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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

So many problems, so much hurt

57 replies

serioushelpneeded · 19/07/2020 15:58

I am going to just pour this out and see if it is even possible that anyone can help.

My DH has a chronic condition that causes ED. We have not had sex in many years. It is been quietly accepted that is our life. We are nice to each other and never, ever discuss it.

To my knowledge he has never cheated (but read on) and I have not. He is in pretty good shape. A mutual friend thought he was 5 years younger recently. I am getting older (50) and I have let myself go. I am gym fit, but overweight (this may soon change, read on). I look Ok; nicely dressed/groomed. But I appreciate under my clothes it's all gone sideways.

We are professionals and affluent. DH is in a job that pulls in a LOT. Our lifestyle is actually quite modest but the presence of money comforts me (he knows this, it dates from an crazy childhood) and I understand that it defines my self-worth in the absence of affection.

Lockdown has been hard. As a person that thrives on company and a job that demands it, with none of the activities, sport, holidays etc that he enjoys his MH has taken a hit. I thought my own MH was good enough to handle LD. Turns out that's wrong and I've become more and more inverted and am finding re-starting our social life very challenging. I get some relief in that my job is outside the home, at work you would not recognise I am struggling. That said, I thought we were OK and that as an established team we'd get through.

Here comes the trouble. On Monday night a load of photos of his dick came up on my photo roll. Challenged, he claimed he was trying to see if he could get himself aroused as it's been years since we had sex and he wanted to see if he could. I didn't believe him, giant stressy row and really not much digging led to the discovery of cam girl sites and hangouts. Images have been shared. Money has been spent. The things he's written are playing on a loop in my head like some sort of hideous fucking porn movie with my husbands voice.

He has always looked after our bank accounts. He told me that there was a certain amount half of which was earmarked. After a truly massive scene he coughed up the account numbers and passwords. There is only half as much as he has told me is there for the past five years.

I've changed the password and taken his credit cards and personal phone and iPad. I know there are ways around not having all these but I needed to drag some control back. He won't dare use work tech or our desktop (kids). I have screenshots which I will send his mother if I have to. I probably wouldn't, but the threat is present and understood.

He said he would leave but I've said no. Kids would be devastated. I'm not ready to let him out of my sight and what small control I have. I understand this is ridiculous. I do, but I'm clinging to this by my fingernails like I'm falling off a cliff.

The atmosphere in the house is quiet. Kids know there is a crisis, but all very civil.

My head is screaming 6 days in. Only one person outside knows. I have been totally normal except for a couple of late mornings. In every conversation I have, all day long, I'm screaming in my head that my husband hates me. I have to see my parents today with the screaming. I have at least 3 events planned with friends where I cannot tell anyone what's happening and still the screaming goes on. I have a physical pain in my chest and I cannot keep food down.

And the worst thing, the worst of all is I would change it all back in a heartbeat. But if we talk I know in my heart he's decided on out and I think hearing that might just be the final blow.

I don't know what I want from this post. I don't need a handhold. I don't need anyone to eew the camgirl bit, I already threw up in front of him while I was reading the stuff on hangouts. I feel like my nails are starting to tear off and I'm going to go over the cliff aren't I? Can we recover this? Where the fuck would we even start?

OP posts:
serioushelpneeded · 19/07/2020 15:59

Oh, should have said I've name changed just in case.

OP posts:
serioushelpneeded · 19/07/2020 16:01

Also I have to go out now to run an errand, but I will be back. Go easy though.

OP posts:
lesleyw1953 · 19/07/2020 16:10

No answers here but wishing you well. Someone with more experience will be along soon with constructive advice. Flowers

sabrina1234 · 19/07/2020 16:11

I am so so sorry, I know how it feels and it is absolutely devastating. I understand you want him to stay for the children but your mental health will just deteriorate. You've been faithful and a good wife and stood by his side through everything. And this is how he repays you. By lying and cheating. I know it's alot easier said than done but you'd need to let him leave because he does not have respect for you or your children. He has been very selfish and not considered how you would feel at all, especially since it has been going on for a while now. You deserve better.

