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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

Ended relationship sure it’s for right reasons but hurts so much

34 replies

outherealone · 23/12/2019 00:04

I know it’s for the right reasons, bf had omitted facts a couple of times ref ex girlfriend’s (two exes) presence at trips away plus I found condoms in his glove box before one trip away, said nowt and the box had definitely been used/tampered with after said event.
I stayed with him longer than I should have as was having a very hard time in my life and have nobody else, no family or close friendships
I ended it this week but it’s hurting me so much for so many reasons. He of course denies any wrongdoing with exes doesn’t think he needs to come running to tell me every time an ex is included in his trips away and the condoms were old.
We don’t use them due to both being sterilised and having tests early in our relationship.
So it’s over and I ended it because stuff didn’t add up.
But I’m devastated. I’ve wrecked our respective Christmas plans, his kids and mine altogether,with my kids joining in the eve, means I’m now going to have the day completely alone.
we’ve both bought presents for each other and the kids but I couldn’t lie to myself anymore.
He said he’s heartbroken and can’t believe I’d end a relationship over old condoms and having exes as friends, very much a simplification ...
My children were just getting used to him in our lives and one child in particular is sad, they’d really bonded and I know ex bfs presents for my dc were chosen with a lot of thought and care so I feel guilty re this.
I have been facing some quite horrible things on my own and he’s been unable to give the support I needed due to his own pressures at home and I’ve felt so lonely dealing with it all alone. To the point I’ve referred myself to family support services as not coping and I don’t think that any relationship is mutually supportive where one person needs intensive support is working while the other partner still gets to have an amazing life filled with parties and fun with exes etc.
He had recently had a lot of problems and I went out of my way to support and advise, giving oodles of time and expertise. I have had a hell of a few weeks culminating in some very difficult events where he didn’t even phone to speak about it and forgot about one particular event altogether.
A few other things happened that I didn’t even bother telling him about as I knew he’d not give the response I need.
I’m aware I sound a bit mad...
I had to end it now I didn’t want a Christmas charade where I was still feeling suspicious and resentful.
I have no idea if I was right about any of it or if I’m barking up the wrong tree as he says.
He says I’m gaslighting ref the women and condoms but I feel it’s the opposite.
I feel I put all my eggs in a very superficial basket.
I loved him very much and we had so many great things together and future plans, everyone said we looked so happy etc.
My life has been going abysmally wrong lately in so many ways, I can’t help but also feel I’ve thrown the baby out with the bath water.
Other women put up with much worse and they won’t be spending Christmas Day on their own or facing their fifties single and lonely.
Don’t know why I’m even posting, just need to offload I guess.

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QueenofPain · 23/12/2019 00:10

I’m sure you’ve done absolutely the right thing, and this Xmas day is just one day out of all the days of the rest of your life, where you’ll hopefully be able to courageously move on with complete mental peace and authenticity in every aspect of it. I’m sure you will eventually meet someone who can take the weight of everything when it’s too much for you, and never gives you any cause for concern.

Chrsitmasishere123 · 23/12/2019 00:16

Sounds like you have done the right thing! It seems like you deep down weren't happy and well done for the strength for doing it. Hope I will have it too X

outherealone · 23/12/2019 00:21

Awww @chrstmas I hope so too for your sake. I know it’s hard when you come to the realisation but putting it into practice is a whole other ballgame. I did it like ripping off a sticking plaster, very out of the blue for him and v bad timing as we had joint family stuff planned this weekend too, but I was giving it all too much mental focus and it was making me feel angry and resentful!

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NannySusan · 23/12/2019 00:21

I think your suspicions re his exes are correct. Even if they weren't, not supporting you when you need it is an even bigger betrayal.
You'll have no difficulty finding people to do fun things with and laugh with when times are good.
It's the ones who help when times are tough that are worth compromising for and sticking with.
Your only hope of finding one of the good ones is letting him go so when your ready there is a space there for a decent man.
Good Luck 🍀

outherealone · 23/12/2019 00:24

@QueenofPain thank you. I cried at your message. I’m so alone and very vulnerable due to current mental health issues and severe pain from a chronic health condition.
I learned yesterday that he may well have been hedging his bets regarding me and a beautiful younger ex , apparently it was all hypothetical but it goes a long way to explain his omissions of information.
He seems to have very high eq and had been devastated by cheaters himself which lulled me into a false sense of security.
No fool like an old fool!

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MyKingdomForBrie · 23/12/2019 00:24

He sounds awful, frankly! Parties and trips with exes? No support for you? Accusing you of gaslighting when he had very clearly used some of a box of condoms and not with you?! Unless he made balloon animals out of them I really don't think it's a tricky conclusion.

This is the hardest bit, just hang on and it'll pass.

lilmishap · 23/12/2019 00:28

Plenty of women of all ages are feeling this way right now. This is the hard part, you're low, lonely and he is the familiar Vs the unknown future.

Christmas is just a day, nobody spent years crying because they had one crap Christmas after their parents split up.
Keep your head up and spend the day treating yourself in whatever way you fancy.

