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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've done a bad thing. But is this a normal reaction?

253 replies

IsThisNormal1 · 16/11/2019 21:03

Sorry, this will be long.

Been together almost 10 years. He's late 30s, I'm early 30s.

I'll start off by saying we've had a lot of stress in our relationship. About 4 years ago we were dealing with a lot of drama with my family - absolute narcs, the lot of them. It was resolved 2 years ago and I'm NC with them now.

Due to this drama, our relationship has taken a back seat. He's never been the romantic lovey-dovey type, but all intimacy stopped. We don't kiss, cuddle, hold hands, nothing. Sex is rare. Almost non-existent.

When the drama was resolved, I thought brilliant we can get on with our lives now. This hasn't happened. He does literally nothing. I do all the cleaning, washing, DIY, I even book his car MOT and doctors appointments for him. He wont take any initiative. Works at the same dead-end job which he hates but won't do anything about because "Brexit" or "job hunting is too hard" or various other reasons.

I experienced a major hiccup in my job last year (company restructuring) and was almost made redundant. I'm the bread winner so this was a huge deal. I signed myself up for an online course and told him he needs to step up with housework etc because I need to do this qualification while also working a 50 hour week. He stepped up for 2 or 3 days, then went back to his old ways. He leaves everything at his arse. I spend the evening cleaning, it's a shit tip by the next day. I do his washing and ask him to put it away, it gets left in a heap on the floor. Dishes left next to the dishwasher for me to put away. This goes on daily for months. Every day it's like he's saying a massive "FUCK YOU".

I don't like to nag but when confronted he says he's just got no motivation since the drama. Yes it was traumatic but life needs to go on. I have zero family now and it's not exactly been easy for me either! I've offered to pay for counsellors etc for him. No. He just spends all day every day watching YouTube and doing nothing. He says he needs to "build up" to doing anything and if that doesn't work, he can't do it at all.

Last night we went out for a few drinks at the pub. I admittedly drank too much and was very intoxicated. We both were. There was a man there and we got chatting at the bar. A proper real conversation for once about history, a mutual interest. This went on for some time and I feel we did have a connection of some sort. He left, and I went outside a few minutes later because I was starting to feel a bit unwell with the alcohol. Unbeknown to me, the man was still there and he kissed me. I haven't been kissed or even had any ounce of affection for years, so stupidly I didn't stop him.

DP came outside, saw this, and flew into a rage. He threw a glass at me, cutting my arm. Blood pouring. He then took my purse and went home, leaving me stranded with no money for a taxi home. The guy behind the bar had to loan me money.

I got home and DP had locked the gate knowing full well I couldn't reach the lock to get in. (The taxi driver managed to reach it for me). This morning I find that he has cut up all my bank cards, and hid my house keys so I couldn't get out. He says he didn't want me "sneaking out anywhere".

We talked today and I told him how undervalued and unappreciated I feel, he said "well write me a list and I'll do the cleaning every Tuesday". I don't need him to clean, I just need him to start acting like a proper grown-up.

I know what I did was wrong, I don't deny that. I feel awful. I've apologised to him. He has spent the rest of the day saying nothing and holding his head in his hands. I understand he's upset. I would be too. His cousin phoned this evening and he was all bright and cheerful like nothing happened. Then was laughing at stuff on tv. An hour later hes slumped on the stairs saying he feels sick and dizzy. I can hear him how pacing upstairs. Hes acting like I've just killed someone!

Words can't express how bad I feel. It was so out of character for me. I admit it was nothing more than feeling "wanted" for 5 minutes. I would never have seen this man again and regretted kissing him almost the moment it happened.

I'm not sure why I'm posting. I've been horrible, I admit. But with his reaction, I just know hes going to make me "pay for this" and use it as an excuse to do even less. I love him still, I really do. (Although the resentment is horrific) Am I kidding myself? Do I need to call time or do I deserve this?

