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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

So unsettled in my entire life

10 replies

SoUnsettled2 · 06/05/2019 16:51

Hi,
Long story. Please don’t judge me for what I’m about to say as this has been totally out of character for me and I still don’t know why I did it.
I am 47, married to a man, 57 and we have 2 children of secondary school age. I work FT and awful shifts (forced to do 12.5 hr nights three years ago plus a mix of other shifts). We have never had grandparents to help. Hubby also works shifts but not overnight. My father and MIL were RIP before we had children and my mum and FIL both died of cancer in the last 3.5 years. I had been looking after my mum as well as my children.

My work: in a professional career. Studied for higher qualifications for a role I’d always been interested in. New manager was unaware of what I’d done at work and in study and a job came up that I ended up pulling out of and was devastated. Have been messed about since (denied training, given rubbish shifts). I have tried to find another job but nothing available in my area so I have become increasingly unhappy at work. I am really struggling with nights and spend my day off (I hardly ever get 2 days off together) catching up on rest. My house is a lot messier these days.
Here’s where things started to go wrong. July 2017 after working nights for almost a year my periods stopped. Dramatically. No tailing off...they just stopped! By October 2017 my behaviour changed...I became like a wild, horny woman! I didn’t realise it at the time (what was causing it) but do now. I have had no sex life with my husband since my youngest was 12 months old so a long time! We are no more than friends. I am ashamed to say my behaviour led me to a chat site and I became involved with two men for over a year. Phone mainly but I met both (one, I slept with). One of them, I was very close to but we never had sex )close to it) and I craved this passion in my life. He knew of my work woes and was convinced I was suffering from depression and I needed to get another job. He ended it as he felt it wasn’t fair on me and I miss him terribly as I felt he was the only person I could talk to (we talked many hours on the phone for over a year). My husband shows little concern for my health and, tbh, doesn’t give a damn. I have, since, I’ve realised I may have had some sort of breakdown become very distant from my husband and hate being anywhere near him. I know this sounds terrible but he really has been if no support to me.
Our eldest child has anger management problems stemming from using the Xbox and I am on edge all the time as he shouts and gets bad tempered. Hubby has done nothing. I am sat in the car right now as I had to get out.
I have become very anxious at work and this is not like me at all. I am in a professional role and have always excelled at my career. I feel like my career is at a dead end and I’m stuck working crap hours and struggling. I have no quality of life. Occupational health and management do nothing. I have been refused a drop in hours numerous times but others seem to get flexible working at the drop of a hat.
The thing is, I want to end my marriage. I’ve told DH numerous times I am unhappy and can’t cope in this situation but he continues to bury his head in the sand. My horny behaviour settled and I did stop using chat sites but I realise I was doing it for comfort and to make myself feel better. It has been a wake up call and I realise I am not happy in my marriage. We have a loveless marriage.
I am trying to change jobs but need to keep up my salary. I have had offers but down south and I can’t afford to live there by myself (or with DH). I don’t want another mortgage at my age. I’m hoping to get another job soon to sort out my working hours as they tea have affected me badly but I think the upset at the promotion was a trigger as the manager was awful (she has left now).
However, I also feel I should end my marriage. I haven’t told hubby anything about the above. He has no idea about my change in behaviour or what I did. I really was unaware of what I was doing...like in a trance!
Has anyone ever heard of this before? Have I gone mad or is it depression? I feel like my
life is a mess and I’m being pissed on by work but hubby is unsupportive both physically and emotionally. I feel he uses me for money as he earns a lot less. As for the son, he is horrid to me when he is under Xbox control. I’ve taken it off of him but he becomes erratic and really annoying.

I dream of a new job with nice 9-5 hours and being away from this hell.
I am deeply ashamed of my behaviour and really don’t know what is wrong with me. My periods still haven’t returned but I am still working ridiculous hours.
What on earth is going on? What can I do? I can’t speak to a GP even!!!
Please don’t slate me

OP posts:
SoUnsettled2 · 06/05/2019 16:51

PS
I have little in common with DH btw

OP posts:
SoUnsettled2 · 06/05/2019 16:52

If anyone knows about mental health please advise

OP posts:
mimibunz · 06/05/2019 16:57

I’m so sorry you’re going through this, OP. It does sound like menopause/hormone related, as well as depression about feeling like you have no control over your life and that you are unloved. Why can’t you see a GP?

SoUnsettled2 · 06/05/2019 18:08

I can’t tell the GP what I’ve done!

OP posts:
SoUnsettled2 · 06/05/2019 18:09

I did see the GP in Feb 18 who said it was my working hours (I didn’t mention my behaviour). I was given a 4 week sick note but things didn’t improve. The second guy from online was an ex-mental health nurse and knew something was wrong

OP posts:
FuriousVexation · 06/05/2019 18:25

You don't need to tell the GP exactly what has happened, but could you say you've been having sexual urges towards other men? It might paint a fuller picture in terms of it possibly being menopause related.

Do you have a HR within your workplace? Everyone has the right to request a change to working hours, for any reason, including "Working these long night shifts is killing my mental health and my relationships." Your employer has a duty to consider all such requests and if they are not detrimental to the business, to make them happen. I would consider going directly to them. Have you been given a reason (in writing) for your previous requests being turned down?

Needsomebottle · 07/05/2019 06:49

Sorry for your situation. You sound to have spent a long time sinking deeper and I'd focus on one thing at once to start addressing things.

My advice would be to get back to the GP. Tell them as much as you're comfortable with. Tell then how work is a huge issue and go off sick. It's not ideal but sometimes work and not being there, is the only thing you have any control over. You can temporarily take work from the equation. A month isn't a long time to be off to try and reset your health so I'm not surprised it didn't make a difference before. Your absence should help give weight to a flexible working application and as they will be desperate no doubt to get you back, they may actually listen. As long as you plod on there's no urgency and no understanding of the gravity of the situation.

Then when you're off you'll have breathing space to consider all the other things. Take it slowly. Give yourself time to settle. You will see things more clearly then. Good luck

Needsomebottle · 07/05/2019 06:51

Oh and don't rush back!! Your mental health is far more important, make them understand the impact it is having. Actions speak louder than words as they say. A few months off could be a huge help to allow you to return to better shifts and be a far more effective employee.

Batsypatsy · 07/05/2019 09:49

I went through a similar phase at the age of 50. I'm now menopausal and believe that it was the perimenopause causing the problems. It was totally out of character for me.
GPs often don't acknowledge the perimenopause as causing symptoms or indeed the menopause apart from hot flushes. It's worth reading up on.

Lozzerbmc · 07/05/2019 09:59

Sorry you are going through this it does sound menopausal and i think at this age we do re-evaluate our lives and look back on our youth a bit. You should ask again about flexible working as you have children you have the right to request it and your employer needs to say why it wont work. I’d also go back to gp you dont need to tell them everything

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