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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

So sad and trapped

55 replies

getthisoffmychest · 10/07/2018 23:50

I feel like I'm trapped

I'll treat this as a kind of rant/diary entry. Not expecting any responses but some advice would be a bonus.

I'm with a joyless man living a miserable existence and I don't know how the hell to get myself out of it or how I'd carry on even if I did.
I'm in a permanent state of confusion. Go to bed (alone) every night and have palpitations and tears going over what he's done and thinking how pathetic I am to put up with it. Then I wake up in the morning and tell myself I'm being silly and it's all in my head, I'm being dramatic.

He is obsessed with the idea that I'm a 'slag' because before I ever met him, I dated a friend of his. He will never, ever let go of this or forgive me for it.
Recently, I've become more enlightened about things like Feminism. He takes great pleasure in mocking this and calling me and every woman he sees on TV slags, then says 'oh I'm being such a MISOGYNIST again aren't I'. He comments regularly on women, for eg, 'who the fuck would want to go with that?'.
We've never had a good sex life. He seems indifferent, disgusted by the idea of it. I've tried seducing him and he physically recoiled and said 'please no, eww!' (without being big-headed, I know the problem isn't me, I like how I look and so do others apparently).
He resents family time and engineers arguments or problems to avoid days out, especially if it's something I've been looking forward to, like my birthday. If we do manage it, he huffs and puffs until I agree to go home. When I ask him why he doesn't want to spend time with us, his face darkens and he says 'because that's not how I want to spend my time off'. He mainly sleeps, smokes or goes to the pub. If I question his plans, he says I'm a controlling partner and that hobbies are healthy and I shouldn't question him.
He previously asked me to marry him then denied it the next day. Then a few months ago, he asked me again. Told me to choose the ring of my dreams and he made a spreadsheet with ideas and costings for every little detail to do with a wedding. He knows the one thing I crave in life is stability and a conventional life (had a shit childhood and made some bad choices as a result of it). He suggested doing an official proposal in front of the children on a holiday we had planned. I was so looking forward to it....it didn't materialise. I asked him about it when we returned home and he casually said that he'd changed his mind and that was that.
He doesn't contribute to parenting at all (youngest is his). At all. If I ever asked him to do a nappy or help with feeding, he would say, 'no. I don't want to'. The same response if I ask him to lift a finger around the house, 'no, I don't want to. I don't want to'.
A few days ago watching the sports news, a woman was upset over the football results. I light-heartedly said, 'that's a bit much over kicking a ball around isn't it?' He laid into me, 'if you had anything going for you, any passion or anything worth living for in your life maybe you would understand but you've got nothing, you are nothing!'. It went on and on.
He knows I'm trapped. Lately he's been saying things are going to be his way from now on, with a smirk on his face. I take it that means more nights out. He knows I'm powerless.
I tried to tell him I can't carry on like this anymore. Poured my heart out. He said I was selfish and chose the moment to tell me he's suicidal and has always felt that way but has no desire to ever be happy.
My head is fucked.

OP posts:
hellsbellsmelons · 11/07/2018 08:57

had a shit childhood and made some bad choices as a result of it
And you are still making bad choices and this is because of your childhood.
As others have said. Get in touch with Womens Aid today.
They can help you plan to get him gone from YOUR house.
Which you could do but I doubt you'll feel like you can for a little while.
Do their Freedom Programme as fast as you can.

This is abuse. Really horrible abuse and you should not be living like this.
It's an awful relationship example to model to your DC.
If you feel strong then pack up his shit and change the locks and kick him out.
You owe him absolutely zero.
He has ground you down so far you can't even see this for what it is.
Good luck OP. We all only deserve the best.
Life is way way way too short to live like this.

SteamingPistons · 11/07/2018 09:05

OP I'm sorry that you are being treated like that, I'm not surprised that you are deeply unhappy Flowers he sounds vile and it sounds to me like you deserve better.

Please dump all of his stuff outside, change the locks, ask a friend round to help if you need to. Then get yourself some counselling. Even if he is suicidal (which I doubt; this is an emotional abuse tactic to make you feel guilty and trapped), it's not on you whatever happens. He had been vile to you and you deserve happiness, life is too short to live like this.

