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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

support thread! Marriages in recovery!

802 replies

humanmagicmarker · 23/01/2015 13:12

Hello all, I find myself trawling through the posts in this section looking for people in the same boat as me, but I can't find any!

So I've decided to build my own boat and see if anyone wants to join me Smile

My marriage is in recovery after my husband had an affair six months ago, we are both trying very hard to make it work, as the affair was a symptom of the fact that we had drifted from one another (what's with all the boat-y metaphors today?) rather than a need to 'get out' on his part.

It is very hard to learn to trust again and rebuild this from the ground up, and it would be lovely to know if others are facing the same things.

so come join me and lets have a brew xxx

OP posts:
MaMaof04 · 27/05/2015 15:09

Thank you for your proposition Peace but I am not that interested in eating disorders. (It was you who proposed that I PM you). I just thought that you were new to it and as my relative (not that close) successfully helped her daughter through (I think that her daughter is absolutely OK now) I contacted her to get some tips.
I do not know what is wrong or right in my post. I am happy you responded to say that there are wrong suggestions there, in case someone struggling with Eating Disorders reads it.
You sound as if you are in control of the situation (my relative remembered the period as hellish and she was quite hysterical just talking about it.) Chapeau!
I have seen your last post about your relationship with your H and you sound quite positive. Good Luck! [ wine ]

Lotsofponies · 03/06/2015 06:22

Oh bugger, its all gone pear shaped again. Since the last downwards spiral at Easter things have been good. Had a lovely week away over half term. I think that is the problem. When things start to get good I am scared to allow myself to feel normal and let go of the hurt. I need to keep it close so it can't creep up on me again.

Things had been simmering since we got home on Friday. Sunday night we talked about it but he got grumpy and said he couldn't bear the thought of sitting up for hours and hours dissecting the same details over and over again. I reminded him that when he gets angry its usually because I have hit a sore point about something he is lying about, in this case his feelings for OW and how pretty/attractive he still finds me and I told him that if I couldn't talk then there was no hope for us, we didn't really talk again until Tues.

On Tues he admitted that he thought the OW was prettier than he had let on. Earlier in the process we had gone through a load of 1-10 scenarios of how attractive/pretty/emotional supported/sexy he thought we both were at various stages. For a lot of things this has been very useful as he seems to find it hard to articulate his emotions. The problem has been the 'pretty' element as he finds it hard to separate how pretty someone is from how attractive.

Anyway turns out he was lying to me to save my feelings, he had been saying she seemed prettier as things progressed (from 4/10 up to 8/10), but seeing her pictures weeks later (when I found them on FB) she wasn't like he remembers, more like 3/10 and it must have been beer goggles or affair fog/bubble that made her seem so great. He now says it was 8/10 almost straight away and he still thinks, based of photos that she is 7 or 8/10. He lied because he knew It would shatter my already low self confidence. He says how 'pretty' she was had nothing to do with what he did, he chose to reject me because she made him feel wanted and attractive, when he thought about me he didn't think 'oh she's prettier', he felt resentful that I did not seem to love or desire him anymore. He said the only difference her appearance made is that he would probably not have chosen to snog a munter.

He said that I have been 8/10 for most of our relationship going down to 6/10 when we began to become distant and emotionally detached. He said it was because I always seemed unhappy and tired (no shit). He said that it had gone back up to 7 -8/10 when we had renewed our connection.

He now states I am still only 6/10. I stupidly asked why I had gone down from 8 - 6 in his estimation, and its because I am now 42, I have eye bags, wrinkles and my skin doesn't have that 'youthful glow' any more . He said I must think the same about him too (no, I think age has improved his looks). He said that when OW is our age no doubt she will be much less prettier too (she is at least 15 years younger). He says ageing doesn't matter to him, whats important is that he now feels totally attracted to me again 9-10/10 (it had gone down to 6/10 at the time of his betrayal).

I just cant help thinking that he regards me as a 'midling' in the prettiness department, it hurts so much. But more importantly WHY THE FUCK DID I GO ON AND ON UNTIL HE HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO TELL ME. WHY DID I NEED TO KNOW?

Its like I am on auto destruct. I have told him I am not sure if I can be in a relationship with someone who regards me as averagely pretty. He said he loves me but is not sure he can carry on with my unreasonable behavior. I told him 'tough shit' you brought this on us. I ended up driving off to the coast in the car this evening with a carrier bag of gin and pain killers. I did give serious consideration to ending it all. It was the thought of causing my family pain that stopped me. I asked him to leave when I got home, I don't know where he has gone. I am going to see the doctor today as I have scared myself. I think I am out of control

Sorry this is so long. I need to get it out, I have been awake all night crying.

DharmaBumpkin · 03/06/2015 06:37

Oh Lots I normally lurk but couldn't let your post go unanswered. Thank goodness you reconsidered. I don't have any miracle answers I'm afraid, but go see the doctor, get some help, kick him to the curb. It sounds like part of the low self esteem
is due to how he's been treating you.

