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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

AIBU confiding in my friend

38 replies

unidentified90 · 04/07/2019 09:20

Before DH came home with his DD my friend came round to see his DD and I was telling her that I wasn't sure if it was PMT but lately DH has been annoying me. DH and his DD came home.

The catalyst of the argument was me trying to make a joke about somebody we had met the previous week and I got that persons occupation wrong basically. DH didn't understand what I was talking about due to the person being an ambulance driver and not a fireman (as I had said). Oops....is that so bad as to get a scrunched up face derogatory response from DH to something along the lines of "well what am I supposed to know what your going on about when your talking about a fireman". I just responded by telling him there was no need to be so patronizing. I feel like there was no need for his sarcasm and to respond in the way he did.

My friend went home and DH and his DD went out for a walk. I went to text my friend, the exact words were "do you think he talks/expresses himself to me like shit or is it me" (ie PMT). Unfortunately the text went to him! I also sent it to my friend after I noticed my mistake mainly because she will tell me straight, she knows us both and I trust her to be partial.

All hell broke lose when DH got home. Took me upstairs for a talk, I tried to explain that it was just a question to a trusted friend for my own peace of mind, was it me taking him the wrong way or not, nothing else in it. He completely flew of the handle, wouldn't listen, telling me I shouldn't be discussing our marriage with anybody but him (I needed an independent view as obviously he would just say it was me), how I have been slagging him off behind his back (I haven't), he cant trust me anymore, no wonder my phone has great security (no that's just the phone), how I have betrayed him, he should never have let me into his DD's life (been together 8 years!), he has done everything for me and this is how I repay him. The list goes on. I went to the bedroom as I didn't want to be arguing in front his DD (we were downstairs again at this point) and to try and put a bit of space between us so he could calm down. He continued up and down the stairs giving me horrible verbal until I told him to get out of the bedroom and leave me alone. He still wouldn't. This was all Tuesday night and he hasn't stopped with the verbal diarrhea since. In fact he took his DD home, she stays at ours on Tuesdays (my fault even though I attempted to calm the situation by walking away) and DH didn't come home Tues night (something I used to get days worth of verbal for). I ignored him last night, didn't say a word. He continued for around 2 hours with his verbal, its just flies of his tongue. I went to bed and after around half an hour he came up, woke me up, still trying to argue (he has been sat on the bed waiting for me to wake before today). Even when I try to explain that he has blown this way out of proportion and argue back, he constantly talks over me and doesn't listen, just tells me what such a bad person I am.

I slapped his hand this morning in frustration (I know I shouldn't have but his verbal is constant and I lost it a little). I feel like he just pushes and pushes until he gets the answer he wants, provoking me. I wouldn't answer his calls at work yesterday and he proceeded to ring my works phone and then my employers mobiles direct (we are more friends than anything but it is still my employers). Told him to stop with his bully boy tactics. His response...well answer my calls then!

I have tried to apologise and explain where I was coming from but he wont give up. It is constant from day until night and from previous experience, he won't give up until I grovel to him telling him I did a horrible thing.

I just don't feel that a simple question to a friend should create all this. I find it pathetic and totally unreasonable, very OTT. Every one of my friends/family have somebody to talk to. Even he has confided in friends in the past and his friends to him, why is it such a big deal for me to do it? Or am I in the wrong?

Sorry for ranting xx

OP posts:
Hepte · 04/07/2019 09:32

I discuss my marriage with my best friend and I imagine he does the same when there is stuff he needs to talk through but I would hate to know what he was saying because I know it would probably upset me (everything sounds worse when you trying to process) so I can understand he would be hurt by seeing the message.
However they way he is behaving is completely unacceptable. It sounds like there are bigger issues in your relationship and he is just using this as an excuse to go in on you. It might be worth suggesting going to counselling so you can work through these issues in a healthy way rather than battling like this for days.

Plipplopbop · 04/07/2019 11:19

Well I think his reaction to the incident shows he's not a reasonable person. Yes he might be upset but days of verbal abuse and bullying are not on, I'd be strongly considering the future of the relationship

PlinkPlink · 04/07/2019 11:28

I think everyone should have someone to talk to about their relationship/marriage.

I think when you are in a potentially abusive situation it's hard to see the wood for the trees and it's useful to have an external viewpoint.

I wish to God I had told my friends about my ex. He wasnt horrendous but there were lots of things there that weren't right at all. If I'd spoken to someone maybe I'd have gotten out sooner.

You were not in the wrong. You are allowed to confide in someone. You are allowed to have a voice. What he is essentially doing is silencing you. He is telling you to shut up and he keeps talking over you because your viewpoint, your feelings and your side of the story doesn't matter to him. He is right and you are entirely in the wrong in his eyes.

The snide comment about the fireman thing reminded me of my ex. Over the top sarcasm and put downs just for his own amusemenr/self esteem boost. Awful. It will grind you down.