OP posts:
Dieu · 16/11/2019 22:49

He did commit a crime, yes. But morally, what the OP did wasn't great. Chat with a guy at the bar, and then take it outside (sorry, but I don't buy the 'fresh air' line), and all while her partner was there. Not sure a bloke would garner the same sympathy, if he did this to his partner.
Maybe he's depressed, maybe he's having post traumatic stress from all the family problems the OP has highlighted. Or maybe he is just a lazy arsed loser.
But neither sound happy, and I think it's game over.

LacedCocoa · 16/11/2019 22:52

Oh my god! At the bloke you married, not your mistake of kissing other man! I'm so sick of us letting men get away with minimal effort because we've been brainwashed into normalizing it. No! Compassion, consideration and communication IS NOT GENDER SPECIFIC.

SERIOUSLY sounds like you've been mothering this bitch (sorry not sorry) i don't care if he's lost or depressed (we've all been there, but sadly for those of us who don't have others paying for us we HAVE to get the fuck out and somehow carry on) he's sat around being a lazy comfortable fuck not doing anything he needs to, for himself, you or your home. What, you're working 50hrs a week and he's saying he'll agree to chores ONCE A WEEK?? What kind of BS. Can i swap with him? I'll atleast clean up and have a fresh pot of coffee for when you get home !
I can understand you feel obligated to be there for him, or to carry on "trying" but how long has this been going on? And how many times had he come to you to communicate how its not normal or ok to not have intimacy without even discussing why, for eg.

And he totally should not have got aggressive, throwing glass at you, cutting up YOUR cards, and locking you out of YOUR HOME! Doesn't not matter what you did; HE is blocking you from entering your safe(?) space, stopping you from doing anything by cutting your financial means because he's angry. Angry that he knows his time for lazy bitching is up!

Clearly this has wound me up so i'm a little less understanding of his................. lazy tendencies. I've just dealt with a real life man child and honestly the ongoing pain is not worth it and i would love to cut them all out. Don't settle for this BS. Assert yourself, your needs, your boundaries. And if he respects and cares for you he'll get it and try doing it.

GuessWhoColeen · 16/11/2019 22:53

Fuckinghell, what would he do if you didn't have a dog?

Sob into the toilet bowl by hugging the loo seat?

What a manipulative arse he is. And he is shitting himself that you have finally seen him for the abusive cocklodger he is.

Wait until Tuesday the house will be gleaming, just to get you to lick his sorry arse again.

madcatladyforever · 16/11/2019 22:53

I absolutely despair of the women on this forum I really do!
They live with vile abusive monsters and then go on and on about how guilty they feel about not indulging them in their shitty behaviour.
This guy is a lazy cocklodger extraordinaire.
The only thing you should be doing right now is stuffing his belongings in black bags and kicking him out of the front door.

FrogFairy · 16/11/2019 22:54

You are flogging a dead horse with this arsehole.

It sounds like despite your family drama you have got your shit together and have moved on with your life and career in a positive way. Meanwhile he is using your family drama as a lame excuse to do fuck all. He is now weeping and wailing because he is in danger of losing his meal ticket. The sooner you get rid of him the better, but keep the dog.

Luckybe40 · 16/11/2019 22:55

Wow...just WOW! How the hell have you managed to tolerate him for so long? It’s rare that I’m lost for words but I can’t get over how fucking LAZY and horrible this man is. Does Nothing around the house, won’t be intimate, affectionate, loving, treats you with distain( leaving clean clothes on the floor)takes you for granted, sponges off you, won’t contribute financially, won’t work, clean...challenge you intellectually and is now physically & verbally abusiveShock. You could have him arrested for what he did you know...and you’re tying yourself in knots because some guy kissed you? Are you fucking kidding me? How can you tolerate this man, how can you not hate him for being so utterly...useless. This is literally a life wasted. Don’t waste yours too. This is what you call sliding doors, coming to a cross roads. Tell him that you’re sorry that a guy kissed you and you understand it must have been a shock but you cannot accept what he did afterwards and it has opened your eyes to how unhappy you are and you’re leaving. He’s going to be very unhappy because you are (and trust me, this is what you are to him) a meal ticket. Because any man who loved you would want to offer you so much more. He is a bonafide LOSER. And I don’t know how or what happened in your life that has made you accept so little (I think you probably know yourself)but I guarantee, get rid and welcome to a new, exciting beginning. You deserve itFlowers

madcatladyforever · 16/11/2019 22:57

He's acting like someones been murdered because he knows his cocklodging days are over and he'll have to go out and find another mug to look after him.

