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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 for those in emotionally abusive relationships - thread 31

784 replies

CharlotteCollins · 21/04/2015 15:54

Am I being abused?

Verbal Abuse A wonderfully non-hysterical summary. If you're unsure, read the whole page and see if you're on it.
Emotional abuse from the same site as above
Emotional abuse a more heartfelt description
A check list Use this site for some concise diagnostic lists and support
Signs of Abuse & Control Useful check list
Why financial abuse is domestic violence Are you a free ride for a cocklodger, or supposed to act grateful for every penny you get for running the home?
Women's Aid: "What is Domestic Violence?" This is also, broadly, the Police definition.
Warning signs you’re dating a loser Exactly what it says on the tin

Books:

"Why Does He Do That?" by Lundy Bancroft - The eye-opener. Read this if you read nothing else.
"The Verbally Abusive Relationship" by Patricia Evans He wants power OVER you and gets angry when you prove not to be the dream woman who lives only in his head.
"The Verbally Abusive Man, Can He Change?" by Patricia Evans Answer: Perhaps - ONLY IF he recognises HIS issues, and if you can be arsed to work through it. She gives explicit guidelines.
"Men who hate women and the women who love them" by Susan Forward. The author is a psychotherapist who realised her own marriage was abusive, so she's invested in helping you understand yourself just as much as helping you understand your abusive partner.
"The Emotionally Abusive Relationship: How to Stop Being Abused and How to Stop Abusing" by Beverley Engels The principle is sound, if your partner isn't basically an arse, or disordered.
"Codependent No More : How to Stop Controlling Others and Start Caring for Yourself" by Melody Beattie If you’re a rescuer, you're a co-dependent. It's a form of addiction! This book will help you.
But whatever you do, don't blame yourself for being co-dependent!

Websites:

So, you're in love with a narcissist - Snarky, witty, angry, but also highly intelligent: very good for catharsis
Dr Irene's verbal abuse site - motherly advice to readers' write-ins from a caring psychotherapist; can be a pain to navigate but very validating stuff
Out of the fog - and now for the science bit! Clinical, dispassionate, and very informative website on the various forms of personality disorders and how they impact on family and intimate relationships.
Get your angries out - You may not realise it yet, but you ARE angry. Find out in what unhealthy ways your anger is expressing itself. It has probably led you to staying in an unhealthy relationship.
Melanie Tonia Evans is a woman who turned her recovery from abuse into a business. A little bit "woo" and product placement-tastic, but does contain a lot of useful articles.
Love fraud - another site by one woman burned by an abusive marriage
You are not crazy - one woman's experience. She actually has recordings of her and her abusive partner having an argument, so you can hear what verbal abuse sounds like. A pain to navigate, but well worth it.
Baggage reclaim - Part advice column, part blog on the many forms of shitty relationships.
Heart to heart - a wealth of information and personal experiences drawn together in one place

What couples therapy does for abusers

If you find that he really wants to change
Should I Stay or Should I Go bonus materials This is a site containing material for men who want to change - please don’t give him the link - print out the content for him to work through.

The Bill of Rights
What you should expect as a starting point for your treatment in a relationship, as you will of course be treating others!!

OP posts:
SoFrustratedWithItAll · 29/02/2016 13:02

I hope it's ok for me to mark my place here. Got pointed to this thread for one I started.

Basically I think that my mind may be starting to defog a little about DH, though I am still very confused, and get twisted round into thinking that maybe it's all me.

tbtc20 · 29/02/2016 23:10

He kicked off this evening.

  • undermined me with DS2. DS2 totally playing daddy against mummy and they "won"
  • slammed door, shouted.
  • verbally threw stuff at me about divorce. Sneering. On and on until I fled the house and went to a friend.

I thought my appointment with WA was today, but it's next week, so that was a waste of time (took time off work).

He is due to go to his mediation session tomorrow. I went in Nov. He hadn't been yet due to "work and childcare". Ha ha.

tbtc20 · 02/03/2016 07:35

I wish this thread had more traffic.
He's started on me already. Sad

Mamaka · 02/03/2016 07:52

I'm following this thread. Beginning to see dh's true colours.
Tbtc hope you are ok?

SoFrustratedWithItAll · 02/03/2016 09:25

I'm following to. Also wish it hadore traffic :(

SoFrustratedWithItAll · 02/03/2016 09:26

Had more*

despicableshe · 02/03/2016 16:12

I'm here if you want to vent tbtc20

SoFrustratedWithItAll · 02/03/2016 16:48

OMG. ...everything that slightly interfere with his little world is met with swearing, rants etc and a generally unpleasant atmosphere. ...and then I'm in a mood apparently if I don't agree that he's justifies in his moaning.... I'm so sick of it.

foolonthehill · 03/03/2016 14:05

Hi all.
Long time no see
....just saw the Sad that there is not so much support on the support thread....it helped me so much. hi tbtc and soFrustrated sorry life is hard at present.

Basical;ly it is 5 years since I started to see my ex H for what he was and is 4 1/2 since I waved hi bye bye and nearly 1 since the divorce was completed. A long road but worth it. The FOG will clear ladies and you can make it ok for you and yours.

Mamaka · 04/03/2016 07:58

Joining thread for support also. I've asked my h to leave for a while so we can get some head space. He leaves at end of month. I can feel the fog clearing already!

BreatheandFlyAway · 06/03/2016 22:57

Hi everyone have been searching for this thread that was my soul mate for so long. Sorry traffic has been slow recently, it is a life saver thread. Gives you your head back.

