Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

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

Husband slept with someone else because he was depressed.

128 replies

Barney77 · 17/01/2020 21:48

So. Long story short, been together over ten years, several children, recently married. Other half super busy at work and became depressed. He then had a bit of a crisis, had some time off, saw the GP, is on antidepressants, CBT, counselling. Feels he is doing much better. Has now confided in me that while depressed, and convinced he would/had lost me, couldn’t see the Point in going on, he slept with a woman at work. He had apparently never fancied her, but knew she fancied him. She had to pop to his office, she flirted so he flirted back so they had unprotected sex in a disabled loo at four in the afternoon. He regretted it afterwards. No contact since. Until she messaged him to say he needed an STI test as she had chlamydia.

He told me at this point. But apparently would have told me anyway as he felt so bad. But in the meantime had carried on sleeping with me and had never thought to get tested or do anything to protect me.

I have no idea what to do with this situation. But the bit I keep coming back to is that fact that he genuinely believes he only acted like this as he was depressed, so if not depressed it could never happen again. I find this bit difficult to accept. Can you be so depressed you ‘accidentally’ do something this fundamentally crap?

I am fairly flat on most other aspects. Have had every STD test under the sun, a good long weep at my GP, rants with friends, and we are separating. But I still get stuck in the fact he really believes that the depression was the sole cause of this behaviour. Thoughts?

OP posts:
Smilebehappy123 · 18/01/2020 09:16

Jesus heard it all now my depression made me do it, what bullshit and what will his next episode of depression lead to , you are well rid OP

Barney77 · 18/01/2020 09:18

Finding out something about him I would never have thought possible has horrified me. And yes I am now paranoid he has done similar before. Will try counselling but yep maybe some for just me would be a good idea?

OP posts:
PGtipsplease · 18/01/2020 09:21

I bet she’s been furious he has gone no contact with her after he shagged her and she’s told him that so he would have to tell you. She probably hadn’t even got it.

He would have never told you otherwise.

Don’t go back to him

AnotherEmma · 18/01/2020 09:25

Ah, that old chestnut.

"Can you be so depressed you ‘accidentally’ do something this fundamentally crap?"

No. Of course not. It's bullshit.

Counselling for yourself is a good idea.

It's ok to LTB. You don't have to put yourself through couple's counselling where he talks all about himself, making excuses for his shitty behaviour and coming up with various things that you've apparently done wrong. Do yourself a favour and don't drag it out, just accept that it's over and focus on making the split as "amicable" as possible. Get him to agree to fair arrangements while he's still feeling guilty.

elizalovelace · 18/01/2020 09:25

He put his dick in another woman because he was depressed and anxious? He is nothing but a liar and a cheat who doesn't even care about your sexual health or your mental well being when you discovered his infidelity and your possible contracted STI.

Dont believe this bullshit, there will be so much more to this, he is only telling you this shitty story to cover for the STI. You and your DC are worth much more than this.

Closetbeanmuncher · 18/01/2020 09:50

They had unprotected sex in a disabled loo at four in the afternoon

She messaged him to say he needed an STI test as she had chlamydia.

Mmmm nice 🤢🤢

These two charming facts alone would have me bolting for the hills.

Relationships are only repairable with accountability, and unfortunately your husband is to spineless to hold his hands up and take responsibility for his actions.

Depression and medications used to treat it are well known to kill sex drive. He had sex with her because he could

I'm really glad you've had STI checks. You deserve a million miles better than this revolting specimen, I just hope that you can see that.

💐

Barney77 · 18/01/2020 09:51

I know it doesn’t really matter given what I do know for certain, but I would love to know what else he has been up to. He gave the OW my mobile number so she could pass her results on to me 🙄 and I got a load of PA bullshit about how she has always liked him, and that it started because he really liked her dress...

OP posts:
Sunsetandmoonlight · 18/01/2020 09:52

What, that’s what she told you?

Closetbeanmuncher · 18/01/2020 09:54

Also agree with @AnotherEmma

Get him to agree to fair arrangements while he's still feeling guilty

Stressedout10 · 18/01/2020 09:54

I'm sorry you are going through this however a couple of points you need to remember
1, ALL cheaters are LIARS
2, He only told you because he has given you a STI.
3, He does NOT respect of love you
4, He is gaslighting you and expects you to be a good little woman and accept his bs
5, This is not the 1st time nor the last time he has or will cheat
6,YOU ARE A GOOD PERSON WHO DESERVES SOMEONE WHO LOVES AND RESPECTS YOU AND WHO WON'T CHEAT AND PUT YOU AT RISK

I know that list sounds harsh but if you think about it every time he tries to bs you about how hard it is for him and how its really not his fault it's all the fault of the horrible tart at work and his "illness " poor poor him. It can help you to ignore his LIES
Flowers for you

TheHagOnTheHill · 18/01/2020 10:08

You must be feeling pretty low OP but I'm betting you can stop those urges to Shah any random man.
He only told you because he had to and is now making it your fault because you don't understand that he couldn't help it.

