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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

So unsettled by DP's behaviour

70 replies

PagingDrKarl · 01/05/2017 04:22

Long one, sorry.

Feeling very unsettled by behaviour of dp over last two days.

We are on a Bank Holiday weekend away, and on the first night, after a lot of walking, I suddenly felt shattered. Dp was very much in the mood for sex and rather threw himself at me (throughout the day we had both given each other the impression it would happen); I was reciprocating a little but clearly very tired. He asked, would you rather wait until tomorrow? I said yes, if that would not totally mess up his body (If i had REALLY not wanted to, I would have omitted that second phrase). He said fine, seemed really relaxed about it, then asked if he could go down on me quickly to make me come. Now, I was tired and simply not in the mood. I said he could if he wanted to but reiterated how tired I was. He seemed fine for a minute then exclaimed, "What's wrong?", to which I replied "nothing. I'm just tired". Then, to himself in anguish, he said "this is so confusing." Lay down with back to me and earphones in, saying he was listening to a short story. I, now very awake due to this sudden turnaround and keen to regain a sense of intimacy, asked to listen with him. Ignored.

Eventually, he did talk and said it had been a hormones issue, hard to control and better to just sleep than try to talk in the circumstances. He said that was why he had ignored me/turned away. He also added in a preoccupied tone that the "inconsistency" was unsettling. This inconsistency was me giving impression I'd be in the mood later, then not being, and saying I was tired then waking up. I pulled him up on this and he seemed to accept it was unreasonable to in any way make me feel bad about these things, and to recognise I had woken up in reaction to his own change of mood.

On day two, we saw some teens rollerblading. The girls were in skinny jeans and tight crop tops although it was freezing. He made a comment along the lines of "oh dear, teen pregnancy". When I asked him to explain what he meant, he said the only reason to dress like that in such weather was if you were after sex. I felt livid about this but but my tongue for the sake of having a nice weekend; but later I couldn't, and said in a calm way, "by the way, what you said about those girls was not true and not acceptable". He said it was just a joke, and when I said it was not a funny one he sighed and said "oh, I can't make a joke about anything with you" and added how easy things were with his friends compared to with me. He said that the media was "divided" on the issue [of women's attire], and I was at one extreme. I said yes, the media can be chauvinistic, and that what I had said was not "extreme". He took umbrage, said how would I like if if he called me a prude. I felt rather shell-shocked, but did mention that surely the prudish thing is to say those clothes mean only one thing, rather than (as I had) we should be able to wear what we like.

Later, he said again I had "extreme" views when it came to women's rights, and I said that claiming the only reason a kid of around 13 (of course, actually it could be anyone of any age) wears revealing clothing is to get sex is the extreme view. He said that I never back down because I need to redress the balance of gender inequality by winning arguments, and also that I would be contrary and argue a point for the sake of it with three people: him, and my parents.

This last point unsettled me. I have been considering if it is true and was worried it may be. I don't know why it got to me so much but it did, and I felt he was right and I had in general been being contrary. He said "don't get upset, like you did last night." I have not been myself all evening, and he has told me that I "need help" and that I need to "stand up for myself" (this when I was being quiet, mainly so as not to be accused of ensuring I win the argument or fighting for the sake of it). I had had a few drinks (along with the same volume of water, and totally within my limits) and he has said he won't talk to me when I have alcohol in my system. He also said he needs someone strong and stable if his career is not to suffer. I feel a) self-obsessed bastard; b) well why not my career, if we're going there; c) I WAS feeling strong and stable until HE unsettled me.

As we were lying in bed, him snoring away and thrashing around, I was anxiously thinking about turning over for 40 minutes. I did so; he woke up, furiously said "what are you DOING" and took himself off to the spare bed in our hotel room.

Now, regarding this last point, he does literally lose his mind when half asleep, and also loses sense of time (so maybe he thought that I had been tossing and turning to get to sleep a few minutes before I moved again, when really it was a 40 min gap!)

This is the second such late night almost mad-seeming episode in a year, and I think I can handle them if it is a case of him being half asleep.

