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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

New partner needing 'time'

951 replies

confusedisitme · 19/05/2013 15:54

I've recently started seeing someone - it's been under a month officially but we were very close before that for about 6 months.

He seems to come across as quite intense in his 'feelings' - always saying things like how he's broken, doesn't wan to lose me (said in that breathless, urgent way you'd imagine someone to say it in a cheesy american movie!) and the first week we were together he kept saying how strong his feelings were, felt like we'd been together a lot longer and all that stuff.

However, because he'd recently split up with someone and because of the fact I don't get on with a family member of his (I knew this family member before I knew him and we've never got along), he's been reluctant to tell anyone he's seeing me - he wanted to wait until the summer and then he felt like he'd be able to tell his close family members (including this person that hates me).
This caused issues between us, because I felt like we couldn't go out anywhere - he'd come and visit me at home, stay over etc and we have been out a few times out of town, but I want to just be able to go to the local restaurant or something in town and not worry that he'll be looking over his shoulder. He says I want everything 'now' and it's not possible...so because of this we argue - not full on rows, but niggly sort of things where usually one of us says we can't cope with it, and it's all up in the air again.

We were due to go out last night together, in town for a meal.

It'd been planned for 2 weeks, I had got my mum to have my three children overnight so we could go out (which meant me buying air beds and a travel cot so they could sleep at her house), and then Friday morning I had asked him to come over that night because we had been arguing and I wanted to try and fix us before I could go out with him the next night...eventually he agreed, we had a slight niggle but the rest of the night was fine, he said he couldn't lose me, the next morning he was very loving and we left on a good note - although he hadn't gone to sleep when I told him to that night, instead he kept trying it on for 90 minutes so we ended up only having about 4 hours' sleep :(

It got to 5pm on Saturday, the kids had already gone to my mum's and he text saying he was very tired, hadn't had a chance to sleep and would have to stay home - then didn't seem to understand why I was pissed off. I asked him to stick to the arrangements, he said he needed sleep and it spiralled into this massive argument and him refusing to even come over and see me, but stay in the house with me and not go out...which annoyed me further.

Eventually at 9pm he agreed to come over but sleep on the sofa, but said it would be finished for good if I "made him" come over...so he turned up, was very cold (I'd hoped I could win him round a bit but it didn't happen) and eventually left again after saying he couldn't handle this, and I should've let him stay at home.

He's now saying we need to "work on positive texts and see how we go" - we can't see each other now until the weekend after next as we both have commitments, so he wants me to basically just send him chatty, random texts through the next couple of weeks, effectively covering up how hurt I am and not talking about 'us' until he decides whether he misses me and wants to try again or not.

I understand that all this arguing has got him down; it has me too, but on Friday night he said he can't lose me with that sense of urgency and passion that made it seem like he loved me...then last night he said his feelings had significantly reduced over the past week or so and he wants to se if he can get them back - to me, I don't want to wait around to see if his feelings reappear; if they went in the first place (mine haven't, despite the arguing) then it feels like I'd be losing the self respect I still have left by taking him back if he decided he wanted to.

Does that make sense at all?

Apologies for the essay...I suppose I'm just wondering if he's being unreasonable in what he's asking of me now, or I am.

PS - he did text me last night saying that he can't see how he can be with me, but the thought of not being with me hurts him like crazy; and that he just needs a bit of space from the arguing, and just positive texting for a week or so, and see if it helps his feelings reappear.

OP posts:
HerrenaLovesStarTrek · 19/05/2013 22:01

op, I got halfway through your thread and gave up because it was so frustrating to see you deliberately fixating on everything that you feel is wrong with YOU, not him.

Why would you want to be with someone who can't give you a simple answer/guide to their future behaviour and then stick to it? Genuine question.

Anyway, I don't think it matters. You sound like you need to get counselling because you clearly don't think very much of yourself and mum with low self-esteem+young kids+a wish for a relationship with anybody = badness, most of the time.

You have my sympathy because that must be horrible to read, much less think. Still, I think that's the truth. And the guy you are describing reminds me very much of a wishy washy waste of space I once dated, briefly. He too was a drama llama and I felt better once I'd dumped him. I imagine many other posters here are forming their assessment of your guy based on how much he sounds like their previous partners.

It's just possible that your guy is a rare flower who says exactly the same things as predictable over-dramatic timewasters but is actually completely different to them. Possible, yet highly unlikely.

Please take some time to get help and become comfortable with yourself, op. You really do not need this idiot.

confusedisitme · 19/05/2013 22:02

forum the kids were at my mum's, hence why I felt emotional.

OP posts:
FreddieMisaGREATshag · 19/05/2013 22:02

Whoever is to blame and what way it all started, together you are fucked up.

Let him go.

Get some counselling and help from your GP. You're 38 and you've never had a functional adult relationship.

This is not good for your kids.

confusedisitme · 19/05/2013 22:02

Seraphim - yes, saying the bit about not being sure if he can live with me, or without me and wanting to focus on just texting for a couple of weeks, then see how we go.

