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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

Depression and obsessed over husband's affair. Please help!

53 replies

Babs200 · 27/11/2016 08:38

It's a long story, so I'll keep it as brief as possible. My situation at the moment is I'm extremely depressed and I can't get out it. I'm confused, I don't what to think or believe anymore.
I have two young dcs, 5 and 2. When I was pregnant -after having had a miscarriage-with my younger dc, my husband of 10 years had befriended a work colleague. He spent a lot of time together with her and I knew there was an attraction. We moved to be near his family and I was lonely and stuck. I became jealous and insecure and he accused me of being jealous, possessive and paranoid. ( When I was 11 weeks pregnant with my younger dc, I had a bleed, obvs scared, it was fine, but that evening he left me and spent with ow.) I even confronted this ow and she told me they were just friends. What had made me so anxious is that when I had gone away to my parents with my older dc ( I was 14 weeks pregnant), they had shared a kiss. Ow told me it was a mistake and her dh knew. They all made out I was crazy. My husband then turned against me, he was constantly angry, he didn't want to be with me, he took off his wedding ring he told me he was falling for this ow. I lost all self worth. She became pregnant, her and her dh were very happy, so I thought well no threat there. I became friends with her to try and make my husband happy, as he wanted her in his life, but I felt so insecure that I had to stop.

Anyway, a few years on, a couple of months ago, I found out by looking on his phone that I was right. He admitted it all. They had been fucking since my pregnancy, that kiss wasn't just a kiss, ow thought her baby could have been my husband's, (yeah, he's exh now). They fucked in my home, he pushed me away in my pregnancy and supported her in hers, even though there was a small chance the baby was his. He made me feel I was failing and gave her all the praise.

When I found out, I was in complete shock and tried to talk and understand it from both of them, but that feeling faded as the reality sunk in and I uncovered more and more. My ex wants me to forgive him, he wants to move on. He can't understand my anger and pain. He doesn't do his bit with the kids, he smokes weed all of the time, he's lazy. He tells me that I never loved him, because i never let him go. He loves the ow, because she bought him happiness and she's been able to let him and him her. I confronted her so many times to tell me the truth and she lied to me. Now that ow is not in my exh's life, he's being nice to me, wants us to start from the beginning, spends a lot of time with me and kids. It makes me so angry. I did 95% of the childcare to make him happy, to save the marriage, to be a better person. I never had a life.

I feel completely broken. I believed in my marriage, in him. I loved him so much. I thought what we had was special, something I would never have with anybody else, but he had that with her. The past 12 years seem like a complete lie. I regret ever being with him. And I'm obsessed, I can't stop thinking about them fucking. Is that normal? Ive started smoking and drinking, I've lost nearly 2 stone. My friend feels that my exh is emotionally abusive, as he manipulated me a lot and kept telling me I needed to change to save the marriage (I think he was also scared that I'd leave with the kids)... But he tells me I was ea. I don't know anything anymore. I hate feeling like this. He wants us to be friends and still do stuff together as a family, Xmas etc. Watch movies together. I'm so unhappy.

OP posts:
Berthatydfil · 27/11/2016 10:35

Wow primark that's hardly designer wear.
What a twat

Marmalade85 · 27/11/2016 11:36

Gosh this is devastating OP. Do you have a support network around you? Call CSA and they will be able to find out what he is earning.

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 27/11/2016 11:47

Babs, this is such sad reading. I'm really not surprised that you're devastated by his actions and behaviour towards you, how could you not be?

You say that he's your ex-husband, is that right? If so, cut ties. Not only should you not see him I'm not sure that your children should see him - weed-smoking and laziness isn't an example they need to be set. Does he do anything useful or effective as a parent with them?

For you though, he needs to be completely out of your life. There is no friendship here, only contempt for you. The more you do, the more you've done for him, the less he has/had respect for you. The only way to change that is to take it all away from him; every kindness and consideration that you show is wasted on him and actually serves to show him (in his twisted mind) that you're not worth his respect.

If you have a solicitor then perhaps go to get advice as to what you can do regarding your children - and if that arrangement can't be changed - what you can do to protect yourself from him.

He's vile, Babs, you deserve so much better and anything is better than having him in your life. He doesn't and shouldn't even register with you anymore as you have proof positive that he mocked you during your marriage with his affair and that he only wants you now because OW is not in his life.

Get whatever advice you can get, do whatever you can to protect yourself and your children from his horrible excuse for a man.

gottachangethename1 · 27/11/2016 11:54

You are far too good for him op. I too would seek my own counselling and drop the joint one, you have invested more than enough time in this man, it's time to take care of yourself.

Oblomov16 · 27/11/2016 11:55

This is really bad. I very rarely ever comment on LTB threads, but seriously, you know deep down that this isn't recoverable from, don't you?

slenderisthenight · 27/11/2016 12:23

I'm concerned that you're going to relationship counselling with this person to try to 'understand everything'.

