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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

Should I call the police?

222 replies

slinkymolinki · 20/06/2018 23:42

Or is this over the top?

Am really worrying about DH's state of mind.

DH is really suffering with emotional issues at the moment - stemming from childhood abandonment and trauma but which manifests itself in him feeling very insecure and emotionally threatened (by other men) and craving sexual intimacy (with me) to ease the pain/feelings of inadequacy.

He's having counselling which is working but over the last couple of days he's has a relapse. We had a big row on Monday and he disappeared for over 24 hours but then turned up.

We talked about it yesterday and today and started to work our way through it but this afternoon he suddenly fell into this very low mood and thought I'd rejected him sexually and we talked it through but then I could see in his eyes that he'd 'gone' and he'd lost himself and had gone down an irrational road.

The kids then called for me to settle them and whilst I was upstairs he left the house again.

That was 3 hours ago.

I've texted lots of him supportive and loving messages. No response.

I've called his mobile 25 times. Twice he answered (could hear him breathing) and I talked to him but he didn't reply and then hung up. He won't answer.

I've texted him to say I'm worried and calling the police ? But I don't know what to do. We live near water and he did say that on Monday he stood by it and thought for a moment what it would be like to throw himself in.

I don't know what to do - phoning the police seems really dramatic and I don't want to make a fool of myself if he's perfectly fine and just trying to make me sweat.

I'm now sat at home going out of my mind.

OP posts:
Branleuse · 21/06/2018 16:33

You cannot save this guy. He's beyond help.
He thinks he will feel better if he can be insanely jealous over you and have unrestricted access to sex with you? I bloody bet he does. Where do your needs come into this?

slinkymolinki · 21/06/2018 16:33

Thanks for the PM goodasgoldilox

OP posts:
XJerseyGirlX · 21/06/2018 16:35

He is abusing you. You say he has abandonment issues.. look what he is doing to you and the kids. Im sorry OP, I know you don't mean to but you are enabling it. His guilt tripping you into sex too? He is abusive and attention seeking.. its as clear as day

Branleuse · 21/06/2018 16:40

You do not have to live like this. Any fucking dude off the street would be better than this cock.

NotAnotherNoughtiesTune · 21/06/2018 16:41

You do know what's best and that's to not be abused by him anymore.

You know it's not your fault. If the only way you can make him happy is to be forced to have sex and never disagree with him, then it's a sad state of affairs.

He is abandoning HIS family!

Please think of yourself and those kids. He's justifying bad behaviour by behaving badly because someone behaved badly to him.

sleepingdragons · 21/06/2018 16:44

You don't have to cope with this.

You say you want to understand better. In time, you will come to understand yourself better, that's where the big breakthrough will happen - not in understanding him.

One day, you will come to understand that there is something in you that tends to put other people first, to the detriment of yourself. You will understand that this is not healthy, that it is a choice you are making and that it is not in your power to heal dysfunctional people through understanding or love.

You will understand that you don't need to live like this any more. You are free to leave and to put yourself first, and that ultimately the person stopping yourself doing this is not your H, but you.

One day you will have the strength and possibly the distance from the situation to be able to reflect on it and work out why you are acting like this now.

But what it very, very unlikely to happen is that you will ever fix this through love and understanding. you have tried. It does not work.

What will happen is you will allow yourself to be put through the wringer until finally you can't take it anymore - or he leaves you.

Please, pause and reflect. Remember you are a person who matters. Look after the little girl you used to be - is this what she deserved to grow up into?

Get counselling - not couples counselling - counselling for you.

PyongyangKipperbang · 21/06/2018 16:44

PLEASE please leave.

Have you exchanged on the house? If not, I know its bad form, but please pull out. You cant shackle yourself further. He is so very abusive.

He doesnt want to be fixed, can you see that? He gets sex whenever he wants it and puts you though hell if you dare to say no to him, his ego stroked and you pussy footing around keeping him happy in every way. And STILL he punishes you. He wants to live like this, he could change but he wont.

Allowing him sex when he is bullying and manipulating you is not giving consent. It is rape. He knows you dont want it but he pushes and pushes you until you give in to "make him feel better".

I am sorry but I honestly dont think he loves you.

www.hiddenhurt.co.uk/coercive_sexual_abuse.html

sleepingdragons · 21/06/2018 16:45

Can you afford the house without him?

sleepingdragons · 21/06/2018 16:46

You might find this book useful. Often recommended on MN:

Why does he do that?

slinkymolinki · 21/06/2018 16:47

I question if he loves me too.

