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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: 13

999 replies

CharlotteCollinsislost · 08/11/2012 09:10

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
a check list Use this site for some concise diagnostic lists and support
Signs of Abuse & Control Useful check list
why financial abuse is domestic violence Are 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.
www.heart-2-heart.ca/women/page1.htm heart to heart]] a wealth of information and personal experiences drawn together in one place

what couples therapy does for abusers

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:
tryingsoonflying · 22/11/2012 22:11

Maggie we got visited by the nit fairy too! also the worm fairy We just did the loads of conditioner plus nit combing thing every time we washed hair for a couple of weeks, it worked well. I must say that bloody nit comb got my hair in great condition and I now use it quite a bit anyway!

ponygirlcurtis · 22/11/2012 22:12

trying Grin at your pushy cat!

Maggie, do you think he deliberately stages these things so he has an excuse to blame you and stomp off to the pub? I used to wonder that about my ex who had has a drinking problem. If you hadn't mentioned the beer, maybe he'd have said/done something that would have forced you to say something, hence sanctioning (in his crazy heid) a walk-out to the pub.
You are not worthless. Nothing you are doing is worthless. He is worthless. Remember that. You're not at fault, he is.

Charlotte - just watched that video. It really got to me too, and I'm out of my situation. But not totally. I've still got one foot in it, one foot is still in the quicksand and I need to pull it out. Watching that video shocked me more than I thought it would, so many of the screens showed the words he used (or paraphrased them). I think they must give them out at some kind of FW seminar, they are just. all. the. same.

tryingsoonflying · 22/11/2012 22:24

Just watched the video too. It really wiped me out because it's miserably true for me too Sad

TisILeclerc · 22/11/2012 22:28

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

CharlotteCollinsislost · 22/11/2012 22:59

One bath (vigorous application of the nitcomb for me, too, Maggie!) and eight (yes, it's grown!) pages of clarity later, I'm feeling much more on top of things. Thank you all for your support and sense. trying - I think that's so true about human distortions of truth. pony - yes, I do think in my stronger moments that I am going to have to leave with or without anyone else's approval. If nobody irl gives me enough support, I shall just make a mad dash for Silver's house and refuse to leave! Wink

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CharlotteCollinsislost · 22/11/2012 23:00

Leclerc - that incident you just described is truly shocking. The entitlement with which he justifies violence is breathtaking. Put it on your page of clarity!

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Ginga66 · 22/11/2012 23:44

Hi peeps,

Very tired, v sad.
Took mum to hospital today. She's being investigated for heart problems, I had to take ds2 with me and could used help but as usual fw had more important things to do.
Not only that but he's taken strong dislike to ds1 playmate. I had agreed to have him over and fw has said no he's a bad influence. Ok he's a bit wild but calling a four year old psychotic a bit strong!
I was disagreeing with hm so he stopped the car suddenl with ds2 in I and got out and jus walked off.
He thinks his behaviour is reasonable.
I feel like I am co habiting with a depressed narcissist. I asked him to go to the doctor today to deal with his mood swings and panic attacks but of course I am the problem, he would like to change my personality apparently.
If I am so distasteful why doesn't he just go instead of playing with my emotions like a cat with. Mouse. Nice to me one minute, playing mind games the next.
Tells me my make up makesme look old, then corrects himself and says it covers up my natural beauty. What bollox.
I was a catch a few years ago I think. So worn down in confidence now. Do you notice they always say something crap about you just as you are about to go out and face the world.
I am just going to lie with with my baby and try not to cry. I feel so lonely.

MaggieMay05 · 23/11/2012 00:21

Oh Ginga stay strong, we all know how you are feeling Sad I think my friends that I haven't seen for years wouldn't even know me now. I used to make such an effort and now have just been made to feel so crap by FW feel its not work making the effort anymore. Need to snap out of it me thinks and not care what FW thinks Blush before I turn into an old hag!

FW returned around 10pm ish-drunk-said he only had a few (more than a few to me). He has since been picking on me since arriving home. Whatever I say has been wrong and wait for it....I am really nasty and treat him as if he's thick and it really upsets him. OOooooookkkkaaayyyy then.

BTW-just a little survey-does anyone else keep getting the ad for the PELVIC TONER at the bottom of this page? Or are MN just trying to tell me something?!! ok, I admit, sometimes I do a little wee when I laugh too much!