SteamingPistons · 11/07/2018 09:06

www.mensadviceline.org.uk/

See here for support for male victims of domestic abuse

AlwaysTheEnd · 11/07/2018 10:06

Wow, you are so young to be feeling so trapped and so accepting of such shitty behavior.
You need to split up ASAP. If you can't do it for yourself then you need to do it for your kids.

He sounds really really awful.

Wanderlusting99 · 11/07/2018 10:15

Please break this cycle so your kids aren't also on here in 20 years saying they had an awful childhood and don't know what a healthy relationship looks like as a result. You are in a good position compared to most to get rid of an abuser - it's your house and you're not married, tell him to leave and if he doesn't next time he goes out get a locksmith to change the locks, put his things in bin bags on the lawn/garage if you're feeling nice, if he tries to force entry call the police

MmeGuillotine · 11/07/2018 12:23

OP, please make him leave.

I had a terrible childhood and made some really shit decisions, which I suspect are similar to yours, as a result. I also threw my lot in with a man who was absolutely no good for me because I just wanted a normal, stable family life. I stayed with him for over ten years and it destroyed me. I finally managed to leave him a couple of years ago and I have honestly never been happier as a result. It's scary, especially if, like me, you don't have a family to support you and your self esteem has been chipped away into non existence but honestly, you won't regret it. Promise.

fieryginger · 11/07/2018 13:14

He's eroded your self esteem and persuaded you that you are worthless.

The reality op, is that you deserve so much better than this from your LIFE, never mind your partner.

You need to get him to leave. You really do only live once, if you continue to waste years on this "man", you would be a fool.

He's horrible! You know this! It might be scary but you will feel liberated when he is gone.

stevesmithsmum · 11/07/2018 13:27

OP, I fully agree with the other Posters.

Your partner is a vile person. It doesn’t sound like he has any redeeming features worth mentioning.

You only feel trapped because you feel powerless. This is NOT the case. You have lots of power and can make any choice you like. The choice I recommend is to kick him out. While he is away remove all his gear and change the locks. Ignore any threats he makes.

Your life is NOT over. This is a new opportunity, a new beginning. Yes, you have children. Yes, it’ll be harder to date. So what? Your identity isn’t tied into your partner. You are in your thirtees, you have time and will get the opportunity to meet other men. I hope they are kind and nice to you.

Be confident. Be bold.

Best of luck

Zaphodsotherhead · 11/07/2018 13:37

Your post makes me so angry I want to come round to your house and throw that no-good freeloading bastard out on his ear for you!

You are so young. Believe me, I've got a good twenty years plus on you, and I can tell you there is a life without him. A better life because you aren't tiptoeing around trying not to upset a big baby of a man who thinks the world should run to his orders.

Just get him out. He won't want to go, so get some friends round to help. Ask Women's Aid for advice. He thinks he's got you just where he wants you and is looking forward to the next twenty years of torturing you and making you feel like nothing.

You are woman. Get up there and ROAR.

MiggledyHiggins · 11/07/2018 13:39

SteamingPistons

wrong thread?

Gilead · 11/07/2018 14:18

You poor thing, it's awful isn't it. You feel so fucking useless. Well, it's not you, it's him that has made you feel this way. I know, I did this for over twenty years and it was the wonderful people on these boards that helped me. I lived with a man who never did a school run, a packed lunch, cooked a meal did a wash load. I lived with a man who would sulk if he didn't get hundreds spent on him for birthday and Christmas but would frequently not bother with a card for me. I lived with a man who on the extraordinarily rare occasion we went out would do exactly that huffing and puffing until I agreed to leave, unless it was to go and see a film he wanted to see and that was the only time we didn't leave anywhere early. He was controlling and abusive and wouldn't go, although in the end the police sorted that one for me.
Do as others have said; change locks, ring him at work and tell him his stuff is outside, he's not coming back. I was in my late fifties and am just discovering life, don't leave it this late! Flowers

