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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

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The Dating Thread 69

999 replies

FolkGirl · 07/02/2014 12:36

Just because I wanted to be the person to start it really Smile

Welcome one and all.

OP posts:
OneDayWhenIGrowUp · 12/02/2014 21:39

Dont - you are having us tear our hair out here! He is emotionally blackmailing you. All his messages are horribly manipulative and controlling. Why do you think we are all saying the things we are saying to you?

You have known him a few months, and how many times have you been in tears and upset about everything?

dontcallmehon · 12/02/2014 21:39

I probably will, but I will try not to. Thank you all. He hated me being on MN.

girliefriend · 12/02/2014 21:41

Stay strong dont agree red flags started that night. Am gutted for you as he seemed to have lots of potential but he has managed to completely spoil something that could have been lovely.

So sorry, hope you are o.kay.

splishsplosh · 12/02/2014 21:46

How can I tell if a man I’m seeing will become abusive? Early Warning Signs:

He speak disrespectfully about his former partners

A certain amount of anger and resentment toward an ex-partner is normal, but beware of the man who is very focused on his bitterness or who tells you about it inappropriately early on in your dating. Be especially cautious of the man who talks bout women from his past in degrading or condescending ways or who characterizes himself as a victim of abuse by women. Be alert if he says that his previous wife or girlfriend falsely accused him of being abusive-try to get her side of the story. Be cautious of a man who says that you are nothing like the other women he has been involved with, that you are the first partner to treat him well, or that earlier women in his life have not understood him.

He is possessive and jealous

Jealous behavior is one of the surest signs that abuse is down the road. Possessiveness masquerades as love. Jealous feelings are not the same as behaviours. A man with insecurities may naturally feel anxious about your associations with other men, especially ex-partners, and might want some reassurance. But if he indicates that he expects you to give up your freedom to accommodate his jealousy, control is creeping up. Possessiveness shows that he doesn’t love you as an independent human being but rather as a guarded treasure. After a while you will feel suffocated by his constant vigilance.

The differences between a woman falling in love and an abusive man falling in love are as follows:

She is looking for an equal partner to love and be loved by.

He is dreaming of having a woman that meets all of his needs, is beautiful at all times of day and night, has no needs of her own and is in awe of his brilliance and charm. He desires a woman who will cater to him and never complain about anything he does or darken his day with frustrations or unhappiness about her own life. Although abuse of a woman is not the goal, control certainly is. He then finds himself using abuse to gain the control he feels he has the right to.

Does any of this sound familiar? Some of your posts sound like maybe these things apply to Geeky.

dontcallmehon · 12/02/2014 21:49

He said that eventually you'd all brainwash me into thinking he was a bad person. No one has ever accused him of being manipulative before, he's just a nice, honest person.

TalisaMaegyr · 12/02/2014 21:52

Dont, PLEASE don't try and get him back. I know you miss him and love him, but he's bad for you. He was bad for you from the minute he got the arse when your dc got into bed with you that night, and has gone from bad to worse over the last week.

Of course he hated you being on MN. Because he knows that when you post about him and his unreasonable behaviour, scores of women will tell you he's a prick. Which he is. Do hope you're reading, geeky, btw, unfortunately for you, we're not easily manipulated here.

TalisaMaegyr · 12/02/2014 21:53

Cross posted..... and therein proving my point. Why would he think that? A nice, honest person wouldn't be worried about other people trying to 'brainwash' you Hmm

Parsley1234 · 12/02/2014 21:57

My ex who geeky reminds me of Wd play so many games like this and guess what if I hadn't have have three years intense therapy gone to CODA for two years women only meeting I Wd still be playing them . He still tries to keep in contact every so often talking shit about our time together only now I see right thru the crap and when he came back again after my ex and I split up and I had my beautiful ds he was an absolute twat re my son so controlling. God please listen to people on here he is an abusive controlling man he needs your vulnerability to make him feal better little by little he will take every bit of confidence away from you and your kids will suffer by having a man in their life who doesn't care one but about them . My ex started all that shit re my sons dad too fuck off its my life and he's my sons dad a pain sometimes but still his dad good luck keep strong get that book women who love too much

dontcallmehon · 12/02/2014 21:58

Splish - every single point applies to geeky. Shock

girliefriend · 12/02/2014 22:03

'he said you would brainwash me into thinking he was a bad person'

Seriously? Now he is starting to sound paranoid and a little bit mad how....? What......? Why.....? No, words are failing me!

