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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

I'm having an affair

231 replies

Rgy3250999 · 27/04/2018 15:09

Well I don't quite know where to start.

I've been with my DH for well over a decade, since we were teens and we have a young family together. We used to fight and fall out a lot when we first started dating, probably because we weren't overly compatible and he didn't show me a lot of affection. I have issues in the past which I accept have probably made me quite needy, although he really wasn't affectionate a lot. We both had family issues and I suppose that pushed us together even more as our relationship was like a form of escapism.

Fast forewarn a number of years and we had a family together. The arguments calmed down but we still weren't affectionate and sex was very rare and not great (little effort from him mostly).

I have had depression (undiagnosed so presumed) and haven't been the easiest person to live with at times. I've struggled to hold down a job due to social anxiety and his lack of affection meant that I used to question him a lot after nights out and ask about work colleagues etc. I know this was wrong and I understand this has probably pushed him away. He used to look at porn but then stopped because I felt quite jealous so now when I talk about his low libido, he's quick to remind me that he was more normal until I interfered.

Anyway, we have tried to make it work and plodded on. Deep down we do get on but there is a lot of resentment on both sides and when we have tried to make an effort, it feels forced and fake. It never lasts and we go back to our usual routine of being like friends with little interest in each other and not much affection or physical contact. We don't argue much now as I think we're both past that stage and we do get on ok, but it's not fulfilling.

So, I was feeling lonely and stupidly set up a profile on an online dating site with a fake picture. Not to get dates or anything, but to have conversation with other men and remember what it felt like to be young and have that excitement. I intended to stop and delete the profile but it became addictive and I probably withdrew further from my marriage.

After a few weeks, I exchanged numbers with one man and we talked a few times (he still didn't know what I looked lIke) and it led to phone sex late one evening whilst my DH was in bed. However, he wondered where I was and came looking for me very quietly and caught me. I felt terrible and he shouted and got upset. I explained what I had done and why and told him that these men hadn't got a picture of me and I hadn't met anyone. He eventually agreed to forgive me and we both said we'd try to get the spark back. I cut off contact with that other man and deleted my profile.

Then a few months later, my husband was poorly and I was trying to look after him and the kids. He spent over a week in bed sleeping and I was lonely. The sex and affection that had been promised hadn't been overly forthcoming even before he was poorly and I was now so tempted to create a new profile that one evening I signed up to the site again. I chatted to various men briefly and eventually one man came along that seemed really nice. He wasn't amazingly good looking but we clicked and he made me laugh. We exchanged numbers and talked a few times on the phone, plus sent hundreds of messages and I felt addicted to the attention and having so much fun. I knew I should stop but I couldn't.

After a few weeks of talking, he suggested we meet and that's when I thought it would end. I was just going to ignore him or block him as i knew it was over anyway but because he had been so lovely and I'd basically tricked him, I opened up about my home life and told him the truth. To my amazement, he didn't block me. He said he was sad as he had felt such a connection and hadn't gelled with anyone that well, even when we talked on the phone. I agreed as it was effortless and so natural. I was that taken aback by him not blocking me that I agreed to meet him. I didn't think I was capable of it really as I'm very shy normally and have social anxiety issues. I also knew it would be wrong and the voice in my head said it'd be ok because I would stop myself. I've always told DH that I'd never meet anyone else and believed that to be true as it had only ever been talking and I did/do love DH and my family.

That day I was so nervous but I met him. It was like I had forgotten everyone else (selfishly) and pretended to be an actress or someone else so I wasn't doing anything wrong. We had a long walk together in the sunshine and although I was nervous, we laughed a lot and it was really nice. We had a few kisses and cuddles and although it felt a bit awkward as deep down I knew it was wrong, I didn't want to stop. Still I told myself that this would be it and I'd end it. I had proved to myself that I could still date and be found attractive and I thought that was all I wanted.

He messaged a lot after that meeting though and I couldn't stop the contact. My DH didn't suspect anything and although he's a nice man really and a good father, home was boring and the messaging was exciting and actually felt far more loving than what I had at home.

Fast forward another week and this online man asked me for another date. This time to the cinema. Again, I didn't think I'd turn up but I did and thinks felt amazing. It was like we were a proper couple. We were further away from my home so I could relax and not worry about being caught. We held hands and cuddled a lot and then it turned really quite passionate with the kissing. I could feel he was erect whilst we kissed and I knew he wanted me. He said he hadn't felt anything that electric and passionate before and that he thought he was falling for me. Part of me felt terrible but then another part knew he meant it and I felt truly loved. He really looked after me and kept looking at me when he thought I wasn't looking and stroked/kissed my hands so gently.

