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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

Is he having a mid-life crisis or some kind of breakdown?

309 replies

sausagelegs101 · 06/07/2018 08:38

I just want to connect with others and get some other views as I'm so upset about what has just happened with my partner of 7 years.

Our relationship has been really good, great friends and really attracted to each other, able to talk about everything, able to give each other space and trusted each other. I thought we had it great. I've got so many amazing memories with him.

Well I am devastated because I have just been off work recovering from surgery for a few months, pretty rough going.

Getting through it though and recovered really well. Into the third month of me recovering he starts to act a bit off, not sitting close to me, looking really excited when he gets a text (the way you do when you're flirting maybe) Not paying much attention to me and always on his phone.

Well I didn't think too much of it at first, I thought he was going out and letting his hair down as it been stressful few months and he deserved some fun. I think it must have set something off because I started having nightmares that he was with other women. Thought it was odd.

Then he started dressing differently, not sure how to explain, bit younger than his years? He's not one to buy new clothes much and he started buying new clothes every few days.
Asking how he looked. I thought ok, nice that he's treating himself. He then starts going out drinking a lot even when he has work at 6am and not telling me where he is.

One day this all came to a head when I was talking to him about a hospital appointment and he couldn't keep off his phone and smiling at whatever was on there, not answering me so I got angry and said stop pushing me away and he exploded and said 'I'm leaving, I've had enough of being with you, I'm finding a house share.'

I was really upset and we had a really horrible few weeks where he was out all day and all night and blowing hot and cold with me and changing his mind.

I feel like in the space of a couple of weeks he has turned into a different person completely. He started going out with 20 year olds from work drinking, dressing differently, and now I find out that it was because of some teenager he met.

He said 'she turned his head' and he wants to 'try it out' with her. He's moving into a shared house up the road and is starting a relationship with her (she lives with her parents!) he says he doesn't even know if it will last but he wants to try it out.

I'm so bloody confused, I feel like in a matter of weeks he's completely changed. I keep wondering if he's having some kind of meltdown? He's throwing 7 years and a home and financial security away for what? 'to test out a teenage life'?!

I've tried to reason with him and ask if it was anything to do with me being not able to be there for him the last few months. I told him what he meant to me and that he can talk to me about anything he's worried about.

I asked him what kind of girl he thinks he's getting involved with that won't wait for a clean break and messes about with an engaged man of 38? (Not just blaming her, I did say he was just as bad)

Pretty much just the same answers every time 'I like talking to her' I like being with her more than you' and stuff like that, he says he only has 'familiarity' with me. But everything was fin a few weeks ago?

He's booked holidays and trips with me just a month ago? He hasn't even told anyone what he's doing, friends family etc to get anyone elses' perspective.

Anyone been through anything similar with any thoughts or advice as to what is going on?

OP posts:
Thingsdogetbetter · 06/07/2018 09:10

You've posted before? He's not running away, he's running TO a teenager. The clothes change etc is to fit in with new gf. Stop making excuses for him. Have you ever seen anyone have a breakdown, cos changing style, leaving relationship and shagging a teenager isn't it. That's being a twat. And midlife crisis is buying a motorbike, and personally I think it's just an excuse for twat behaviour.

Bluntness100 · 06/07/2018 09:10

It's not a couple of weeks though is it, sounds like he's been involved with this girl for awhile now.

Don't try to excuse it or justify it, it is what it is.

sausagelegs101 · 06/07/2018 09:13

I'm not trying to excuse it, I honestly just don't understand it. I'm still reeling from how someone can make plans, pay for holidays and then the week after they are leaving. I'm not posting on here with any ill intention, I'm just reaching out because I'm alone and I can't get out and I'm overwhelmed with it all. I can't get my head around it. I'm sorry.

OP posts:
Fatted · 06/07/2018 09:18

Cut your losses and get rid of him now!! He's made his bed, let him lie in it.

Things have obviously been hard between yourselves and he's had his head turned by someone apparently offering him a carefree existence free from responsibilities. It could be a mid-life crisis. Who knows? Who cares?

The point is rather than facing up to it and talking about working on things between the two of you to get back to a place where you're both happy again, he's decided to shack up with this younger woman. Don't get me wrong, my hubby and I have been together for a long time, we've had our rough patches and both of us have had our heads turned by others. But we've always been honest with each other and realised that it just means our relationship needs some work. Neither of have ever considered acting on urges.

Make up his mind for him. He wants her, then kick him out and he can have her! He'll soon learn the grass isn't greener.

Bluntness100 · 06/07/2018 09:18

Ah no you're misunderstanding the responses.

No he's not having a break down or a mid life crisis, he's just an old perv who fancies some 19 year old. He's been honest about it, and it seems this started months ago.

Let him go, 💐

0ccamsRazor · 06/07/2018 09:29

You are worth so much more than this Op, it will be hard for you, bit you will get through these emotions.

He is who he is, he will not change, he has zero respect for you. Do not let him back into your heart or life, that way is the path to madness.

Head up, shape your life to suit you and block his arse.