FolkGirl · 12/02/2014 22:05

Yes, a nice, honest person wouldn't think like that.

OP posts:
girliefriend · 12/02/2014 22:07

Brilliant post Splish, reminds me of a first date I went on with a bloke who spent a lot of time telling me how hard done to he was by his ex wife. How unreasonable she was and how he always gets 'screwed over' by woman Hmm needless to say we didn't have a second date!

TalisaMaegyr · 12/02/2014 22:11

Honestly dont, I am speaking from experience. Before I met my lovely DP, I was involved with someone very similar to geeky. Had I not changed my phone number (and luckily he lived some way away from me), he would still be fucking with me now, and that was 3 years ago. He was awful, and pretty much had me rocking in a corner. I am soooo not that sort of person, believe me, but he manipulated me so much and messed with my head, it felt like I was going mad. Please listen.

splishsplosh · 12/02/2014 22:16

Don't - there are other things that might apply too:

Observe the way arguments proceed. How do you disagree? Calmly, rationally, expressing your feelings and negotiating a resolution that's satisfying to both of you? Or does every disagreement escalate into a huge, hours-long row? Does s/he instantly begin pouting, yelling, or calling names? This can be a clue to bad things in store. Particularly, watch for him/her to shut down into a moody, angry sulk, with the only responses to your complaints a terse or angry answer

Consider whether you feel as if you're constantly walking on eggshells. That's what you feel you need to do around him/her, just to be "safe". Is s/he extremely prickly––in other words, can the tiniest disagreement or criticism set him/her off? If so, this person can become abusive in a relationship. You should feel your most relaxed, and your most "yourself" with this person; you should never feel you need to "be careful" of what you say for fear you are going to set him/her off into a long, tiresome, or frightening, tirade. Any time you find yourself watching what you say for fear that s/he'll get angry––again––you should re-evaluate your relationship.

Also - isolation is also another sign. His dislike of MN could come under that heading - isolating you from support and alternative view points. And him not wanting your ex in your house / saying he suspected him on keying his car.

dontcallmehon · 12/02/2014 22:21

He shuts down in arguments.

He is very prickly, I am always on eggshells.

I find myself wearing items of clothing I know he'll like. He looked at me the other day and said 'why don't you wear bigger hoop earrings?' So I bought some.

Once I wore a pair of slippers, which he looked at in disgust, so I went upstairs and changed them.

Givemeyouranswerdo · 12/02/2014 22:23

Lurker here, I think Geeky sounds like someone who has no understanding of family life, never mind for a single parent. Not an out and out villain, just rather too selfish for a mum of 3. He's not going to change and doesn't see why you won't. Go no contact if you can.

FolkGirl · 12/02/2014 22:24

Argh, it always scares me when lurkers come out of the shadows. Just how many are there...

Grin
OP posts:
FolkGirl · 12/02/2014 22:25

Oh dear Dont that isn't good, is it?

OP posts:
splishsplosh · 12/02/2014 22:28

Oh Don't, it's like he's been moulding you into being exactly what he wanted. Rather than valuing you / appreciating you for you which is what you deserve.

And this behaviour is after such a short time - please try and see that you've had a lucky escape.

Jarlin · 12/02/2014 22:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Santaclaws · 12/02/2014 22:31

dont I'm really sorry to hear about what's happened with Geeky and that you are upset, but I agree with what everyone has been saying, he doesn't sound good for you. He does sound controlling and thus only gets worse, you deserve much better

Mr Bricky has been texting since I got in from work, asking if I ever get weekends off and it doesn't seem fair that I seem to be working when he's off and vice versa. Bless

enriquetheringbearinglizard · 12/02/2014 22:36

Sorry to freak anyone, another (friendly) lurker emerging. I found the thread this morning and was a bit agog at the tirade that spilled seemingly out of nowhere, and read on. Anyway, wanted to say that for me there was a big flag flying don't when you posted that you needed to learn to change or behave in a certain way.
Apart from everything else that's been said, when you're with the right person, you don't need to change or adapt anything, you just be yourself.

splishsplosh · 12/02/2014 22:39

Sorry Folkgirl I didn't mean to scare you! Please can I count as an occasional poster rather than a lurker? Smile I pop on now and again, but my OD dating life has been tragically desert like for a while so not had much to share.

FolkGirl · 12/02/2014 22:45

An occasional poster is a lot less scary than a lurker. You can stay Wink

OP posts:
splishsplosh · 12/02/2014 22:46

Thank you Smile