Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

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

Surviving life with DH after failed crisis talks? Can't leave yet.

23 replies

keeponrunninggo · 04/08/2019 10:44

My mental health is in a state after being in talks with DH for a week in regards to his selfish, insensitive behaviour and doing what he pleases even when he knows I am struggling with young DCs and returning to work.

I have offered compromises, asked for better communication when he wants to go and do his hobbies, but he just has it in his head that I "just want to stop him from doing things he wants to do."

We have young DCs and I have asked him to see this as temporary until they're a little older and work with me better until then, to communicate and plan with me better so I know he's going away to do things in advance. But he still has it in his head that I am setting out to trample all over his social life.

I am not in a position to leave yet and I will be making arrangements to get help with planning to get away as a result of his insensitivity. But I am absolutely drained from trying to get him to see my point of view. It's manifesting itself physically and my body feels like a boulder, my eyes are sore from crying, my vision is blurred, I have hesdaches waking me up through the night. I feel really lousy.

So, how can I survive staying, knowing I need to leave? How do I avoid the temptation to have these talks with him which zap me mentally, physically and emotionally again? I need some practical help and emotional support.

He will also be continuing to sing to his own tune after numerous requests for more consideration from him so I need to live with this too. He is quite impulsive but sees no issue with being so. I am frustrated after explaining what I need from him until I'm blue in the face. Everyone else "gets it" but him. I am gutted that it isn't enough for him that his behaviour is upsetting me and making me feel taken for granted. He just keeps saying that it "is not unreasonable" for him to do x,y and z.

He has tried to be affectionate this morning and I assumed he had realised that he was wrong. But he said he still stands by what he said and refuses to communicate and plan better when he wants to engage in social activities alone. He is also less interested in engaging socially together than he is with his friends or for the sake of his hobbies and hasn't agreed to try harder with us.

He will no doubt want to continue his hot and cold affection towards me regardless of the outcome, something I find very difficult to deal with. How do I manage this also? I really need a hug, but he's the reason I need one in the first place. How can I not give in and how do I harden to him?

Why do men think its acceptable to hurt the woman of their children if they think something should be deemed "reasonable?" It's such a bizzare way to look at things.

OP posts:
PicsInRed · 04/08/2019 11:02

Firstly, stop trying to reason with him. You can't negotiate with the pathologically unreasonable. Like a boxer, punching for a Dodger, you simply tire yourself out - and you are exhausted.

I've been in your position. I stayed as I didn't feel that I was leave to leave, financially, and I feared the vicious family court battle which fucking well happened anyway. In retrospect, I should have been less cautious and left way back then. By the time HE left, I was terribly unwell ... recovered quickly once he left though. 🤔

Are you REALLY unable to leave? Do you have ZERO family to stay with? Think carefully. He is making you ill. This will get worse until you may really no longer be in a position to leave due to being too unwell (physically and/or mentally).

RegDet · 04/08/2019 11:02

Your post really speaks to me, down to the way your body feels and the phrases your husband is using. My husband has been similar. I tried to explain until I was blue in the face too. Then these boards helped me realise that it isn't that he doesn't understand, he understands perfectly! But wants to carry on his own sweet way so pretends to not understand. I don't have any advice I'm afraid. If nothing changes though, you will harden, the resentment will grow and the love will go. He'll wonder where his happy loving wife went but never think to blame himself and his selfish, stubborn ways for her disappearance. They just don't want their lives to change when kids come along do they? I can only suggest you start disappearing at equally short notice to do something fun and see how he likes it. Remember to say it's not unreasonable, just like he does!

keeponrunninggo · 04/08/2019 11:26

Literally zero family to go to.
I guess this makes it easier for him to do what he wants as he knows it's not easy for me to leave.

RegDet-sorry you're in this position too. Hopefully you'll find the responses useful too. I'm getting better at doing my own thing,but if I retaliate it tends to make his behaviour even worse. 😓

OP posts:
lifebegins50 · 04/08/2019 11:31

Poor you, I lived your life.

Firstly take care of yourself physically. Eat well and get out for walks or do yoga. I would also encourage you to see your GP for routine blood tests as living with this stress can impact you. Fatigue, digestion issues and autoimmune are caused by living with continual stress.

Start researching why your H is like this, it helps once you know what you are dealing with. You will learn it's not personal as it is likely he is just utterly self centred and lacking in empathy so your needs will never be important to him, unless it suits him.
The hot/cold is part of the cycle plus he probably also misses physical affection so will become pleasant to get affection/sex.

Do you have family support?

WhoKnewBeefStew · 04/08/2019 11:33

Try and take him out of the equation for now. Look after you and your dc and expect NOTHING from him. Make plans with your dc, make memories with them, all without expecting any input from your dh. My ex was like this and my life became so much better once I stopped 'trying' to make him see sense (he never did).

You need to look after yourself now too, stop trying to reason with him, eat well and rest when you can. Get some exercise! Be good to yourself Thanks

lifebegins50 · 04/08/2019 11:34

X-posted with family question.

Yes, when I put in place boundaries his behaviour escalated so know how that feels. It did however reinforce how unreasonable he was so made leaving an easier decision, but it is never easy.

What is his family like?

madcatladyforever · 04/08/2019 11:35

Well you only have one option
withdraw all affection
withdraw all sex
withdraw all maid services - cleaning, cooking for him, doing his laundry
If asked you are too tired to do any of these things as you don'y have any help from him.
Take no prisoners, take no shit.