But overall, I'm feeling very worried. I feel that all this points to him being a not very nice person, and I myself feel gaslighted. This is all out of character for him (but is it? He has made one other misogynistic comment; tip of iceberg?), but do I give another chance or not? What is strange is we have been together for ten years, but all these things are new.

I'm shattered and may not be making sense myself, and am not sure why I have written here. I think I partly want to have a record to remind myself all this really happened, as it is out of the ordinary. And I am doubting myself, and want to know if my concerns are unfounded.

OP posts:
Chops2016 · 01/05/2017 09:12

Oops, posted too soon- I definitely used the "too tired" line! 😅

SemiNormal · 01/05/2017 09:13

if that would not totally mess up his body - Also curious as to how not having sex would mess up his body? What has he told you regarding this? I've never heard such a condition by where not having sex would mess up someones body. If there is however, then surely it would only be about the ejaculation and that could be achieved by masterbation not just sex. I'm seriously confused, I suspect coercion of sorts but that could just be my own experiences that lead me to believe that.

yetmorecrap · 01/05/2017 09:17

Actually I think the disturbing thing us you Kay there not daring to move, read this back to yourself OP, it's not good!

picklemepopcorn · 01/05/2017 09:17

Comments criticising OP are really unfair. She explains her alcohol consumption because she wants it clear that she wasn't too drunk for a sensible conversation which her DP implies.

Saying 'no' and then 'if you really want to' isn't confusing- she clearly doesn't want to but is giving in to keep him happy.

He 'recruits' HER parents to his argument, making her even more isolated.

He makes a sexist and inappropriate comment, then accuses her of extremism for pointing it out (how would you feel if someone referred to your thirteen year old daughter on the park as a 'teenage pregnancy' waiting to happen?).

He's so bad tempered that she lies in bed unmoving in case she disturbs him.

What a prince.

DownTownAbbey · 01/05/2017 09:24

All rather disturbing. As pps have said is this asshattery new?

ptumbi · 01/05/2017 09:36

You really lay there for 40minutes not daring to move?

FFS get rid. Lie in your own bed, doing what you like - and yes, judge twatts who wolf-whistle/make peado comments about 13years olds.

DameDeDoubtance · 01/05/2017 09:47

Making sexual comments about kids, bloody hell, that's grim. He sounds like a self absorbed twat, time to let this charmer go.

PagingDrKarl · 01/05/2017 09:58

Thank you everyone for the replies. I can't reply properly at the moment but it was a help to read these comments.

OP posts:
Yoksha · 01/05/2017 10:04

Is counselling an option? I know it's a default piece of advice, but your OP reads as a couple out of sync with each other.

The comment about you arguing your point in a contrary fashion with him & your parents resonated with me. Within a family setting it is totally acceptable when honing dynamics. As a family we help each individual polish off their rough bits in a safe environment. He is massively gaslighting you OP. Using your parents to destabilise you emotionally, or to score points is pretty low. If my S-il was doing this with our 34yr old Dd, I'd rip him a new one if she confided in me.

It seems like he's becoming bored. His attitude to sex, his misogynistic remarks about young girls-eurgh. His "career"! He's seeing himself as more important in this relationship.

I wish I could find a link to a pin on pintrest I caught the other day. It was about a letter from a father to his daughter. In my opinion it should be the benchmark of every father shaping his opinions of females and passing his respect and ideals onto his daughter on what she should accept moving forward in her life. I wish I'd known about it before I had raised my 2Dd.

I hope you find a solution OP Flowers

notapizzaeater · 01/05/2017 10:35

What do you want from this relationship ?

TBH leering at kids is wrong. Making you feel uncomfortable is wrong. Lots of things here are wrong.

cordeliavorkosigan · 01/05/2017 10:54

I'd worry about the newness of this. Is he suddenly so contemptuous of you because he's having an affair and, consciously or unconsciously, looking to justify it by demonising you and insulting you? He sounds like a gaslighting twat from your posts.

kittybiscuits · 01/05/2017 13:57

Do not do couples counselling with this man. It will not be helpful and will not end well.

Fruitcocktail6 · 01/05/2017 14:06

He sounds vile. What on earth does this mean? -
He asked, would you rather wait until tomorrow? I said yes, if that would not totally mess up his body (If i had REALLY not wanted to

Has he convinced you blue balls is real?

