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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

I don't know what to do about this rejection and it's threatening my relationship.

80 replies

Rejection · 16/07/2019 10:38

I feel utterly and totally sexually rejected.

Salient facts:

Dp works away a lot, for varying lengths of time. Sometimes up to 7 weeks, sometimes 2, more usually 3/4, and then he'll be at home anywhere between 3 days and 10. Normally 5/6. When he's home he doesn't work. He has a demanding, stressful job.

I WFH. I have 2 dd (not his). I run the household while he's away (I'm not sure why that's relevant?! Just giving the whole picture).

When he's home we have a good sex life. Sex most days, doesn't get stale. He clearly fancies me, is turned on by me and is usually constantly seeking sexual intimacy!

My problem is that once he goes away, it's like a switch has flicked. He doesn't mention sex/feeling horny/ask me anything about how I'm coping with no sex/. There is no intimate conversation unless I start it, and then I'll get a very basic message of "I watched some porn". He watches a LOT of porn while he's away. He doesn't masturbate without it. He describes it as a tool to make him cum, which I accept. I don't have a problem with porn (he watches amateur stuff so much, much less chance of exploitation). But he will NEVER volunteer any sort of discussion. He also has lots of videos of me which I don't think he watches all that much. Fair enough, I guess the same thing gets boring.

I have explained to him countless times that I NEED the intimacy to be sustained while he's away, but he always has an excuse. It's usually "We haven't spoken for a couple of days, that creates distance for me and I don't want to share stuff."

Or: "We had an argument, that doesn't make me feel close to you." Both of these things are rubbish 9/10. He says that he doesn't feel comfortable discussing sex unless we're emotionally connected. Which for me is all the time! So we don't speak for a day or two - so what?! We barely argue, he's very laidback.

The big thing for me is that he will NEVER seek that sexual interaction with me while he's away. He never tells me he's horny, what he watches, whether he's thinking about me while he masturbates, what I've been doing, doesn't ask for videos, doesn't FaceTime for mutual masturbation, doesn't do phone sex, etc, etc.

I don't want a log of when he's cum or what he watched, I want an open dialogue of sexual needs while he's away. I cannot stress enough how much he NEVER EVER instigates any sort of sexual discussion, never any "Hey baby, I'm so horny, cannot wait to get home and cum, thinking about what we did at X time". Or "I watched this XYZ porn and it turned me on so much."
He is simply not interested in me, or sharing with me, unless he's at home. And he KNOWS how much this bothers me but he never changes. He's not making any sort of effort at all.

This last time I deliberately haven't instigated any sexual conversation, I've just sat back, watched and waited. All other contact is normal. And over 4 weeks he has not raised one, single thing. I feel totally and utterly rejected. He's home in the next couple of days and I honestly don't think I can be intimate with him. God, I'm nearly in tears writing this! How pathetic. This has been going on for over 3 years now and nothing changes. But if I raise it, yet AGAIN, it will be counter-productive. I don't know what to do any more.

There's literally no chance of him cheating. Fuck it, this is massively outing, but it's relevant - he's a Dr on a remote island. He's the only one so the entire population are his patients. He doesn't leave the island at all.

Any advice would be great. Sorry for the epic length!

OP posts:
Hidingtonothing · 16/07/2019 14:16

I sympathise a little bit OP, my DH works away and, although we keep in touch and speak every day, he noticeably clicks over into work mode and doesn't invite or instigate any sort of intimacy while he's away. I don't want phone sex or to know about his masturbatory habits tbh, not my thing, but I suppose I would like a bit of flirting or for him to say he can't wait to get home if I'm really honest.

But it's not his way and I have no interest in trying to make him be someone he's not. He tells and shows me he loves me enough that I don't mind waiting til he's home for anything more intimate. So I do wonder why this is so important to you OP? I understand wanting to stay connected but, firstly that's not always realistic around work/kids/life and secondly your expectations of how that should look seem unusually high.

WhateverName2 · 16/07/2019 14:18

You sound like a sex pest. Respect his bounderies. You cant force your lust on him.

FreckledLeopard · 16/07/2019 14:23

Jesus, all the talk of a 'root cause' and 'sex cams' etc - it's not a massive psychoanalytical issue - he just doesn't like phone sex/FaceTime sex or talking about it. If it were the case that he doesn't want to have sex with you when he's with you then that would be something to worry about. But lack of communicating sexually when on a desert island? Seems like a very niche problem.

