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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

Why do I feel so awful

197 replies

Melandre · 14/01/2019 08:40

I’ll try and keep this short.

For Xmas I bought dp tickets to an exhibition and talk about his hobby. He also shares this hobby with his db and while I thought the exhibition etc sounded quite interesting, I offered the extra ticket to dp’s db as they haven’t spent the day together without partners in ages and I knew they’d both really enjoy it. This was on Saturday. Waved them off at noon knowing they’d go for a drink after it finished (around 5). Dp and I had plans to chat about our wedding planning that evening.

Dp is not home til 11pm, absolutely rolling drunk. Around 9pm I tentatively asked for his eta which had not been forthcoming. From then on it was nasty texts “why are you being difficult about me spending time with my brother”/“you’re controlling”/“you don’t let me spend time with my family and friends”. He also had a drunken rant at me on the phone. The next morning he was a little apologetic but I told him straight that’s I’d been disappointed he hadn’t kept in touch and a vague eta would have just been courteous (it wasn’t my ideal to end up spending my Saturday evening in front of Netflix) He then was angrily telling me that he and his brother had bee having gone very important conversation about the brothers “mental health issues” (which I didn’t know about). Ergo I am a bitch.

Cue nasty rant and sulking from dp all Sunday. Yet again I am controlling, I have issues with him going out. His displays of contempt ranged from: ignoring me and scrolling through his phone when I was standing right in front of him, shutting the door in my face when I was talking, refusing to have breakfast with me, refusing to come out on our planned walk (then relenting when I begged him not to ruin the day, and coming out but shouting at me in the street, sneering at my tears, threatening to go home.)

Context: dp has after work drinks at least once a week, he spent Xmas at his family’s house, he had 5 trips away last year without me, he works away for 4 day stints every other month, we meet up with his family at least monthly, he’s going to a family event next Friday/Saturday, he goes on a big night out (which writes off the whole next day with hangover) probably monthly. He actually has a very independent life and I am very used to being on my own. I do all our housework except washing up. I do all our admin. I have planned our wedding.

I feel terrible that he thinks I’m controlljng. I don’t know what to do differently. As in the case of this weekend with the present for him and his brother, I never would have expected to be accused of being controlling. I can’t get it out of my head and I feel so rubbish. Keep thinking about dps contemptuous face and the door slamming in my face. I feel like I could be the perfect cool girlfriend and it would never be enough for dp. He never tells me when he will be home, he always gets smashed when he drinks (and nasty when he’s drunk, or otherwise way ott affectionate- sometimes from one minute to the next).

He says he loves me but why does it feel so fucking awful right now.

OP posts:
ShatnersWig · 14/01/2019 12:44

THIS is why I quoted parts of your other thread to you earlier. He's playing with you mind. You are NOT controlling. Just keep reading back everything you are posting about him. Go and re-read what we all said on your other thread.

Wordthe · 14/01/2019 12:48

It really nags at my guilt response
He loves your guilt response
guilt is so attractive to people like that, it's so powerful, you can really use it to control people
Just a tiny little phrase like 'you're being selfish' or 'you're being controlling' is all it takes to trigger you into a cycle of self doubt and self defeat

TastelesslyDone · 14/01/2019 12:51

Don’t marry him, he’s a bellend of the highest order.

abearcalledcustardette · 14/01/2019 12:53

Also: people who are actually controlling don’t usually worry about being controlling. It’s very, very common for abusers to project and tell their partners they’re the abusive ones. See also cheats who accuse their partners of cheating

abearcalledcustardette · 14/01/2019 13:00

I know it’s been said up thread too, but I would put money on your depression and anxiety easing up once you left him. A lot of women assume their mh problems cause issues in their relationships when actually the reverse is true.

