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Relationships

Can't cope with DHs paranoia. Long but Im at my wits end

298 replies

catgirl1976 · 15/06/2016 18:08

DH and I have been together for 18 years and married for 8. We met at university when we were in our 20s. We have DS who is 4.

DH has always had issues with trust and jealousy and this has caused issues throughout our relationship.

I have been totally faithful to DH apart from, about 9 years ago snogging a bloke from work with whom there had been a a bit of a flirtation. I realised as soon as this happened that it was wrong, stopped it in its tracks and left and went home. I told DH what happened and although it was bad, we worked through it. DH had a bit of a revenge flirtation with a girl he worked with shortly afterwards but we worked through that.

His issues with jealousy preceed this mistake by me, but of course this didn't help.

We can be fine for months and then his issues rear their head. We get through them but it can be very rocky and we did even try Relate (they wouldn't see us as the felt he was controlling - he is but that's not helpful - I want to fix this and I think they could have been good for us)

In order to make him feel better and more secure I let him have "find my friends" on my iphone so he can always see where I am. I don't have a lock on my phone or hide it. He has all my email passwords and can access my facebook.

A few years ago he hated that I spoke to my ex on-line and was furious I met him for a coffee. He asked me recently to end all contact with him, and even though we were friends I did so. I rarely go out, I don't do any seperate hobbies. I work in a sales role but travel back and forth to London from the NW rather than stay overnight as I know he hates it.

Anyway, if you've got this far, the present issue......

At the weekend DH and I went to a festival. We took some MDMA and smoked some skunk. We used to do this at uni - we dont now as we have jobs, child etc so this was a one off the capture our lost youth if you will.

Sat in the tent feeling very safe and loved (drugs) we talked and talked. I ended up confiding in DH that when I was 14 I slept with quite a few people as I was really messed up. I was abused by my grandad as a child which DH is aware of but I ended up tellng him that I used to get validation from this and waas trying to explain to him how messed up I was and how difficult it was for me to comes to terms with what had happened and how it affected me as a teenager. I also told him I cheated on my ex several times.

DH thinks I was very filrty at the start of our relationship. Perhaps I was - it's hard to rememer as it is so long ago and he brings up things from years and years ago that I simply don't remember. Anyway I said to DH that if I had been flirty at the start it was down to the abuse and how it affected me and I was sorry for it.

DH then lost the plot. In fairness he was on a lot of drugs but he decided he had had a "revelation" that I had cheated on him througout our relationship. He accused me of sleeping with a never ending list of random people and even asked if our DS was his. He didn't make a lot of sense.

I tried to talk to him but got nowhere. I hoped this was just the drugs talking and he would be ok again in the morning with a clear head.

However, 3 days later and he's the same. He's convinced I have cheated on him. Which I havent

Examples of things he brings up as evidence include:

Apparantly after a work Christmas party years ago a man I worked with sent me a picture of me and him at the party laughing our heads of with the caption "how?". I don't remember this but assume it means "How did we get in this state?" or something but DH is sure it has a sinister meaning.

Apparantly my boss once said to me "We would never work togther". He's right we wouldn't. We rub each other up the wrong way and there's no hint of attraction on either side. But DH thinks it means something.

Apparntly about 15 years ago, one of his friends rang to say he was coming round and I dashed upstairs and put on a low cut top and did my make up. I woud have got changed and done my make up if anyone was coming round. I dont go to the corner shop without a full face. Not sure about the low cut top but I have never found this bloke attractive so if it was low cut if certainly wasn't for his benefit.

The list goes on and on. These are examples.

Today I was looking at somehting on my phone and he said "What are you doing" I said "I;m on facebook why??" He said "You were looking at your phone and smiling" in a nasty tone that implied I was talking to a man or something. Its constant.

I honestly think he has a paranoid personality disorder. I do not know what to do. Saturday, everything was great, today everything is a disaster. And it keeps happening out of the blue like this. I never know what will set him off or when it's coming, only that it always does.