There is no 'understanding' available from him. There will only be more abuse, accusations, justification and lies.

You will lose precious energy and healing time down the rabbit hole.

SandyY2K · 27/11/2016 13:24

You dont need him in your life, except as the father of your children. He was horrible to you and got you befriending his mistress. That's just horrible.

Please know that you deserve better than him.

SandyY2K · 27/11/2016 13:27

He wants us to be friends and still do stuff together as a family, Xmas etc. Watch movies together.

Not a chance. The absolute cheek of him after what he did.

He's trying to worm his way back in.

You're not plan B.

Babs200 · 27/11/2016 15:34

Wow, thank you. Sorry for the late response, it's been a busy day with the kids. It's amazing seeing the relationship from an outside perspective, honestly within it I just feel so much guilt. I know this is ridiculous, after everything he has done. I have massive issues with guilt, and I feel guilty about him being away from the kids, being depressed, blah blah. It's bloody crazy. Now, I'm starting to see things clearly and it helps immensely posting on mn. It's so difficult, because I'm angry and then he gets depressed and cries and he has immense remorse. So my heart softens, but then I think of the lies and the manipulation. He definitely gas lighted. I want the Co therapy, as I'm desperate for someone to confront him with him. I feel I'm the only one in his life who showing him how wrong he was, whereas everybody else- in-laws, his friends- haven't. I'm anxious but I know I'm strong and can do this without him in my life. I'm just so lonely. I haven't had anybody in my life since 2014, but I've lost confidence to get out there and I've lost trust in men. I can't get hurt like this again.

Xxxx

OP posts:
LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 27/11/2016 15:57

Babs, please, please don't have counselling WITH him. It would be the worst thing in the world because you already feel a misplaced guilt and he's such an accomplished liar that I could quite see him sitting there, blethering on to the counsellor with a pack of polished lies that she swallows - and you feeling those pangs of guilt and keeping silent. All that would do is to reinforce those horrible feelings for you - and validate that vile man. Please don't do it.

If you want to show him the strength of feeling then copy and paste the best responses from this thread - no usernames because this is your sanctuary, not his and you don't want him here - and let him see how much we think of him.

It's obviously not the right time for you at the moment to be thinking of dating or of trusting another man and there's no rush for you to do that. Far better for you to fix yourself and your future and then later on, when you feel ready, find somebody you like and could have fun with, then.

Please don't have this man in your life anymore, not as a friend - and not in counselling with you. Both of those would do so much more damage and he's already done quite enough.

HeavenlyEyes · 27/11/2016 16:03

you should never have joint counselling with an abuser. Please get counselling for yourself though. Don't rely on a counseller confronting and fixing him, because they won't.

AnyFucker · 27/11/2016 16:09

No to joint counselling. If you take one thing from this thread...please listen to us on this

You will not get closure. He will never examine himself as anything other than a helpless victim. Trust us on this.

jeaux90 · 27/11/2016 17:33

Babs the joint therapy will probably not give you the answers you want. Sometimes we never get the answers and they never get to "look in the mirror". You need to concentrate on you rather than focussing on him realising what an asshole he is because in all likelihood that won't happen, I am speaking from 2 relationships of experience on that one. One with an abusive narc the other one with a sociopathic pathological liar. They never wise up to themselves so if the joint counselling is about that forget it. Look after you, you, you and the kids xxx

slenderisthenight · 27/11/2016 18:10

It you wrap up becoming free with changing him at all, you will never be free.

As hard as it is, you have to move on and be prepared to accept that you start from here. Only the information you already have. The confusion and questions are part of his legacy to you and seeking answers from him or trying to force your own truth upon him would almost certainly only give you more of what you have already endured. He will never make sense to you because you would never do what he has done. Most people wouldn't. Don't waste another day peering into a person that has been so destructive and isn't worth your time.

The more questions about him that you can put to one side, or answer with a counsellor in your own healing space, the less he is in your life anymore.

