinema today. I texted him before we met to ask what time, 3D or normal, and received this response, 'DO NOT BOOK ANYTHING'. So I stop looking at the different cinema times. Meet him. He decides he does want to go to the cinema, so we make our way there. He gets pissed off because the film isn't on for another hour and a half, he asks, 'why didn't you know this?'. I walk away from him, he comes after me, telling me I'm behaving like a child. I tell him to leave me alone. We stop, I try to tell him that I had texted to arrange a time but that was The Wrong Thing To Do and now I'm being blamed for the cinema times and it upsets me. He starts mimicking my voice and facial expressions and then laughing at me. I tell him he is bullying me and I walk off. This time he lets me.

Was I being unreasonable? I feel really childish for walking off (or flouncing, as he calls it), but I couldn't bear to be mimicked and laughed at like that.

I'm not going to contact him to apologise.

I will catch up with the rest of the thread shortly.

NiniLegsInTheAir · 22/06/2012 13:21

Oh Anastasia you poor love, what a horrible thing to do to you. Mimicking you when you're telling him you're hurt, and in public no less! so Angry and Sad for you. Well done for doing the detach and walking away I'd have been tempted to punch him. You're in no way unreasonable! What a FW.

ThePinkPussycat · 22/06/2012 13:25

No you were not being U. You handled it very well Anastasia

What film did you fancy seeing? How did you agree which one? Did you end up seeing it or not?

arthriticfingers · 22/06/2012 13:25

Did I hear right?

AnastasiaSteele · 22/06/2012 13:26

Thankyou, it gives me confidence you saying that, I worry that I'm going OTT. Oh these treats as well: 'if you're busy this weekend, you're going to have to give me money so I can do stuff too' (No) and 'as you're going out, I'll get drunk and get off with someone' (ok, do it).

AnastasiaSteele · 22/06/2012 13:44

An apology for my flouncing will be expected. Me walking away gets him very cross.

The film is one that he's wanted to see for a little while (a certain sci fi prequel...), I wasn't fussed either way but thought he might enjoy going so I offered to take him. We didn't go. I've taken myself off for lunch and am going to curl up with my book.

foolonthehill · 22/06/2012 14:08

I am hoping that you are going to flounce off good and proper from this waste of space AS who clearly ha no respect for you and views you as a mobile cashpoint with no right to a life or feelings of her own.

Remind me why you are still giving him any of your precious time...there must be space in your life for a "nice" man surely?????

Apology is not necessary
Go have yourself a good time this weekend and spend your money on you, maybe even flirt a bit to prove you still can.......(thinks enviously..........)

You owe this man nothing at all........give him exactly what he deserves ( a ticket from Bibi along with a few geese and a prod in the right direction with a pointy stick)

OP posts:
TheHappyHissy · 22/06/2012 14:14

"you're going to have to give me money"?????

Erm... NO

Well done Anastasia, really. You didn't just stand there and take it, you took control of the situation and you voted with your feet.

Don't call him, Don't pick up his calls, and ideally get your number changed.

If you can, send a text. "I don't want to see you anymore, please leave me alone."

LemonDrizzled · 22/06/2012 15:02

lady needs our help here

Bibi are you and the geese ready? I think it will be a busy evening!!

arthriticfingers · 22/06/2012 16:55

Oh! :) can we use the geese to go and chase FWs away as well as keeping them out of our Funny Farm - a sort of anti FW squad Grin

TodaysAGoodDay · 22/06/2012 16:57

fingers Grin

TodaysAGoodDay · 22/06/2012 16:58

Well done for walking away Anastasia. It's not a flounce, it's avoiding EA. Bloody man needs a slap geese!

arthriticfingers · 22/06/2012 17:02

How is everyone?
Fool are you feeling any better?
You must be sooo tired :(
All is stable here.
DD1 has taken 2 of her 4 exams, and is holding up (she is such a good kid)
Next two exams are next week.
Begun to think about packing. But not put stuff in boxes (there is very little to take anyway) as DD1 (although a teenager) is a bit of a delicate flower.
100 % convinced that FW is practicing his Mr. Reasonable act for when I move out :(

MissFaversam · 22/06/2012 19:14

Waves to all, good evening and HUGE clap for Anastasia, well done you huh Grin

Randomman · 22/06/2012 19:17

Hi

I hope someone can point me in the right direction, and that I'm not posting in the wrong place.

