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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

DP's attitude to our life is making my own life miserable...but is this my fault?

137 replies

whatsyourtune · 12/05/2015 16:43

I feel like I can't cope with my DP anymore, and I don't know if this is a problem that I have, or that he has.

In a nutshell, on an almost daily basis, I feel messed about by my DP. However, his view is that I get too worried about things and that I am unfair on him.

Here's the sort of things that happen:

  • DP will tell me he is travelling abroad with work a few days before doing so and will give me incorrect details. ie flight time, when he is home, potential for the trip to be extended. I have told him many times that him not being clear about these things means my everyday life is uprooted. Ie. if I make plans as a couple for X weekend, then find out last minute he's not here and have to make excuses with friends etc...even after he has apparently 'confirmed' with me. I will say to friends with confidence that DP and I can't make this weekend, for instance, thinking DP has been clear cut on this, and it turns out later that he just neglected to be specific. I am ALWAYS supportive of his job and understand that things change...but I just want to be informed as and when that happens.
  • Another regular thing... DP and I will agree to something ie dinner on Friday, drinks with friends, going to visit parents etc. A couple of days before, if something comes up at work or he wants to go out with a friend etc etc, he will deny all knowledge of our conversation, or he will twist it to make it sound like we hadn't actually organised something and finalised it. ie it wasnt a DEFINITE plan. He will usually be apologetic and usually he only wants to change the plan because he's simply forgotten another commitment... it never seems to be malicious, and when we do spend time together, he is generally loving and caring. Frustrating nonetheless.
  • When I feel he isn't telling me the whole story (which is often), I can usually tell. Last week I was unwell and he kept asking if I had my period. It was a strange thing to ask and he kept putting it into texts, in the middle of other conversation about whether I was feeling better. It turns out he wanted to ask if I thought I could be pregnant. This is a man who is nearly 30, and I found it incredibly frustrating to have to read into what he was asking in texts, and then clarify with him - are you worried I am pregnant? It often feels like I am in a relationship with someone still at school.
  • DP has an excuse for everything. He forgot is a very regular excuse. He seems to forget everything and it's his excuse for all of the above. Another excuse is that he didnt have time to tell me something. No time, and no memory, apparently.
  • If I get cross about the above, DP will react by saying I am being unfair, he will become aggressive and shout and say he can't be arsed etc. and put the phone down on me. He will often ignore the issue and he seems to apologise because he knows socially-speaking he probably should, but not because he truly means it, if that makes sense. Truth be told, I'm not sure he understands why I get so frustrated... I think he genuinely thinks how he acts is ok.

Having said all this, DP can be very lovely to me. When we are spending time together, we get on so well and he;'s quite thoughtful. All of this is just driving me a bit crazy, though.

Recently he's made me second-guess myself...Am I in the wrong here? Am I asking too much of him? I've just never been with such a 'difficult' person, in the sense that every conversation and every plan etc seems to cause a big problem with him, and his answer is to blame me by saying I am unfair on him and too stressy. I am stressy BECAUSE of this...it seems to go round in circles.

Is he right that I am bringing this on myself?

OP posts:
XiCi · 12/05/2015 18:20

From what you've said it just sounds as though he doesn't care much about you. That youre ok to have around when it suits him but otherwise are an inconvenience. Why live your life with someone that thinks so little of you? Buying you flowers on the odd occasion is just to keep you sweet so you stick around for when it suits him.

Tequilashotsfor1 · 12/05/2015 18:21

op have you posted about him before? Around valentines day ? Does his live with his mother at the moment ? Did he go straight to the gym instead of coming to see you as planned? If not its sounds very similar and been going on for a while.

monsterous has a very good post.

Either way op this man does not priorities you. Your not top on his list. You seem quite against the fact he could be doing this on purpose - which he is... Maybe the thought is too hurtful to you.

How long are you going to put up with this? How many reasons are you going to accept before you tell him to piss off or are you going to hang on in there waiting for scraps getting more confused and ground down?

mojo17 · 12/05/2015 18:22

I have been where you are now it is horribly confusing
Please look up gaslighting

Twinklestein · 12/05/2015 18:22

It's not that he doesn't 'get it' it's that he doesn't care.

He listens to you tell him that it upsets you and how hard it is to deal with and it goes in one ear and out the other. Every time you get cross with him you tell him there's a problem. Yet he carries on exactly the same.

He is not going to change his MO for you. His behaviour suits him and he's not interested in modifiying it.

flippinada · 12/05/2015 18:24

The more you say about him the worse he sounds.

Read back what you have written about him and imagine one of your girlfriends was saying all this to you and asking 'is it me?' I bet you'd be telling her he sounds like a nasty piece of work and to get shot..and thinking that your friend deserved better.

Well, you do deserve better, he is a nasty piece of work....and you shoud get shot!

You really do deserve better than this you know Thanks

Tequilashotsfor1 · 12/05/2015 18:24

Maybe he would have gone to the gym with out a thought because he couldn't actually give a toss and keeping you hanging on is convenient for him.

Don't settle for scraps op I'm convinced you've posted about him before and got the same advice then.

Twinklestein · 12/05/2015 18:28

i suspect the reason he is shady s often because what he wants to do is unreasonable and not a good move for the relationship.

EXACTLY.

he is quite a selfish person in that sense... i was in tears in the phone call earlier, and he will have just quite happily gone to the gym without a second thought for me...because he honestly belives my reaction to being messed about isnt fair on him.