DarkestBeforeTheDawn4 · 04/08/2019 12:31

Hi OP, that sounds way to familiar down to the physical illness. No advice. But I wish Id left months ago when I first wanted too. All the stress and heartbreak has triggered a worsening of my chronic illnesses and Im literally too sick to do anything about it right now. Im still planning and doing what I can, first have to rest and get some strength back. It's so painful being here and my plans are way more long term than I want.

OneMoreForExtra · 04/08/2019 12:42

Why do you have to leave, OP? Especially if you can't right now and you're becoming I'll. Why not tell him it's over and that he needs to leave? Much less disruption for the kids that way too.

keeponrunninggo · 04/08/2019 12:46

He says he will not leave.

OP posts:
PicsInRed · 04/08/2019 12:51

Mine also wouldn't leave. I "grey rocked". Google it, it can work. He finally got bored, found someone else after cheating for years the fucker and left me. It will still break your heart, and you may still be dragged though family court, but you'll be that much closer to freedom. Flowers

IfIShouldFallFromGraceWithGod · 04/08/2019 12:56

Decide on your mind that you are not a couple and don't act like you are in a, relationship
Treat it like a house share. Get a planner and plan time off in advance. Have time when you are responsible for child care and time when he is. Try to make it as equitable as possible when it comes to free time
Share out house hold chores but let him be responsible for his own ironing, personal tasks and so on
Try to remove emotion from your planning

babbi · 04/08/2019 13:00

He understands perfectly ... dint ever think otherwise.
Don’t also think anything will get better because it won’t . Many posters on here will attest to that with their own stories.

Hard as it is you have 2 options ...
Accept this and put up with it and be miserable and I’ll
Or leave / split .... to pursue a happy life ..

I chose the second option (eventually 🙄 please don’t waste as much of your life as I did )
When I left I was in a temp job and had no idea where I would live long term... but I was so determined... I kept telling myself “I’ll find a way “
I have a good supportive family though ..

Good luck and try to take care of yourself x

Alwaysgrey · 04/08/2019 13:22

Like above I’d withdraw every service you offer. If he’s going to behave like a total arsehole he can function on his own. Can you also take a similar amount of time for hobbies so he understands what it’s like? Sometimes talking doesn’t go in at all. Is there no way you can leave?

Quartz2208 · 04/08/2019 13:26

Yes separate rooms and house share until you can both leave the house

Within that key times for childcare for both of you

Musti · 04/08/2019 13:35

From now on,in your mind you are a single mum. Disregard him completely and don't do anything for him. Look at what support youd get from tax credits etc. Book an appointment with a solicitor and see where you would stand financially. Look at going back to work and making yourself as independent as possible. It is possible. Many of us have done it and wished we'd done it earlier.

AgentJohnson · 04/08/2019 13:56

Start researching why your H is like this,

Err don’t, you aren’t qualified and it wouldn’t stop him being an arsehole. To get through living with this twat for however long it takes to get your ducks in a row, you need to learn to detach.

The only outcome of repeatedly trying to appeal to his non existent better nature, is a humiliating sinking feeling when you don’t.

Detach, detach, detach!

AgentJohnson · 04/08/2019 13:58

You are effectively a single mum, which means you need to work on your support network.

Teaandcrisps · 04/08/2019 14:02

Why are you not able to leave now? Temporary separation? Reiterating what PP have said about stopping facilitating his easy life - no food, no washing. Can you take up a hobby and be out of the house equally?

lifebegins50 · 05/08/2019 13:38

Op, knowledge is power. Get knowledge through online support forums, books or a counsellor. Once you know it's a fixed pattern of behaviour (complete selfishness) it enables you to detach. A great quote is "observe don't absorb".

The stress comes from trying to fix or find mutually acceptable ways forward. Once I "got" that Ex didn't want a mutually beneficial relationship it was easier.

keeponrunninggo · 05/08/2019 21:55

I've made some steps towards living more seperately. He has been extremely attentive and complimentary of me which makes it difficult. But interestingly, when I broached the subject of compromise again (it arose naturally when we were making some plans for the children) he immediately backed off again. Usually, I think his kindness softens me and he's able to make me "forget" that he's being selfish and unkind beneath the facade. I'm not allowing him in this time.

OP posts:
Nothingcomesforfree · 05/08/2019 22:36

My mental health is in a state after being in talks with DH for a week in regards to his selfish, insensitive behaviour and doing what he pleases

In his head I just want to stop him doing things he wants to do**

Ok so both of those statements are true.

Literally no point in trying to talk him round. Because he’s not wrong...you do want to curtail his social life The question is why doesn’t he want to compromise? Is he lazy, a selfish twat or nice bloke but already signed out?

I agree with everyone is to act as if the relationship is over. Sort childcare, go out yourself with a hobby, have a social life. You can’t change him but you can change you. He can’t give you what you want so go elsewhere. Find fun and support from people other than him, as you will do when you are separated.

He thinks his behaviour is reasonable because he doesn’t care and that’s his problem with the relationship. You definitely do care, hence you’re feeling miserable. So you need to care less about the current relationship you two have and move on to a different dynamic.

pebblemix · 05/08/2019 23:19

I really feel for you. Make plans to leave but detach completely in the meantime. No sex, no housework for him etc etc. He wants his cake and eat it. Look after yourself. When you’ve separated, he will have to make plans to have the children alone or he won’t have a relationship with them.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page