getthisoffmychest · 11/07/2018 16:28

These stories are so inspiring, I needed to hear what you're all saying.
I feel almost relieved when I think that soon we can be without him, it's just doing it. I know it will be such a weight off my shoulders!
He was here when I got home, I was expecting him to be out but he's taken the day off to go out and then watch football. Before he set off, I asked him to run a bath whilst he was upstairs (youngest has been doing messy play at nursery). I thought he'd give me the 'no, I don't want to' reply but this time, he said 'if you were a single mum you'd have no help anyway, you were single for long enough before you met me so who helped you then?'. He's right, I was single for a long time and I quite enjoyed it! He's reminded me I really do have nothing to lose by being rid of him!
I'm so glad he's out of the house now, and is planning on staying over at a friend's, which I'm relieved about because usually when he's drunk he likes to wake me up and goad me, keeps me up all night and then I feel like crap the following day.

OP posts:
getthisoffmychest · 11/07/2018 16:30

Oh, I forgot. I looked into the freedom programme last year, iirc there isn't one in my area but I did watch a video? It's something I need to look into again, definitely.

OP posts:
Flisspaps · 11/07/2018 16:41

@getthisoffmychest check the website regularly, new facilitators are trained all year round do new groups spring up. I started delivering it in May.

There's also the online version for £12, even if you do that as a starting point x

arranfan · 11/07/2018 16:42

For those who don't have one locally, the Freedom Programme is available online - it is £12 however.

getthisoffmychest · 11/07/2018 16:45

Thank you both

OP posts:
ChimesAtMidnight · 11/07/2018 18:33

Oh gosh, I so wish you all the best.... it's hard to get out from under, but you are worth so much more than this.

diedyediedye · 11/07/2018 18:37

You need to change the locks whilst he's out, don't delay in doing it. Pack up all his things and either put them outside or ask the police to accompany him.

eddielizzard · 11/07/2018 19:29

You will be so much better off without him. He doesn't help, he actively makes your life worse. How can being on your own be worse than that?

Cawfee · 11/07/2018 19:32

What are you doing?
Seriously.
This isn’t right. My jaw was hitting the floor reading the way he behaves! He’s absolutely vile. Vile. Vile. Vile. Get rid. For gods sakes don’t marry him! He will then have a claim on your house. Message him now while he’s out at football and say “you treat me like crap. I don’t want to marry you. In fact, I don’t even want to see you again. Ever. Stay at your mates until you can find somewhere else to live. You’re not welcome back here. Its my house. Not yours. You try and come back and I’ll call the police to remove you” then lock the doors and don’t let him back in. Of course you can do it and be a single mum. You’re doing it already!! He does nothing. In fact without him around your life will be 100% easier! Less cleaning and less stress. Can you tell us one positive thing he brings to your life?

Doingreat · 11/07/2018 19:45

I like cawfee's advice on what to text when you throw him out. And add 'I took your advice about coping as a single mum and know I'll do just fine. It will be great cos I no longer have to deal with a joy sucking leech like you. Byeeeee!'

Limpopobongo · 11/07/2018 20:01

I'm a man. Do you not think that there will be someone else who would actually care for you and love you? Even so and even if you never met another partner in your life, dont put up with this. Life is too short,,get rid of this fucker asap.

rollingonariver · 11/07/2018 20:05

How have you survived this long like this op. I'm so sad your life (and your kids lives) are being controlled like this. It's so sad that you prefer not having him around, chuck him out. You've got so much life to live!

SuitedandBooted · 11/07/2018 23:23

He's staying out tonight? Excellent. This is the time to pack his stuff, put it outside/ take it to his mum's and text him, telling him not to come back to YOUR house.

Use Cawfee's words. Do it, - nothing will change otherwise. What are you waiting for? He's not going to have an epiphany, and turn into a decent human being. He likes bullying you.

You had a bad childhood. You know what abuse feels like, and understand it's lasting effects. Don't do the same to your kids.

Sally2791 · 11/07/2018 23:37

Please leave this abusive man,he is dragging you down and he's an appalling example to your children. Women's aid,Freedom Programme and it won't be easy but I'm sure you won't regret it

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