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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

Why does he ignore me

36 replies

Mylittleloves · 05/03/2020 22:10

My other half of 18 months has a really bad habit of making no contact with me when he goes out. It might sound ridiculous and petty but it really annoys me and makes me feel uneasy.
When we first started seeing each other, he had a couple of nights apart from me (not unusual when you first start dating someone) and he didn’t contact me all night despite me messaging him...a couple of months later, it came out that he had been sleeping with his ex on those occasions. I was really hurt and angry that he had done that but we moved on.
Around six months ago, he moved in with me. A few weeks later, he had to work away for the night (something he’s never had to do before). He left mid afternoon and I didn’t hear from him all night, despite me sending him a couple of messages. He then phoned me at around 8am the next day and told me he’d finished work and gone for some beers with a work mate so hadn’t looked at his phone. A couple of months later, he had to go on a week long course which was approx an hour and a half away from our house so his boss paid for a hotel. We video called on the first night then on the second night, I video called him and he having drinks at the house of a bloke he’d met on the course. We’d arranged for me to go and stay with him the following night but the night day, he phoned me late afternoon and said for me not to bother driving down as the weather wasn’t very good. I video called him later and he didn’t answer. I then messaged him on text and two lots of social media and didn’t get any reply from him. I was worried out of my mind about him all night. He finally messaged me mid morning to say he’d had toothache, taken painkillers and fallen asleep. He then went out for his works do just before Christmas and didn’t reply to me despite me asking him if he wanted me to pick him up. He finally phoned me at nearly 3:30am (he left at 11amthe previous day). He then went out with his friend a couple of weeks ago. He left me at around 3pm and didn’t come back until around midnight.
Whenever this happens, I try to tell him that not only am I worried that something bad has happened to him, that it also stirs up memories or when we first got together. He says that I’m being silly and that he shouldn’t have to check in with me. I’ve told him it wouldn’t take a minute just to message and say I’m ok or I’ll be home at... or anything like I do when I go out. How do I get him to see it from my point of view?

OP posts:
Waxonwaxoff0 · 05/03/2020 22:37

Honestly I'd find it incredibly suffocating if my partner was constantly messaging and calling me while I was out. I'd probably ignore it to.

Given your history it must be hard for you. Has he done anything since you discovered he cheated to make you feel secure and convince you he won't do it again?

Ultimately if you can't trust him then there's no point continuing the relationship.

Frenchw1fe · 05/03/2020 22:43

Do you trust him?
If so leave him alone and if not then finish the relationship.

Before mobile phones you wouldn't know where he was unless he found a pay phone.
If anything bad happens the police are pretty good at finding relatives.

category12 · 05/03/2020 22:43

Either you've got to decide to trust him. or you should cut your losses and ditch. Constantly wanting to be in contact and to know where he is etc is about trying to police him and keep him faithful, not about fear for his safety. It'll drive you nuts and if he's going to cheat, it won't stop him.

So quit it. Or finish with him.

Shmithecat2 · 05/03/2020 22:49

I understand how you feel - I've been there with now exdh. You don't trust him. There's no point in continuing the relationship imo. He shouldn't have to text you when he's on a night out, and you shouldn't have to need him to to feel better.

GilbertMarkham · 05/03/2020 23:04

When we first started seeing each other, he had a couple of nights apart from me (not unusual when you first start dating someone) and he didn’t contact me all night despite me messaging him...a couple of months later, it came out that he had been sleeping with his ex on those occasions. I was really hurt and angry that he had done that but we moved on.

So presuming you both understood/agreed that you were exclusive (sounds like the case), he cheated on you with his ex.

It sounds like you don't trust him; and from the above, that's understandable.

But you made the decision to stay in a relationship with him, you are where you are. Either you trust him and take a "what will be, will be" attitude, "if I find out he's cheated again, he'll go", in the meantime I'm not worrying, checking up.on him etc.

Or you decide you can't do that and end it now.

It's v difficult but all you're doing is driving yourself mad. You can't have a relationship like this.
And you'll push him away too eventually.

Antibles · 05/03/2020 23:09

He sees your point of view perfectly well. But a) it will cramp his style if he does want to cheat and b) he's training you to accept that on principle he won't be beholden to contact you when he's out on a jolly because a Man is Entitled to his Freedom Hmm

You can row and row about it but he's not going to give in due to points a and b above. Also, it sounds like you feel the way you do beause you don't trust him not to cheat - and I don't blame you because he's got form.

What can you do? Accept he isn't going to change. Because he won't. Suck it up and live with the mistrust and ever increasing resentment or finish with him

While you decide, you could go out on a couple of late nights or all nighters yourself when he's at home and not contact him. Ask to stay on a friend's sofa overnight with no contact and see what response you get in the morning when you finally text/return. Make precisely the same arguments that he does it if he gets narky about it. (If he says it's different because you're a woman, point out that you wouldn't be ringing anyone if you were single and lived alone).

GilbertMarkham · 05/03/2020 23:11

How do I get him to see it from my point of view?

Cheat on.him with one of your exes?

