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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

Husbands, masturbation & paranoia......

180 replies

ParanoidWife · 05/01/2004 21:40

DH and I always had a great sex life pre DD but things have certainly slowed down since her birth, due to my sex drive dying a rapid and almost complete death (sex reduced to once a month MAX). Our DD is now a happy healthy toddler and only recently has the physical side of our marriage picked up a little, we have had sex twice this week and DH has orgasmed 3 times (once via non penetrative contact IYSWIM). I know DH still has sexual urges, his sex drive is fairly average.

I am learning to drive and I have a couple of one hour lessons per week. A few weeks ago I came home from a lesson and DH was in the bath. I popped into the spare room for a sneaky 5 mins on MN and there was something on the desk, it was clearly semen. I checked the history and the temp internet files on the pc and they had all been wiped clean (DH is in IT). DH got out of the bath and came into the spare room to say hello. When he got in I jokily said 'you need to get yourself a better towel, next time' (or something to that effect). He said 'what are you on about ?!' I pointed to the fluid on the desk and looked at him quizzically. He denied it was semen or that he even knew what it was and how it got there. I KNEW he way lying so I calmly turned off the pc and went downstairs DH came down and admitted that it was semen and that he had been masturbating to images on the internet. I told him that I would prefer it if he wasn't so secretve about it as it makes me think that there is more to it (ie is he cheating on me in chat rooms etc). He said he understood that I would feel insecure and I asked him to not delete the addresses off our PC in future (we share our own private profile so kids wouldn't ever get access to it). He agreed.

Anyway, I had another lesson tonight, we had an hour together (in front of the tv) and he went out to his sports club. Naturally I came in here to go on MN when he left. I checked the history and sure enough he'd been downloading mpegs with titles like 'mouthf*ck' and 'dirty double penetration'. At least he'd kept the history.

My point is that I've lost a lot of confidence in my body/sexual attractiveness since childbirth. DH does his best to reassure me, and sometimes I even believe him. Then I find out that he is w*nking over leggy slim blondes and it all goes out of the window I know that it is all fantasy but part of me can't help thinking that he'd rather be with them than me, the thought makes me feel physically ill.

Looking at the properties on history I can see that I was barely out of the door before he was up here with his pants down

I don't want to deny him his right to do whatever he pleases with his own body in his own time, but how can I feel better about it ? How do I convince myself that his masturbation bears little or no relation to me ? Is that even true ?

Thanks
An embarrassed regular Mumsnetter

OP posts:
ParanoidWife · 06/01/2004 10:17

Thanks Thomcat, good to have you back. Hope you had a nice Christmas & New Year

OP posts:
ThomCat · 06/01/2004 10:25

Your welcome lovely lady! I can't guess who you are from this post but you sounded so sweet and I know I shouldn't but I did have to have a little giggle to myself a couple of times - your post was so honest and open and the way you worded a couple of things just made me giggle - sorry mate!

I had a great festive season - hope to chat to you under your real name somewhere else about it!!
Lots of love to you - TC xx

googs · 06/01/2004 10:28

Hi, I had the same problem with my dh a couple of years ago. I was deeply upset and hurt when I found what was on the history file and confronted him about it. He was very defensive and didn't show any understanding of my feelings at all. I think he was so embarrassed that he'd be caught that he put up his guard, refusing to discuss it without turning the blame on me somehow.

The reason I was so upset was because he rarely initiates sex with me and never has done. I honestly wouldn't ahve minded so much if he'd been sexually attentive towards me too. I was his first women IYSWIM and he's never been confident in bed so I think porn is the one situation he can feel in control of. I don't actually have a problem with him looking at porn because I feel it's quite normal male activity, but the secrecy of it, and defensiveness after was what also upset me. Anyway, now it's all sorted out, we finally talked openly about it, and while our sex life is still far from ideal I no longer feel that he's using porn instead of me. Basically as long as he demonstrates that he desires me too then I don't think I'd be upset if Idiscovered he'd been looking at porn again. That's the main thing.

I can really understand why you're upset, and I think it's a common situation. You ask how to feel better about the situation. I would advise that you remind yourself that he clearly desires you and loves you and that the porn is something entirely separate from his emotions for his wife.

SpringChicken · 06/01/2004 10:30

Hi PW,

I know exactly where you are coming from although not to the same extent.

My DP went through a stage a few weeks ago of masterbating constantly - i mean like 4 times a day!

I was in very early pregnancy at the time and it made me feel inadequate - i knew that everytime i was going up to bed he was putting one of his "films" on and relieving himself.
Now i know every bloke does it and it wouldn't be right if they didn't, it the amount he was doing it that was getting to me.

When i talked to him about it he just went frosty and said it was normal but over Xmas admitted that he went through a stage of knowing that i was too tired for any hanky panky and just sitting downstairs "sorting himself out" as he knew he wasn't going to get any from me!

