just can't get through to my cold and angry dh

[superdry]

no matter how hard i try i just can't seem to communicate effectively with my husband, any issue, even vaguely contentious, ends in a row, he won't engage with me, he won't listen to me, just goes yeah yeah, whatever, which inevitably leads to me trying harder to get him to listen, which eventually leads to him losing his temper, and sometimes threatening with some kind of violence - if i am lucky i get an apology the next day, but his manner doesn't really change as he always claims i provoked him, i won't leave him alone etc etc - the only way we have any kind of peaceful life is if i never complain about anything - anything at all, thereby 'not starting an argument' - i can go for weeks like that but inevitably i eventually 'have a go' at him about something or other, and the cycle begins again. i feel emotionally drained by it all, its the same old story, he says i am the one with the problem and obviously i think its him! any nuggets of advice out there? we have 2 young children

OK superdry - well you know where we are.

Just do reread you OP though - I think his behaviour is affecting you for a lot more than a minute a day:

"no matter how hard i try i just can't seem to communicate effectively with my husband, any issue, even vaguely contentious, ends in a row, he won't engage with me, he won't listen to me, just goes yeah yeah, whatever, which inevitably leads to me trying harder to get him to listen, which eventually leads to him losing his temper, and sometimes threatening with some kind of violence - if i am lucky i get an apology the next day, but his manner doesn't really change as he always claims i provoked him, i won't leave him alone etc etc - the only way we have any kind of peaceful life is if i never complain about anything - anything at all, thereby 'not starting an argument'"

It certainly sounds as though this is taking up much more of your time and life than .001%, or .01% or 1% or even 10%.

Superdry, I get you .

The trouble is, it is hard to wrap your head round the person you have difficulties with, with 'he is abusive, LTB etc etc'.

I have just had a counselling session where I was trying to outline the abuse. The IC interrupted, and gave me the complete key (as to why I still love someone who is 'absive')...

he said: in all the time I have seen you, the word that runs through your story is 'neglect'. Mr Wobbly is not abusive. But he has completely neglected you'.

And that is it. The IC ALSO did not absolve me of my part to play in the disintegrating of the marriage, and Superdry honestly talks about it: adding to the atmosphere of the M with frustrated, negative behaviours.

The trouble is, to Mr Superdry you are trying to talking to him. What does he hear? In the words of chumplady, 'a background drone, rising sometimes to an irritating fucking whine'. [then there is the confrontation].

I don't have the answers. But I think that is where the issue is.

Superdry, when you are finally free of this awful man, you will look back and understand better what is being said here.

I know it was harsh, and perhaps ill-worded, certainly less than supportive, but saying that the children are suffering and you are thé only one that's standing in the way of that stopping do have some truth, albeit unpalatable.

Babies in thé WOMB are affected by domestic abuse, children sleeping are affected by abuse. I know that's not what any one of us stuck in this awful situation want to hear, but it's true.

The sooner you can find the courage to do what has to be done, the sooner you will see dramatic improvement in your DC wellbeing, and in yours.

We're here for you. Nothing you say will shock us. Truths we say may shock you though. You've been conditioned to accept this ill treatment and don't see how it's perceived with a clear head.

Call WA, you need to speak to as many people as you can about this, and when you're ready, make the only move that will resolve this. To leave him.

He won't ever get better, only worse. Getting over abuse can't be done automatically, you need outside help, and your children will possibly need it too.

So consider this a saving of some kind. The sooner you garner the strength to leave, the less you'll pay in therapy.

Keep posting, please?

superdry you aren't as bad as your abusive husband, of course you aren't. And I agree that is a less than helpful comment. You aren't the one doing the abusing. It is his behaviour that is causing the problem.

But this is affecting you more than 0.001% of the time. My immediate advice, if you don't want to ring WA and you aren't in the mindset yet to leave, is to start a diary noting everytime he belittles you; threatens you with violence; everytime you feel you have to change your behaviour to avoid an outburst or to accommodate his needs above yours; is unsupportive or you just feel he isn't working with you but against you.

I suspect it is more than you think and will be enlightening.

This behaviour by him is not acceptable but also is indicative of a deep-rooted problem with him that you cannot solve. You can work around it perhaps to a certain extent but if you want you and your children to be able to flourish he will be actively working against that. Because he is controlling.

There is a pattern and they all follow it.

Good advice re a diary from scallops.

I often say here that it's not the good times that define if a relationship is worth keeping or not.
It's the bad times that are important.
If they are horrible, why stay?

You call them horrible.
The rest of the time, I'd guess you are walking on eggshells to avoid an argument.

I understand that you don't want to leave now, (and think calling you an abuser was OTT and unhelpful) but I'd have a plan on how to do it and make it a real possibility if things don't improve.

At the very least considering leaving will allow you to make an impression on him that his behaviour will lead to the collapse of the marriage if it doesn't improve.

"to reiterate my dcs are not constantly exposed to his behaviour, in fact they have barely seen it, you all seem to be advocating that the only path is to completely change our whole lives, because of a nasty behavioural pattern in a man that occurs approximately 0.001% of the time - as laughable as it may seem, apart from these horrible episodes i like my life, my home, my friends etc"

Denial is indeed a powerful force and you likely feel got at hence your defensive responses. Your anger and pain however, are being directed at the wrong people here.

It is indeed only when you are out of this will you see the full extent of the abuse he has meted out towards you and by turn your children. You do not want to see it currently because it is all far too painful and you cannot face up to the fact that again you chose someone who has turned out to be abusive.

Those so called horrible episodes certainly make up more than 0.001% of your life don't they?.

A diary as scallops suggested is a good idea, he must never find it though.

Would you want your children to have a relationship likes yours is now?.

You cannot answer what you get out of this relationship because you actually get nothing from it.

he has never hit me, but he has pushed me and pushed me out of bed, when he threatens me he shouts right up loud in my face that he wants to smash my face in, that kind of thing really
I'm sorry OP but somebody who is capable of this kind of shit should not be living under the same roof as children. You know that, i know that, anybody with any kind of consideration for the welfare of children should know that. No, you are not as bad as him - of course not. But you have chosen this 'partner.' Your poor kids get no say in the matter.

OP

I got rid of my exH for similar behaviour.
He didn't hit me, he pushed me against the floor once and he slapped me hard the other time.
No visible bruises.
It was after DS was asleep.

I still called the police and told him to leave the second time. I only regret not having done it the first time. :(

"apart from these horrible episodes i like my life, my home, my friends etc"

Well at least you're honest about the real reason you are forcing your children to grow up in an abusive household.

you all seem to be advocating that the only path is to completely change our whole lives

Yes, that is correct. And you are the only one with the power, and the responsibility, to do it.

Your children barely see it because you are doing a good job of tip-toeing round the edges of him. How hard and how tiring that must be for you!

I think it's so unhelpful to accuse you of being as bad as him, but you do have power that you don't currently feel.

... actually I don't believe they don't see it. They may not witness his threats but they will sense his moods and their effect on you. The effort you go to to feel happy enough.

"the only way we have any kind of peaceful life is if i never complain about anything - anything at all, thereby 'not starting an argument' - i can go for weeks like that but inevitably i eventually 'have a go' at him about something or other, and the cycle begins again"

That's what I mean. You are not able to express yourself. And not being able to express yourself means not really being yourself.

I totally appreciate you might be feeling harangued, and I would understand if you went away from here for a while. I wish you very well.