EXACTLY.

Now you've got him, do you really want to be with someone like this?

Utterly selfish and manipulative?

PuppyMonkey · 12/05/2015 18:30

I started off thinking the people talking about gas lighting here were being a bit OTT and all you really needed was a good shared calendar or a 5 minute chat every day to go through plans again. But that stuff about him being Mr Super Organised at work and going off to the gym knowing you're really upset makes me just think LTB Confused

Or should I say don't move in with the b.

SolidGoldBrass · 12/05/2015 18:31

He keeps telling you it will be OK because it will be OK... once your spirit is utterly crushed and you are unable to summon the energy to disagree, criticize or ask for anything. Once you are reduced to something he can put in a box and pick up again when he feels like it, then he will consider the relationship 'OK'.

Honestly, dump this wanker. You deserve better.

MehsMum · 12/05/2015 18:35

i just feel drained by the constant upheavel to my life
So something has to change. EITHER you leave him, because he is treating you as you would never treat him, OR you manage to do what Joysmum did.

I'd give it 3-6 months, and if there was no change, or not enough and I still felt drained, I'd be off.

ALaughAMinute · 12/05/2015 18:36

I wouldn't waste any more time with this guy if I were you. He's hardly good husband material is he? He may be lovely sometimes but he's also got some serious personality flaws hasn't he? Go find yourself a reliable man who won't let you down!

He's a selfish bastard and you know it!

Twinklestein · 12/05/2015 18:39

From everything i recall Joysmum saying about her husband on here he doesn't sound anything like this guy. Maybe he was a bit disorganised, maybe she had to get to grips with it, but he sounds like a decent chap and a good husband, unlike this bloke who's just a selfish twat.

ImperialBlether · 12/05/2015 18:45

God, who could be bothered with him?

OP, you're not tied to him. You haven't made any promises to him. You don't even live with him at the moment. This should be a really decision.

You don't want to live your life like this. Who would? It would drive me mad.

If you stay with him you WILL live your life like this.

Ergo, you don't stay with him so that you don't live your life like this.

You're at a fantastic age, you know - the world is your oyster but this guy is the grit that will never become a pearl. (Does that make any sense at all?!)

EhricLovesTheBhrothers · 12/05/2015 18:53

If he can do it at work but doesn't do it at home then he's either choosing not to do it or he can't be bothered to make the effort to do it. Because you are less important than his job.

Quitelikely · 12/05/2015 18:54

Does he actually want a future with you? Have you discussed children etc?

I'd be questioning his commitment to you tbh

mariposa10 · 12/05/2015 19:08

If you had a flatmate who constantly messed you around with arrangements, so that you couldn't rely on them, and said 'But I wash up!' when you confronted them about it, would you buy it? Would you blame yourself for their behaviour? Or would you get rid?

mikulkin · 12/05/2015 19:12

I look at my 14 year old DS and he is the same, to be honest I don't think he will ever change and I do believe he doesn't do it intentionally. Some people are like that...

whatsyourtune · 12/05/2015 19:14

thanks for the replies.

he messaged me earlier saying the reason he told me to f-off was because he felt frustrated at the sitatuion, and annoyed that a change of plans had come up again. he said sorry and said he didnt bother to call me back because he thought it would just 'cause an argument' and he 'didnt want to argue.'

i replied and said that he;d really upset me and him not calling to apologise or to talk about it just made me feel worse.

why doesnt he get how to behave? everything is so draining. he wants me to just not care when plans change and to not bother what happens...is that a relationship though?? that doesnt come natually to me when i plan a future with someone, surely you DO care and you DO feel excited to talk and plan as a couple?

head is such a mess.

OP posts:
Tequilashotsfor1 · 12/05/2015 19:17

Wow op he didn't really have to say much to win you over. Actions speak waaaaaay louder than words!

He does know how to behave. Even your making excuses for him now. Why should he change ? Life is pretty sorted for him.

It was you who posted before wadnt it?

Twinklestein · 12/05/2015 19:19

The problem is not with you. He does not know nor does he care how to do a relationship. He's used to considering only himself. He actively fights within the relationship for his life and plans to over-ride yours. This will never change. You cannot plan a joint future with someone who only thinks of themselves.

Unless you want to be doing this for the rest of your life...

Real love, real relationships are not this hard.

whatsyourtune · 12/05/2015 19:19

I'm not trying to make excuses for him, i'm just trying to make 100% sure that this is nothing that I cause, or it's me in the wrong.

It seems I am not and that he is treating me badly. Will he ever realise it, or do I have no choice but to walk away?

OP posts:
peggyundercrackers · 12/05/2015 19:22

I'm sorry but why does everything need to be planned to a T - why do you need to be so in each other's pockets? That would be soo annoying. I'm sorry but as an adult I don't feel I need to tell other people what changes on a minute by minute basis - I think your being a little over dramatic over the whole thing.

Twinklestein · 12/05/2015 19:23

He will never realise it, or rather he will never admit it. He's happy with treating you badly because it benefits him.

whatsyourtune · 12/05/2015 19:24

peggy thanks for your reply. I don't ask for a minute by minute basis..but when plans change that affect my entire weekend, or that mean I am constantly let down/my friends are let down, it starts to take its toll.

OP posts:
Zucker · 12/05/2015 19:30

as he often says when we fall out about this kind of thing...i should rememebr the lots of nice things he does.

Does he remind you often of how good he is to you?