It's too late to go back on the house - contracts exchanged and deposit paid but we are moving to a cheaper area and will hardly have any mortgage.

OP posts:
SealSong · 21/06/2018 16:54

Fucking hell, it's all about him, isn't it? No concern in there at all for how things might be for you, OP, or the impact of his babyish self-centered behaviour on you.

You have children. Do you want them to grow up witnessing this throughout their lives? End up treading on egg shells around their dad just as you do? Do you think he will be a good role model on how to treat people and how to behave? I think growing up in this kind of emotional environment could be very damaging for them. Sorry to say that OP, I'm not trying to add to your hurt but to get you to think of the wider consequences of carrying on in this situation.

PaddyF0dder · 21/06/2018 16:55

Honesty that just sounds like really histrionic, childish, abusive behaviour on his part. He’s blaming you for all his actions and taking zero responsibility. He knows how damaging his behaviour is to you and he’s doing it anyway.

You’re the victim here. Not him.

It’s not an acceptable way to behave, whatever his background or difficulties. He’s not a toddler. He’s a grown man.

AdaColeman · 21/06/2018 17:12

He is an abusive bully.

He is blaming you for all his own weakness and faults.

His walking out/disappearing is a way of controlling you.

He knows that while he is pretending to be lost, you will become worried, so that when he eventually returns you will be distraught, and he will be able to manipulate you. Is this when he demands physical comfort?

You need to step away from his control, perhaps seek counselling for yourself not in joint sessions at all.

Forget that you feel you must cure/help him, it is yourself that you should be protecting and nurturing. You can't live the rest of your life tearing yourself apart for this dreadful man.

Chippyway · 21/06/2018 17:24

Oh my god

Absolutely 100% you need to fuck this right off

Next time he leaves, lock the door and leave the divorce papers on the mat for when he returns

He is ABUSIVE! He may suffer from problems in his childhood but that DOES NOT excuse his behaviour now, op!

So basically he gets sex on tap to cope with his poor childhood? On what planet has he been able to get you to believe that?!?!

I am so angry reading this. I don’t say this lightly but if you don’t get away then your children will suffer, and in 20 years time they too will be running from any disagreement and messing up their relationships because they grew up thinking that is what you do when there is a problem - you run away

They aren’t stupid. Children pick up on everything no matter how many milk bottles or papers you tell them he’s gone to collect.

I haven’t said this before. LTB!

NoFuckingRoomOnMyBroom · 21/06/2018 17:30

He sounds utterly pitiful & exhausting, not good qualities.
I'd be tempted to agree that you are unable to support him & call it a day tbh.
I too think it's rather conveniently linked to sex Hmm

Thingsdogetbetter · 21/06/2018 17:35

Bloody hell. He's managed to absorb all the jargon from his therapy and fucking twist it to make it all your fault! Talk about lack of self awareness. Do not fall for this. He's warped everything he's heard into a scenario that means he's a poor damaged little Angel that you are deliberately and viciously setting out to hurt because you won't shag him on demand. Wanker!
You say he's not always like this. But I bloody bet he does a poor me insecure fit and then you 'behave' and make him feel better and more 'secure' by having sex on demand and not speaking to other men. And low and behold he's all better for a while. Then you slip back into NORMAL human behaviour and he's off again! He's training you, and deliberately too! And he's done it so well that YOU are apologising to HIM! For his fucking bad behaviour.

You need to read up on this bollox he's spouting, and see what the actual advice is. Stop believing the half arsed bollox he is coming out with. In fact stop believing a word that comes out of his mouth. Especially when he says he loves you. No one who loves someone drops their crap onto them like this. It's twisted and sick! I am extremely angry on your behalf.

slinkymolinki · 21/06/2018 17:55

Thanks so much for everyone's advice. It certainly does resonate with me. I'm just feeling so sad and lonely but I do know that something has got to change and fast.

Going to take a few days to work out what to do and get myself a plan in place which includes counselling/therapy for me and considering my options for the future.

OP posts:
slinkymolinki · 21/06/2018 18:03

Ps -Sorry I haven't been able to reply to everyone but I have read every single comment and I'm so grateful for all your support and advice.

OP posts:
Runninglateeveryday · 21/06/2018 18:18

What an utter wanker, do not move in with him, he is self centred and pathetic. What kind of man expects sex to keep them happy , what about your happiness or are you not counted?

Stop being so bloody nice to him and supportive , go and stay with friends stop pandering. I had childhood trauma no fuckinh excuse for being abusive, he sounds like such a victim and that's just going to drag you down . Does he manage to work?

