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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

How can everything that goes wrong be my fault?

22 replies

nellygreeneyes · 30/07/2012 12:38

Apparently dd is clingy and whiney because I breast fed her on demand and picked her up too much when she was a baby. I always picked her up as soon as she cried, I thought this was the right thing to do. Apparently all his friends and families kids are much better behaved than ours because they were bottle fed and not picked up the second they cried. He says that I have made them spoilt, whiny and clingy because I did this and he says it every time they have a tantrum or behave badly. Dd wouldnt eat her breakfast this morning and it all got rather fraught. His words were "well its your fault she is like this, because of your breastfeeding and picking her up whenever she cried, you made her like this". This is what his parents used to say when they were babies and now he is saying it.

Its not just this its loads of stuff. A friend of mine got engaged this morning and I saw her beautiful ring on FB and just cried and cried. I don't have mine any more, he sold it because times were tough and we needed the money, no we didn't he took the money to go out with.

He was unfaithful to me but says it was my fault because we weren't sleeping in the same bed, this was because he was working nights and then would drink when he came home and I didn't want him in the room with my new born dd while he was drunk. When I say drink I mean 6 or 7 pints but apparently THAT was my fault too because I made him so miserable and nagged him so much he HAD to drink.

I don't even want to say anything else that has gone on. I am fine when he is not here but as soon as he comes here I am on edge and go off like a firework over the smallest thing.

We are separated already but were talking about trying again. Every time I get my head straight he says this kind of stuff. I was so sure that the way I had done things with the dc was good and he has even pissed on that. He will say these things as a statement of fact and then refuse to discuss it any further so I am left with these things whirring round in my head and no way to talk about it. You can't reason with him. To him these things are fact. If I get upset it is because I am ; having "mood swings" "is it that time of month?" "mad" etc.

He says he is different now but I won't give it a proper chance because of everything he did in the past and all the stuff he did in the past was all my fault anyway. I don't know anything anymore.

OP posts:
HotDAMNlifeisgood · 30/07/2012 12:43

He is awful.

Stay away from him: his purpose is to mess with your head and keep you down.

You deserve better.

Stay free and independent from him, without contact: your mood and clearsightedness will markedly improve, and you will wonder why you ever gave him the time of day in the first place.

Is counselling an option, for you to work through your feelings, and explore the reasons why you got together with such a belittling man in the first place?

cuttingpicassostoenails · 30/07/2012 12:47

Please don't get back with this vile excuse for a man.

CogitoErgOlympics · 30/07/2012 12:48

A popular method of controlling someone is to pick holes in everything they do, think or say until they get to the stage where they are doubting themselves. Chuck in some blame and the victim starts altering their behaviour, trying to please. Once the victim is nicely confused and on the back-foot, then the abuser can sweep in and dominate.

There will be nothing wrong with your parenting skills - it's just an emotional stick for him to beat you with.

Limit your contact with this horrible man to matter-of-fact arrangements for any children only. Do not engage in discussion and don't spend any time with him. Do not 'try again'.... because he doesn't want to try anything except to dominate you. Keep your distance so he can't mess with your head and get you doubting yourself again.

cestlavielife · 30/07/2012 12:57

everything will always be your fault.

please split up now while dd is young.
you will do so much better without him.

yes he will still blame you - for splitting up with him - but you should know you canno win whatever you do so you need to be somewher you can ignore him ie long way away.

nellygreeneyes · 30/07/2012 13:03

Thank you. I know you are right. I got sucked in again. I feel much calmer already reading your replies. I don't think he does it just to get me under control, he really does believe I am a shit mother, shit wife, mad, made him miserable so he had to drink etc. Btw he has continued to drink even during the separation but I suppose that is my fault too. I really thought things might be different this time. He seemed so genuine. I should have sensed things were going to go this way though. I always did when we were together. Things would go swimmingly for a few weeks and then I would start to feel edgy and sure enough a few days later he would go off on one. I must have learned to read the signals without realising it.

OP posts:
CogitoErgOlympics · 30/07/2012 13:12

"he really does believe I am a shit mother, shit wife, mad, made him miserable so he had to drink etc"

If he really thought that, he wouldn't be with you. He does it to keep you in your place. They all do it. It's very common, unfortunately.

tallwivglasses · 30/07/2012 13:13

"I don't even want to say anything else that has gone on"

I think those of us familiar with abusive men will have some idea Sad

Dump him. Preferably from a great height.

It's amazing he and his family know more than the NHS and World Health Organisation about breastfeeding Hmm

Anniegetyourgun · 30/07/2012 13:49

You do realise that he is actually talking a load of rubbish, don't you? Doesn't really matter whether he believes it or not, it still isn't true.

Well done for getting away; now make it stick.

SundaysGirl · 30/07/2012 14:12

"he really does believe I am a shit mother, shit wife, mad, made him miserable so he had to drink etc"

Yea they like it when you think like that. I can GUARANTEE you he ACTUALLY thinks the exact opposite. He KNOWS you are a wonderful mother, lovely wife and totally sane and that his misery is entirely because of his own inadequacies. Thats why he tries to make you believe it's all your fault and YOU are rubbish. Deep down he knows thats utter bullshit, or he wouldn't need to try and make you feel that way.