Move on and up Flowers

Thingsdogetbetter · 06/07/2018 09:36

Stop trying to understand his motivations. It really doesn't matter WHY he is doing it, just that he IS doing it. Trying to understand is tying you in knots. Accept it, get sad it's over, then get angry!

hammeringinmyhead · 06/07/2018 09:37

In answer to the question about booking trips etc, in my experience they tend to keep the status quo until the last possible second. Because at that point he would have still been deliberating. It doesn't really mean anything.

letsdolunch321 · 06/07/2018 09:50

Can I ask is the Uni a local one?

If not a local Uni, when the girl toddles off in Sept, what do you think he will do then?

confusedscared2018 · 06/07/2018 09:52

He's thinking with his dick and clearly thinks he will be able to crawl back when it all goes wrong with her

pissedonatrain · 06/07/2018 10:07

Have you tossed the bastard out yet?

Had the same damn thing done to me after illness and surgery. The fucker was weak and enjoyed the for better parts but had his head turned during the for worse part. He was slagging me off and living a double life online.

His "trying it out" is so utterly disgusting and disrespectful. He thinks he can just go live as a teen and fuck this young girl and then come back to you when it's over.

sausagelegs101 · 06/07/2018 10:10

I think her uni is in another city.

Yeah he has left, I told him to leave.

OP posts:
AnastasiaVonBeaverhausen · 06/07/2018 10:14

She will most likely drop him like a hot spud within a few weeks of arriving at uni. Then he'll have lost everything and rightly so.

pissedonatrain · 06/07/2018 10:19

agree with her dropping him as soon as she is at uni. Not so cool to be hanging out with a guy old enough to be her dad at uni.

Good you threw him out. Nail that door shut. He's shown you the weak arse he truly is.

sausagelegs101 · 06/07/2018 10:20

Yeah my sister said as soon as she hits freshers week she'll be off.

OP posts:
HollowTalk · 06/07/2018 10:21

You might be interested in reading one of the Ask Me Anything threads where the poster said she was 19 and having an affair with a married man. She certainly knew what she was doing.

I wouldn't take this guy back even if he says he was having a breakdown. You want someone strong beside you, not some bloody idiot who's going to be running after a teenager.

Bluntness100 · 06/07/2018 10:24

Does it matter if it ends? Would you take him back? He left you at a low point in your life, for some teenager, and it seems it's been going on for months. If it's not her it would be someone else.

Anyone is worth more than being treated like that. He's just a selfish shit, not mentally ill.

timeisnotaline · 06/07/2018 10:28

You have to tell everyone he’s left and why- his family, your family, friends. Don’t let him pretend he’s not a complete twat. Especially as there’s a reasonable chance he comes crying back in September when she goes to uni and forgets he exists.

pissedonatrain · 06/07/2018 10:34

The change in behaviour was like night and day! I couldn't believe that he was willing to throw away more than a decade of marriage on an online fantasy.

Like an idiot, he did come back and I let him but you can guess what happened, he cheated on me again!

This time, my mum had just passed away and I was overseas at her funeral when I discovered him cheating on me with some online scammer in another country.

Needless to say I told him to get out and never come back and since I wasn't there, he refused to leave. The place was only in my name as were the internet etc., so I rang up the police and they wouldn't put him out saying it was a domestic matter.

I rang up the utilities and internet and had them all shut off immediately. I finally managed to get him out right before I flew back. It cost me a lot of money to get him out and turns out he'd sold my fridge, washer, bed etc. on gumtree.

So no, never ever let him back or speak to him again because he's shown you who he truly is. Flowers

And a year on, I'm doing well. He is still living in a bedsit and still hasn't met his online "twuluv" in person.

sausagelegs101 · 06/07/2018 10:36

Yeah I think he's going around saying I'm some 'mad annoying bitch' maybe I am but everyone knows I was recovering from a very serious injury and it had very stressful implications. Hopefully they see through it. I'm still huddled away not properly better yet so haven't seen many people.

OP posts:
sausagelegs101 · 06/07/2018 10:37

Oh I'm really sorry @pissedonatrain that sounds bloody horrible.

Glad you're doing better. :)

OP posts:
pissedonatrain · 06/07/2018 10:40

@sausagelegs101 thanks. It was a nightmare. Our situations are so similar. I know it's a shock to be blindsided like you have but I promise you things will be better for you in time. Flowers

AdaColeman · 06/07/2018 10:49

He isn't having a mid life crisis or a breakdown, he is just being dick-led.

Let him go, focus your own life again. In years to come, you will see that you have had a lucky escape, you are young and will build a good new life without him.

DieAntword · 06/07/2018 10:49

It's possible he's having a manic episode but unless he had bipolar before it's unlikely since it usually develops in young adulthood not at 38.

Does he sleep less than usual? Irritability? Talk at a mile a minute? Constantly start new projects that seem really overambitious? Has he ever had a depressive episode?

Cawfee · 06/07/2018 10:57

The thing is OP, in time you will recover from your injury. He won’t recover from being a lying, disrespectful arsehole. He doesn’t like or respect you. The first bit of skirt that’s come along has turned his head. There’s not really anything to try and understand. Wipe the slate clean. Block him on everything and get rid and move on. Focus on healing. Put him out of your mind. The best revenge is to be happy