This is the lowest point, but things will get better and the pain will be in the past. Thinking of you xx

Christinayanglah · 03/06/2015 08:19

Lots

Get to your gp, you need support

You need a break from all of this it is too much. Not he affair is not about your prettiness it's is about his ego, selfishness and flaws that he has. This is a living nightmare that you need to get yourself out of, your are drowning in it

Stay on here, start a thread of your own, please get as much support as you can xxxx

Lotsofponies · 03/06/2015 09:47

I have a GP appointment at 11,even the thought of going to the DR makes me feel weak and useless. He came back this morning, he slept in his van at the end of our lane.

He keeps telling me its his fault, he had just as much responsibility to address the problems as me, but he didn't, he blamed me and selfishly took what he thought he wanted to make himself feel better. He keeps telling me I am the stronger better person because i didn't cave in go after other men. So why do I feel so worthless and rejected. Would it have been easier to bear is she wasn't so young and good looking?

Christinayanglah · 03/06/2015 10:19

And if she was old and ugly , would that make you feel better? No, because then you would think he prefers anyone over me. The issue is the betrayal and the fact that he was with someone else. It's difficult but you need to stop giving her head space, she isn't worth it. Your main focus is on getting yourself sorted, the marriage also isn't your priority right now... It's you

Christinayanglah · 03/06/2015 10:20

Lots, we are always here , keep talking, I don't think you have done enough if that x

MaMaof04 · 03/06/2015 13:06

Lots! listen:
Please go to some therapist/counseling.
I am worried about you.
I am sorry but IMO: affairs are devastating and can feed the destructive monster of low self-esteem and can shake to its foundations the basic need of security.
So please stop asking him to rate you and stop comparing yourself to others. You must become your best friend. Reconnect to simple sensual things: smelling coffee/roses/the rain/perfume- enjoying the taste of food/drinks-listening to music- dancing etc
Now please ask yourself a few questions:
a- why do you reduce yourself to a number?
b- why do you think you can be defined only by prettiness?
c- why are you so jealous?
d- are you afraid that he might leave you?

I must say that to a great extent he behaved quite OK in the event you reported:
1- he did not want to go on and on about prettiness
2- he brought up the moral behavior on which he gave you top points
3- in his own way he expressed some kind of gratitude that you took him after the affair by giving you a high mark on attractiveness - I shiver to reduce a human being to some marks. I do not like much that sentence. It is just to illustrate my point.

So please stop giving him so much power on you- stop reducing yourself to a number of the prettiness scale- and go and find a therapist. And please come here we will do our best to support you!
Oy the affairs- how destructive they can become! Hugs! Flowers

Lotsofponies · 03/06/2015 16:42

Well, have been to the Dr and now have some meds, the same ones I had at the start for instant relief and some slower acting ones. Just speaking to someone helped. The Dr has also referred me for some counseling, if its going to be a long waut, I may also be able to get some through work too.

We had a bit of a talk , then he took 2 year old over to Grannies and did the school run so I could get a bit of sleep this afternoon. He apologized for not wanting to talk on Sunday, which is what seemed to trigger this all off. he said he was just so dissapointed after we had such a good week away, he had seen me smiling so much it had given him some hope that we were really moving forwards. He knows there will be ups and down but he just didn't want the holiday feeling to end. Re the numbers, he hates it, it me that needs to know where I stand, I am a very insecure (previous husband was a serial philaderer), I also have slightly OCD tenancies and have a need to know how I slot in. He says the numbers have gone round and round and he cant even think what they mean anymore. He says all he can say is he thought she was very pretty, and being young and fresh faced would have to say prettier than me. He knows nothing about her or her personality, other than she was dunk and was interted in him, this was her only attration. Wheas he finds everything about me far more attractive and the fact he has nearly blow everything makes me even more precious to him. He says if he thinks of her now, yes she is still pretty, the image is distorted my how ashamed he feels.

He has agreed to sleep in the spare room the next few nights, I am at work Thurs and Fri (if I go), and we both have separate activities Thurs and Fri evenings so this gives me a little space. he is going to take kids out on Sat and send them to grannies on Sunday. We can carry on like that or he will look into staying with his sister.

I feel a lot calmer already. He is trying hard, he is not perfect, none of us are. But I recognize that these self esteem issues are eating me up.

Lotsofponies · 03/06/2015 16:46

Sorry for typos, i am on the tablet and my fingers and the keypad don't seem to be coordinating

Christinayanglah · 03/06/2015 17:35

Lots

I'm glad you are getting support, it seems you have your own issues and this had brought them to the forefront Perhaps the counseling will help you decide to take things forward. Don't be hard on yourself and take it one day at a time. Please keep talking xx

Christinayanglah · 03/06/2015 17:36

Don't be hard on yourself!