Ging7878 · 19/07/2020 16:30

I'm so sorry that you are going through this. There is no other feeling like it and it devastes you. I know you think the children would be devasted but if you carry on, you will become very unwell and that will be worse for the children. You have been so loyal to him and that makes it all so much worse. You need to let him go for the sake of your own sanity. Give him back his phone & IPad & tell him exactly what he's done to you and then tell him to go.

ExpectingatChristmas · 19/07/2020 16:31

Perhaps it was all a way to boost his self esteem or get some enjoyment without being embarrassed about his issues. Not that it makes any of it ok. I imagine he would probably benefit from some counselling though.

You have every right to decide to stay or leave. Right now though you are quite rightly in shock.

Putting the children aside how content were you day to day before all of this? Do you think in the long term he could earn your trust back or is this still going to be causing major issues in a decades time?

Couples counselling could also be of help but only if that's something that you want. I doubt he has considered your feelings only repairing his own. The communication between the two of you sounds like it has needed some work for a long time.

Ultimately only you can decide what you do next. Please feel free to get it all out on here to help organise your thoughts x

Aquamarine1029 · 19/07/2020 16:48

I highly recommend that you make him leave, at least for several days in order to give yourself the space to think. Seeing his face everywhere you turn isn't helping. Tell the children he has a business trip or is going to see family, whatever, but send him away.

Aerial2020 · 19/07/2020 17:34
Flowers I think you need a place to scream and vent,this is building up inside of you. Can you cancel things (events)where you have to pretend everything is ok. It's not ok. This is a huge shock and you need to process it. Take some time for you. What do you want?
Aerial2020 · 19/07/2020 17:36

I know what it's like to carry on as normal but you're falling apart/screaming inside. It catches up with you and your mental health is most important right now.
What is he doing to try and fix this?

serioushelpneeded · 19/07/2020 19:19

Thank you so much for your thoughtful words.

The screaming I'm addressing with physical exercise and wine. It's not working yet, but I'm working on it.

Tomorrow I will go and see the poor friend that took the brunt of the shock last Tuesday. He's ready to start helping me to sort my thoughts now. Last week was too raw. It was like the day after a sudden death; you know when one minute you're railing and the next gallows humour. I think when I can talk honestly the screaming will start to stop. When I know what I want to say I can talk to DH. I need to be calm.

I need DH to join me on the cliff. I need him to see how close he's taken us to killing our life and the future we could have. He is a clever man and I think he likes the life he has. I have to hope I'm right there or I'm really fucked.

No way I can see other people. Half hour with my parents was just horrendous. My friends would know instantly by looking at me something was up. I've noticed a funny tone to my voice. It's sort of brisk, short sentences, brittle. The words are normal words but the delivery is all off.

I'm determined no one is leaving. We promised things to each other. I just need to be able to look at him without crying or losing my shit.

I think we need to understand more about how the fuck this has all happened. The point that our communication is buggered up is a good one that initially I was uncomfortable to read. I'm investigating counselling. Would that work better apart at first? Would introspection help us later if we went together. I have to get him to agree to that first.

OP posts:
serioushelpneeded · 19/07/2020 19:26

Is it ok for me to keep rambling as thoughts come to me?

OP posts:
JanetandJohn500 · 19/07/2020 19:29

Do not send any photos to his mum. Isn't revenge porn against the law now?
Think about doing it, threaten to do it but don't actually do it xxx

JanetandJohn500 · 19/07/2020 19:29

Do not send any photos to his mum. Isn't revenge porn against the law now?
Think about doing it, threaten to do it but don't actually do it xxx

missrks · 19/07/2020 19:43

That's really difficult. You obviously have an unspoken agreement that you don't have sex, but he obviously still has urges.

I feel sorry for you both. He's probably mortified and terrified. You're humiliated and hurt. You need to talk about your issues. Have you thought about speaking to a marriage therapist?