MaggieMay05 · 23/11/2012 01:51

Ps-just managed to watch that video in private. Thanks Charlotte for posting. It really hits home hey? Sad Sad Sad

MaggieMay05 · 23/11/2012 03:16

Resident insomnic here again Grin just catching up on posts properly...Leclerc I too get told its my fault when violence occurs here...of course it was because HE was acting in self defence Shock alrighty then.

Is anyone else absolutely dreading christmas like me? Can't actually remember a happy christmas-EVER. How sad is that? FW always works xmas day and the day is pretty much structured around whatever shift he's on. I'm making a virtual commune pledge ladies-I promise myself, my DC and my wonderful thread friends this will be my very last unhappy christmas. this time next year we will be happily living in silvers commune, eating mince pies and drinking mulled wine! wishing you all have a happy friday! Thanks

Whatshappenedtous · 23/11/2012 06:10

Wow but Sad just watched that video and all the things sound TOO familiar Sad it's really hit home never labelled him as an abuser before but now there's nothing else that describes him best SadSadSadSad

CharlotteCollinsislost · 23/11/2012 06:30

All four dcs were in my room by morning. DS doesn't like to be by himself, dd2 gets scared and can't sleep, dd3 is in there anyway - at least she was in her own bed, and dd1 crept in rather noisily, switched a side light on to check the time, whispered it to me as she wakes up early and normally I appreciate a time check.

Got up in a grump this morning, though, wondering if they should all share my bed and I'll have the top floor to myself where the 3 elder ones sleep. I have backache from being pushed into all sorts of funny positions by knees and elbows. Their sleep is worse when FW's away and he's in the middle of a month-long trip. All the more reason to look round for a small unscary house to move into when we move out...

OP posts:
CharlotteCollinsislost · 23/11/2012 06:31

Just feeling the weight of looking after all of them all by myself... May well be easier when it's all the time, not come and go.

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TisILeclerc · 23/11/2012 08:13

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NiniLegsInTheAir · 23/11/2012 09:50

Sorry I've been AWOL again ladies, life is keeping me far too busy and not in a good way. Work is on my back, studying not going well, DD having major tantrums over everything which is wearing me out, house is a tip, trying to sort out stuff for an NCT sale tomorrow. And in the middle of it all, NSDH thinks things are great. Hmm

Counselling on Monday was ok but the counsellor appears to be winding us down towards a 'review' session now. Nothing of note happened, but when I described his behaviour at my family party a few weeks back (him slagging off the music, getting badly drunk, throwing up in my mum's car), I said I thought his behaviour was unacceptable - she turned it around into saying it was positive as we didn't argue as a result. He agreed with her of courseHmm. Am I in an alternate universe?

ginga, so sorry to hear you're feeling sad Sad, stay strong and keep talking here, you're not alone.

Bertiebassett · 23/11/2012 12:22

nini I really don't think you should be doing joint counselling...I tried it myself for 7 sessions and realised that it just didn't help.

In fact it made things a lot worse as I realised that FW was prepared to lie (I'd never thought he would before then)...and that he wouldn't take responsibility for his own behaviour but would shift the blame to me (or anyone else he could think of). I lost all remaining respect for him in those counselling sessions...Sad

I hope you see that it's not going to help you? Xxx

TisILeclerc · 23/11/2012 12:22

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kittybiscuits · 23/11/2012 12:58

Hi everyone. That doesn't sound great nini. I ended couple counselling after a dozen sessions. I realized that it did not matter what degree of abusive behaviour I took to the sessions, it always met with a 'yes now let's get on with what we're here to do'. On the whole, couple counsellors tend to adopt a six of one and half a dozen of the other approach, or a no-blame stance. That is why it's so unhelpful in an abusive situation. My protests that he was being abusive in the sessions (telling constant huge lies about me/himself/events) were also equally overlooked. At least I recovered some confidence when I made the decision not to go through that destructive process any more. I met individually with the counsellor and told her I had felt unsupported, that she had taken his side, and that she had not challenged him even when presented with evidence of his behaviour. On one occasion, he actually had to admit in the session that he had lied about me in the previous session...and what happened? Nothing! He was furious for months that I stopped the therapy. He said I was ending the relationship. In a way, the therapy had started to feel like the relationship with my partner. I wasn't being heard, a lot of untruths were told about me, and he was coming away with selective snippets and quotes that supported his view that he is not the problem at all. When I said 'that's enough' and walked away, I felt like it was good practice for the future!