If you really can't reason with him, I really don't see a way forward here. If you stay, you're letting him know that that behaviour is acceptable and can carry on.

Has he calmed down at all yet?

WonderWorm · 04/07/2019 11:31

Days of harassment and calling and abuse for you asking a pretty reasonable question of your best friend.
I'd say he's well aware he's everything you questioned he was and some.
I know it's 8 years but if you don't have any major joint responsibilities like kids together I'd cut my losses and go.

CursedDiamond · 04/07/2019 12:45

I talk about my relationship with a couple of close friends frequently. Mainly because my OH is really hard to talk to/hates 'serious' talks, and my head explodes if i keep it in. He never talks to anyone about anything, and doesn't really like that I do. I think he thinks that by talking about it, I create the problems, by 'over-analysing'. But i also think it's a privacy thing - he's uncomfortable with other people knowing our problems.

I think we have to talk to others...and as women, we tend to do it more than men. I think the fact that he DOESN'T talk about his feelings (to me, or anyone else) is at the root of a lot of our problems...

LemonTT · 04/07/2019 12:51

I agree with Hepte here. Everyone can discuss and confide in someone about anything they want.
That being said it would be hurtful to find out you are being criticised. I also think it would make me insecure to think it was a regular occurrence.

If this happened in my relationship I am sure there would be hurt and anger but it would be resolved quite quickly with a bit of acknowledgment on both sides. That would be normal.

What he is now doing is not normal. The relationship is toxic and always will be. Time to end it.

unidentified90 · 04/07/2019 12:58

@PlinkPlink "he keeps talking over you because your viewpoint, your feelings and your side of the story doesn't matter to him. He is right and you are entirely in the wrong in his eyes" you are entirely correct. and no he has not calmed down any.

He also thinks his behavior is entirely justified. I keep mentioning other incidents where he has completely gone OTT on to try and reason with him (which he accepted he was wrong at the time) but again, just talks over me. For instance, 2 years ago, 2 months after my mother passed away, he accused me of trying to get with some guy (somebody he knows btw) because he wanted to meet us in the pub later (we had been at a charity do with his friend) and I told this friend where we were going. That was another weeks worth of verbal. Also not long after that I was accused of having a thing for our brother in law because he gave me a hug (whilst grieving!) All ridiculous that DH made a huge deal out of from no substance at all.

Also getting told that he wished he had never introduced his DD to me.

I give up. I love him but also resent him for things he has done in the past and cant have a conversation with my true feelings with him because I know he will stew on things and wind himself up.

OP posts:
SavingSpaces2019 · 04/07/2019 15:50

You do realise you are in an abusive relationship don't you?

couchparsnip · 04/07/2019 16:03

You are not unreasonable at all. He is emtionally abusive and it sounds like he has been for some time. There are so many red flags here. He wont allow you to talk, he calls you a bad person, he harrasses you with phone calls at work and the list goes on.

Please get some help to leave this abusive man. www.relate.org.uk/relationship-help/help-relationships/arguing-and-conflict/what-emotional-abuse

hellsbellsmelons · 04/07/2019 16:08

telling me I shouldn't be discussing our marriage with anybody but him
Why ever not?
It's up to you who you talk to and what you talk about.
We all discuss our personal lives with our best friends.
It's what they are there for.
A sounding board.
A voice of reason.
A shoulder to cry on.
He can get to fuck.
He is very abusive.
Please extricate yourself from this relationship.
It's doing you no good at all.

PlinkPlink · 04/07/2019 20:55

Any news on this OP? Have you managed to reason with him at all now some time has passed?

unidentified90 · 05/07/2019 08:00

Not really any news but I am sure the weekend will bring some! I got home yesterday and he wasn't there. Didn't see him all night. I accidentally put the sneck on the door last night, not sure why as I NEVER do so he woke me at midnight to let him in. Got told off this morning for that. I honestly hand on heart didn't do it on purpose but no doubt he would believe me. It was my fault he went out drinking (in his sarcastic demeaning manner). I just walked out and came to work.

OP posts:
unidentified90 · 05/07/2019 08:16

And I think I am beginning to realise I am in an emotionally abusive relationship, the more research I do the more I am becoming knowledgeable, which is helping. I will definitely have a look at the website somebody linked above, more knowledge = strength right?

He is obsessed with my friends reply to the text. Keeps asking if she has replied, probably because he thinks she will side with him (I have spoken to her - she doesn't) to feed his ego and and prove I am in the wrong. I have laugh or ill cry! We both said wed night that we would ask other people their views. So I did yesterday and every person I spoke to have said I did nothing wrong, in fact some people just laughed. So I will keep my stance this time (I usually give up for a quiet life) but I am sick of being bullied and abused!