After the film, he asked if I'd like to see his new home as he had just moved a few days before and said I could visit him (or not, no pressure) at any time and he would love to see me. I agreed to go to his place and followed him back in the car.

I knew we would kiss and I was actually a bit scared of how I felt and what I'd allow myself to do but still I didn't turn around. We got inside and kissed a lot. We laid on his bed cuddling and he made me feel amazing. The kissing was so passionate and we were both massively turned on. Although I didn't allow him to touch my naked body, he groped me a lot and I ended up giving him a hand job. Afterwards, it still felt amazing. We laughed, we talked, we cuddled. He got another erection and it felt good that someone wanted me so much.

So that was yesterday and now I'm wondering, what next. If we meet again next week, I'm sure he will touch me at the very least and I'm fairly sure we will end up having sex. This is already an affair but having sex would really seem like a proper affair to me, especially as me and DH were both virgins when we met and haven't been with anyone else. My head is a mess and I don't know what to do. I can't believe what I've already done and either my DH or this other man is going to get hurt which I didn't want.

OP posts:
Tamingoftheglue · 27/04/2018 15:51

Good grief. What a sorry situation.

You know you must stop this. If you can't stop it, leave your husband because this is not fair.

It's not hurting your husband or the other man that you're bothered about. It's hurting yourself you're bothered about. You know that you could potentially lose everything now you've acted like a twat.

TooTrueToBeGood · 27/04/2018 15:52

My head is a mess and I don't know what to do.

I think you know exactly what you want to do. The only reason I can see for the overly lengthy and detailed post is that you're trying to justify continuing down this path even though you know it's wrong. Whatever moral choices you make are yours to live by, don't look for strangers on the internet to validate your poor choices.

If your marriage is shit fix it or end it. You will only make it worse by introducing all the lying and deceit that comes with an affair.

Mrsmadevans · 27/04/2018 15:52
Hmm
Adora10 · 27/04/2018 15:52

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

SayCoolNowSayWhip · 27/04/2018 15:56

I'm not condoning OP's behaviour - as PP said, she actively went looking for something outside her marriage, it wasn't an accidental "couldn't help myself" (not that that's much less inexcusable).

BUT I do find it laughable how many people are like, "Well, just leave your husband." Like it's that easy. Where is she supposed to go? Most people aren't exactly in a stable enough financial position to just go and get their own place. There's deposit, upfront rent money, money for bills, plus whatever you might currently be contributing to the house you're in at the moment. Who has that kind of start up money?

OP, you're not going about this in the best way, and I genuinely think you should stop seeing this other guy until you've talked things through with your DH, but I do appreciate you're in a hard situation.

willynillypie · 27/04/2018 15:57

Come on OP - your social anxiety is so bad that you can't hold a job but you are capable of meeting strangers from the internet and having an affair?

I wish people would stop overusing anxiety as a get out of jail free card. Real anxiety is dreadful and debilitating, and the amount of people who have it in real life seems disproportionate to the lashings of people claiming to have it on here to excuse their behaviour.

Not sure what you want from this thread. You should be honest with your husband and end your marriage. Your tone smacks of blaming him for lack of affection, which is a two way street and eschews your own responsibility.

DiamondsBestFriend · 27/04/2018 15:57

I just think, cut her a little slack I think that there are circumstances where I would agree with that, regardless of whether it was a man or a woman posting.

However someone actively signing up to a dating site is clearly looking for a shag outside the marriage. There are no excuses for that, none.

The OP is having an affair here because one night she signed up to a dating agency so she could have an affair. No slack needs to be cut for that.

Angharad07 · 27/04/2018 15:58

All I’m hearing is “poor me, poor me” with no consideration of husband’s situation or feelings.

Just leave you’re husband and then carry on your affair. It would make more sense, and by the sound of it, it make you and your DH a lot happier by not being together.

However, don’t kid yourself. You’re here because you’ve done wrong and you feel guilty and want someone to say that what you did was understandable and ok. It’s not and I have no sympathy for you. You are externally attributing all of your actions:

“HE groped me and I ENDED UP giving him a hand job”

“I didn’t think I’d turn up but I did”- evidently

“HE MESSAGED ME a lot after meeting AND I COULDNT STOP THE CONTACT”

“HE was poorly now so I WAS TEMPTED to make a new profile”

Paraphrase extract:

“I admit I’m not great because XYZ but that’s because I can’t help it because ABC. I’m jealous and insecure towards my husband which I know is unfair, but really it’s justified because he doesn’t insert here or he does indsert here. I’m unsatisfied with my marriage because husband is unaffectionate and the marriage breakdown has nothing to do with my jealous behaviour; controlling behaviour; constant need for affection and reassurance; pressure and demands on husband for sex; cheating by having phone sex with other men and actively looking for new company while husband is in the same house...erections...So really my affair is all my husband’s fault because he cannot provide me with my needs and it’s that man’s fault because he was the one who kept messaging me and invited me back to the house and was the one touching me.”

