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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

4 weeks no sex a dealbraker?

238 replies

UmizoomiBananaRamama · 25/04/2017 09:39

I was going to post in 'Sex' but thought I'd get a bit more support over here in 'Relationships'.

Since the birth of my DS 2 years ago, I've suffered with depression and anxiety. I've been on anti depressants for about 8 months and they're really really helping me. Only problem is my sex drive is pretty much non-existent.
I'm just not in the mood. I feel like I could happily go the next couple of years without it.
But my DH on the other hand... we used to dtd about 4 times a week, and now it's maybe once every month.
Anyway last night he asked me for sex (like he does 3 times a day) and I said sorry I'm not in the mood, how about tomorrow night? (I'm just going to have to grin and bear it)
And he started saying that 4 weeks is such and long time and that he can't keep going like this.

I said that we have other marital issues that are more important for us to sort out first, mainly his lack of respect for me or our home, and that that's probably a contributing factor as to why I'm not in the mood.

But he said the lack of sex is the only issue that matters.

I'm at a bit of a crossroads. Sorry for the long posy I just don't know what to do.

OP posts:
HomityBabbityPie · 25/04/2017 12:55

Being at work is ridiculously easy compared to being at home with young DC.

Huskylover1 · 25/04/2017 13:03

I think she said he works 12 hour days. So, if he's out from 7am till 7pm that doesn't leave much time for him to do household chores.

I'm all for splitting chores, but not when one person is out for 12 hours, that's just impossible.

Not to sound harsh, but Op has 1 child and is a SAHM. I'm unsure as to why he really needs to have a chores list, why can't she do that stuff when he's at work?

But, throwing clothes on the floor is plain ridiculous, why would anyone do that? Plain disrespectful.

HomityBabbityPie · 25/04/2017 13:07
magoria · 25/04/2017 13:14

There is a shed load of difference between not doing as much around the house and leaving your stuff where it falls for the skivvy to pick up.

Just putting it in the wash basket/pile wouldn't hurt him at all and is far more respectful to OP.

He is treating OP as nothing more than a household appliance.

OP I reckon a lot of your depression would magically lift if you got rid of this selfish man.

ilovechoc1987 · 25/04/2017 13:18

I know that being at work is easier then staying home with your children, but when you're suffering from depression it's hard to cope with just being a mum, and all the responsibilities that entails, without having to report to work everyday, get your child organised for childcare, then make time for school hols, plays etc. Just cause you go to work doesn't mean you can drop all of that.
I suppose it depends what job you actually do as well, cause I'd imagine there are harder jobs then others.
I know that I'd prefer to do my jobs at home then do my partners job, I don't think I could handle the stress of that.

TheSparrowhawk · 25/04/2017 13:24

'Not to sound harsh, but Op has 1 child and is a SAHM. I'm unsure as to why he really needs to have a chores list, why can't she do that stuff when he's at work?

But, throwing clothes on the floor is plain ridiculous, why would anyone do that? Plain disrespectful.'

You're not making any sense Husky. Where did the OP say she wanted to give her partner a chores list? She said she wants him to stop throwing things on the floor.

HomityBabbityPie · 25/04/2017 13:25

My day at work is a cinch compared to my day at home with my son

Work day:

Get son up, dressed, drop at nursery which is next to train

Catch train to work while drinking coffee and reading my book in peace

Get to work, do job, speak to adult human beings, drink tea while still hot. Eat lunch in peace.

Return home, collect son, enjoy a story/quick play, put to bed.

Easy peasy lemon squeeze.

UmizoomiBananaRamama · 25/04/2017 13:25

His job is pretty stressful - and he usually only has 1 day off a week.
I'm not expecting him to do much - and I haven't given him a 'chores list' - but I'd like to be only picking up after 1 child and not 2.
I think I just want him to respect our house. I'm not expecting him to wash his dirty dishes, but at least put them in the dishwasher and not on the floor of the living room when he's done eating.
Hang his towel up in the airing cupboard - not on the bathroom floor.

I've just gone on the sick from my job (only 16 hours per week but I couldn't cope)
So right now I am only a SAHM and I get why he feels like I should do the majority of the housework but it's such a mammoth task when I get no help.

OP posts:
Obsidian77 · 25/04/2017 13:34

I was going to ask if he can cut back slightly on his hours at work occasionally but just saw your post and I guess he can't.
I feel for you op but if you're too sick to work, you need to be realistic about what you can manage at home.
Depression is a horrible illness. It really takes it out of you and puts a strain on your relationships. Bottom line is that your DH needs to be stepping up to help and support you more.

ilovechoc1987 · 25/04/2017 13:35

All I can say op is don't have anymore children! Having 1 is a breeze compared to 3, as least they can't argue with themselves.

HomityBabbityPie · 25/04/2017 13:36

How very helpful choc Hmm

ilovechoc1987 · 25/04/2017 13:38

It was just a heads up , anyway I'm sure having another is the last thing on OPs mind anyway.

ilovechoc1987 · 25/04/2017 13:41

Anyway homity why the personal vendetta against me?Hmm it seems like whenever I say something you have something shitty to say back?

HomityBabbityPie · 25/04/2017 13:42

Hardly, it's just you are the one making daft comments.

WannaBe · 25/04/2017 13:42

There is a bit of a double standard view of this on MN, in so much as that if it's a woman who doesn't want to have sex then the man needs to be understanding of the fact that she is looking after the DC/has had a baby within the past ten years/shouldn't be expected to have sex with him and does he contribute towards the housework. Whereas if the man doesn't want to have sex the woman can (rightly) feel hurt, the question is asked as to whether the man is getting it elsewhere i.e. Porn/OW, an anyone who dared question whether the woman contribute more in any way would be flamed to hell and back.