OP posts:
unidentified90 · 05/07/2019 15:36

Little update. Found out he called my aunt slagging me off, saying I had lost the plot and had physically attacked him. Hypocrite. All this is on my works computer (and I have forgotten my password) so will report back on Monday, pretty sure the big to do will happen tonight.

OP posts:
ChuckleBuckles · 05/07/2019 15:47

I second that this is an abusive relationship and now he is trying to rally allies (your Aunt) to chastise you and get you back under his control. When the scales fall away from our eyes it can be difficult to understand why we tolerated such treatment from people who said they love us, please be safe OP.

hellsbellsmelons · 05/07/2019 16:21

Have a read of the Lundy Bancroft book - Why does he do that?
You will find your dick head husband in there!

unidentified90 · 08/07/2019 08:47

I have just read a couple of extracts from Lundy's book, uncanny! I have not seen him all weekend and haven't bothered to initiate contact either. He started again last night saying things like I have moved towns for you, given you ££ rings (ie the engagement and wedding rings ha) given me holidays etc, what have I given him? Responded by telling him a few home truths. Wouldn't answer the phone to him so he was threatening again to ring my aunt (her DH is battling cancer at the mo and doesn't need him involving them) and he knows this will wind me up. Bullying tactics again. The more he speaks the more I want out. I would be happy if he never returned home Angry

OP posts:
unidentified90 · 08/07/2019 14:19

Finally spoke to DH and he is now in his sorrowful mode. Saying he will address his issues etc and he doesn't want me to leave him. I just feel like its groundhog day.

Can abusers get help and change? I have told him he is emotionally abusing me and am finally in a position to insist he sees a counsellor about his behaviour, but does it help? I feel it will happen again, do I give him one more chance and get help? I feel like my heart is very 50/50.

OP posts:
hellsbellsmelons · 08/07/2019 14:27

No they can't change.
Not easily any way.
I till take a huge amount of counselling and coursed.
Usually takes well over a year.
And during that time he should be with is 'victim' any way.
I'd cut and run.
Just read back your posts.
It's horrendous and you deserve better.
He's clearly not changed one little bit as he is still threatening telling your aunt.
Tell him to fuck off!!!

unidentified90 · 08/07/2019 14:45

Thanks hellsbellsmelons I wish you could come and tell him haha. I always seem to blame myself because I am such a placid person, until something huge happens like this I just go along with things to have a quiet life so in some respects I feel like its my fault for not pulling him up on other trivial things as I go along and then my answer is to just cut and run when the shit does hit the fan so in his eyes this is just one slight problem. I am much better at venting the truth on here. I wish I didn't bottle things up. Now I just sound pathetic. He is home tonight so I can at least have it out with him properly face to face and I am in the mood to say everything that I want to, if he doesn't like it well thats not my problem, im really not feeling the love with him anymore and he is going to find out so will see what his response to that is. They are experts at making you feel guilty Angry Confused

OP posts:
user1479305498 · 08/07/2019 15:05

Wow, this could be me. I had a similar experience except a girl who worked with my husband experienced H being utterly unreasonable to me and texted him to say he was bang out of order(I know because she sent me what she had sent him) he mentioned by saying ‘xxx has texted me and says I was well out of order and that I was being a bully’. At this point I was expecting the grovelling apology - what did he say ‘ she should mind her own fucking business’ . I think at that point I realisedthat he had trouble ever accepting he was being a twat.

IvanaPee · 08/07/2019 15:10

He will not change.

He 100% will not change.

You need to leave. This sounds untenable.

EKGEMS · 08/07/2019 15:34

Tell him to drop dead. Twice.

unidentified90 · 09/07/2019 15:44

We finally had a "sit down" talk last night. I re-read my posts before going home and practically regurgitated them and added some. DH tried to argue why he was in the wrong when I was the one who sent the text. I told him he was the emotional abuser and had basically turned the argument around due to his irrational behaviour and I wasn't going to stand for it anymore. The tears and apologies came.

He held his hands up and blames his paranoia and insecurities from the past and said his immediate reaction is to go into fight mode to protect himself. He has always been insecure from day one. He cannot remember most of the nasty things he has said in his various texts\emails but I just said mud sticks and if he carries on the way he is, he will end up lonely in later life because nobody will put up with his outbursts and endless abuse.

Basically, I held my hands up for a couple of things and have told him to seek help for his coping mechanisms. I don't think he realises he is emotionally abusive per say but does acknowledge that he needs to change, not just for me, but himself. I just said that I have heard the same for 8 years and if he cannot change himself he needs help because he is/has ruined the relationship.

I will talk again tonight and make sure he knows exactly where he stands, that this is his last chance. I have a few suggestions, ie CBT, group/singular therapy. I may even seek one out for myself to clear my head and gain some support.

OP posts:
IvanaPee · 09/07/2019 19:08

That’s a load of psycho babble bullshit.

He absolutely can remember what he’s saying. And if he had no control over it, he would be doing it to everyone and not just you - the easy target.