Anyway, i know he still does it but it's not as frequent now, maybe because i'm not constantly tired and am a bit more "helpful" in that department now.
I personally think i takes things like this for both parties to realise certain things about each other and their relationship - i was blamey DP for being a dirty bastard, wanking all the time, when in fact i wasn't helping the problem - not saying it was my fault, i was contributing to the problem though!

Anyway, enough said - hope you manage to sort it out soon - only thing i would suggest would be to talk to DH about it in a jovial way but get your point and feelings across - if he's anything like my DP he will freeze up the minute he thinks it's a serious problem!

Good Luck

StressyHead · 06/01/2004 10:32

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JJ · 06/01/2004 10:33

I'm of two minds about this. On the one hand, I agree with the "it's normal for guys to do this, don't worry" posts and my husband does download porn on a regular basis (I'm sure he's going to love me for telling all you that!).

But I think your husband should respect the way it makes you feel. It seems like you have the most issues with the movies and that the pictures wouldn't bother you so much. Is that true? Then tell him that. Also tell him that it makes you not want him so much anymore. Would you be happier if he bought mags? Then buy him some (or get him to..) and tell him that you understand his need, but using the computer makes you really uncomfortable. I have to admit that the filenames of some of the stuff are more disgusting to me than the files themselves.

That having been said, if you can somehow make yourself not be bothered by it, that's probably the best answer. An attitude like that will come in time as you grow more confident in yourself and all the changes the last few years have brought.

zebra · 06/01/2004 10:40

Agree with JJ, PW has every right to ask her husband to be more discrete about it.

codswallop · 06/01/2004 11:06

I agre that its normal but that is easy to say to other people isnt it?!

Poor you P wife.

I know what you are getting at

momsy · 06/01/2004 11:50

Just to add I have also found porn sites on our temporary internet files but this is one where my DH is obviously a member - I haven't worked up the nerve to confront him about it yet - part of me tries to rationalise it - all men do it etc - but I don't like the idea that he pays - but if it was a magagzine or a video he would also be paying and he doesn't seem to do it that often, usually if I am away. On the upside he occasionally introduces "new" things IYKWIM which I assume come from the porn. Sorry rambling but makes me feel better that I am not alone in feeling upset by it.

Dadslib · 06/01/2004 12:43

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Twinkie · 06/01/2004 12:46

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Dadslib · 06/01/2004 12:52

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Mardy · 06/01/2004 12:54

Twinkie, yes I am female thank you very much. And of course sperm will eventually be absorbed into the body. We are talking about what happens before it gets to that stage are we not?

Twinkie · 06/01/2004 12:58

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victoriapeckham · 06/01/2004 13:02

Dadslib: is there any wonder your wife does not want to shag you? Your contempt for her and all women just oozes from the page. That is why you come on Mumsnet to wind up other women and violate intimate threads about the most personal issues, hoping it will make women who have posted uncomfortable. Why don t you log on to Punternet.com where you belong.

And since you masturbate so much you could at least learn to spell it.

Mardy · 06/01/2004 13:03

If he had an affair with someone wouldn't that be very bad ? I'm not suggesting that might happen in any particular case, but surely that would be bad wouldn't it ?

Twinkie · 06/01/2004 13:05

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Mardy · 06/01/2004 13:10

Well such a person might well be a complete wanker but he would still be a person and it would still be a relationship. Enjoy your noodles.

Rhubarb · 06/01/2004 13:13

Aha - thought I might find Dadslib on here! Are you going to the M/cr meet-up or wot???
Sorry to butt in on the thread like this! And btw Dadslib, my dh says you're wrong, so there!

motherinferior · 06/01/2004 13:24

Mardy, are you suggesting that men have this uncontrollable sex drive that means they just can't cope without an 'outlet'? I really don't agree. Sure, my dp hasn't enjoyed his severely curtailed sex life over the past couple of years (and has ahem somewhat more of a spring in his step since a few recent lie-ins - come to that so have I) but no way would I see this as a reason why he'd take up with someone else.

PW, I would be very upset too. For lots of reasons. Please re-read Twinkie's great posts whenever you feel any self-doubt!

Dadslib · 06/01/2004 13:25

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Mardy · 06/01/2004 13:31

Of course I am not, motherinferior, although there may be some somewhere that would be unable to cope. I am saying that it takes all sorts and not everyone is so fortunate with their partner. If there were no problems then mn would not exist I imagine!

Dadslib · 06/01/2004 13:38

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Twinkie · 06/01/2004 13:57

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ParanoidWife · 06/01/2004 13:58

Well, well, well ! I only disappeared for a couple of hours and look what happened !

Dadslib, we have 'met' before and I generally find your male view quite interesting but I have to say that you 'frank' post was neither helpful nor informative, so thanks for that

Dadslib and VP, would you kindly take your argument/disagreement/venom elsewhere. This thread does not call for petty squabbling. Thanks

To all who have posted ADVICE and words of support/understanding, thanks very much. It really means a lot to know that even though I am currently 'anon' you are still being as good to me as you are when I use my usual pen-name.

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