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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 for those in Emotionally abusive relationships number 10

999 replies

foolonthehill · 09/07/2012 20:53

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
should 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:
TheSilverPussycat · 06/08/2012 23:23

bertie I think he may think that your illness and his wonderful care have re-set your marriage to before the letters. (Idiot!)

I knew someone who was all set to leave her marriage (not abusive, but v incompatible - for her) then broke her leg and had to sit it out while her H looked after her and she recovered. Then she went.

bertiebassett · 07/08/2012 06:59

silver you have it spot on (again Wink )

He told me last night that he thought I'd changed my mind about splitting up because I'd referred to him as 'my husband' in hospital. I pointed out that the correct terminology ('my verbally and emotionally abusive soon-to-be-ex twunt husband') doesn't exactly slip off the tongue when you've got a temperature of 105....

bertiebassett · 07/08/2012 07:08

I've also realised that I cannot go and rent somewhere and leave him in he house so I may have to sit it out.

He is so financially inept that I cannot trust him to keep track of paying mortgage and bills etc if I'm not here.

He has said before that he wants to keep house. I've suggested that he might want to get financial advice about that as I didn't think he could afford it. He asked me last night how much the mortgage was and how much the monthly payments were ...he didn't have a clue! I do sort out all the finances but I thought he'd have an idea...
[surprised]

veeeee · 07/08/2012 07:55

bertie it must be so hard for you. Hopefully he'll get fed up with it soon and leave!

My resolve is slipping. Fw was nice all day yesterday (well apart from the groping. And the occasional comment).

foolonthehill · 07/08/2012 13:00

veeee, he's not nice, he's net even nearly nice apart from the groping and occasional comment.

I am afraid that your level of acceptable behaviour from your OH is set very very low.

Proper relationships (which I have had the pleasure of observing this week) do not have the wry smile and the except.......

OP posts:
foolonthehill · 07/08/2012 13:01

^He is so financially inept that I cannot trust him to keep track of paying mortgage and bills etc if I'm not here.^

Ah, yet another way of keeping you tied to him.

OP posts:
ForSaletotheHighestBidder · 07/08/2012 13:56

Bertie, maybe the twunt doesn't register what you have said because if you're anything like me, you've threatened to leave/ kick him out multiple times before? Boy who cried wolf and all that.

Veeee, groping? I don't think life partners are entitled to grope each other, it sounds invasive and aggressive and that is not acceptable.

Jan, how are you today? You seemed very panicky a few days ago, I hope you are feeling calmer and thinking more clearly, its so hard to think clearly and be free of doubt when living with an active FW. Sad

I haven't been on much as FW has been extremely well behaved for over 3 weeks now, I am continually waiting for the act to drop. I can't tell you how much nicer life is just having basic partnership benefits like NOT being called a stupid c*nt frequently, having basic help with chores/ kids, only having to ask him to do something once, him offering to do things before being asked Shock, him hugging me and kissing me frequently, asking me how I feel about things, getting up at 6.45am to drive me to the bus stop and picking me up in the evenings after work ON TIME Shock.. etc.

His drinking frequency has dramatically dropped and I can see a huge difference in his mood as a result. This is the longest he has ever gone without relapsing into the booze/ EA pattern (usually he lasts maybe 5 days tops).

Dare I be hopeful? Blush Yes I know, he will probably head back to twuntville any day now, its his favourite place..

How is everyone else doing?

TheSilverPussycat · 07/08/2012 15:15

Just had a convo with FWEx.

He isn't going to send the signed deed of house transfer back till he owns the house he is currently buying. He says that I said at the sol that as soon as house was mine I would eject him, I did say something like that, but twas before we agreed a date for it all to be done by, later in the same meeting. I actually said to him recently that I rescinded my early statement (yes, I actually said 'rescinded', where did that come from?). He doesn't seem to trust me Grin Brew

jan2011 · 07/08/2012 16:22

things r really hard. when i think about how upset and devastated he is and his family are - i get really upset. when i block it out of my mind, i feel ok, but am totally exhausted.

he wants to go to stay at his mums, me to stay in our rental house until things are sorted out, and to keep both names on the rent and all our finances together. he really wants to make it work and is going to go to counselling etc etc etc.

im so confused what to do. it would be much easier for me to stay in the house with hte baby. but i need him to properly give me space. sigh. i don't know what to do, his mum and dad are really upset and want to talk to my parents of all people. they haven't contacted me.

he is going away for a week and im worried they will be all upset with me - how do i face everyone? i feel like the bad guy in all this for breaking up the family!