PagingDrKarl · 01/05/2017 21:17

Thank you very much for your thoughts and advice.

No children, but perhaps that's just as well at the moment. Nor are we married, Huskylover and Sample (were going to in 2011, then it didn't happen for external reasons irrelevant here). We were planning to finally get around to it soon, but going by my own hunch and the majority of responses on here, it might be an idea to put the brakes.

The other misogynistic comment was again related to women's dress -- he'd said a newly married friend should really take down a facebook cover photo of herself in a bikini. Again, this was a recent comment and I hadn't noticed things like it before.
bittapitta He would hate to associate himself with Milo (says he can't stand him) but is more like him than he would like to think (at least recently). Ugh.

It is interesting to hear the relationship sounds like a young one. We were fairly young when we got together. The first years were not without challenges (miscarriages, some big health problems, family dying and a rocky financial situation) but we got on very well and seemed a team, as well as fairly carefree at times despite everything. I really hadn't noticed things being amiss before, but it is very possible I've been blind to it and it's the tip of the iceberg. It's also possible that in the past I would not have commented as much on things I feel are wrong, and might have avoided topics I suspected could be contentious. I don't want to throw it all away if it's just a weird blip, but I don't want to be burying my head in the sand either.

Re: blue balls. Gosh, yes, I did think it was a thing (and thought a similar thing could happen to women). Feel very foolish now. But as Seminormal said, masturbation would be a fix for that anyway (were it to exist). And in any case, I was not an am not impressed by his hormones comment.

Gosh your conversations sounds so ernest. Where's the fun in your relationship?
These particular conversations were fraught/earnest. They, bothered me, which is why I wrote about them (rather than the fun stuff).

OP posts:
PagingDrKarl · 01/05/2017 21:22

Oh, and the drink thing: I had had a little over two units. He'd have no trouble talking to me e.g. about complex work plans in a similar situation (or indeed if I'd had a lot more). I did feel it was a way of shutting me down on this occasion.

OP posts:
Goldfishjane · 01/05/2017 22:25

The snapshot you give sounds dire. Scared to turn over in bed? blue ball?!

Obsidian77 · 02/05/2017 00:09

So you've been together 10 years, been through tough times together, been happy, but recently something seems off and you are unsettled? if you can't explain why this, are you figuring that something or someone external might be influencing your relationship?
I don't agree with pp's that you should rule out counselling. Sometimes relationships just run their course. Aside from his gross comments about teenage girls and the opinion that because you disagree with him, your views are extreme, his behaviour sounds odd, in a way that could be explained by him being deeply unhappy. If you both feel this, maybe it is time to call it a day.

Pallisers · 02/05/2017 00:16

I think you met him young. things were good at times. You've been through a lot. Now you are looking at him more critically and thinking "is this what I want really" which is fine. If you met at 18 and are now 28 that is no age. It is ok to think "well that was good when it was good and I will always be fond of him but he isn't what I want in a man for the rest of my life"

And for what it is worth, I wouldn't want to be with someone like him - but maybe someone else would be fine with him. But it is ok you deciding that you have grown apart etc. Especially since you don't have children together.

TheSparrowhawk · 02/05/2017 06:58

Sarahmum27, I find it really sad that you think it's too much to expect a man not to wolf whistle or ask for a blow job. My DH would never do either of those things because he's a decent adult rather than an immature idiot.

OP - if you were tired, why didn't you just refuse sex? Were you afraid to? The messages you were sending were very confusing - you should state what you want and stick to it. Your DP's reaction was over the top though.

That comment about the kids would put me off forever. It shows a disgusting attitude.

picklemepopcorn · 02/05/2017 07:11

Your comments were NOT confusing, OP. They were typical of someone who has been coerced into sex because poor DP will be in pain if he doesn't get what he wants often enough. You were clear that you didn't want it.

"I'm too tired"
'would you rather wait until tomorrow?'
"Yes, if that's ok"
"Can I just go down on you anyway..."

Only one person was confused and confusing. I don't expect to have to say no three times, for clarity.

####!

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