Please OP you sound too lovely he doesn't deserve you, he will always prioritise himself he wants you to feel guilty to have sex whenever by making you worry, not answering, hanging round front door then running off, he sounds like a teenager desperately emotionally blackmailing.

PyongyangKipperbang · 21/06/2018 18:28

I speak from experience when I say that there is nothing more lonely than being in an unhappy marriage. I have been a single parent and it is vastly preferable to lying in bed next to a man who doesnt respect you, care for you or love you. Your sadness and loneliness will lift as soon as you remove his toxicity from your life

Flowers
dirtybadger · 21/06/2018 18:35

I completely revise my suggestion to take some time apart, given the extra details youve provided. You need to seperate. You do not deserve this!

Gloryificus · 21/06/2018 18:49

Delurking to say omg he is treating you like an object that soothes his need for sexual comfort in same way as an alcoholic uses alcohol to numb the pain etc
You should be allowed to say no! Without fear of him bolting he doesn't have the right to use your body for his own needs

It is not your responsibility to fix him or to even know how to. Ultimately he is the only one who needs to learn how to help himself and without using and abandoning another person and his dc when things don't go his way.
He needs to seek more help to learn better coping mechanisms.
Unfortunately there is no magic fix to abandonment and childhood trauma just a lot of individual / and possibly group therapies.

His past is not yours to solve fix or have any instincts on how to manage it. How could you instinctively know? You aren't trained to deal with this.

He is putting a lot of weight and responsibilities on your shoulders by saying you are the cause and the solution!

You are his wife not his therapist or his mother. He needs a lot of professional help to deal with his issues.
You deserve an equal partner and a safe space to vent and gain separate support for you through counselling.
This all sounds extremely tough and you need to protect your mental health and wellbeing for your dc.

ShamelesslyPlacemarking · 21/06/2018 18:50

Gosh, this is one of the most heartbreaking threads I've ever read on Mumsnet.

Your partner has well and truly managed to convince you that he's the victim here, when in reality he is the abuser and you are the victim.

20 episodes in 15 years, with some obviously lasting days, and one lasting months. You've spent so much of your life thinking you're trying to help someone get better, when the reality is that he isn't and he won't, and over time he has made you into a compliant victim of his abuse.

As someone said upthread; he's getting counselling - great. Is it helping - obviously not. 20 episodes in 15 years is at least 15 too many. I can understand that the first one is a surprise and you think it's going to be a one-off, the second one is a challenge, by the third one you see that something is badly wrong, by the fourth you see that he needs to make this right or you leave, the fifth is the last chance 'relapse'.... but after that, it's just the same horrible pattern repeating over and over with no sign of it ending.

His rant to you about how you're the source of his problems should show you he doesn't have true insight into his issues and the counselling has done sweet fuck-all, even if he can 'objectively' see it once he's out of an episode.

There is nothing wrong with the fact that you can't cope with this. Nobody I know could, or should have to.

He says you are the source of all his problems, it's all your fault, you're not good enough, you don't know how to help him... fine. Agree. Accept it. Clearly you can't help him. (The truth is nobody can except himself.) The 'help' that he demands (compliance, quiet, your undivided attention) is utterly unreasonable.

You don't have to pass his test. You don't have to accept the weight of 'being just one more person to abandon him', which he will no doubt throw at you. Just accept the simple truth that you can't help him.

Just like he is the only person who can help himself here, you are the only person who can help yourself here. The only people who can't help themselves are your children, so THAT is who you need to focus on helping.

And you do it by telling your husband that you've thought over what he's said, and you finally accept it. So you're going to move into the new house by yourself with your children, because they need a stable home, he's going to find somewhere else to live, you're going to get divorced and sell the house, and move on with your lives separately. He can find someone else who can fix him, if he really thinks that person exists.

I'm sure that seems horribly hard to you, and no doubt he's been relying on the fact that it's horribly hard to get away with his abuse for years. But it's time to break the pattern. You are the only person who can do it.

Furx · 21/06/2018 19:07

This is shockingly awful OP.

TOTALLY agree with shameless. This is a deliberate tactic on his part.

Run for the hills before he destroys you AND your children.

Furx · 21/06/2018 19:09

....and keep repeating this to yourself

You don't have to pass his test. You don't have to accept the weight of 'being just one more person to abandon him', which he will no doubt throw at you. Just accept the simple truth that you can't help him

Put it this way, if your tactic of loving him better was going to work, it would have worked by now.

And I think I’d remind him that he’s gonna face a fuckload MORE abandonment in his life unless he decides to wise the fuck up.

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