TheSilverPussycat · 07/08/2012 16:41

jan you know you are not the bad guy. You are too stressed to actually decide anything atm, you could, if you feel up to it, take paper, pen and calculator and think through your options, as if for someone else. Also, enjoy your baby [hugs]

jan2011 · 07/08/2012 18:53

thanks silver. i might just make a list of little things i need to do because my head isn't working. calculations is just pushing it!

veeeee · 07/08/2012 19:11

jan how old is your baby?

TheSilverPussycat · 07/08/2012 19:36

Lists are good! (Actually, I don't get on with calculators - I use paper, pen and my head (and make mistakes! but I notice them Grin) then transfer to excel)

jan2011 · 07/08/2012 20:21

she's 10 months

louisa33333 · 07/08/2012 20:38

Hi, I am new to this and so relieved to find a post that is so helpful. If any of you have the time can you help me as i'm not sure if i am being emotionally abused and if i should leave my oh.
we have 2 children together. 6 and 8.
oh works hard, great at times, shouts 80% of the time, very nice in public, loses it on the smallest thing, threw shoe at our dog over something petty, eldest losing confidence, i'm always worried what mood oh in, nothing ever right. only happy when he has had a couple of drinks. never hit me. hates kids toys left out after use. no interest in children and i have to force the info on him. hates his job, but im not allowed to talk about his job, and therefore im also not allowed to discuss my job. really odd views.
Have u experienced similar? is there a solution?
Thanks for reading this.

louisa33333 · 07/08/2012 20:49

each thing i have listed on its own is petty, am i just blowing it out of proportion. He has never hit me.

TheSilverPussycat · 07/08/2012 20:59

That's the problem! We all know it - everything is trivial-seeming, but it is like being buried under a load of sand, grain by grain. And to friends it sounds like we are making a fuss over nothing . Welcome, louisa.

DoingItForMyself · 07/08/2012 21:08

None of that is petty Louisa, sadly he sounds like he fits a lot of the criteria of the partners we discuss on here. Well done for recognising it for what it is. Now, as ABitWobbly told me, its time to get to know the nature of the beast.

Read the links at the top of the thread to clarify how much he fits, but to be honest, even if he doesn't tick every box, he already ticks enough of them to make your life miserable. Whether there's anything you/he can do to make things better is very much up for debate. Personally I tried for years in lots of ways, but since giving up on the relationship (13 years + 3 kids) I am the happiest I have been in years. Its not without its complications and there have been very low times, but I'm only a couple of months into separation and feel like I'm 'coming back' from wherever I've been for the last few years.

My H was very much the same as yours (I refer to it as 'low level EA' as it wasn't outright nastiness, more neglect, the odd spiteful comment, no interest in things the DCs and I were doing.) and it is depressing sharing your life with someone who brings you down. You don't have to put up with it, for any reason. x

DoingItForMyself · 07/08/2012 21:08

Death By Paper Cuts.

veeeee · 07/08/2012 21:22

jan mine is too. I'm glad I'm not the only one with such a young one here iykwim

bertiebassett · 07/08/2012 21:58

Unbelievable

FWH just asked me if there was a third party involved....

He thinks that I must have met someone...

Why else would I want to divorce him?

Answers on a post(card) please...

bertiebassett · 07/08/2012 22:03

Hi louisa I'm afraid it all sounds very familiar...

My advice? Read as much as you can about EA and keep a diary of the things that are happening. It's so easy to forget these little things that happen but they all add up. They all wear you down.

Stay strong and keep posting...

newbeteacher · 08/08/2012 00:01

Hello ladies welcome louisa & yes I always felt like the things that were bothering me were petty but I knew after a while that it wasn't a normal healthy relationship.

Bertie I apparently must have been getting it somewhere else too!! Funny seeing as he was the one who was unfaithful. I also looked after the finances as he was inept & I agree with Fool another way to keep us trapped.

I am struggling emotional really am having dark days. Not helped by the fact that he will not see his children they are only 4 & 7 so they are both quite emotional at the moment. I know it's all to get at me but it hurts them more. Just need a light at the end of the tunnel Sad

bertiebassett · 08/08/2012 08:24

My mum laughed when I told her what NSDH said last night. As she said, I work full time, run the house, have brought up DS almost singlehanded...when would I have the time or energy to meet someone else?

newbe you're right. He's tarring me with his own brush. He found time to flirt and seek 'extramarital fun'...and also had the inclination to do so....so he assumes I'm the same. Sad

NoMoreNotNever · 08/08/2012 09:06

Just delurking to third that sentiment. My xP went behind my back with his ex, and ever since he's occasionally accused me of having an affair. Finding out after years together that your partner still has no idea what you are actually like as a person is appalling. I don't know who he thinks he's been living with for the last three years, but it appears it's not actually me at all - just some lesser, nastier, construction of his own. That is incredibly hurtful.