DontDribbleOnTheCarpet · 16/11/2019 22:57

He threw a glass at you, which cut your arm. There is no going back, you have to split up.
There is happiness for you, and a sense of safety. But not with this man.

NormaBean · 16/11/2019 22:58

He did commit a crime, yes. But morally, what the OP did wasn't great.

Ah I see, hand him another glass to throw at you then OP.

Oly4 · 16/11/2019 22:59

He is a lazy, pathetic man who bullies and abuses you if you step out of line. Kissing another man isn’t great but you’ve had zero love and affection from this guy for so long. Why on earth are you with him?? Kick him out. He is holding you back from a life of happiness and you deserve better.
Your self esteem is probably on the floor because of your family but this man is not your answer. He’s not going to make you happy, he can’t, he doesn’t want to.

plightofthealbatross · 16/11/2019 22:59

You're in an abusive relationship ... he's only upset because he might have to pull himself together, support himself, cook and clean up after himself.

Get out!

RolytheRhino · 16/11/2019 23:02

His response was way out of line, OP. If you do leave, be careful about it and have someone with you. He sounds unhinged.

CeridwenTheWitch · 16/11/2019 23:02

It sounds like the relationship ended ages ago and you're both miserable. You made a mistake by kissing the other guy, but him cutting up your bank cards and hiding your keys is quite scary and abusive.

Definitely best to break up as soon as possible (because this kind of controlling behaviour can and regularly does escalate to much worse) and move on.

Also ring up the national domestic abuse helpline in how to end the relationship safely because I'd be a bit worried at how he might react, and look up the power and control wheel and the cycle of abuse to see if it resonates.

SleepingStandingUp · 16/11/2019 23:08

So he doesn't work, he just sits around the house "depressed" because of what happened with your family?

OP you can't be with someone out of a sense of gratitude for years past.

This isn't a relationship. It's flat mates where you do it all.

Glacecherrychops · 16/11/2019 23:21

You only get one life OP.

Is he really who you want to spend it with?

abitlostandalwayshungry · 16/11/2019 23:45

Is it possible that you kissed that stranger because you subconsciously knew it would disrupt / majorly shake up your horribly hostile relationship?

And your partners refusal to be a functioning adult is hostile. It's aggression in a passive form.

Do yourself and your dog a favour, get out of there and start fresh!

Good luck to you, sending good vibes!

EstuaryBird · 16/11/2019 23:55

OP, don’t be fooled by his reaction to your drunken snog. He’s delighted because he’s got a very strong weapon to use against you and to keep you even more firmly in your place. He will milk this for as long as you let him.

He’s treated you like crap for years but now a drunken snog is the worse things that’s ever happened in your relationship....really!! He cut you with a glass, is that truly all that he’s done?? I’d be willing to bet that it’s not.

I let someone do this to me. I had a drunken hug with someone at a party. He used it against me every minute of every day. Whenever I went against him he threw it in my face. I felt guilt and felt like I owed him for his pain and misery. Until I realised that it was all crap and he couldn’t have cared less..it was solely ammunition.

Get out any way you can or that drunken snog is going to be used against you forever. I wish you well OP xxx

MyNewBearTotoro · 16/11/2019 23:56

Oh my goodness your post is full of so many red flags. You need to leave, it sounds like you’re not getting much from the relationship and there’s no sign that’s likely to change. You deserve to give yourself a chance at finding someone you could be happy with instead of staying with him just because it’s familiar. He’s shown you his aggressive side now and you’ve given him something to hold over you and that’s the first step towards a relationship becoming controlling and abusive.

Innishh · 17/11/2019 00:01

The only positive in this sorry tale is that because of his lack of intimacy you are not pregnant.....