ChristinaMarlowe · 14/01/2019 13:02

Aw OP I really feel for you. Been there myself years ago and thank God I saw sense and am now married to a wonderful man that I never imagined I'd find. I thought it was all my fault much as you do.
I agree with the PPs but I know it's hard to break it down in a way that let's his behaviour and responses to you shine a light on his gaslighting.
For instance, rather than planning too far ahead and panicking about a future alone start small. Tell him you won't tolerate being made to feel this way continually and that his recent behaviour this weekend has made you have second thoughts about the wedding. He will react by blowing up at you - it's all your fault, you're crazy, etc. Then in response to that malarky you can tell him you don't want to be yelled at, that this is exactly what you mean and that you are going to stay with your sister/best friend/whoever to have a bit of headspace. He will blow up again and call your bluff (as he sees it) by saying fine, maybe you should stay there for good, etc. Then you thonk about that outburst and so on.

Don't blame yourself. Be strong and be clear that you don't want this as a lifestyle for the next 5/10/15 years. Good luck. I'm here for a hand hold.

Wordthe · 14/01/2019 13:13

There is no way forward with this man
you will not change his Modus operandi

PickledChutney · 14/01/2019 13:17

If you marry this man then you'll end up posting back on here at some point in the future asking about how you leave him. Save yourself the years of heartache and leave him now. He is taking the puss out of you and everyone deserves to be treated better.

user1479305498 · 14/01/2019 13:39

Lovely, he has done you a massive favour and revealed the ‘real him’ before marriage and kids. Many of us take 7 years and a wedding and DCs to get to that point . Twats often aren’t always twats, or no one would ever be interested, they are often fun, loving when they want to be etc. Imagine yourself in this position with 2 kids, trying to work etc because I can guarantee 7 years down the line it’s the likely scenario.

Melandre · 14/01/2019 13:45

Thanks everyone. This stuff is hard to hear - but I was feeling absolutely terrible this morning and now thanks to this thread I am feeling a little bit better.
I sometimes feel like he doesn’t actually like the real me. Somewhere in me I have a backbone and i fight back and stand up for myself and he hates that! I think in his mind, women are nice above all and also do everything round the house and accept their partners laddish drunken behaviour . Couple of people have asked why I do all our housework. He has said I should ask him to do stuff if it needs doing (but when it’s so painfully obvious like hoovering a dirty floor, it’s frustrating to have to ask!) or I ask then he doesn’t do it for ages, so I do it myself, and he then moans as he was “going to do it”. I hate a dirty house and so I’ve just got used to picking up the slack. He doesn’t even do his own laundry. Honestly I do it all. I just can’t face not doing it, to prove a point- his idea of filth is clearly very different to mine and i would go spare!
Anyway- he hates when I argue back. Red flag, yes.
He also keeps saying let’s have a baby, let’s join Finances, you could quit one of your jobs. All supposed to be lovely things from your partner but for me I’m too scared to even consider depending on him. I know I need to sort things out before I sleepwalk into marriage. I guess that’s what I’m trying to do as my New Years resolution. Get my head straight about us. It took him less than a week after getting back from our holiday, to ruin the weekend.

OP posts:
Cobblersandhogwash · 14/01/2019 13:51

Do not marry this man.

He so

Cobblersandhogwash · 14/01/2019 13:52

Sorry. Uploaded before I finished.

Do not marry this man.
He sounds horrific.

He certainly doesn't make you happy.

He's a bully. And lazy.

You deserve so much more.

Can you bin him?

GrandmaJane · 14/01/2019 13:57

It might feel like hell but this is the best thing that has ever happened to you. Extricate yourself from this relationship with immediate effect. Save yourself a lifetime of misery. Do it now.

SauvingnonBlanketyBlanc · 14/01/2019 13:59

If I were you I'd tell him you want to postpone the wedding.It may panic him if he does want to marry you but if he doesn't he won't be bothered and that should have you packing tbh

ShatnersWig · 14/01/2019 14:05

Sauvingnon No, she needs to leave the whole relationship. Just saying she wants to postpone the wedding suggests to him she still wants a relationship with him and married or otherwise, that is a seriously bad idea.

abearcalledcustardette · 14/01/2019 14:06

That little voice telling you not to merge your finances and have a baby is your gut instinct. Women with abusive partners, who tell them that black is white, up is down, back is front, lose touch with their instincts over time. You need to tune back in and learn to listen. Instinct always has your best interests at heart even if it’s wrong (and it’s not wrong in this case).

CraftyYankee · 14/01/2019 14:07

Also gives him time to go back to charming mode and reel her back in. Don't fall for it.

AttilaTheMeerkat · 14/01/2019 14:09

No to potentially postponing the wedding, the relationship has to be at a complete end. Its well and truly over anyway due to his abuse of the OP.

Melandre, do also enrol yourself also onto the Freedom Programme run by Womens Aid. It will also help you no end move forward.

Musti · 14/01/2019 14:10

Don't threaten, just leave. Guaranteed he'll turn the charm on for as long as it takes if you try and leave. Don't fall for it. He's had plenty of time. He's controlling - not happy when you have plans and go out so you've ended up not doing as much. Yet he expects carte Blanche without the courtesy of letting you know what time he'll be finished or a nice message telling you that he doesn't know.

Melandre · 14/01/2019 14:16

I can honestly say I’ve never been able to make a success of a relationship. On some level I feel like if this ends, it’s it for me.
I am only 30 so that sounds drastic but honestly I feel so down that I have wasted so much time and that a lot of it was just crap. I don’t know why I’m so scared of him or why I’m so scared of being alone.
This voice keeps telling me, he’s a lovely guy, he does so much for me. And he does in a lot of ways. But the respect isn’t there. He turns his moods on and off like a tap and he is inconsistent, intense and confusing. I feel crazy and lost so often as a result. I know I need to wake up.

OP posts:
abearcalledcustardette · 14/01/2019 14:16

This sort of man invariably panics/turns on the charm/makes all sorts of promises to change when he senses you’re running out of patience. It means nothing. How he treats you when you’re there and he’s feeling secure is what matters.

abearcalledcustardette · 14/01/2019 14:19

Thirty isn’t old! Take a break from relationships. Read Lundy Bancroft’s Why Does He Do That. Educate yourself about abuse and control. Then have another go, if you feel up to it. You have plenty of time. I was 33, coming up to 34, when I left my abuser. Very happy with a lovely man now.

ShatnersWig · 14/01/2019 14:20

This voice keeps telling me, he’s a lovely guy

That voice is LYING. Do not listen to it. That voice has been conditioned by being with this arsehole.

If you feel you have wasted so much time, the point is not to waste any more, isn't it? You're ONLY 30!!!! Of course it doesn't have to be "it" for you if you finish this relationship.

EVERY single person who has posted on this thread says this is an unhealthy controlling relationship that you MUST leave. EVERY single person.

Don't listen to that one voice of yours, listen to the dozens of voices here.

cafesociety · 14/01/2019 14:23

OP the pattern has been set and isn't going to change now I can guarantee that. He isn't going to change, his behaviour will just accelerate and occur more often. Your life will be so miserable, your mental and physical health will suffer, you won't even know who you are, will constantly doubt yourself and then believe you deserve no better. Your guilt and doubt now is playing into his hands. You are his plaything, he does not love you.

You will constantly walk on eggshells, you will always be blamed for everything, ignored, put down, scoffed at etc. if you don't get this man out of your life for good. Getting away if you stay [and God forbid, marry] will be difficult in every way, financially it may cost you a lot so the money you lose by cancelling the wedding is worth every penny.

Don't marry this man, do not join finances in any way, no shared tenancies, no mortgages, no children. Just tell him to go, LTB. Listen to all the advice on this thread...Please.

waywardfruit · 14/01/2019 14:26

This voice keeps telling me, he's a lovely guy, he does so much for me

What? What exactly does he do?

Sit down with a piece of paper and write a list in two columns. One is everything you love about him and everything nice he does, the other column is for the things you dislike and all the things he upsets you about. Weigh them up and see whether the good times are so amazing that you are prepared to overlook all the rest.

And then when you've decided, cancel the wedding and LTB.

I have wasted so much time Don't waste any more then. Look up sunk cost fallacy.