Notcoolmum · 18/01/2020 10:19

Why did he pass on your number to the OW? It's his test results you need to see. Not hers.

He didn't shag her once. He minimised it. He only told you because he had to.

nowayhose · 18/01/2020 10:23

Sorry Barney, but men with depression would be far LESS likely to cheat as depression lowers libido and often causes erectile dysfunction.

I'd not be believing 'depression' caused him to 'flirt' and follow through with kissing, foreplay and sex :(

MMmomDD · 18/01/2020 10:33

OP - depression can alter people’s behaviour, and it does affect people differently. There can be a sense of desperation and self harming, and self sabotaging too. Impact on libido can vary too.
However - the issue is - there is no way to tell what went on back then.
Maybe it’s an excuse he is using. Maybe depression did affect him - and if it really happened at the depth of it - it must have. Not caused it - but contributed to his state of mind.

But regardless of it all - you are now here in the present and need to decide whether you want to try to stay and rebuild the relationship. Whether you want to learn to trust him again. Whether you can believe that his remorse is genuine. Etc.
It’s always hard to make these decisions when there are kids.

cheeseislife8 · 18/01/2020 10:37

Glad you're getting rid, what an absolute shit.

As pps have said, if anything depression makes sex less likely, as libido typically takes a nose dive. He's just deflecting now that he's had to tell you

Barney77 · 18/01/2020 10:41

Don’t know why he gave her my number. She had no way of finding me otherwise. Social media is very shut down. She started off just sending me her test results like that would help - both he and I needed to be tested anyway? And then gave me a chipper little summary of how she had always fancied him, and she have him one compliment, he complimented her back, and they ended up having sex... as you do... apparently she was too caught up in the moment to register that it was in a toilet.

Obviously I have now obsessively stalked her in social media and she has stuff all over her FB about her depression too. And how hard her life is. Sigh.

OP posts:
Skittlesandbeer · 18/01/2020 10:42

If you take him back, you’re complicit in this farce of ‘depression made me do it’. What’s stopping him from having (or claiming) future depressive episodes which also lead to cheating.

If you take him at his word on this one, how on earth can you trust him again? Lord knows what happens when he gets a bit snowed under at work, or diagnosed with a low-level chronic condition. What will that be the excuse for?

Booboooo · 18/01/2020 10:43

Block this woman. You do not need to communicate with her. Your husbands a knob for the cheating and a pleb for passing on your number to her!!!!

Barney77 · 18/01/2020 10:45

Oh I have blocked her. She sounded so matter of fact and a tad smug. And this arrived about an hour after I had sobbed all over the lovely lovely nurse in the STI clinic. It wasn’t my best ever day...

OP posts:
Barney77 · 18/01/2020 10:46

She is also married with children which somehow makes it worse that she is so chilled about what happened. Not my monkeys but can’t help pondering how on earth people cope with this level of drama in their lives. I am not coping...

OP posts:
Barney77 · 18/01/2020 10:47

Oh and apparently he doesn’t fancy her, she was just ‘there’ and it was all an ‘escape’ but i feel and ‘escape’ would have a bit more glamour than a rather dull admin assistant in a toilet?

OP posts:
Barney77 · 18/01/2020 10:49

Sorry. That bit was uncharitable. But he has also managed to suggest that the fact that I am bit of an overachiever is exhausting for him. Stupidly competitive job plus all the children plus I run and do a few other things. I guess I can be a bit ‘much’

OP posts:
OldTownRoadHome · 18/01/2020 10:55

My ex was a totally faithful man until he had a breakdown, then he had an EA and shagged someone else. I forgave him, so he shagged my best friend.

All the depression did was enhance the fact he was always a selfish man who was fo enough to throw his life away because what is paramount is making himself feel better, his needs, his wants.

The depression may have been a catalyst but all it did was show how deeply self absorbed he was. It’s not an excuse.

I’m happier now he’s an ex. Stay separated. Don’t fall for his crap.

user7522689 · 18/01/2020 10:55

But he has also managed to suggest that the fact that I am bit of an overachiever is exhausting for him.

So just to top things off he tried to turn it around and make it your fault? Just in case your self esteem hasn't taken enough of a battering?

Bastard.

Barney77 · 18/01/2020 10:57

Not sure I actually have much self esteem.... 🙄 have been told for a while that I am basically great but a lot of hard work. Which may be true but presumably isn’t how your husband is meant to think of you?

OP posts:
Swipe left for the next trending thread