TheSilveryPussycat · 07/03/2016 00:48

fool so good to "see" you :) Without you, I'd not have posted on this thread in the first place IIRC.

It used to have more traffic because so many threads now seem to attract and support people who are in abusive situations, whereas 4-5 years ago, when I was making my own bid for freedom, some of us used to "patrol" in a friendly not stalkerish way! to point people here.

The really good thing about this thread is that it is not full of posts entreating people to LTB, just like that (huh, yeah it's that easy...not)

despicableshe · 07/03/2016 16:10

SoFrustrated that's sounds just like what I used to put up with. How long lave things been like this? :(

despicableshe · 07/03/2016 16:14

foolonthehill my divorce will soon be final, but I certainly feel that I'm in a better place than I was even a couple of months ago. What you said is spot on, the fog will clear!

TheSilveryPussycat Yes! LTB isn't easy at all for many reasons. I can only say though that it didn't become clear to me just how much crap I'd put up with until we'd separated.

TheSilveryPussycat · 07/03/2016 19:30

Am rather tired atm, but it occurs to me I should post some more specific support for posters currently in the thick of it. Will put my thinking cap on while I recover, meanwhile my usual warm wishes and Brew

peggy29 · 07/03/2016 21:49

Can I tag along please. I've had a few threads over the years and reread them a lot to try and give me strength to actually tell him it's over. I said on my last thread I'm wasting my life. I know I am. I've never struggled with anything so much in my life. My work is suffering terribly and I've had fleeting thoughts of topping myself. I wouldn't leave my dc but the fact I had those brief thoughts scared me.

TheSilveryPussycat · 07/03/2016 22:13

peggy29, it seems you understand the situation you are in, which is a good start. Do you have any sort of plan in mind, and where does telling him fit in with that? FWIW I would get it sorted out a bit in my own head, and keep my powder dry - no point in telling him anything any earlier than he needs to know.

peggy29 · 07/03/2016 22:27

silver no I don't have a firm plan. I'm struggling with it as I'm not sure how he will react. It would be best if he would move out while the house is sold but I don't think he will. I can't afford to go right now and think the dc should be able to stay in their home. I need the money out of the house to start again. I don't think he will be reasonable, he's not a reasonable man. I can't write anything down in case he finds it. I'm just existing.

TheSilveryPussycat · 07/03/2016 22:46

They are never reasonable, though I and many others have fallen into the trap of thinking that they will be this time. You have more power if you are married, and you don't need his permission to start divorce proceedings. But the priority is your and any DCs' safety. Mine was a lazy PA cocklodger who traded on the very depression he had caused me, so I can't really help with that aspect.

TheSilveryPussycat · 09/03/2016 01:02

tbc better to get out than rise to him. You need to detach, it's hard and at first I found I got drawn in many times. But by analysing things afterwards, and practising a few non-commitial replies out loud when alone (this makes it easier for them to spring to the lips when needed) I gradually found a way.

It was in Sept 2011 that I filed for divorce, and in Feb 2012 it came through. But I had to go to court for settlement (although we did manage to agree before Final First Hearing or whatever it's called), so he didn't move out of the house till Aug 2012. I didn't manage to remain detached for all that time!, and we did have the occasional humdinger that just reinforced that I was doing the right thing :) but I drew strength from the fact that I would only ever have to have a few more conversations with him (kids grown).

Georgialass · 28/03/2016 21:24

Please can I join this thread for some support. I've been with dh for over 20 years and I need to leave him. I realised that he was ea over 5 years ago, through reading Mumsnet. I've been going for counselling for over a year and in the last few weeks it has finally clicked in my head how deeply controling and abusive he is in all ways. I have been in very deep denial.

I have spoken to Women's Aid today who were very good and grasped the situation. She said to me that it would be almost impossible to file for divorce and remain in the family home with dh still living there. His control, guilt tactics etc would just mess with my head too much. He scares me. I told her that he had never been physically violent and she said that most men like this don't have to be violent as the control is maintained using other tactics.

I have a small amount of savings which I was going to use to start divorce proceedings, but I am now starting to think I should just move out and get a flat instead. I am only on a low wage, unlike him. I really need the proceeds from the sale of the house, but I can imagine him stringing this out for years.

To complicate matters, I have grown children still living in the family home and I'm pretty sure he will involve them.

I hate this and feel so very sick that I have to go through with ithe, but I can't give him anymore of my life. If anyone has any advice it would be most appreciated.

glitteranddust · 30/03/2016 05:31

Can totally relate to this - feeling trapped

melb14 · 05/04/2016 00:40

Sounds like you're both having a grim time, glitter and Georgia. I spent weeks when I was alone in the build up to The Conversation, just muttering under my breath "Strong and True. Stay Strong and True". My head was such a mush I just needed to hang on to those words and use them as walking sticks, torches, pathways...my life wasn't strong and true, and I was heading out towards them. So keep one, single, clear thing in your mind: and focus on that. If you're not happy, and you're anxious (LORD was I anxious...every bloody day....like a tight knot in my chest) that's no way to run a relationship. Use one or two words to describe the life you WANT and then use that as your private torch. I am now free, strong and true. And I don't do anxious any more. 6 months on. Only question? Why the hell didn't I manage to do it sooner? :) x

FV45 · 09/04/2016 07:31

Struggling today

FV45 · 09/04/2016 07:55

Am regular poster on here, name changed.