OP posts:
confusedisitme · 19/05/2013 22:04

I think you're wrong.

I think the only way I will know fir sure if he's a timewaster, is if I act like a normal person and then he still fucks me over/makes demands I cant meet.

OP posts:
scottishmummy · 19/05/2013 22:04

why are you drawn to difficult moody men?do you like the drama
month in,if it this much hassle,cut loose and split up
dating is supposed to be fun,not angst whats it all mean handwringing

Ponyphysio · 19/05/2013 22:04

OP....you are a fucking lunatic. That is all.

FreddieMisaGREATshag · 19/05/2013 22:04

If you know this, why did you post?

Chubfuddler · 19/05/2013 22:05

Instead of acting like a normal person why not get some counselling so that you can actually be a normal person?

Gobbolinothewitchscat · 19/05/2013 22:05

Do you know what, all joking aside, you are worrying me now.

You remind me of a strange patient who took a fancy to DH. At one stage he thought he might have to involve the police

confusedisitme · 19/05/2013 22:05

Because I'd forgotten what a dick I'd been!

OP posts:
akaWisey · 19/05/2013 22:06

I can't remember when a thread has angered me. But this one has.

OP - are you as angry as fuck? If not, then I wonder if posting is your way of having other people get angry for you/with you. You are beginning to paint yourself almost as an abusive person and that is quite, quite mad given your original question.

FreddieMisaGREATshag · 19/05/2013 22:07

You really really need to get an appointment with your GP. You are worrying me now.

Floggingmolly · 19/05/2013 22:07

But what if he is still interested?. Are you a bit thick as well as all your considerable other failings, op?

confusedisitme · 19/05/2013 22:08

Well, do you not think that trying to hurt someone for no reason other than to hurt them, is abusive?

Starting to have sex with someone then turning your back on them, and when they apologise for "whatever I've done wrong" you tell them it's doing nothing for you (a lie) and then proceed to go into great detail about how shit it was (also a lie).

Telling someone if they don't come over we are finished - knowing that the other person will come over because they don't want it to end - and then when they turn up either causing an argument to make them feel like crap or not letting them in the door in the first place?

Does that not sound abusive and controlling to you? :(

OP posts:
SweetSeraphim · 19/05/2013 22:08

It's like you're excited at how you can manipulate him. Gleeful. And then you have the power to be different, be normal, and make him see that you're not mad after all. But you are.

He's a dick as well, btw. But the more I read of your posts, the more I can see how he's trying to extricate himself from this ridiculous 'relationship'.

confusedisitme · 19/05/2013 22:09

And I just started thinking, halfway through this thread after I'd posted about psycho behaviour, that maybe...maybe he had been interested, felt the feelings he did, kept trying to please me and do everything I had asked as much as reasonably possible...but it was never enough and he was drained by it all.

That was all.

OP posts:
forumdonkey · 19/05/2013 22:09

They're not at your mums now and they won't be in the morning when you are still obsessing about all this or the coming weeks or months.

Just dump him for the sake of your kids. Just think, if you dump him now you will never have to worry about 'what he meant when he said..', why hasn't he text, 'when will I see him', 'will he turn up as arranged (or will I end up feeling humiliated that my DC's are on a sleep over and I'm left home alone', 'can we have a meal in town', 'why has he blocked me on fb' etc etc etc

Look at all of the above - get shut of him and you get shut of all that shit too, freeing you up to build a happy carefree childhood for your DC's

confusedisitme · 19/05/2013 22:11

It's like you're excited at how you can manipulate him. Gleeful. And then you have the power to be different, be normal, and make him see that you're not mad after all. But you are.

Which is emotional abuse.

Getting him, as a man, back, for my dad sexually abusing me and my children's father strangling me...there we go, it's out there.

OP posts:
confusedisitme · 19/05/2013 22:11

I already said I'm going to see my GP, I'm definitely depressed, have been for a while.

OP posts:
confusedisitme · 19/05/2013 22:13

He always turns up when he says he will, never goes a day without contacting me to ask how I am, always means what he says I think - I just never believe him, and the only reason he didn't turn up yesterday is because I'd forced him to come over the previous night, and we only got 4 hours sleep...then he had a school thing (communion) Saturday morning, shopping, walk the dog and then by 5pm he was shattered.

OP posts:
Chubfuddler · 19/05/2013 22:13

GP sounds like a good idea. And no dating, texting, sofa dossing or general entanglements with any men whatsoever. For some considerable time.

HamsterDam · 19/05/2013 22:13

so you text him telling him how he feels - clearly its over whatever, he agrees with you says goodbye take care. you then ask him if he's sure?? what the actual fuck?
only advice you need is to see a doctor first thing ask for a referral to the mental health crisis team.
not that you will take advice you never do.
why do you come here at all? Angry

SweetSeraphim · 19/05/2013 22:14

So you recognise that you are an abuser, but yet you're still carrying it on? Just leave him. Be with your kids. FFS.

CVSFootPowder · 19/05/2013 22:15

I feel as if we're being manipulated too.

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