You've done brilliantly to idnetify the patterns and begin to accept he will never change. I would strongly advise you to try your hardest to really accept on every level that he will not change, that he will never make you happy and don't give him any more chances. You'll be so much happier as I expect you already realise.

Good luck!!!

Twiggy71 · 30/07/2012 14:28

Please please don't get back with him you deserve so much more and you deserve to be happy...

He sounds just like my exh we have been separated 3 1/2 years and he still would like to control me but I won't let him.

These men never change as you found out for yourself they pretend to be something else for a while and then revert to type again..

I can still hear his voice in my head when I feel down but I pull myself up out of it as that means he is still mentally getting to me...

Get yourself some counselling and a life where you can be happy without this never ending cycle of abuse that these men put us through....x

sassy34264 · 30/07/2012 14:44

ive been separated from my exdp for 11 years this sept, and im still a shit mother!

our 12 year old dd wants nothing to do with him and thats my fault- take your pick- for turning her against him, or, 'she does want to see me, but you are stopping her. '

you need a mantra- either say it in your head or out loud.

examples-
whatever! (teenage style)
oh do shut up, there's a love. (sarcastic style)
fuck off and when you get there, fuck off some more (aggressive style)

Grin

just dont go back- he's a tosser and he ain't changing in this life time. do youself a huge favour and tell him to jog on.

PackItInNow · 30/07/2012 14:46

Your DD has not been made clingy and whingy, she is confident in herself that you will see to her needs, unlike your partner.

You did not make your partner drink, he CHOSE to drink.

HE was unfaithful, not because of anything you did, but because HE CHOSE TO BE unfaithful.

All the things HE blames you for are some of the reasons you shouldn't go back to him and try again.

Next time he tells you that you made him do the above, this, that or the other, ask him if you put a loaded gun to his head and made him choose between his life or what he did. If he says "No but", simply cut him off at that point, tell him that "There are no buts" and that unless you had done so, then it was HE who CHOSE to do those things.

TBH, I think he's blaming you as deflection from his own inadequacies. Don't let him win, hold your head up and tell him straight that no amount of him changing will make you want him back. If he tries to run/grind you down by going down and dragging you and your DD through the custody/access route let him try. You have nothing to fear as you've been a very loving, attentive mother who put her child first. That's the way it should be.

I really hope you get this sorted for yours and your DD's sake and happiness.

Lovemy3kids · 30/07/2012 14:49

My STBXH blamed me for all 3 of his affairs, his drinking (and then the fact that he gave up drinking - though he was given an ultimatum there), his bankruptcy was my fault (even though I knew nothing of his business), the fact that he found it hard to communicate and talk to people was my fault....absolutely EVERYTHING was my fault. Since I left him, i realise that he was just a vile, nasty person and very controlling and he actually made me believe that it was my fault. Please don't go back to him as a leopard never changes his spots (as STBXH cheated twice on his first GF since we split, and didn't like the fact that I told her - at least when he blamed me for that i could turn around and say "yes i know"!!!). Grin

BlueSkySoftSand · 30/07/2012 14:49

Fricking hell, he sounds like an absolute turd.

Perhaps the children and clingy because they sense the tense atmosphere between you both.

From what you've said, it sounds like you (and the children) are better off without him.

sassy34264 · 30/07/2012 14:51

x posts with packitin.

mine has done the court thing- for 10 years! back for another round beginning of august.

dont let it bother you-i have had full custody the whole time.

MrsTomHardy · 30/07/2012 14:54

Please dont take him back!
He is an arse

nellygreeneyes · 30/07/2012 21:53

Thanks for your replies. Don't worry I won't be taking him back. He has told me that he won't ever speak to me again but will be "watching" me as I am such a shit mother I will damage the kids with the way I parent blah blah blah! Oh and he is going away for a while and doesn't know when he will see the kids again, oh I am just overwhelmed with the mystery of it all!

Had a massive load of abuse on MSN this afternoon, I have noticed that he actually just makes things up or puts the most unpleasant untruthful slant on the most innocent of comments from me and then a week later brings it up as evidence of what a shit, weird, disgusting person I am. Do they all do this?

It just really messes with my head while it's happening though Sad.

OP posts:
sassy34264 · 30/07/2012 22:54

yes mine does that too. i think bloody know mine has a personality disorder. google it and read all the different types (theres not that many) and see if you recognise him in any descriptions.

it's best not to engage in any unnessary communication. they love a platform to tell you how shit you are. (except, if he's going away, he cant be that worried about his dc) ignore any personal attacks, never ever defend/explain/discuss anything. they hate that. it drives them nuts! hehehe.

only ever reply to necessay stuff, ie, dc's contact time, school play, sports day etc.

sassy34264 · 30/07/2012 22:56

it doesnt mess with my head- i have totally excepted he is a fruit loop.

Totally acceptance and disengagement will right your head once more- i guarantee.

sassy34264 · 30/07/2012 23:00

*accepted

doh!

tallwivglasses · 31/07/2012 00:15

Hmm. How's he going to be watching you if he's going away for a while? He didn't think that one through, did he? Not very bright...

Inadeeptrance · 31/07/2012 01:04

Please stay as far away from this excuse for a man as you can and read the Lundy Bancroft book 'Why does he do that?'. You will recognise him in there and it will help you to realise what the games that he is playing with your head are.

This is your chance to be happy and start again. Please, please take it.

Life will be a million times better when you are well away from him. You deserve better.

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