It'll soon be January.Gin

outherealone · 23/12/2019 00:29

Thank you @NannySusan you’re very right. My only real mother type figure was called Susan and she died some years ago, my real issue is being alone with no nurturers in my life.
He’s very much a fun time guy and we had done epic times but I think he has the same levels of epicness with other people as he does with me.
I’m sad as well as we had big future plans to live together, he’s amazing at cooking and earns a huge salary so I could have given myself a big break had I stayed and he’d have made an amazing Christmas dinner , I’d also given him a very well thought out Christmas list for me, why couldn’t I have waited another week?! Grin(jokes)

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outherealone · 23/12/2019 00:30

@MyKingdomForBrie as with many men he had plausible enough reasons for all of it and I was left looking very ‘uncool’ for ending the relationship over a messy glove box and him having exes as friends.

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outherealone · 23/12/2019 00:32

@lilmishap you’re right of course, it’s been bothering me for months. I have lots to look forward to in January, new job, trip away for a hen, couple of realtors good gigs. Will focus on my kids , health and friendships I think

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outherealone · 24/12/2019 00:16

I can’t stop crying, basically we carried on arguing pointlessly and stupidly and he pretty much said he couldn’t tell me about this girl as he’d had a very intense fking with her and she’s much younger and beautiful and he didn’t want to hurt my feelings but he’d been worried before meeting her that he might still have feelings for her and was relieved when he didn’t but she’d been a huge ego boost prior to him meeting me. I cyber stalked and she is stunning! I’m really not s my health has taken its toll on my looks. I just feel so depressed

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outherealone · 24/12/2019 00:18

He said if they’d still have had a ‘spark’ he’d have ended our relationship, all very admirable but makes me feel like a mug and that they ‘only message on birthday and Christmas ‘ why do you need to private message beautiful young intense fling partners every fuckung festive day.. ggggrrrrrr !

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outherealone · 24/12/2019 00:20

My self esteem is in tatters, I’ve ranted at him so much tonight he’ll be relieved we’re over now!

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lilmishap · 24/12/2019 00:25

He didn't want to hurt your feelings after having a fling tells you what you need to know.
He didn't want to get found out, he didn't think you deserved a monogamous relationship but didn't want to tell you this wasn't one because you'd leave.
As for him being relieved, get over that thump!. The lying proves he wanted to keep you both, he doesn't deserve that because you have self esteem, even if it is in tatters right now..

outherealone · 24/12/2019 00:33

The fling was before we were together, sorry if unclear but I found the (apparently old) condoms and found out he omitted to tell he was in dialogue with her ref her going away in a group of his mutual friends to an event with him, he’s making me out to be mad for not getting over it.
I’ve tried really hard. I’m in therapy for a traumatic event that happened just before he went away and I’m not recovering well and I believe that his absence and omissions have contributed to my current anxiety and low mood, I developed ptsd and turned to him for comfort even after I found the condoms and that he lied to me,
I thought he was different as had been cheated on himself by ex wife etc, apparently this stunning young woman helped put him back together after his devastation.

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outherealone · 24/12/2019 00:34

I feel deeply ugly and old and now I think I must have repulsed him

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PlasticPatty · 24/12/2019 00:39

A colleague of mine once told me 'Don't use your energy against yourself'. Right now, you're feeling bad so you're biting yourself again and again. You didn't repulse him - he had opportunities to shag around and took them.

outherealone · 24/12/2019 00:56

@plasticpatty thank you. Im my own worst enemy sometimes. I clung to him cos I’m lonely and struggling. I did love him, we had amazing sexual connection and intellectually well matched and he really got my slightly odd ‘quirky ‘ ways. We could talk and laugh for hours on any topic.
He was in relationships all through his youth apparently all his exes cheated or were abusive, so after his last marriage he hooked up with loads of younger women on the party circuit through his job, when he met this girl he apparently realized he’d been selling himself short all these years if he could attract someone like her. She wanted to have babies whim which is ultimately why they split as all his kids are growing up

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lilmishap · 24/12/2019 00:57

He went away with an ex or AN Other.
It wasn't a miscommunication, he lied about going away with another woman and tried to trivialise it.
This is doubt, self loathing and the idea that he's not that bad and out of your grasp is part of it.
You were unhappy enough to leave, this will pass.

outherealone · 24/12/2019 01:07

@lilmishap thank you. I’ve been in more dishonest relationships than I care to mention, there’s no point having therapy if I don’t remove one of the main things that’s masking me unwell

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outherealone · 24/12/2019 19:42

Ugh feeling wobbly now closer we are to me spending the ‘big day’ alone Xmas Sad

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pinkpostitnotes · 24/12/2019 22:26

It's crap, it maybe crap tomorrow. But remember you are making a long term investment in you and the investment you are making in your own dignity and self respect will pay dividends in the future. Remember the saying the first step is the hardest, you have made it and consciously chosen to value yourself. Don't underestimate that ,it is a valuable gift you have given to your own future.

outherealone · 25/12/2019 01:58

@pinkpostitnotes thank you I need to stay strong. I’ve now been inundated with invitations for tomorrow so that will really help mmerry Christmas xx

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outherealone · 29/12/2019 00:25

Just came back here during an emotional moment to remind myself I’m single for all the right reasons

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Zazu44 · 29/12/2019 00:42

You are a brave woman! I'm going to reread your messages to remind myself that we don't have to take shit.
My relationship has been up and down for so long, the reason, he says, is because I've put on weight, resulting in the summer of him swapping numbers, meeting and sending flirty texts to another woman! Still I'm with him. It's so tiring the emotional side of a bad relationship, but you give me strength OP and I send you a big hug