But let me guess.....you expecting to get on with your lives after NC - I am assuming maybe included plans for a family given your ages ...... and let me guess he is covertly denying you this through lack of intimacy?

I wonder if the years and years of “drama” in your family of narcs kept you emotionally heightened / distracted and you didn’t notice his lack of engagement - it might even have been useful to you that he was so laid back and ineffectual - and it might have suited him to vicariously have a ring side seat on the drama. But once it was finished your spot light comes back to him and he wasn’t what you thought / hoped and he didn’t like the attention.

What was your family of origin set up that has allowed you to be a door mat? This is what you really need to work on (once you have kicked this waster out) - sounds like you have been abused/manipulated as a child so that leaves you expecting nothing and having v low standards for yourself - so that it is acceptable that you tolerate being starved of affectation, doing all the grunt work and being abused.

I hope that you can see this, that you can work through this with professional help - and then get back down the pub - find this exciting man and build a life with mutual kindness and respect where you are cherished. I am shocked that at your age you have been denied a sex life.

MustShowDH · 17/11/2019 00:15

Do you have kids?
Are you renting or buying?

Interestedwoman · 17/11/2019 00:15

It could be said that the bloke took advantage of you- he must've known you were pissed. You went outside and 'unbeknownst to you' this bloke was still there. I think he maybe followed you out to try it on, knowing you were pissed? Or he was out there having a fag and thought he would try it on. Either way, it would've been clear you were plastered.

The average bloke would've been pissed off but not acted like this. In a way, it's irrelevant- it's just given you a reason to consider more sharply whether living with this sulky lazy arse is what you want. The stuff with your family, he shouldn't be holding over your head for ever. He's just using that as an excuse to do or not to whatever he wants, and guilt trip you for something (your family being toxic) that wasn't your fault. Wanker

You can bet if you stay with him, this incident will be another thing he can use as an excuse to do what he likes.

I don't see this getting better- do you? He'd have to become a completely different person. Not just the housework etc (did he ever do that? :/) but the nasty personality trait of throwing things that've happened back in your face.

PerkyPomPoms · 17/11/2019 00:24

That relationship is over.

Luckybe40 · 17/11/2019 00:26

Oh...and blaming the “trauma “ makes me want to punch him even more...big FUCKING deal!!! You went through the same, maybe even worse and it hasn’t stopped you from daily life. Because you’re an adult! And that’s what adults do. They deal with shit! And doesn't blame shitty behaviour, on external factors...when he trots that out just say, oh god...that old chestnut again?!!

Taraswell · 17/11/2019 00:26

Use this as a final excuse to walk
If you don't you're going to spend the rest of your life paying for a moment of weakness while he gets off Scot free and can now blame you for everything

IsThisNormal1 · 17/11/2019 08:34

Thank you everyone for your replies. I have read them all.

DP does work. He's on a 30hr week minimum wage job which he hates, but won't do anything about. He pays for Council Tax and food shopping. I pay everything else.

House is mortgaged in both our names, so that will be tricky to deal with.

No, we don't have kids! I have been saying for years I want to start trying when I hit 30. 29 arrived and I suddenly thought no, there's absolutely no way I can have kids with this man. I would be left doing everything. So I told him I changed my mind citing issues with my job etc and he was absolutely delighted. Didn't put up a fight or ask for more of an explanation. I think that's when I knew he was just interested in dossing through life. He proposed to me on my 30th birthday (after complaining for weeks that he didn't know what to get me as a present....) I don't know why I accepted because I know we will never get married. I'm not even sure if I want to.

During our talk yesterday, I asked him how he thinks I feel about the family drama. It was my family, I was dealing with it on a much higher level than he was. But I've moved on now, so should he. He said "everyone deals with things differently. Just because you got over things quickly doesn't mean I can". And he's right, some people take longer than others, but at the detriment of letting life pass you by?

I didn't get much sleep last night, my head is still spinning. But thank you to everyone who has replied. I am taking it all on board.

OP posts: