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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

Finding it hard to trust in a new relationship

7 replies

trustyourvibes · 23/07/2012 11:23

Hi,
bit of background history: 2 failed marriages :both have fallen apart for the same reason -infidelity. For about a year now, I've felt like a broken woman. There have been numerous other incidences occuring (not related to relationships) which have led to me finally having a breakdown of sorts. I recently suffered a small brain haemorrage. I have 2 small children from my 2nd marriage.

At the start of this year I began a relationship with an old friend who I knew from before my second marriage. It was very romantic but I did warn him that due to my past relationships ending in the same way, I do find it hard to trust and am very fragile. He seemed to be loving and reassuring about that at the time. In many regards I feel that this is the best relationship I have ever known. In one critical area though its a disaster zone; and that's me not being able to trust. It's tearing the both of us apart.
About 7 months on we've had numerous fallouts. I don't want to waffle on, but on the whole I struggle with the following and would love to have some opinions on these:

We are very close for days at a time (lots of contact/emails/text), then suddenly he vanishes. No email contact, no phonecalls or texts for about 2 days at a time. I have contacted him2 or 3 times during these quiet periods,
and he's pleasant on the phone. Ive obviously raised this with him several times, and he started off by concluding that he 'needs to touch base' with me daily...but then got very angry around april this year, sending me a v angry text to say that he was up half the night trying to think of what to say in todays text..and that he shouldnt have to feel compelled to write a msg to a person daily if there's nothing meaningful to say. My thoughts were...what about 'I love you' ..simply?

Last week he told me that a spanish female friend of his is coming to stay with him for a few days in august, and that the week before that he'll be busy training a worker. This was emailed to me, not told to me in person when we met earlier that day. He added that if I wanted to join in with any of the activities (proms etc) 'it would be a delight'.

I met him to discuss this 'calmly' I asked how he knows her etc. He explained but was clearly upset about being questioned. I told him that any woman would feel concerned if an unknown female was coming to stay at the flat of her boyfriend. He said that if it were the other way round, or if I were to go and stay with a male friend in another city - he would trust me.

Am I being overly paranoid here? Or is he being naiive?
I'm completely confused and totally fed up. I cannot relax in this relationship, he wants out because of the complete lack of trust although he's reluctant to say so. He definitely wants a break. I love him so much but wonder if I can ever be with him or anyone for that matter.

Any thoughts appreciated
thankyou

OP posts:
trustyourvibes · 23/07/2012 14:09

Anyone? ...

OP posts:
Slashtrophe · 23/07/2012 14:18

IMHO, he doesn't sound particularly sympathetic considering your circs. Or actually that trustworthy.

HappyGirlNow · 23/07/2012 14:24

Personally, I don't think expecting daily contact, even if it's just a quick catch up on the days events, is unreasonable. And I free that most women would be concerned about another woman staying with their boyfriend.

Whether he's up to anything or not, it certainly seems like your expectations of what a relationship entails are incompatible with each other. I'm sorry you're upset, I too have had bad relationships but I've currently been in one for the last four years and he's never given me a moments worry. You'll meet someone like that too but it doesn't seem like this man is the one.

CogitoErgoSometimes · 23/07/2012 16:20

I don't know about trust but I think what's clear is that you want different things and have different expectations about the relationships. You'd like something very loving, close & exclusive with lots of communication and reassurance. He prefers the single life, doesn't like interference or questioning and wants to be in touch only when it suits. Could be he's being dishonest. Could be he's finding you too needy. However, there's obviously a mismatch here that isn't going to be easily resolved.

Houseofplain · 23/07/2012 16:46

Whether he's a guddun or baddun. It's way too soon to be in a relationship. Admitting how fragile you are and being ultra needy is a beacon to piss takers.

So it's not going to work either way by the sounds of it...

tribpot · 23/07/2012 16:52

The sudden vanishings sound weird. If he wants to have some down time, and perhaps wants to switch off from the world entirely, why not say that, rather than say he 'has' to text you and then get grumpy about going through with what he decided was appropriate to allay your fears.

The female friend I would be less concerned about, he's inviting you to socialise with them? I think it's probably above-board but he may have fumbled a bit trying to work out the best way to tell you about it.

trustyourvibes · 23/07/2012 18:33

Thankyou ...so much. Good to hear other opinions..

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