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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

DPs behaviour

83 replies

RachelGreen45 · 20/06/2020 18:38

DP has a lot of mood swings and odd changes in behaviour for no real reason, he says he’s depressed but refuses to get help. I think it could be something more than depression, I’ve suffered with depression and anxiety after DC2 and it never made me behave like an arsehole.
He can go from being perfectly fine. Then out of no where he’s like his arse for no reason, won’t speak to me. Snaps at me when I do try and speak to him. Won’t bother with the children spends most of his day just trying to get away from all of us. If I ask what’s wrong or if I’ve done anything he’ll answer with something like ‘well what could you have possibly done?’ In a snappy tone. Most of the time I’ve no fucking idea what I’ve done so I just keep my mouth shut. I find myself walking on egg shells around him quite a lot to avoid these outbursts. I have tried talking about it a few times and he just says ‘it’s okay we just don’t communicate’ and I don’t think it’s the case I try speaking to him he just ignores me.
His behaviour has effected our sex life for a long time and he won’t have any of it. He can go all day barely speaking to me, leaving rooms when I come in and practically ignoring the kids then when we go to bed he expects me to be in the mood. Then his mood gets even worse when I’m not. When we try and discuss our sex life or lack of, he seems to thinks it’s a me problem not an us problem and won’t accept that his behaviour plays a factor. I’ve tried pointing it out to him and saying ‘oh are you only being nice to me because you want sex’ in a jokey type way and he kicks off, he’ll say oh just forget it.
The kids don’t seem to notice his moods as far as I can tell anyway, he’s not the most hands on at the best of times. He works full time and I’m a SAHM, he gets in too late to spend time with them on a night he only just makes bedtime and then on a weekend he can’t be arsed either. He only seems happy when he’s on his own upstairs where he can lay around on his phone.
I’m finding it harder and harder to cope with, hes very dependent on me for everything, can’t do anything for his self, can’t cook can’t wash his own clothes nothing. In his mind I’m fully responsible for him, if he hasn’t eaten all day he’ll try and make me feel bad about it. I don’t, I have 2 children that I prepare 3 meals a day for I don’t think I need to be responsible for feeding him aswell. Especially when he doesn’t even acknowledge my presence.
I think I’m just having a rant here really, has anyone got the same? What do you do to make them realise how much of a wanker their being?

OP posts:
RachelGreen45 · 21/06/2020 16:18

*lottle king

OP posts:
Zaphodsotherhead · 21/06/2020 16:45

Does he actually know what depression is?

Or does he just mean that he's sad because he can't live the life he wants to live, because having a wife and kids cramps his style? And he's mistakenly calling that sadness 'being depressed' because he thinks it will get him more sympathy?

RachelGreen45 · 21/06/2020 17:20

@Zaphodsotherhead I’m not sure, got a feeling you could be right.

OP posts:
CorianderLord · 21/06/2020 18:37

The thing is his childhood doesn't really matter here. Lots of blokes are spoiled and then they have kids and they buck up and they start caring for someone more than themselves.

That he hasn't tells me something very worrying - mainly that he doesn't really love his kids very much.

Ernieshere · 21/06/2020 18:45

What do you do to make them realise how much of a wanker their being?

You can't do anything, its his choice to treat you & the kids like it, I bet he, sure as hell chooses not to be like it at work in front of his colleagues.

Leave him be, to relax on his phone all the time.
He seems to prioritise it.

Surely its stonewalling, rhe ignoring you & walking out of the room?

You say the kids don't notice.
They would soon notice living with a happier mm, that doesn't walk around on eggshells.

Do you think they lay low, so as not to upset him?

And as for the coming home, pissed up & wanting a row, thats just the icing on the cake.

RachelGreen45 · 21/06/2020 19:15

@CorianderLord I never thought of it like that, quite upsetting really.

@Ernieshere oh no not in front of colleagues, his friends know what he’s like they all take the piss out of him for his paddying sulking ways!
I don’t think they do they definitely don’t alter their behaviour based on his mood if anything once he starts getting arsy they annoy him more. Especially eldest DC she loves winding him up, it’s like a game to her.
It’s not just when he’s pissed he wants a row it just makes it worse. He’s been picking for a fight all day today, being short with me for no reason, ignoring me. He outright tried to ruin our family walk, I’ve no idea why. He finally unleashed a rant at me about an hour ago but I’m not giving in.

OP posts:
geekatheart · 21/06/2020 19:45

I got a rant today too. But it was via text sent from the spare room! Honestly it's like I'm the only adult in the house... I didn't engage. Still gets your stomach churning though.

TorkTorkBam · 21/06/2020 19:48

He likes hurting you. Today showed it. Hurting you is how he feels better about himself. He is desperate for his fix.

RachelGreen45 · 21/06/2020 19:52

@geekatheart mine was about an argument we’d had yesterday. There was nothing left to say we’d both made our points clear I wasn’t going to re hash it. I think it just shows how bad he wants to argue with me, I think he enjoys it.

OP posts:
TorkTorkBam · 21/06/2020 19:56

[quote RachelGreen45]@geekatheart mine was about an argument we’d had yesterday. There was nothing left to say we’d both made our points clear I wasn’t going to re hash it. I think it just shows how bad he wants to argue with me, I think he enjoys it.[/quote]
Yes. It is obvious that he enjoys it.