But then he'd probably just dump.you, which is what you ideally should have done when he did it to you. It's probably not an "equal" relationship, is it.

nsav · 05/03/2020 23:12

I don’t blame you. A close family friend of mines brother went on a night out a few years ago on 22nd December and never returned again. His body washed up on January 5th on a nearby beach. My partner rarely goes out but we have our locations on and he will give me a quick message to say I’m out with friend can you get me at 3 and take us home! It takes two seconds to message someone so I don’t blame you for being annoyed. I’d end it

GilbertMarkham · 05/03/2020 23:13

While you decide, you could go out on a couple of late nights or all nighters yourself when he's at home and not contact him. Ask to stay on a friend's sofa overnight with no contact and see what response you get in the morning when you finally text/return. Make precisely the same arguments that he does it if he gets narky about it. (If he says it's different because you're a woman, point out that you wouldn't be ringing anyone if you were single and lived alone).

Or this might be more moderate!

onemorerose · 05/03/2020 23:16

You are going to send yourself crazy over this. I don’t think you trust him, and that’s understandable considering your early relationship. But do you want to have years of this repeated behaviour in front of you?

Heartofglass12345 · 05/03/2020 23:20

You clearly don't trust him because of what he did. It's normal not to contact your partner on a night out and he shouldn't need to. Either dump him or find some friends to go out with when he does so you aren't pining after him

CalleighDoodle · 05/03/2020 23:22

Have you posted this before? Im sure ive read this before...

cobwebfew · 05/03/2020 23:27

It's clear you don't trust him OP and considering he cheated with ex at the beginning of your relationship I really don't blame you. Do you think his behaviour will change? Do you think you'll honestly be able to trust him? If it's a no then I think it's best to leave the relationship and move on with your life.

SoleBizzz · 05/03/2020 23:30

This is what happened when you take a cheat back. This will never ever be better. Ever

madcatladyforever · 05/03/2020 23:43

It would drive me mad someone checking in on me all the time and hounding me on social media.
But if you don't trust him him then you shouldn't be with him at all. Constantly getting him to reply to your messages all night isn't a solution to the problem.
With a partner you should be able to trust them to have a night away without checking on them constantly. Ib fact most people need a bit of me time away from their regular partner.

Mylittleloves · 06/03/2020 06:50

No, I’ve not posted before.

I don’t message him constantly, it’ll be once to say I hope you’re having a good night or asking if he wants a lift home or if I should leave the door open for him. The time I looked to see if he’d been on line was when he was away all week and we’d agreed to video call each other every night (his request) and it was a little odd that not answered the call so I was worried.
When I go out, he’ll message me and I’ll reply so it’s frustrating when he doesn’t do the same! I just wanted to know if there was any ideas out there on how to get him to start doing the same

OP posts:
CalleighDoodle · 06/03/2020 06:54

Well, the obvious answer is you stop doing replying When out.

CodenameVillanelle · 06/03/2020 06:57

It's perfectly reasonable for someone not to want to be texting and video calling their partner while they are out. HOWEVER the reason you want him to do that is because you don't trust him, because he cheated on you. Do you really see a future with with him? If you do, you're going to have to find a way to trust him again. If you can't do that, you should end it.

FromTheEarth · 06/03/2020 07:37

Your mistake was to continue seeing him when he had slept with his ex early on.

I don't expect to stay in touch with someone on a night out and I dont if I'm on a night out either.

I might occasionally message if I'm out but I think it's down to the person who is out to make first contact.

But, I agree, you dont trust him because he cheated. And why would you trust a cheater?

You cant get him to do the same, but I would also stop replying if he messages you and see what comes of that.

Or end it. What's the point of a relationship if it's making you feel anxious and worried?

FromTheEarth · 06/03/2020 07:41

Oh and he does see it from your point of view. I dont know you and, from your explanation, I can see it from your point of view he just doesn't care sufficiently to do anything about it.

simone1863 · 06/03/2020 08:10

How does this tally with the advice to date multiple people that's always given on other threads? I'm not sure it's cheating if right at the beginning he was having his leg over with his ex occasionally before it was clear there was potential with you. Or is that not the case?

Waxonwaxoff0 · 06/03/2020 08:52

You can't make someone do anything. You've explained why you want him to do it and he's called you silly. So you either need to accept the fact that he's not going to change his ways or end the relationship.

Bluntness100 · 06/03/2020 08:56

You’re not worried about him being hurt or something. You’re worried he’s cheating, just own it.

You need to decide if you trust him or not, if you don’t end it. If you do then you don’t need him to check in constantly.

Greta1985 · 06/03/2020 09:35

I’m going to go against the grain here and say it’s not always as black and white as dump him or stay and trust him.
When I started seeing my DP he did something similar to this. I ended it but he begged me to go back, which I did but on the condition he would have to work on getting my trust back. It included cancelling lads holidays, texting and calling from nights out etc. Now we are fine and I trust him because he has worked so hard to win it back. I read that unless the person who cheated really understands how they hurt you though they won’t ever try and change their behaviour. Before you end it with this guy, I would sit him down and explain you still have trust issues because of everything that’s happened, and to feel better you need him to do xyz, and if he doesn’t then end it.

MMmomDD · 06/03/2020 09:58

I don’t think it was a matter of cheating.
It seems that when OP and her guy started seeing each other he was still seeing his ex.
So who knows if he was even done with his ex by then, maybe he was trying to decide whether he to stay or go.

OP - if you don’t trust him - just leave. There is no need to make up reasons that you worry about him. He is a grown man and has been taking care of himself for a while. And if he is in danger he should call police, not you.
And if he wanted to be picked up/or needed a door open - he should contact you. You don’t need to mother him.

So it’s not a matter of making him see things you way. It’s more a matter for you to deal with your trust issues and needing this level of constant reassurance that is suffocating.
But to be fair - I’d also mirror his way of communication and stop being always available, so I’d not text when I am out.