Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

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:
confusedisitme · 27/05/2013 12:10

I was just confused that last Monday he was saying something completely different.

How can someone change their mind that quickly? And if he never meant the stuff he said last Monday then why say it at all? :(

OP posts:
confusedisitme · 27/05/2013 12:11

Katie - I wouldn't exactly call it stalking, I only went to see him the once..

OP posts:
CathSkidson · 27/05/2013 12:13

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

confusedisitme · 27/05/2013 12:14

And he did say he wanted to keep doors open rather than being forced to slam them - I get that what he was saying was "drop it" but then that does give me false hope. Especially as he said if circumstances were right in future he would try again - ok so he's going to make sure 'circumstances' are never right I get that; but why not just be brutal?

If I was going to start causing trouble and was that sort of person (I'm not) then surely I'd do it anyway, regardless of whether he let me down gently or not?

He could've just blocked my number, blocked me from facebook and then I can't contact him anyway.

OP posts:
confusedisitme · 27/05/2013 12:15

Cath then don't feel you need to reply, love.

OP posts:
Floggingmolly · 27/05/2013 12:17

Seriously, op, you need therapy Sad. This is a fucking car crash.

glastocat · 27/05/2013 12:20

Fucking hell. Leave him alone before he gets a restraint order, you are being completely fucking nuts!

SlumberingDormouse · 27/05/2013 12:20

He's trying to let you down nicely because he feels sorry for you, or perhaps because part of him is a nice guy, but you're not getting it! He'll get harsher if you don't drop this now.

KatieScarlett2833 · 27/05/2013 12:28

Confused in your own words you texted and texted him, begged him to see you, texted him some more then turned up at his training class. He has told you repeatedly that he does not love you and would only be using you for sex. Yet you still keep on at him. Hmm
Borderline stalking. I mean this seriously, you have to leave him alone.

MissAnnersley · 27/05/2013 12:31

I don't think there is very much point in people replying or advising as you are completely ignoring them.

However I will add my voice to the others in hoping that you can seek out help for yourself.

This is very concerning and worrying behaviour on your part.

I hope you can find some peace but you will not find it if you continue on this path as numerous people have told you, including this man.

Patosshades · 27/05/2013 12:42

Holy fuck what the actual hell is wrong with you?

You asked this man to live with you "LOL"

He's DUMPED you and you are BEGGING at his feet. Stop looking for the drama, I actually know someone like you and it's never ending picking and fighting and making up and rinse and repeat. That's almost fine if you're single.

YOU HAVE CHILDREN they deserve better than this shit.

WeAreSix · 27/05/2013 13:34

Did you go to the GP confused?

MadameOvary · 27/05/2013 14:01

You seem to prefer drama to peace of mind OP, so no way is any advice going to help.
I may as well try though. If you stopped being fixated by the details and "he said/I said" and looked at the bigger picture you would see what a colossal waste of energy this is.
Or maybe not, if you are comfortable with this sort of chaos.

Londonmrss · 27/05/2013 14:01

Poor bloke must be terrified. You're not doing him or yourself any good. You need to stop harassing him, stop analysing everything, stop obsessing.

Seriously. Just stop it.

EleanorHandbasket · 27/05/2013 14:06

You are fucking batshit.

I feel sorry for your children.

Sort yourself out before you get arrested for harrassment.

lissieloo · 27/05/2013 14:18

Good lord, I agree with the other posters. You need to stop. You will end up with a restraining order. He Isn't Interested. Accept it. Move on. And fgs, get some help!

MissAnneThrope · 27/05/2013 14:26

Fucking hell you are absolutely, totally fucking deluded. HE DOES NOT WANT ANYTHING TO DO WITH YOU. You are harassing him. Your poor poor children, get some fucking help. Which bit of it do you not get.

Jesus.

TheSilveryPussycat · 27/05/2013 14:33

Have you read my PM's? Are you going to answer them?

Blimey, OP, I'm doing the same as you. Repeated hopeful written electronic communication.

TheRealFellatio · 27/05/2013 14:34

Just one last question...you know all of the above? You reckon he just said it all to shut me up, or is there any chance he was just confused?

You see, this last comment really does make me wonder if this whole thing isn't a huge wind up. If not, then you are mentally ill and on the verge of becoming the kind of person people take injunctions out against.

Read up on Borderline Personality Disorder please. If this man has any sense he'll come clean to the headteacher, as I have a feeling you are going to be making a pest of yourself at school again. Don't put your children through the humiliation of that please.

Walkacrossthesand · 27/05/2013 15:00

Also, confused, do you have some form of attention deficit disorder? Or an inability to think about something, make a decision and stick to it rather than flapping about helplessly at the mercy of any number of interpretations of what's going on around you? or maybe that's BPD in action

MissAnnersley · 27/05/2013 15:03

This is reminding me of the supersoaker thread. But not in a good way.

confusedisitme · 27/05/2013 15:07

Well yes, I am very indecisive. And maybe I'm autistic, who knows...would explain why I have trouble reading 'normal social clues' as someone else put it.

Give me a bit of credit though; I'm not insane. Last Friday I went to the toddler group which is held in the school hall, as normal - been going since it started - and I STAYED IN THE HALL - didn't try and slip out and search the corridors like a nut, didn't stare out of the door hoping he'd walk past...he parks his van at the back of the school right by the door we in to go to the toddler group and I didn't slash his tyres of leave a little note on his windscreen - I AM quite capable of acting like a normal human being, trust me.

He hasn't exactly helped things - Friday night when he walked me home he kept saying things like "Ok I don't have feelings for you...it's not true, but if it helps you then I'll say it". He could quite easily, through text on Saturday, have gone "it's over" in a very cold, brutal way and then blocked my number so he couldn't receive any more calls or texts....rather than all this "I'm emotionally empty", "maybe if circumstances were right I'd try again" and "I'm just bruised and battered, need to heal and then...I don't know" crap.

OP posts:
nenevomito · 27/05/2013 15:11

Leave him alone. Move on.

Don't date anyone for at least 6 months or ever till you can stop being so needy.

BOF · 27/05/2013 15:13

I think you've said before that you are on the autistic spectrum, haven't you, and have difficulty reading social cues?

You obvious still have major issues (and who wouldn't?) after childhood sexual abuse too, so I'm not surprised you end up making a total mess of relationships.

Honestly, it would be much healthier and happier for you to focus on your parenting while your kids are young, and forget about these blokes you get obsessed by.

And please go to your doctors and accept that you need a referral for some specialist therapy- mention the ASD and the childhood abuse, and say that your mental health and obsessional thinking is having a major impact on your relationships and family life.

You'd be far better off being guided by a responsible therapist into developing some boundaries than in wasting time looking for reassurance on the Internet. You are very recognisable, and it's getting to the point where your threads are provoking ridicule rather than compassion because you simply can't look at your situation rationally.

forumdonkey · 27/05/2013 15:15

I thought the same Fellatio - it's got to be a wind up?!