I recently split up with my DP due to me being emotionally abusive towards her. I had been reading things on here and following a plan, but I didn't stick to it.

We are now in a situation of no contact at all, until I have made proper progress, though no sooner than X months. And then we'll see, we may resume some kind of contact, I don't know.

I do genuinely want to change, I can see quite clearly elements I need to change. I have emailed Respect to ask about a referral. Is that an appropriate group for EA too? It has also been suggested that I could find a sponsor on here, though I'm not sure what that would involve.

Again, I'd be grateful for any guidance. Thank you.

MissFaversam · 22/06/2012 19:28

Ramdom. I had to walk away from this thread and gulp some fresh air due to you being on it. I don't think this is the place to ask these sorts of questions to be honest. We are all trying to heal due to exactly what you have been doing and I can't at the moment have one nano bit of sympathy for you.

MissFaversam · 22/06/2012 19:30

I suggest you go and find help from somewhere else.

Randomman · 22/06/2012 19:31

OK, my apologies.

MissFaversam · 22/06/2012 19:31
arthriticfingers · 22/06/2012 19:37

Extra supper for MissF the geese :)

MissFaversam · 22/06/2012 19:41

Grin arthritic fingers.

He sure as hell won't find absolution on here why doesn't he call the pope or something

Netcurtainstwitching · 22/06/2012 20:53

Anastasia mimicing is in the Lundy book, its bullying and 'do not book anything' kind of makes you think he isn't going to go to cinema! And as for walking away, what is the point of having a conversation with someone who is acting like a child. He is acting like a child, NOT YOU! And as for an apology...for not hanging around for more bullying? ANd you 'need to give' him some money?!?! Dear god. He's a little bit entitled isn't he?

Are you living with him? I get the jist from other posts that your not...that is a positive?

MissFaversam and artheritic Grin

My h has not really spoken to me tonight. I think from the note of a time on the calendar he is seeing rented house on tuesday...don't know how long it takes to move in? It look as if it is not inhabited yet...so could be quite quick?

Wondering if he is going to try anything else to persuade me I want him to stay. I think of him in his very rare happy moods and find him attractive, then I remember what he is usually like, he is soul destroyingly depressing. Same routines, same boring facts trotted out, same historical/educational programs, same old same old, nothing exciting or new or different. . I just want this over with now, telling dc, his stuff gone and dealing with sadness of that, learning to live a quiet life...well quiet before but with someone in room at least, and occasionaly sex if I wanted it (there again there was that constant pressure to keep up with his sex drive. He thought me heartless as I found our dog humping things funny at the same time was sympathetic, he asked why I could not find that sympathy for him as he was as desparate. Never did catch him humping his bed though Hmm)

Can you help keep me on the straight and narrow as well, the most gap I've had since my first relationship when I was 16 is 4 months. It needs to be at least 2 years this time!!!! I need time to process and grieve. Anyone else feel need to be with someone? I know it is down to my childhood and never having any love or affection, but its so damn hard :( . I'm impressed its only 24 hours and I've not been on a dating website yet...! I'll just have to stick to hugs from dc and pets...must get a grip again...at least I'm not devastated by break up and we are all healthy. Things could be much worse.

NiniLegsInTheAir · 22/06/2012 21:36

Big hugs Anastasia. My NSDH is also still not talking to me - he's gone down the pub with his friends. Our men sounds very similar, same old same old sums it up.

From memories of my renting days you can get into a rental place in a few days, possible sooner. Depends how strict they are.

Fraid I don't feel the need to be with someone but I'm sure its a common thing. We can help keep you on the straight and narrow. :)