Yes, maybe occasionally, in the early days, I'd write erotic stuff if I wasn't seeing DP for a few days. But it really isn't something that happens now. I can't see how it's a rejection of you - he calls, talks, texts - he's communicating with you, just not sending a load of sex-related messages.

I don't know, to me, this is a complete non-issue. But I guess everyone's different. I suppose it's up to you - either change circumstances so he's never away from you and just has a normal day job, then you don't have to worry it. Or break off the relationship. You can't cajole someone into being into sexting or sharing fantasies. And you can analyse til the cows come home but that won't change things.

roothyb · 16/07/2019 14:24

The difficulty coming up is that he's coming home very shortly and he will expect to pick up where he left off. But that doesn't work for me. I have made this very clear.

Biting off your nose to spite your face there..

RantyAnty · 16/07/2019 14:24

How long have you been together?

WhateverName2 · 16/07/2019 14:28

Imagine if this was written by a man. Pestering. And the punishment of no sex when he comes home. Manipulative.
You sound so hard work. And not respecting the way he is..

Holenewme · 16/07/2019 14:29

My dh worked away a lot. He would occasionally ask me about sex, try and do phone sex etc but it’s just not something I’m comfortable with. We had a good sex life when he was here and when he was away we didn’t because we couldn’t and I was uncomfortable with sort of half way measures. If dh hadn’t accepted that then I would have been really upset and confused.

He’s made it clear it’s something he’s not interested in or is uncomfortable about. I don’t think it’s an unusual thing to be uncomfortable about and you really need to stop pushing it. You have a good sex life when he’s with you, if you can’t cope with that I think you should re-evaluate the whole relationship.

Hidingtonothing · 16/07/2019 14:41

Just read your last post OP, I get that too, the difficulty going from zero intimacy to full on when there's been nothing in between. I'd missed quite a bit while I was posting and I also understand the wall that builds up when you're continually asking for what you need and not getting it, different context for me but I can see more where you're coming from now.

The examples you gave made it sound all about sex but it isn't, it's about connection and the constant expectation on you to go from 0-60 because he's home. I hate to say it but maybe you not being able to 'pick up where you left off' next time he's home is what's needed for him to see your point of view. It might help him to realise that he needs to make some effort to keep that connection going while he's away if he can see that you genuinely can't just jump back into it.

I feel a bit bad about my first response now because I'd taken your OP at face value. The deeper issues here are really familiar to me, albeit in a different context so I'm sorry for not reading between the lines. It's that feeling that you've been ignored, not even thought about for weeks and then suddenly because he's home you're expected to snap back into total intimacy. I get it, PM me if you like Flowers

Nearlyalmost50 · 16/07/2019 14:49

I have lived away from my partner, not for such long periods, but every week, back at weekend type distance. It is hard to re-establish intimacy but I have to be honest, none of the stuff you seem to want rings true for me anyway- I just get on with my life without the person and wouldn't want to have to keep up some pretense of sexual tension (which wouldn't be there for me down the phone or on Skype) through many weeks away. Sorry, I don't get this and I wouldn't want to do it for a partner as, frankly, I'm not thinking about them like that endlessly when they are not there. This has no bearing on how much I like them when they are!

MrsTeaspoon · 16/07/2019 14:49

There’s nothing wrong with you OR him! Personally, I’m far far more like your DH and luckily my DH is too. I definitely wouldn’t be interested in any ‘mutual activity’ whilst apart. You don’t have to feel insecure or rejected at all.

verystressedmum · 16/07/2019 15:22

My dh works away, when he's away we don't have phone sex. We talk every day about stuff and our lives and our problems and our feelings etc and I would say we are connected and intimate through that not talking about what we'd like to do to each other.
We have a good sex life when he is at home.
Tbh if he was wanting to have phone sex every time we spoke I wouldn't be talking to him very much.

Musti · 16/07/2019 15:28

You're overthinking it and now that he'll be at home a lot more it's a non issue because your sex life is really good when together.

Proteinshakesandovieshat · 16/07/2019 17:14

Can I ask?