Babs200 · 27/11/2016 22:07

Why am I clinging on so much? I just can't understand it, I used to trust him completely, I thought our love was real. I'm so needy and I hate feeling like this. I have to accept some responsibility for the issues in our relationship before this, don't I? He tells me that if things were different between us then this would never have happened. He says he had lost complete respect for me. He says that if I hadn't been jealous of his and ow's friendship before their affair began, then he wouldn't have gone there. That I had pushed him to her? Would that be right? He says I pushed him away after the miscarriage and he wasn't ready for another baby. That I forced him to, but I can't remember him saying this at the time. I really wanted another baby and the miscarriage was devastating. I became so insecure about losing another pregnancy and he said that he couldn't handle the stress. I became so depressed and anxious because he was so distant. I just can't believe he could have such strong feelings for somebody else. For years he told me that we were soul mates, made for each other. He wrote these songs and poems about her that I had found and it broke me. Some of them were about her being a new mother, really beautiful poems and I got nothing. I didn't even get flowers after our younger dc was born and I put so much into the labour. He didn't give me anything when younger dc was born, that whole first year and a half. I was severely depressed and he spent time with her making her feel good because it was her first baby. But that baby wasn't his, and mine definitely was. I've been alone with no comfort or touch, just my two kids and he's had the ow, she's had him and her dh. Why am I doubting myself, my pain and hurt? The strongest person would struggle in my situation wouldn't they? I spoke a lot in the beginning to the ow, after I found out and told her everything I had been through and he is accusing me of being vindictive. That I've tried to turn her against him by telling her that what they had isn't real. He doesn't want me to have painted as a awful person and this has really got into my head. I just told her the truth. We have had sex a few times over the past couple of years and she didn't know. She hadn't been sleeping with her dh because her and exh were committed to each other. He had also, just before I found the truth, slept with a much younger woman, which she didn't know about. And he's accusing me of being vindictive.

I'm so fucking confused. I can't handle it anymore but I have to rely on him as I have nobody else around me. Am I just being weak and a fool? Everyone around me that knows says I'm strong, as I always come across as chirpy. But I'm not. I have had an extensive depression since the beginning of this when I was pregnant. But he tells me that I've always been like this and that I'm not his responsibility. He's not responsible for my happiness. He says that I don't own his body and he can do what he likes with anybody, but surely not when your wife is pregnant?

I'm such a mess

OP posts:
AnyFucker · 27/11/2016 22:14

You will not be a mess if you detach from him

No man is worth this

What the hell happened in your formative years to make you think this weak piece of shit is all you deserve ?

You need to find some strength from somewhere. Your dc is suffering because of your obsession with this skank

Cut all contact for God's sake and concentrate on your own little family. He brings nothing to the table.

Babs200 · 27/11/2016 22:22

You're completely right, I have to. I've got loads of issues with rejection and guilt from my past, but I've also changed significantly over the past couple of years. I don't recognise myself anymore. I have to get away from him, and I've started to take steps regarding that. It's so hard, I don't get much time myself and my kids can be quite demanding. I have believe that not all men are like this! He is such a child. Smokes weed, in constant debt, and spends his money without thinking. He's a complete fantasist.

OP posts:
jeaux90 · 27/11/2016 22:24

That's just fantastic him blaming you for his behaviour. What an asshole.

You need to stop being a mess, stop obsessing. Yes acknowledge the pain and let yourself feel it and cry but believe me being a single mum takes all your focus and you need to focus on dc and you. Not him, not his mess, and certainly not his relationship with the ow.

Take back control. Get the finances and access sorted, you will feel so much better when you get control back. X

AnyFucker · 27/11/2016 22:25

So stop fantasising about the man he ought to be

He is inadequate. You know this.

Babs200 · 27/11/2016 22:33

Yes, I need to hear this and for the first time in a long time, I'm actually listening. What's really fucked up, is that a few days after I found out the truth, I was in complete shock and numb. It's because I had known something was going on, but was always told I was being delusional or paranoid, jealous etc. But I actually talked and supported him and the ow. Don't ask why, I think I just needed him to not hate me. Anyway this didn't last long as the reality sunk in, but he always refers to this as me being my genuine, authentic self. That I should be happy for him and them?? That's how much he had got into my head. I remember going to therapy and telling him that I had been possessive, and him agreeing when all this time he was with the ow.

OP posts:
jeaux90 · 27/11/2016 22:45

Watf!! Look, you can accept the situation because if you don't that's just denial, but you don't have to be happy about it. Utter bollox.

Don't let him dictate what your genuine self is. Tell him to piss off, what a prick. Get the access and money sorted, put him at arms length, bland conversations about access only that is how you protect yourself and start to heal. X

clumsyduck · 27/11/2016 22:50

He has behaved appallingly !!

It's not even like he made a mistake owned up an tried to put it right !!

He cheats on you . Makes out your paranoid , gets you to be friends with her and carries on cheating

He is a pig and a loser of the highest order .

He is absolutely not your friend . Have no contact other than arrangements for dc

It will hurt right now but I promise it will get better

Yoarchie · 27/11/2016 22:52

What an evil fucker he sounds.

clarabelles · 27/11/2016 22:56

Babs, I am a year down the line and just want to say Hang in there!! I promise you that it gets better. The pain will ease but I would also suggest that you talk to a professional about all of this. You have very right to feel angry and hurt ... his betrayal has been HUGE. You deserve more than this. Speak to someone. Your children need you to be strong. You need to be strong and take back the control he has tried to take from you. Good luck x

clarabelles · 27/11/2016 22:59

I also agree with other ladies here....keep him at arms length. Only communicate re the children and don't waste time arguing about what has happened. Men like him cannot face what they have done and are always looking to blame someone else. You will never win. Do yourself and your own mental health a favour and stay well away from him. He is vile. So is she. xx

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