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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

Husband gone feeling bereft.

302 replies

CrapYear · 25/07/2018 06:41

Yesterday morning my husband told me he was leaving me. I literally just got up as usual, met him in the kitchen, offered him him coffee - which he took - then suggested going on an outing with the children, at which point he infomed me that that would be impossible, because he is leaving. He said this very calmly, and just watched as I fell apart. No amount of me asking him to reconsider could persuade him otherwise, he was like a block of stone. We went out of the house to talk, and I then I stopped by my Aunt's house (who lives close by) to calm down afterwards, for a couple of hours, but when I returned home, I found he had already informed our 2 children that he was going!

The eldest has taken it well, he is soon off to university, but my youngest is 16 and hasn't spoken hardly at all since yesterday.

We have been together almost 20 years, married 11, but the last 2 years have been not good, we have both taken each other for granted, we had a few big arguments and DH runs his own business and works a lot, he suffers from occasional bouts of depression.

I have been doing a university degree (encouraged by DH) and I also became ill, I got a diagnosis last year of Fibromyalgia and now being investigated for M.E. and I had taken my eye off the ball as a result. I used to previously put him first, but I dropped a lot of the things I used to do, and keeping up with the housework has been tough. I have delegated some to the children but still I have not been my best keeping up with Ironing, cleaning, etc.

I asked him why he is leaving now, but all he would say is that he is going to be 50 this year and he isn't happy and wants to enjoy the rest of his life. What could I say to this? When I pressed him, he mentioned that we haven't made progress with doing up the house (we moved in 3 years ago and it still isn't fully decorated) - he blames me for this. I have been up crying all night. I keep trying to pull myself together but things keep replaying in my mind and then the tears come. The children will be up soon, so I'll have to put my game face on, but really don't know how to cope. He says he will not take anything we really need with him. It's like he has become a robot or something, I felt like he didn't love me at all. I was just someone he wanted to get away from. My mum says I should be angry, but I am in pieces and can't seem to summon it. I would appreciate a hand hold please.

OP posts:
Gin96 · 15/08/2018 19:16

Oh I would definitely go and see that play, it would scare all the 40 something men thinking of leaving their wives Wink

CrapYear · 15/08/2018 21:15

GrinGrinGrin. Thanks for the laugh!

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Orange6904 · 15/08/2018 22:21

A kick in the Football from me too Grin

Evening@CrapYear Brew :)

singlepringle1 · 15/08/2018 22:45

CrapYear since I last posted I’ve started reading A book called run away husbands which somebody mentioned on here. Would say it’s defo helping me and worth a look 🙂

pinkblush · 15/08/2018 23:00

Love the sound of that play... 🙌🏻

singlepringle1 · 15/08/2018 23:19

I like the sound of that play too, would probably be a sell out, power to the 40 something wives who won’t take any more 💩🙌🏻

Lily007 · 18/08/2018 14:38

Hi @CrapYear

I’ve been following your thread and have commented a couple of times.

Just wanted to let you know how amazingly you’re handling this awful situation.

My STBXH left me out of the blue 5 months ago and I’m feeling so much better now. We’d been married 23 years together 25.

I was just devastated for weeks but I’m feeling stronger as each week goes by. I just wanted to let you know it does get easier.

Take care Flowers

BigGrannyPants · 18/08/2018 21:44

@crapyear when I read your posts it really could be me writing them. I feel exactly as you do, the hurt, the denial, the hope that it's all some big horrible mistake. The struggle with your emotions and your illness. I really feel for you, I feel the same and wouldn't wish this feeling of confusion rejection heart break on anyone. Like you, I never thought this would be me, it would never happen to us. I tell friends and family (and myself) that I'm coming to terms with it, but I'm not. What's the phrase... 'fake it til you make it's you need to keep giving yourself those positive messages and eventually you will believe them. We are going to try and do it without solicitors, but we don't have much except for debt so I can't say what's best for you. I just don't want to fight with him. I am thinking about you lots and hoping you are managing ok. Don't get too caught up in the future, just concentrate on taking each day as it comes. I don't imagine myself being with anyone again, I don't need 'A man' I need him Sad and if I can't have that then I don't think I want anyone. Like you I never want to be put in the position where I can be hurt like this ever again. Thinking of you Flowers

worldofpotential · 19/08/2018 11:46

Hehe looking at your post at the top of this last page currently, it says worldOf. Kinky. I think I like that username even more than the one I've currently got.

I hope you're ok xx

CrapYear · 19/08/2018 11:49

Huge hugs Lilly007 and Granny. And thank you for posting, I identitfy with all your emotions! I truly thought the last couple of weeks of non-stop crying were the worst, but now I seem to have settled into a state of dull painful plodding acceptance.
At one point I was so angry I honestly thought that if I was in a car and DH was crossing the road, I'd run him down!
But I soon realised that the anger was killing me, and now I've buried it deep down till it's become a resentful brick in my chest. After all I can't do anything about it.
If I shout or scream at DH would he even listen? Would he say he's sorry? Would he hug me and say it's all a mistake and ask for my forgiveness and hug and hold me? No. He won't touch me with a barge pole, let alone listen. The fantasy has been playing through my mind but he's like an electrical appliance with no plug.

Now it just feels like everything's the same, the bills still need to be paid, the food still has to be brought, the cooking and cleaning still has to be done, and I'm doing it all on autopilot, with a ten ton piece of lead in my heart. The world is grey. When the pain was raw it was agonising and everything stopped for a while, but now it's like waking up and realising that actually, it's all still going, just without me. I'm here but an essential piece of me is not here. For the past couple of days I have felt like a shadow observing my own life, and I've actually wanted and needed to cry but ironically, now I want to, no tears will come.

I have had some breakthrough moments; I went to my Aqua aerobics class earlier this week, was very nice, had some friendly chit chat with a few ladies, am looking forward to going again, am also eyeing up a dance class to go to - not sure if I could manage it, but worth a try. I also intend to look for a voluntary position somewhere, something that involves directly helping people. As I need do much to feel loved and/or needed.
Not really altruistic is it?

There been moments of comfort too. I started reading Runaway Husband's, that was very reassuring. I feel guilty saying how great it is, as the author went through so much. It has helped with the residue guilt I feel. I am halfway through. I found what it said regarding Runaway H. as having sometimes difficult relationships with their mothers interesting. DH has never felt as loved by his mother as his siblings. She had no involvement with him for the first 5 years of his life, and when she did get involved with him again, she already had 4 other children, so he was not her priority. Maybe that's partly why he hates me so much now for not being like her or living up to her or who the hell knows why! Anyway after getting halfway through I switched over to 'Planet Heartbreak' the accompanying book, and Omg the women in that book and the stories. It's horrific, sad, comforting and hopeful at the same time. I recommend to anyone through similar but alongside RH as it can be a bit overwhelming.

I feel like I start to make progress, start to feel things might be ok, but then am brought back down again by something that reminds me how alone I am, or DH actions which remind me how much he doesn't care.

He informed me yesterday through DS that he is going to Ibiza tomorrow for a few days, alone. Or so he says. Going to spend time with his nephew who is DJing out there apparently, something I was not aware of. His nephew is a serial philanderer, so I daresay he'll confirm for DH just how right his course of action is and introduce him to the nightlifeAngry.

Then this morning DS gets a text message informing me that he is taking the children to 'see a show' on the 5th September, and I am to ensure the children 'eat by 6pm'. So now I am just an adjunct to give commands to so that he has an easy ride with the children. It is amazing to me how much he suddenly wants to be involved with the children. Just amazing. When I think about all the times I would suggest things and book plans, to be fobbed of with 'I'm working' as an excuse!

I'm not sure how much more I can take of it all. The ups and downs. The pain. I know it's meant to get better. And since so many of you here have said it does, I'll have to take your word for it. And looking back at my marriage with a more realistic gaze I can see that there have always been flaws and a few red flags over the past couple of years that I ignored. I can see that some aspects of DH personality transformation has always been there. He's always had the potential to be demanding and selfish, just never to this degree. Never so cold.

I'm finding it hard to care emotionally about anything, am just forcing myself to do stuff with sheer will of mind. I had the dark thought that maybe youngest DS is better off with their father, it's the holidays and I've done fuck all with either DS really except be miserable and only daddy is doing anything fun. I feel like running away myself.

Granny I get exactly what you mean when you say you can see yourself living the rest of your life single because your DH is the only one you want. I too want only my DH, but the old one. It's so confusing. I too cannot see myself with anyone else ever. Yet at the same time the prospect of a lonely life feels so bleak at the same time. A friend suggested I go out and just get laid. But it's not me. But at the same time, I feel like DH has me like sort of hostage, I'm still attached, but he's flying off, like a kite and I'm hanging on the string. I want to be free.

OP posts:
Orange6904 · 19/08/2018 11:54

What a beautiful post, you articulate many of my feelings, you're not alone with those feelings.

CrapYear · 19/08/2018 11:56

Hi WorldOf. I agree WorldOfKinky sounds great!GrinGrin

Hey sausage how are you today? Hope you're ok!

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CrapYear · 19/08/2018 11:56

Crossposted!! @sausage!

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CrapYear · 19/08/2018 12:00

Sorry if it's confusing I changed my nameGrin

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Orange6904 · 19/08/2018 12:44

I'm okay thanks @CrapYear getting better slowly, exercise helps me too. Think I'll look into aqua aerobics! :)

BackInTheRoom · 19/08/2018 13:19

Hi @CrapYear

Your post has brought me back to MN. I saw it and wanted to reach you to you because I am a spouse of a Runaway Husband too. In fact as you're now seeing, we are quite large In number unfortunately.

I see you are reading the RH book which is helpful.

The general feeling/sense is that these men have Narcissist traits? I'm not saying they are Narcissists, but their behaviour is similar.

Regarding their childhood, have you looked into Attachment Theory? It might help you find answers to your questions?

Have you looked at 'The Grief Curve'? It's quite useful to see where you are in the stages of grief, a benchmark guide as it were.

And finally if you'd like more support, tbf MN is awesome and the replies to your post are amazingly supportive, but if you'd like to be supported by fellow abandoned wives, here is the link to the RH Facebook support group run by the author of RH.

m.facebook.com/groups/1916940071856639

CrapYear · 20/08/2018 15:52

Thank you BackInTheRoom I will definately check out the Facebook group for sure. You know attachment issues are definately a factor. I knew that DH has issues regarding relationships with his parents and siblings, as I said, he was sort reintroduced into his family as he was left abroad with his elderly grandmother. Certain familial attachments did not develop or not to a close degree, I am sure this is partly why even in the past he has sometimes found it hard to open up.

Well now he's closed down completely. And narcissistic? He does have traits of that, seeing things from his point of view, but even so, I remain shocked and keep replaying how cold he was and changed he was when he told me he was leaving. Everything was about him. I could actually see that by being upset at his leaving, I was actually causing him displeasure! I would say he thought I was being selfish, that I was being inconsiderate, not understanding how he was having to suffer listening to me, and having the upheaval of moving (even though I was begging him to stay, to talk to me!). It is strange and bizarre! I will be arranging counselling so maybe I'll gain more and deeper understanding at that point.

OP posts:
BackInTheRoom · 20/08/2018 18:51

Yes I saw the coldness/separation and the anger when he delivered the ILYBINILWY speech! The mask had finally dropped. I think it was because he was finally able to be himself? That he had been harbouring/Gunnysacking his true emotions for such a long time and now he could finally release them? He was and is, such a conflict avoider so he could never relieve his animosity?

Are you receiving counselling? Trauma Counselling might be worth exploring because it might help unpack the trauma of the moment he delivered the news and then the subsequent dismantling of the life you thought you had?

CrapYear · 20/08/2018 21:58

I think it was because he was finally able to be himself?

Oh yes, his relief is palpable. He is also so locked up with his emotions, sometimes I would want to scream because of some issue which he would just avoid talking about, would just carry on doing some mundane activity even with a huge elephant in the room. Sometimes I would end up just having to drop it, and for the past couple of years he had become like that even more so, but being as he suffers from depression, I assumed it was mostly due to the increasing pressures of work and the best thing was to give him space. Stupid me. No he was plotting and working on detaching from me.

Thank you for the suggestion of trauma counselling I really appreciate that, it's a good idea! The shock and cruelty of that morning and the way he drove away after his spiteful words are replaying even in my sleep.

I'm so sorry you have insight into this and know what it feels like!

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notafeeling · 20/08/2018 23:13

OP, I wanted to add something to say that I have so much admiration for you. You are a strong, valid and amazing person and this cruel treatment does not take that away.

He is being cruel because he HAS to cast you as the villain. Otherwise, he will have this weird cognitive dissonance that he will not be able to live with. If he can create a version of you that he dislikes, he can feel less guilt at leaving.

This doesn't mean that you are wrong or that you did anything wrong, merely that he is convincing himself of the falsehood to preserve his self image. He will have to face the truth eventually.

It's disgusting, weak and lily-livered behaviour and it shows how pathetic he really is and how little he deserved you.

I know this because my partner of six years left me two years ago for another woman. It was so sudden and I was totally blindsided. Boy, did he do me a favour.

I coped by sleeping on the sofa for a bit, going out more and going to church more. I thought the pain would kill me in that first month. It did not.

Antidepressants helped, as did just confiding in my friends and colleagues.

If you'll permit me to offer my best tip, I wrote lists every day. I wrote lists of all of the things I still had and all the things I could still control and improve. Work was good, being in a band was good, friends were good.

You will survive this and come out of it a much more assured and happy person.

Please do message if a private chat would help. I would also love to take you for lots of coffee and cake, you deserve it.

CrapYear · 21/08/2018 13:52

notafeeling

Blesd you. And thank you, thank you, thank you so much for your kind words, and the offer of Cake
so kind. People say the sisterhood is dead, well they're wrong, it's still alive and kicking, and I will never forget the kindness of my fellow sisters on this earth. Never. And it is experiences like yours that really help me, because although I have managed to scrape myself off the floor and am managing to walk around with a semblance of dignity, on the inside I feel like a mass of splintered glass, and it helps to know that there are others who understand and I can survive this. My family after initially offering support have stopped calling so often, no visit from anyone for days now. I guess they assume the worst is over and things are mostly back to normal! Still not a word from any member of his family. I am trying to keep things as normal as I can for the DS's.

It's still so close to the surface, it keeps spilling out. So far I have spilled all over the pharmaceutical assistant at my local pharmacy, my dentist, the dental assistant, the nurse at the hospital, the girl behind the till in the local garden centre, the girl at the Elizabeth Arden makeup counter in Debenhams, and most horrifyingly I started gushing when I finally met the wife of my new neighbours. Just started telling this complete stranger whose just moved in my personal tragedy! What was worse was I could see a sort of 'knowing' sympathy, she said 'oh so sorry' in a pitying non-committal voice. Ugh! She must think I'm crazy. It started when I apologized for taking so long to introduce myself and I felt guilty for some reason (probably because I'm carrying around misplaced residue guilt all the time at the mo) then I mentioned I have been out of sorts lately, thats why I didn't knock earlier, then I said there used to be 4 of us here etc, then my mouth would not close, a part of myself watched myself spill in horrified captivity!! I felt embarrassed later but I guess it means they won't be popping over anytime soon Grin

So I need to get a grip. The sooner I can arrange the right sort of counselling so I can verbally vent, the better!

OP posts:
Orange6904 · 21/08/2018 14:40

@CrapYear You're not alone, I've done that too. I think it's because it's such a shock? Your worldview has been pulled out from you. I am pretty private, I would never dream of telling anyone private relationship stuff. I told taxi drivers, I told people at work, I just had to get it out, I was such a shock. I was like a stuck record, skipping. Surreal. I think it's normal. They own't think you're crazy, they might just not know what to say or haven't been through anything like that.

Orange6904 · 21/08/2018 14:55

Also I think @notafeeling is right, I don't know if it's that they suddenly change into a new person, I think it is a way of projecting onto you so that they don't feel any guilt. Not sure if it's that in every case but I can see how it would be easier to paint it as all our fault rather than feel any guilt.

friendshipfloss · 21/08/2018 15:22

I haven't read the whole thread, but was in a very similar situation myself 3 years ago when my husband of 21 years left suddenly. After all those years, he said that all he could say was that he didn't despise me. I begged him to stay initially. The shock was crippling. Of course there was another woman in the background but there have been so many lies told, I will never know the real story.

I lived with constant anxiety, could hardly eat, but had to keep going for the kids. I found a lot of support on Mumsnet, as although I never had my own thread, reading the experiences of others helped me to realise I wasn't alone.

I couldn't hold it in either & told anyone who would stand & listen. I had to vent it out and lots of random strangers heard my story! Talking about it definitely helped.

Just hold in there & things will get better. I couldn't have been any lower at the beginning & my ex husband had everything his own way. However things have turned around for me & I have a lovely life. I have a very close relationship with my children & a new partner who has opened my eyes to so many things I had missing from my life before.

I still get anxious from time to time, but I have achieved so much in the last few years. I find it astonishing to read the same old storyline over & over on Mumsnet. But ultimately it's so great to hear from lots of other people who have been through the same and just shows how strong we can all be when we need to.

CrapYear · 23/08/2018 17:25

Thank you for the reassurance Friendship and Sausage glad to know it's not just me! I'm so glad to hear that your life is happier now friendship thanks for sharing your experience, it gives me hope.

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