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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

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:
Hanab · 18/01/2020 20:49

Bawbag of note!

Hanab · 18/01/2020 20:49

Your husband that is ..

Marshymallowy · 18/01/2020 20:49

Glad to read you are seperating.

Depression is no excuse for this whatsoever. He sounds like a manchild.

BasilOfBakerStreet · 18/01/2020 20:51

As has been pointed out, depression causes low libido, a lack of care about yourself and your needs, and often a need to just hide away. I'm glad to.read you're separating.. what an arsehole.

beenwhereyouare · 18/01/2020 22:11

Are you sure it's only depression? To be frank, dysthymia and bipolar disorders are hallmarked by risky, impulsive behavior. My husband was treated for depression for 18 years before someone finally diagnosed him correctly. Manic episodes aren't just euphoric. Anger, rage, acting out, etc. Some people are rapid cyclers like my H. Multiple episodes in one day.

However, even if that explains his behavior to some degree, it doesn't give him a get-out-of-jail card. Impulses are difficult to control, not impossible. You've every right to feel devastated. Just don't let searching for a motive take over your life. He's minimizing and indirectly blaming you and your relationship, but infidelity is ALWAYS wrong. And ALWAYS the responsibility of the cheater. If someone is unhappy, they need to leave the relationship before being unfaithful. Either way, it's destroying a relationship, but it doesn't have to be soul-destroying as well.

I'm so sorry he's done this to you. He betrayed your vows, and you're the one hurt the most by his actions. Flowers

Barney77 · 18/01/2020 22:50

Don’t know about the dysthymia, he is someone who is usually lovely but can escalate to anger very swiftly.

Just wish his timing had been better. Been together ages but only married recently so now have to explain this to all and sundry 🙄 and hate having my business shared with the world. Plus others knowing will infuriate him as doesn’t fit with the image he likes to project.

OP posts:
Barney77 · 19/01/2020 02:59

Definitely decided that night shifts aren’t good for my state of mind. Too busy to think things through properly but just enough head space to mull things over in a very 3am gloomy way. Trying to figure out the practicalities of this. Not sure how it will work esp as I do such odd shifts and not in a very set pattern. But agree with other posters that at present he is feeling guilty and trying to make nice so probably a good time to thrash things out. He still thinks I will come round. It would be a lot easier in many ways.

OP posts:
DarkNightDelight · 19/01/2020 04:56

He was depressed and wanted an ego boost.

MsDogLady · 19/01/2020 05:04

OP, his blaming depression, your achievements, and OW for his cheating is ludicrous. He decided to pursue an illicit thrill and chose every step of his infidelity, from the flirting to the walk to the toilet to the unprotected sex. He thought he’d gotten away with it.

Providing OW with your number was one more violation.

Don’t waver regarding the separation. You (and in turn the children) don’t deserve a toxic life full of anxiety and uncertainty.

SerialM · 19/01/2020 05:54

What a nob.

Barney77 · 19/01/2020 10:09

I think that is where I am getting too. Just need to get through these night shifts, put on my big girl pants, and figure out some practicalities. This is hideous though.

OP posts:
Weenurse · 20/01/2020 08:04

💐🍰☕️

CloudonLegs · 20/01/2020 08:20

I'm sorry you're going through this. Him saying it didn't mean anything, he didn't fancy her and he had sex with her because she was just there would mean I couldn't look him him without feeling disgusted and that's before you even consider the actual point that he cheated and the fact he did it unprotected and carried on sleeping with you also unprotected. So whatever his reason for doing it I couldn't forgive him.

Also giving her your number - WTF!

I hope you're ok Thanks

Fefifofaff · 20/01/2020 08:24

Easier is not better. You deserve the best. So get him out asap. Can you take any leave from work? Catch up on sleep, see a solicitor and sort out the practicalities. But first tell him you need some space to process (pretend you are thinking about forgiving him if necessary) and get him out of the house. You will feel much better and able to think without him there.

Good luck. Stay strong. You sound awesome and he is a toerag.

Barney77 · 20/01/2020 10:36

No hope of leave from work unless I get signed off sick which I don’t want to do. Getting slowly to the end of training and trying to push on through. Plus madly busy so feel guilty leaving others in the lurch. Plus at the moment it is my happy place where I feel useful and like the world operates in a way I recognise and understand.

Getting him to leave would be for the nest I think if we can sort childcare. I think he would go as he thinks I need headspace to process what has happened. With a view to us moving in. Don’t have to specify that I plan to move on alone?

OP posts:
AwdBovril · 20/01/2020 11:03

You do what you need to do at this point. He is the one that screwed up. Don't plan your life around his needs or wants, he's made it clear he's not likely to reciprocate.

FWIW, my DH has has depression since his young teenage years, he's now in his early 40s. It doesn't "make" you cheat. (I'd know if he had, he's crap at keeping secrets & isn't very good at managing his emotions if he's upset about something, plus he leaves his phone etc about & I know the passwords. He'd be found out in the first couple of days.)

GroggyLegs · 20/01/2020 11:04

You don't have to tell him anything.

Prioritise your mental health & tell him to go. If he asks how long, ask him how long he would need to get his head straight if you'd fucked a colleague in the toilet. A week? A month?

None of this is your fault.
This didn't happen because you run.
This didn't happen because you're a capable person.
This didn't happen because you prioritise your children.
It didn't happen because you didn't make his depression the centre of your world.

It happened because he made a terrible choice with horrible consequences for his family.

Please look after yourself.

Woollycardi · 20/01/2020 13:55

Crikey, you sound incredibly understanding in a incredibly shit situation. I agree, look after yourself and try to stop speaking to him until you have had enough head space, he sounds manipulative and you sound like you are perhaps waivering to forgive and let lie a bit prematurely. He made a choice that has consequences.

user3575796673 · 20/01/2020 14:03

Don’t have to specify that I plan to move on alone?

No.

What kind of stuff is he quick to anger over?

The more you describe the more controlling he sounds. Controlling people often have a charming public persona.

Barney77 · 20/01/2020 19:38

He gets super cross at the children when they muck about. And other drivers. Bad parking. Me if I try to bring up topics he thinks we are done with. Quite a bit tbh...

I don’t feel understanding. Just a bit broken tbh. Will be better after some sleep and then can get him to move out. Will frame it as short term and headspace to start with as once he is out think everything will be clearer and easier?

OP posts:
Barney77 · 20/01/2020 19:39

And yep in public he is affable and funny and charming and a bit of a flirt with everyone but, I used to think, in a nice non sleazy way. Obviously I have rather changed my mind in this and now feel he flirts constantly to see who responds...

OP posts:
PurpleTrilby · 21/01/2020 01:45

Total bullshit. Depression does NOT cause anyone to shag around, quite the opposite in my experience. Don't fall for his bullshit.

PurpleTrilby · 21/01/2020 01:48

Sorry, missed the updates. He's a twunt.

Fefifofaff · 21/01/2020 08:14

Definitely tell him you need a little time and space. Get him out with the least fuss possible. Once he is out it will be easier to keep him out.

Barney77 · 21/01/2020 09:30

Before my set of nights we had an evening of watching a film and having a bottle of wine. I foolishly started talking about what had happened when we were both a bit drunk and didn’t drop it even when he got clearly irritated. He started shouting about the fact that he was depressed and now he was getting help so I should stop bringing it up, and threw a play and a glass. Not at me but at the floor in front of the sofa I was sitting on.

Been pondering his temper and the way he deals with the boys and seeing more reasons not to stay tbh.

Trying to summon angry rather than sad to help see me through this.

OP posts:
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