MaMaof04 · 03/06/2015 18:50

Lots
So is it OK if I rate your good progress 9? Wink
The hardest is to call for help and to be referred to a therapist. You have just done that! so 5 stars for that Star Star Star Star Star
You know your demons: OCD, insecurity because of your previous relationship; for this you get 2 stars [start] Star
You are about to get therapy, that is two extra starsStar Star
So you got 9 Star in total Wink .
The tenth Star is for him:
His behavior clearly shows that he is dedicating himself to be your healer. Good Night dear! (Please do be gentle on yourself Flowers)

Lotsofponies · 03/06/2015 19:12

Thanks MaMa04, perhaps a sticker chart is the way forward for me, a gold star everytime I replace an intrusive or obsessive thought with something happy, or take some time to do something nice. I am sure I will sleep tonight, the diazepam knock be out like a light.

MaMaof04 · 03/06/2015 19:23

Go for it Lots.
You might replace the gold star with a real pound and when you have enough pounds you can offer a nice treat to you and the kids and to him as well: for instance going to a pub or to McDonald that got some play area for kids! you can relax with a nice cup of coffee- no need to cook or clean after food - and they will love it. You might even tell them where the monies come from! Wink Good Night love! Flowers

gessami · 03/06/2015 22:46

lots

I hope you are fast asleep and finding some peace after last night.

I'm so sorry that you are in so much pain. but most of us here can really empathise. this is so bloody hard. but please don't lose yourself in it.

whether the marriage survives or whether it doesn't, you can get through it. your self esteem and happiness are more important and more precious than the marriage.

look after yourself with the same compassion and love that you do your kids.

xxx

humanmagicmarker · 04/06/2015 08:22

I was going to post a positive message but Gessami just put it in a nutshell for me, I completely agree! Don't get bogged down with the numbers, what means something is that he's staying to work it out. Take it one day, one hour at a time xx

On another positive note everybody, remember the mural I cant stand because I painted it whilst the affair was going on? I just wrote the following on it, high up and in tiny letters so only I know it's there...

"There is no better place for a new beginning than in the very place the enemy tried to destroy you"

Empowering much?! BOOM! Grin

OP posts:
Vivacia · 04/06/2015 10:08

Great idea human - I love it!

gessami · 04/06/2015 10:43

human love it!

Lotsofponies · 04/06/2015 12:42

Hi lovely people – quick lunchtime check-in. I managed to sleep through from about 11 – 5:30, It must be years since I slept that long. With the meds I am feeling much calmer and the anxiety symptoms have gone.

It’s so good to know that there people out there who care and can empathise. The healing power of knowing you are not alone is amazing.

DP was so sweet last night. He brought me a cup of tea and ‘the ratings’ and asked if would help to go through them one more time (he despises doing this).

We sat together and discussed the photos. Her eyes look fantastic when she does the heavy winged makeup and looks directly at the camera; however she also has a wide nose and the bottom half of her face looks a bit like Gail from Coronation Street! When he thinks back to ‘the night’ he can only recall seeing the eyes, the rest was a bit of a blur. In the pics where she is not heavily ‘made up’ she looks very ordinary.

He then got his phone out and went through each photo of me pointing out everything he likes and thinks is pretty and attractive, even the less flattering ones. Sounds a bit superficial but it’s what I needed to hear. This is the loving, caring man he was for the first 16 years of our relationship, before life got in the way.

In my mind I had irrationally built the OW up to be a sexy, mysterious women, who was a threat to me. Now I see she is nothing. I need to hold onto this feeling and recall it whenever a dark cloud passes over. I have deleted her photos from my computer, blocked her on FB and we burnt the ratings - 10 gold stars for that methinks.

I am guessing that after my previous marriage I hadn’t’ dealt with my insecurity/self-esteem issues. Until this crisis I had no idea how much I looked to DP to validate me. A lot to think about and work on.

Gessami – I am so pleased to hear about the addition to your art work addition, 10 gold stars for you too.

Christinayanglah · 04/06/2015 12:51

Lots

Great news, you seemed to have reached a turning point, well done x

Lotsofponies · 04/06/2015 13:03

No more pain shopping

Christinayanglah · 04/06/2015 13:11

No, it's time to move

MaMaof04 · 04/06/2015 17:43

Lots well done Star -ry girl! 10 Star on one condition: you got to share one of them with him! He is lovely!
Human a very optimistic and uplifting (small print) for your mural! I love it!
Gessami How are you dear? Have you been able to clear your heart/mind of conflicting emotions/thoughts?

dreamingofblueskies · 04/06/2015 20:07

Ah, what a lot of positive posts since I last checked in, fantastic news!

Lots that's great that you're feeling better about things. With the photos of the OW I always used to remind myself that no one puts photos of themselves on FB where they're looking anything but their best, I know that if I looked like my profile pics everyday I'd be a very happy woman! So the photos that you see of the OW are an almost photoshopped version of her, and I have always hated Gail from Corrie! Wink Such a good phrase, 'no more pain shopping....'

Human that's a very clever and inspiring thing you've done to your mural, I'm in awe of you!

Gessami how was your holiday? Hope it was a time for healing.

I am trying to be positive at the moment and give the bad thoughts no headroom, I have managed it all day by keeping my brain busy, I'm just a bit worried about tonight when I turn off the light and try to get to sleep, I need a good story to tell myself while drifting off I think! Wish me luck!