He does not seek other treatment because he loves getting a release by hurting you. It is nice. He likes it. How you feel is irrelevant. Selfish man. You see that selfishness all over your life with him not just on the emotional punchbag side.

geekatheart · 21/06/2020 19:57

Yes I think sometimes they are just so full of anger they go looking for things to argue about. I'm not even sure how some things start here. When you challenge reasoning for the argument, the reasoning changes. In other words, he just wants a fight. But why??!! Are they so unhappy with themselves that they have to make someone else feel like utter crap? I don't think mine does it out of malice. I think he's not particularly well mentally. That makes me want to reach out to help but he won't say he's struggling and blames it on everyone else (mainly me). If he said "I can't control this I need help" I could say right. We will sort it together. But he won't, he just attacks.

geekatheart · 21/06/2020 19:58

@TorkTorkBam yes that's bang on

NoMoreDickheads · 21/06/2020 20:15

It’s not just when he’s pissed he wants a row it just makes it worse.

I would be concerned that he might turn physically nasty at some point.

He outright tried to ruin our family walk, I’ve no idea why.

Probably because the walk didn't start out as all about him and he wanted to make himself the centre of attention again.

In other words, he just wants a fight. But why??!! Are they so unhappy with themselves that they have to make someone else feel like utter crap?

Emotionally abusive men resent when we're not acting exactly as they expect at all times, and have our own personhood rather than just being geishas.

Of course, even women who do do everything their partner wants, some fuck with, just in a different way. In fact, doing exactly what they want is probably impossible. We would have to be psychic for a start.

They have an imaginary projection of an all-serving woman in their head that no-one can always measure upto.

Especially eldest DC she loves winding him up, it’s like a game to her.

Grin Grin Grin

On the one hand that's kind of funny, but on the other hand what is she learning from this? How will it shape her personality and her inner world? And it shows she's (rightly) angry at him- she does know what's going on, that he's a wanker.

RachelGreen45 · 21/06/2020 20:35

@TorkTorkBam I wouldn’t say it’s about hurting me because honestly it just goes over my head, when he first started like this I’d get upset and sometimes cry. I was blind sided by it but now I’m used to it I just ignore.

@geekatheart yeah mines like that the argument will briefly start on one thing then it jumps from one thing to another. I never know what we’re really arguing about it’s quite exhausting really!
My DP does say he’s depressed and he’s ‘not feeling great’ but doesn’t want to do anything about it.

@NoMoreDickheads I don’t think he’d ever get physical. My first boyfriend as a teen was physically abusive and he once hit me one too many times and I flipped and beat the shit out of him. I think he knows he’d get the same treatment.
His imaginary projection is real it’s his GM she dotes on him, there’s nothing she wouldn’t do for him.
She’s a bit of a wind up to everyone really I think she’s always going to be like it she loves a reaction. I call her a no limit warrior she gives zero fucks. Me and my side of the family are all a bit crazy, all big personalities and we all love a laugh and a joke. I’d like to think his ways won’t effect her too much she’s a lot like myself in many ways. It’s my youngest I’m more concerned for she’s a lot like her dad, I think she’ll probably follow her sisters lead though and become a bit of a joker.

OP posts:
TorkTorkBam · 21/06/2020 20:37

I find long arguments upsetting and hurtful, don't you? You are unhappy, also hurt. Are you really saying this behaviour isn't hurtful?

VeganCow · 21/06/2020 20:51

I couldn’t and wouldn’t put up with even half of this. And you and your kids shouldn’t either. He sounds like an absolute nob head.

RachelGreen45 · 21/06/2020 20:52

@TorkTorkBam usually yes I get very hurt by his behaviour but other the last few days it’s been so bad I’ve got used to it I just zone out while he’s ranting. Today and yesterday have just gone right over my head, I think it’s made him worse though.

OP posts:
TorkTorkBam · 21/06/2020 20:55

See? If you are not hurt it does not give him the reward so he keeps pushing. If it were a form of venting then your lack of response would make no difference.

BurtsBeesKnees · 21/06/2020 20:57

So he says he's not cut out to be a parent but he wants 50/50 with the dc if you split. A typical abuse technique

Moods/ignoring, another typical abusive technique

He's also sexually abusive towards you. He'll punish you with moods if you don't give in to him

The more you write, the more I wonder why you stay with him.

geekatheart · 21/06/2020 20:57

Is it more a control thing do you think? The minute you are doing as expected, they spiral cos you're not doing what they want and they aren't controlling you anymore?

geekatheart · 21/06/2020 20:59

I mean the minute you aren't doing

geekatheart · 21/06/2020 21:04

@BurtsBeesKnees yes the punishing with moods for sure. And the "I'm not speaking to you til you apologise", when you don't feel like you're in the wrong so apologising blindly is not what you want to do...

RachelGreen45 · 21/06/2020 21:27

@TorkTorkBam oh I know he definitely enjoys it!

@geekatheart I’m not sure he’s not controlling about me going out or seeing friends family, not that I go out a lot. He does resent that me and my family are so close though, so maybe who knows. He likes me to do as I’m told. He was pissed off earlier because I hadn’t taken the rubbish out yet.

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RachelGreen45 · 21/06/2020 21:30

@BurtsBeesKnees yes he does punish me with moods only the last few days his silent treatment has been quite refreshing.

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goody2shooz · 21/06/2020 22:06

Fair enough - you can live like this if you want to...but I feel heart sorry for your children who have no choice. Poor wee souls having a father like that and you unwilling to change the situation. You’ve already said you would hate your (by then) adult daughter having a husband like him. Why then do you continue to inflict this ‘father’ on her?