I am sorry this is so long but I do not know what to do

I have managed to get him to speak to a counsellor and he is currently having the assesment call as I type this but god knows if they will help or make things worse. They will only hear his perception which is siply not grounded in reality.

What can I do?

Sorry again that this is so long

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flippinada · 17/06/2016 10:17

Self-appointed devils advocate posters are so tiresome - I wish they'd stick to opinion threads and stop polluting support threads with their nonsense.

If you're still reading Catgirl, know that there's a lot of support here for you. Please take care.

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motherinferior · 17/06/2016 10:28

Oddsocks, I am in touch with a variety of exes, frequently exchange emails and sometimes meet them for coffee. Or even alcohol. This is permissible. My partner does NOT use this as a justification for abuse.

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AnyFucker · 17/06/2016 13:05

There's always one isn't there. Clearly getting entertainment value in feeding a very unhappy and confused poster's already fucked self esteem.

Slow handclap for you, socks.

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AnyFucker · 17/06/2016 13:06

Emma, you are correct to ask. This bloke has smashed up the house in front of his child.

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NameChange30 · 17/06/2016 13:17
Shock
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flippinada · 17/06/2016 13:37

If I remember correctly, I think it's happened more than once.

I think this man is dangerous.

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rememberthetime · 17/06/2016 13:47

I once picked up my phone to 16 missed calls in less than ten minutes. I had been out of earshot. That sick feeling hit me. I immediately thought it must be something awful had happened. When I called back I got ten minutes of abuse about keeping my phone with me at all times and how I was purposely seeking to ignore him. At the end of this I asked why he called. He said it was to ask if I needed anything at the shop on his way home.

The next time my phone ran out of charge I also had a panic attack and when I left it athome I would return home to get it panicking the whole way.

Only him getting intensive counseling changed that. But it took a long time to feel safe being normal. Or even to understand what normal is.

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adora1 · 17/06/2016 14:00

No offence OP but I wonder why you continue to post about him for years when you clearly have no intention of leaving this relationship, I think it's in the hope that even if one person tells you, there, there, he's not so bad, it will justify you staying.

I don't think one person has!

And as has been said, by staying you are not only upsetting your son, you are actually enabling your OH to carry on his assault on you and he will continue for as long as you are there to take it.

I can't believe you won't even consider speaking to a professional.

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Anicechocolatecake · 17/06/2016 14:18

It's so chilling reading this. Op I had a year of this behaviour from my ex. It was do utterly exhausting and degrading. I was so in love with him and when he wasn't behaving like that we had the bones of an incredible relationship. I kept excusing him because I kept thinking 'but the real him is so kind and gentle and loving.'

No. The real him was the abuser. Luckily for me he escalated quite badly towards the end and suddenly I didn't look at him and see someone kind, I saw a grown man having tantrums and behaving desicably.

I am so relieved I am free. I am relaxed again. I talk to men without thinking and do what I want because there's no one to answer to. I was scared I'd be terriby unhappy without him; I'm not, life is great. I feel so strong because I got out.

You might think your ds is ok because your dp is nice around him. Believe me your son is still being impacted negatively. At some point he will twig how deeply unhappy and scared you are. I bet he kniws now and feels confused and worried. At some point he will pick up on the dynamic and potentially recreate it with his own partners in future. He will struggle to trust women. He will feel sad and ashamed his whole life that he couldn't stop the situation cos kids internalise everything and think things are their fault. This will damage his whole life if you stay. Kids always pick up on what is going on, however much you try to hide it.

I know it's terrifying leaving. At the very least, could you do more to get out the house and build your self-esteem? Voluntary work is great for that.

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DetestableHerytike · 17/06/2016 14:46

Cake, OP is out of the house - she is the breadwinner.

What bollocks, oddsocks. I've got 2 or 3 exes I get pissed with a couple of times a year. DH has no issue at all!