Please tell me you live in a house in both your names? I only ask because I am wondering why you are in a relationship with a man who is away most of the time, when sexual acts are so important to you.

Honestly Op, if my dp kept getting annoyed that I wouldnt sext him and ask how he is coping without sex, I would finish.

I am not going to mutually masturbate over face time with him either.

To me that's not intimate. I could do that with some random if I really wanted to sext. For me it's not intimate at all, it's the opposite.

Just because you like it. It doesnt mean he has to initiate it.

Honestly it a man was acting like you, you would be called all sorts.

beenwhereyouare · 16/07/2019 17:15

Rejection, I think your feelings are very understandable. I'm not sure why so many posters aren't getting that it's not the sex as much as the intimacy that you're missing.

It's not as if he's too exhausted for or has no interest in sex while he's away, because you said he watches a lot of porn. He has sex of a sort, just doesn't seem to want to share it with you. I'm guessing it's not really about the phone sex. More that you want to hear that it's sex with you that he thinks about. That he misses the closeness with you; that even though he's taking care of his physical needs, it's never as good as sharing that with you.

He may be missing that connection as much as you do, but is really uncomfortable expressing it.

beenwhereyouare · 16/07/2019 17:33

For those who are only hearing "phone sex", think of it instead as food.

OP, I think you want to hear that while he has to subsist on mediocre takeout, he's really craving a home-cooked meal. He probably assumes you know he'd rather have your cooking than takeaway, and may not like talking about it as it makes his time away harder to endure. (pun not intended)

He'll be home soon, looking forward to spending time in the kitchen with you. Don't deprive the two of you of the pleasure of preparing and sharing those meals together. You both deserve better than takeaway. Instead of turning down dinner, enjoy your time together. Send him back wishing there was time for seconds. Let him know how great it makes you feel when you know how much he appreciates and misses your cooking; how important it is to hear that he can't wait to get home and is hungry for more.

(Sorry; incredibly cheesy, I know. 😂)

roothyb · 16/07/2019 17:38

@beenwhereyouare what the fuck......

MonstranceClock · 16/07/2019 17:45

FFS he's probably knackered from work, wants to have a wank and go to sleep.

If my husband pestered me like that when I went away I would've divorced him.

readitandwept · 16/07/2019 17:50

What you want from him isn't my kind of thing either, and if my partner was bringing it up every time I was away and taking it so personally, I'd soon stop calling.

Sorryisntgoodenough · 16/07/2019 18:00

But that doesn't work for me. I have made this very clear

And he’s made it clear that

, that doesn't make me feel close to you."

I’m with your DP, I would be reluctant to call home in his situation tbh, it isn’t intimacy if you are constantly pressuring him.

I should add that we have done all of those things over the years so I know he's ok with them. It's just always been at my instigation, NEVER his

Because he DOESNT WANT TO!

I’m with MonstranceClock who put If my husband pestered me like that when I went away I would've divorced him

Senoritaforever · 16/07/2019 18:05

If he dedicates himself to his work when he is away (if he is the only doctor on an island I should think he is busy) FaceTiming you to masturbate is probably the last thing on his mind. Or maybe it’s just not his thing.

From the posts on here, a lot of people would feel the same and there is nothing worse than feeling pressurised into doing something you don’t want to do.

sonjadog · 16/07/2019 18:15

He doesn’t want to do this. As in any sexual act, not wanting to needs to be respected by the other partner. The pestering him needs to stop.

It might be that this means you two are incompatible if you really need this to be happy, but the solution is not to push him to do things he does not want to do.

Proteinshakesandovieshat · 16/07/2019 18:17

For those who are only hearing "phone sex", think of it instead as food.

Yes cause phone sex is the same as food Hmm

fairislecable · 16/07/2019 18:34

It’s a pity there is no vote on this thread from the above comments it’s clear YABU.

You have a lovely DH look around these boards and see what a real problem looks like.

LannieDuck · 16/07/2019 19:02

Some people are asexual, others are hypersexual, and I think it's probably a continuum inbetween.

It wouldn't bother me to go 2 months without sex. Other people would find that really difficult. Perhaps you're just a little incompatible in your sex drives?

sneakypinky · 16/07/2019 19:06

You can't force someone to want to do something sexually that they don't want to or are not comfortable with. Nor should you want to.

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