Just seen your post bertie - it sounds the same, but you didn't rant and I did. I hope you will know when you're ready to walk away from this nini .

NiniLegsInTheAir · 23/11/2012 13:57

Thanks Bertie and Kitty. Everyone here has warned me off couples counselling, and I do feel a bit undecided about it all.

On the plus side, in some areas NSDH has improved. He can't bear for people outside our relationship to think he's a 'bad guy' so he is doing more than he was. I'm just not sure if it's enough. My own counsellor thinks we need to stay in couples counselling as it's the only thing that prevents him from slipping back to his old ways and at least in sessions I get heard.

I'm confused.

CharlotteCollinsislost · 23/11/2012 14:03

Nini, sorry to hear things are getting on top of you. I suppose it's good that the counsellor's winding down to a review - she must be admitting there's not much more she can do! And then you can feel you gave it your best and another part of your plan towards leaving ticked off.

((Hugs)) and a Brew - hope the NCT sale goes well!

Had an unplanned dry run for this evening's talk with my parents when I found myself admitting it all to a friend at toddler swimming this morning! There'll be no stopping me talking about it soon! She was a bit "Ooh, you both need help" but towards the end she was running out of positive ideas and seeing how impossible the marriage is!

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CharlotteCollinsislost · 23/11/2012 14:04

x-posted.

She thinks you get heard. You don't (from what you've said). Don't be fooled, lovely girl.

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NiniLegsInTheAir · 23/11/2012 14:10

Thanks Charlotte. Got loads still to tag up for the sale (why does it always take so long???). Right now I feel right on the edge, up to my mental and physical capacity with nothing left to give. It's a very scary feeling.

Good luck with talking to your parents tonight, I'm sure they'll be very supportive of you Smile

MaggieMay05 · 23/11/2012 14:32

Charlotte well done for starting to talk about it, hope all goes well with your parents too. At first my DMum tried to brush it off but the more information I gave her about the abuse the more supportive she is, same with my DBro and best friend and FWs mum. They now know pretty much everything apart from the physical violence bit-that I think I will always keep secretive as feel so stupid for taking it all these years, although DBro knows if I give him a signal something PA has happened and I need help. My dad just thinks there is a problem, I'm not going into detail with him as he is ex-EA so doubt would understand and may even cause probs for my escape. Good luck. Will be thinking of you. Telling people in RL and seeing their responses actually made me realise what a bad situation I was trapped in and that I had just normalised it all for the last 13 years.

Nini lots to think about re the councilling, follow your gut instinct and don't let anyone bully you into continuing if you don't want to. My FW has a doctors appt on wednesday-the first step to him admitting there is a problem. I'm going with him to make sure he tells them the real situation but do worry they will just fob us off and push us into couples councilling. In reality I think he needs a personality disorder test/mental health help. Hope everything goes the way you want it to going forward with the sessions.

Pony thanks..yes I totally thinks he sets up the rows so he can go to the pub. He is off work tonight so will see what happens tonight. My prediction-pick a row, storm off to pub-not come home until wee hours. I will be doing my best to work on detaching tonight to avoid it all.

Leclerc I posted on that other thread-made me feel very sad explaining my situation-feel like I sometimes forget how bad it actually is and have normalised it all if you know what I mean Sad. Read your post too, if I've not told you before you are very brave and an inspiraion to a lot of us trying to escape on here ((hugs))

Hope everyone else is doing ok (sorry if missed anyone) glad to hear I'm not the only one that has recently had the hair visitors! They are literally doing my head in!

TisILeclerc · 23/11/2012 14:58

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Bertiebassett · 23/11/2012 18:26

So...my divorce is progressing nicely. FW hasn't returned the 'acknowledgement of service' form within the required 14 days and his solicitor isn't responding to any messages. I have evidence that they've both received all the necessary information so can only conclude they're either delaying or ignoring.

Therefore my rather aggressive solicitor has now applied direct to the court for the decree nisi...and FW has lost his chance to object to my grounds Grin