AmazingPostVoices · 27/04/2018 16:00

I just think, cut her a little slack

That’s the point though Something, no one is going to.

Not her husband or her children.
Not her friends or her family.
Not even the man she’s about to shag.

They are all going to blame her for betraying her husband and deliberately nuking her marriage.

She’s burning down her house while she’s standing inside it. A pat on the head is not what she needs from this thread.

Gemini69 · 27/04/2018 16:00

cripes Hmm

DailyMailFail101 · 27/04/2018 16:00

Fake

WaitrosePigeon · 27/04/2018 16:01

2/10

SpitefulMidLifeAnimal · 27/04/2018 16:01

Cool story bro

Chinesecrested · 27/04/2018 16:02

No one is going to give you "permission" to have an affair. A man is turned on by all sorts of people no matter what they look like! He will take what's on offer, no matter where or who, so don't take it as a compliment. Just decide what/who you want and remember there are children involved.

Nousernameforme · 27/04/2018 16:03

So he has had to support you whilst you have been awful (with your supposed depression) and controlling towards him. Then you went on to actively find men to have an emotional affair with not once but twice. The most recent time when he was ill. Now you are messing about physically with another man.
Your marriage is dead it has been for years. Leave your poor husband to get on with his life and find someone who loves.

PerfectlyDone · 27/04/2018 16:03
Grin

This is too poor to even rate tbh.

Oowatchasay · 27/04/2018 16:04

Stop being selfish and end your marriage. You can't have your cake and eat it. I'm sure your husband's not going to be overly surprised after he caught you having phone sex and on dating websites. Not sure how he managed to forgive you but I wouldn't be surprised if he's off having his own affair now after that.

Viviennemary · 27/04/2018 16:04

You need to separate from your husband as the marriage just isn't working. Having an affair isn't ideal but plenty of people do.

Adora10 · 27/04/2018 16:04

Don't think anyone expects a person to up and leave their home asap but for goodness sake you can make plans, enquire about a flat, room, a friend or family member helping you out temporarily.

Have you read the whole lot of this, it's not about that, it's about the OP coming on here to gush and write about her illicit affair and is probably getting off on it at the same time, it's pretty rank.

Oowatchasay · 27/04/2018 16:05

p.s. if this is legit, he said he thinks he was falling for you because he wants to shag you. Lol.

Rgy3250999 · 27/04/2018 16:06

Wow, I expected some hate because I know I deserve that but to say I enjoyed writing this or mock me is pretty unfair. I had a really crap childhood and fell into a relationship with DH to get away from home. I have suffered with depression and struggle socially so don't have many friends. Life has been really hard and I know I have pushed my DH away by being such a crap wife and so down but not feeling love yet again is destroying me.

I know I have done something really wrong. Yes it did feel exciting to be with this new man but only because I blocked out my family. I am really angry and disgusted at myself for being so selfish and allowing this to happen. I know I am in charge but when you're pretty miserable and lonely and have kids to take care of 24/7, rational thoughts aren't always possible and I've not had anyone to talk to or to put me off.

I don't know what to do as I feel like whatever choice I make will hurt someone. This new man isn't the scumbag you think he is. He is really lovely. My DH too in a friendly sort of way and maybe as a husband for someone else. I'm just scared that I'll never be happy with either man or even on my own. I found this new man because I was miserable but feel like I'm just destined to be unhappy....and now cause others pain and upset in the process.

OP posts:
FrancisUnderwood · 27/04/2018 16:06

'Erection'....'Erections'

Boak.

Herja · 27/04/2018 16:06

I had an affair. It drove me mad. Literally. Delusions and halucinations, suicidal and srlf harm. I really cannot recommend it.

Just leave. I wish with all my heart I had.

Oowatchasay · 27/04/2018 16:08

I had a really crap childhood too OP, I was in care in my teens then went to uni and I met my DH there. Should I be putting myself on Tinder and giving out handjobs too then?

Tamingoftheglue · 27/04/2018 16:11

I don't get the self pity. "I don't know what to do" blah blah blah. You do know what to do. But you don't want to actually do it because you will come off worse. Man the fuck up!