Sex is a very divisive issue within any relationship, and tbh there's no right or wrong answer. Nobody, be that man or woman, should feel that they have to have sex with anyone they don't want to. But when this happens within the confines of a supposedly loving relationship it's not wrong for the party who wants sex to question why this won't or can't happen. And I do think that the less you have sex, the less you would want it, so it becomes a bit of a vicious circle.

If you cut back to basics it does come down to love, and the rest can be built on from there. Do you love him OP? Does he love you? If the answer to those questions is yes, then you both need to open the lines of communication, and understanding, and go from there to bring your relationship back on track. It seems that at the moment you have both been stuck in a rut. You want him to contribute more and you feel bad about yourself because of your depression, whereas he feels that since you have had DC everything has changed and he has fallen to the bottom of the pecking order.

You need to be able to meet in the middle on this. He needs to realise that coming home and throwing everything where he lands isn't going to endear you to him, but equally, if he's working a twelve hour a day manual job it's understandable that he wants to come home and sit down and relax. Being a SAHM is not* more difficult than having a full time job. It's different, and there are equal demands, but it's not the same.

Also, with regard to any illness, there needs to be understanding of all the parties involved. Living with someone with severe depression can be very difficult, and there often seems to be a view that the person with the illness (any illness) is the only one whose position is important, whereas the people surrounding that person and also living with the illness need to be there for that person only and be understanding of that person's needs while completely distancing from their own.

Can you sit down and have a conversation at a time when neither of you has become frustrated about something, and talk about how you can bring the relationship back on track? A conversation which doesn't resort to him talking about his needs and you talking about your needs and where you're both talking at each other rather than to each other.

So the conversation would need to go along the lines of that you both have differing demands and viewpoints and it seems that these are causing friction within the relationship, so how can you make some middle ground? I.e. Take at least one night a week to both just put down everything at the end of the twelve hour day and spend that time together, having dinner/having a conversation/going to bed at the same time, even if that isn't going to lead to sex yet. Assuming the two year old sleeps through, the washing up will wait a couple of hours and nothing is that manic with a two year old that nobody gets a single second to sit down, you can sacrifice one evening to spending it with your DH.

However on the other nights not throwing clothes on the floor/gaming all night but both winding up the day together, making/having dinner together, clearing up the kitchen together thus enabling time for conversation, and when the kitchen is cleared both settling down for the rest of the evening. Reconnecting with each other is the first part of getting your lives back on track as a couple. But you both need to be open to having some input.

But as I said above, it all needs to come down to whether you actually still love each other.

ilovechoc1987 · 25/04/2017 13:45

Well said wannabe I agree with what you said 👍🏻

TheSparrowhawk · 25/04/2017 13:47

Jesus fucking Christ.

The OP has a serious illness and has been suicidal in the past. She has stated that she cannot cope and has asked her partner for help.

Her supposed partner has pressured her into sex while she's waiting for results regarding cervical cancer. Despite knowing how ill she is, he still pressures her for sex multiple times a day and he refuses to even pick his own towel up off the floor.

And the advice is that he needs rest and they should talk about it????

What the ACTUAL FUCK??

HomityBabbityPie · 25/04/2017 13:50

It's so depressing isn't it sparrow

Thephoneywar · 25/04/2017 13:51

I think the whole chores argument is a red herring. Would you really want to have sex again and do you think your libido would come back if he picked up after himself or would other reason appear that meant you didn't want sex.

You're allowed to not want sex very often. He's allowed to want to have sex frequently with his wife. At some point something has to give.

If my husband withdrew sex I would eventually leave. He's allowed to want sex and then end the relationship if it doesn't work out.

Huskylover1 · 25/04/2017 13:55

WannaBe Her post was full of advice. Whereas you sparrow seem to just attack anyone who posts here. What's your solution? Divorce? You seem very bitter.

HomityBabbityPie · 25/04/2017 13:59

Ah bitter, that old gem 🙄

ilovechoc1987 · 25/04/2017 14:00

Ok sparrowhawk lets hear your advice then?

FatOldBag · 25/04/2017 14:00

He doesn't want a relationship, he wants a hole. And a housekeeper.

I'd tell him to get to fuck in no uncertain terms.

ravenmum · 25/04/2017 14:02

When you are pissed off with someone as you are forced to pick up their dirty clothes etc. on a daily basis while they sit on their arse watching you, that is one valid and understandable reason not to want to have sex with them. The OP clearly also has some other valid, understandable reasons for not wanting sex, though - she has depression and is on ADs, and her husband is providing zero emotional support, instead concentrating only on what he wants. So even if he did look after his own child occasionally, or pick up his own clothes, I doubt that would magically make her want to have sex with him. That's not "withdrawing sex", though. That's being unable to bring yourself to have sex with someone who makes you feel like shit.

Like others I think OP's libido would spring to life with a more thoughtful, kinder, more loving partner.

TheSparrowhawk · 25/04/2017 14:03

'WannaBe Her post was full of advice. Whereas you sparrow seem to just attack anyone who posts here. What's your solution? Divorce? You seem very bitter.'

I'm not bitter, I'm really shocked. I'm shocked that women (I assume) would hear a fellow woman saying how exhausted and ill she was, how disrespected by her partner and the response would be to ignore all that and say that what she's doing isn't that hard and she should talk to him. She's already talked to him, multiple times, and nothing has changed.

My advice would be to leave him.

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