Nice to see you putting a coffee with an ex equivalent to the behaviour he is imposing on OP. Apologist.

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AnyFucker · 17/06/2016 15:57

Yep, apologist. I note this thread isn't the first incidence either.

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catgirl1976 · 17/06/2016 18:05

Sorry everyone. I am still reading and appreciating the advice.

I've spent all day with DS. Just me and him. We;ve had a blast. We've done crafts and played with the hosepipe and gone to soft play and down big slides and I want more days like this. I know my job is far from the the real issue but I'm thinking about going part time and having more time with DS and more time for me. The way things are with my job I don't have time to think about anything. I often leave the house at 6m and get home at 7pm (on a good night. 9pm on a bad) and then Im so tired by the weekend. I think I need more balance if I'm to have any time to look at my life and what I can or want to do to change anything.

That may make no sense at all as it's not really within the context of the thread or the issue I posted. Sorry.

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DetestableHerytike · 17/06/2016 18:07

Catgirl

How about a week's parental leave from your job? Go somewhere with just DS? Could you do that?

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catgirl1976 · 17/06/2016 18:14

I've got all of next week off. DS would normally be a pre school but I'm pulling him out to do stuff. Not going away but day trips to the lakes and museums and stuff.

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AnyFucker · 17/06/2016 18:17

Why don't you book some accommodation for a few nights. It's not school hols so you should find something.

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catgirl1976 · 17/06/2016 18:21

Dh wouldn't allow it. Not on our own. He'd assume I was leaving him.

I get that that is very bleak.

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pointythings · 17/06/2016 18:48

Dh wouldn't allow it

That says it all, really. Sent a chill down my spine. He's really done a job on you, hasn't he? You believe you can't have a life without him in it. Sad

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LadyStarkOfWinterfell · 17/06/2016 18:50

Catgirl this thread is really sad but also really fucking stupid
You're in a horrible, awful controlling abusive relationship with a man who is fucking up your life and your son's childhood.
Will you ever wake up? You are failing your son, and yourself, by staying. Open your eyes. You want to be a good mother? Leave. Because right now you aren't being the good mother you can be.

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FirstShinyRobe · 17/06/2016 19:06

I looked back at the pms to which I referred earlier. Of course, I won't share the contents, but I will say some were 3 years ago.

Do you think things are better or worse than in 2013? Are you (individually and together) moving forwards or backwards?

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MsPavlichenko · 17/06/2016 19:08

Your son is being damaged. Please believe this. My DD was 5 when I left her Dad. She is almost 19, and I am still surprised at some of what she speaks of even now. It's so hard to see just how bad it is until you are out, and even then it takes years. I still shake my head when I remember how my life was.

Phone WA, look at the Freedom Programme. You will have no peace , and neither will your DS until you are free. He won't get better. The more you placate, the worse he'll get. At best you'll stay alive, with a DS who may well grow up to be abusive himself, but certainly damaged. That's the best option.

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Lillygolightly · 17/06/2016 20:17

Oh gosh Kat Confused you really are in his clutches.

The best advice anyone can give you is to leave. Everyone has given you this same advice because this will not get better he will never get better. He won't! He can't, he doesn't even want or need to, do you know why??? Because you STAY and put up with it that's why!!!

I am so very sad for you and your little boy.

Can I ask, what would it take, what is the terrible thing/things he would have to do to get you to leave? Is there anything??

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catgirl1976 · 17/06/2016 20:25

If he ever hurt DS. That would be an instant and irrecovable deal breaker.

But he wouldn't do that. Genuinely he would not. He adores him.

If he cheated on me. That too.

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smilingeyes11 · 17/06/2016 20:29

Catgirl - he already has hurt him, can't you see that?

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MsPavlichenko · 17/06/2016 20:32

He is hurting him. And damaging him. He may adore him but so what. Do you want your DS to grow up to be an Abusive man too ?

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DetestableHerytike · 17/06/2016 20:37

Cat, lovely, has he hurt you physically?

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