I don't think he's done anything too horrific given the circumstances. At least he's not out shagging about..

missrks · 19/07/2020 19:46

OP - apologies - I didn't catch the bit about ED and I just caught it on re reading! Ignore the above.. that does change things.

serioushelpneeded · 19/07/2020 19:46

It's ok Janet, I never would. But I could. More, I need the evidence to remind me to take the time to sort this properly. If it can be sorted.

OP posts:
serioushelpneeded · 19/07/2020 19:55

@missrks it's true that you do find comfort in small mercies. The messages in hangouts are enough to make me vomit. They are oddly intimate. Wrong word, but I can't think of a better one. I've wondered when I'm a awake at 3am picking at them like a scab if there is some truth that he'd like to try and fix the ED. Can you fix it? He tried drugs before but the effects were dispiriting. We were so sad, then we had an unspoken trust not to discuss it. This is so hard to write down. Why didn't we make more effort to find out if there were other options. I'm certain my lack of care in my body and weight were deliberate ways to make myself unappealing.

OP posts:
serioushelpneeded · 19/07/2020 19:58

I can already see that some of the thoughts I'm having aren't ones I can talk to my lovely friend about. Would this be stiff you can talk to a counsellor about? I've never even considered counselling. I'm the put up and run it off type. God I sound so awful and uptight in these posts I don't recognise myself. I'm trying to say that I have a lot of self control. That's going out the window.

OP posts:
Ging7878 · 19/07/2020 20:28

If you both want to try and get through it you will but I don't think that you can say that your determined that no one is leaving. I understand that right now you feel like you need to be in total control of what happens next but you can't control your DH. You can't take away someone's phone, iPad, credit card etc. I get that you feel like your world has exploded but you can't now try and control him completely. I hope this get better for you

billy1966 · 19/07/2020 20:29

OP, your pain is palpable.

You can talk to a counsellor about anything and you need to speak to someone honestly.
You will become ill if you internalise such anger.

You may have to prepare yourself that your marriage is not salvage able.

You cannot make him stay if he doesn't want to.
This would be awful for your self respect.

Has he spent huge money that were your joint savings?

You need to secure yourself financially.

Seek support for yourself asap.
Flowers

Horsemad · 19/07/2020 21:12

I couldn't forgive this. If I were you, I'd be moving exactly 50% of those savings to my personal account before the rest gets squandered.

If he doesn't want to stay together, you can't make him. You may feel like you would be willing to give him another chance but it will be very, very difficult to forgive and forget. And trust again.

Please speak to someone, your parents or your friend; you are going to make yourself ill bottling this up.

Soon enough, the anger will kick in and that may be a good thing.

Move that money.

serioushelpneeded · 19/07/2020 21:24

You can't take away someone's phone, iPad, credit card etc.

Not indefinitely no. But until we start to be able to have a conversation I need to know we have levelled the field. He's got cash, a work laptop, phone and Mac pc. He's not been cast into tech wilderness. Just tech with no porn or access to disappear more cash. Lots of thousands.

OP posts:
serioushelpneeded · 19/07/2020 21:27

I couldn't forgive this.

A week ago I'd have written that with certainty. One of the worst parts of this week is the my self-belief is shot to shit. I must find calm to proceed that I know. I must make good choices.

OP posts:
EKGEMS · 19/07/2020 21:28

I'm very troubled by your husband's deceitful ness-the disparity in the amount of $, the messaging and exchanging pictures of his genitalia to total strangers,etcetera. Right now you're in the shock phase of this trauma and soon you will be examining your actions in the relationship-please do not blame yourself or do a pick me dance-you can learn more on chumplady.com. I don't know what other relationship advice to give other than I'm so very sorry to read your post. Best of luck

Aquamarine1029 · 19/07/2020 21:30

I'm determined no one is leaving. We promised things to each other.

I really don't understand this. He has betrayed you massively, and shattered those promises he made. If you can't get over this betrayal, you're willing to be the one who bears his burdens while he gets to keep playing happy families? This is a very dark, sad way to live for the rest of your life. You will be left with nothing but bitterness, resentment and regret for wasting what is left of your life. You've already sacrificed intimacy for years and years, all the while he's getting off to prostitutes/sex workers. How much more of your happiness can you possibly sacrifice?

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