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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

Torn between new and old

7 replies

user1473256244 · 07/08/2017 17:29

Sorry if this is long. Need some perspective and advice.

Went out with and co-habited with A for 2.5 years, officially separated but co-habiting for about the last 5 months or so. Still share a house but separate beds. Little relationship as such, for about 6 months before official separation.
I love him deeply and have always felt I would do anything for him, to the point the relationship was a little bit hero-worship. He has MH problems - PTSD and depression. These manifested in him withdrawing entirely emotionally and physically. He was often horrible to me - shouting and as I said refusing to speak to me for long periods of time, telling me he didn't care about me, had no interest in marriage etc.

New information that has come to light from him is he has a history of treating all his girlfriends appallingly and pushing them away. He doesn't want to do this self-destructive behaviour but cannot control it. He recently told me to find someone new.
I have recently done so.

During the early part of our relationship A supported me financially with quitting my job, retraining and starting my own business which is now doing relatively well. He worked himself to the ground, perpetuating these MH issues, we feel.
He has 'found god' and seems to be coming out of his depression and for the last few weeks has been happier and wanting to engage with me.

My new relationship with D is becoming serious - both saying we are starting to fall in love, thinking about each other all the time, he has talked about buying somewhere for us to live in together. All new and exciting, but uncommonly strong feelings I think.

A has recently known about D and now said he wants to try again, draw a line under everything that has happened and 'would consider' marriage.

I am completely torn. Do I try again with A who has a history of treating me badly but this is due to MH issues that he will work on resolving? We could be great again and he's the first person I've loved truely, madly, deeply.

D dotes on me, we have fun and laugh together he is frank and open about his feelings for me and I him and we 'click' in a way I didn't think possible with anyone else.
He has a history of only short term relationships, max 2 years which concerns me and of course I've only known him for a few short weeks. We have an incredible emotional and physical connection.

Please help wise mums-netters - I don't want to string either along.

I'm mid 30's, both A and B are mid 40's.

OP posts:
user1488575338 · 07/08/2017 17:54

So A finds out about D and wants to try again..... Sounds more like A's ego has kicked in to be honest. Surely if he truly wanted you he would have realised this when you were living together but separately.

If you end things with D and try again with A it won't work. Stick with D, it sounds like it's the beginning of something good.

Sosks · 08/08/2017 12:02

I agree with user, it does sound like A's ego has kicked in a bit. I once dated a guy like him, and even though he was the one who ended things, he would always appear back on the scene if things weren't going well for him or they were going well for me. After getting together with OH, I got a big text on my birthday (without a happy birthday I might add!!) saying how he realised he'd messed up and I was the one for him etc with a lot of emotional guilt trip. I told him it was too late and that I wished him well and blocked his number. Hands down one of the best choices I've made in a long time. Finally free of that endless cycle.

You deserve the guy that dotes on you, not the guy that has history of treating you badly. Whilst D hasn't had a relationship longer than 2 years, that doesn't mean anything in the grand scheme of things as if you guys go well, you'll be that long relationship he hasn't had yet. It is early days yet, but it sounds like you're onto something good here. I wouldn't waste that opportunity of something potentially great to go back to something that wasn't good.

RidingWindhorses · 08/08/2017 14:23

Neither are great bets. D may not work out but at least he doesn't treat you like shit.

Why you'd even contemplate going back to A I don't know.

This:

These manifested in him withdrawing entirely emotionally and physically. He was often horrible to me - shouting and as I said refusing to speak to me for long periods of time, telling me he didn't care about me, had no interest in marriage etc

Is not going to change just because he found God. He has a history of this. He is simply trying to reel you back in because you got away. He likely did this to exes too - the ones he also mistreated - its part of the push-pull cycles of emotional abuse.

Cary2012 · 08/08/2017 14:36

A now wants you because D wants you.

Ditch both. Find B, or C ...

CryptoFascist · 08/08/2017 14:38

D. Run a mile from A.

lovemylover · 08/08/2017 14:55

Totally agree, stick with D, A wants you now, because someone else does,
Maybe he is thnking its a competition, and he wants to be the winner
Never go back to someone who has treated you badly,it will happen again

Naicehamshop · 08/08/2017 15:03

Ditch A but don't rush into anything with D. Spend a bit of time on your own getting your head straight.

Good luck.

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