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Relationships

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Sexless marriage

50 replies

Confusedandsadman · 14/11/2020 11:08

Hi, thanks in advance for reading this thread and for hopefully bringing some perspective to an issue that is eating away at my marriage. For a few years now I have pretty much lost all interest in sex with my wife. We're both in our thirties and have kids. I have zero interest in sex with her, to the point where I am turned off by her touch. This has caused a major rift in our relationship as she has a high sex drive. We barely talk anymore and she is incredibly miserable whenever I am around. I know that I am the cause of that misery and am coming round to the idea that perhaps we'd be happier if we split. I've posted on here to hopefully gain a female insight into the situation. Thanks in advance.

OP posts:
MrsBrunch · 14/11/2020 12:08

The relationship is over. Why haven't you separated?

LargeProsecco · 14/11/2020 12:09

A sexless marriage brings out the worst in eachother & erodes your relationship away.

Have a read at some of this @Confusedandsadman:

www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/divorce-busting/201405/the-sex-starved-marriage-secret?amp

It's rarely about the sex per se, but why you are not having it.

If you are looking for the female perspective- here is mine:

In my case, my DP lost interest in me, despite the fact I was blonde, pretty size 10-12, fit, made effort with appearance, good job, no kids etc.

It was devastating- I felt rejected, miserable, angry. And caused huge resentment in my part.

Turns out it was just me he wasn't interested in - he had affairs.

It's very manipulative to stay in a relationship when you don't fancy someone or want to have sex with them. For goodness sake, take responsibility for how you feel and end it. I suspect there is a lot of guilt on your part.

Your wife is probably shitting herself that you are going to leave her in the lurch with young children. Is she working & able to support herself plus the kids?

CityCommuter · 14/11/2020 12:09

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BorderlineHappy · 14/11/2020 12:20

Did you get married because of pregnancy.

You and your dw are only young,whats the point in dragging it out.Just separate and have a happier life.

But be careful that you dont have unrealistic expectations.People change in LTR. They age and sometimes you grow apart.

hustler2020 · 14/11/2020 12:28

sounds like she emasculates you - sorry
that can be very damaging and only breeds resentment .

before you decide anything permanent maybe take a break from each other and really figure out whether you want to make it work or want out

life's too short to remain unhappy

Siw2020 · 14/11/2020 12:35

Read the whole thread - if you feel this way what are your reasons to actually continue being with her?

Your options are:

  1. Work through this together but it wont be easy, you both need to want it and stay committed and one day have a happier marriage that was worth going through this rough patch for

  2. Separate in order to find happiness.

  3. Continue in this rut.

Why are you choosing #3?

perfectstorm · 14/11/2020 12:37

I think you need to sit down and think about how, in an ideal world, you can protect the kids from what seems the inevitable split. The relationship sounds, bluntly, horrible and I couldn't live like that - so really I think you need to think about how you can share time with the children, and provide two (ideally) adequate homes for them, with the resources - financial and time - that you share.

You say she's very academic - does she earn a reasonable wage? Do you? What sort of equity do you have in the house, and would it found two flats, perhaps, on each of your salaries - or if you rent, how can you both manage a deposit on new places that could home each of you and the kids? Is it feasible for the family home to be kept for one of you, with the other person able to have somewhere? Those sort of practical concerns should be uppermost given there is no relationship to save. If her career has been harmed by having children, in fairness that should be factored in - as, in the far rarer times where the father has been primary carer, should his own career hit. That sort of thing needs to be considered fairly and a path forward found.

I'd absolutely agree that some couples counselling is needed, even if it is just to help you communicate better as you split up. The children will be desperately harmed if this is a vindictive and high conflict split, but it sounds as if your relationship is going to harm them if you stay together, so splitting up as constructively as possible needs to be the focus.

Quite honestly, and this isn't unusual, all the attention is on the adult relationship. If it's this dead in the water, the focus needs to shift to how you can best protect the children from the adult mess, and how you can rebuild a new life, both apart, that meets their needs.

Keratinsmooth · 14/11/2020 13:10

There are enough threads on here about men getting grumpy as they age, not much said about women who can get bitter and negative as they age. I’ve encountered both.

If you leave, she may find happiness elsewhere and be more positive, you may find someone that you age with, be aware that you may not. I think you need to take the chance.

You will get grief on here for admitting to watching porn, I watch porn, I know that the women are fantasy beautiful rather than the norm, I’m sure that you do too.

Be kind, be fair, be true to yourself.

Seadad · 14/11/2020 13:13

I think what you’ve uncovered reveals a great deal of unhappiness, resentment, distrust, confusion on both sides in your marriage. It’s hard to say which came first - but these things create a vicious circle. You stop feeling attracted- DW feels resentful and unloved, becomes snappy, controlling, condescending or nagging - making you resent her too, leading to less and less connection and a sexless marriage full of unspoken unhappiness.

Strange reality that posters here see this as ‘baffling’ or confused that you might still be attracted to others, or that it might be all ‘porn’ use.

Sooo - the question is whether you can change the relationship you have. Is it worth trying for the sake of your family? I think - if you felt differently in the relationship it might be possible- but a huge amount of damage would need to be undone for you both to find each other again.
Some coupes counselling might help lay all the cards on the table - I’m sure DW will have more issues than lack of sex too.

If you truly dislike each other then there is little point - but if it’s that you dislike the way you are together- the way you treat each other - then it’s salvageable. Maybe.

Your feelings toward your DW are directly related to whether you ultimately desire her - and she is desirable usually depend on how she makes you feel (and her you).
So be prepared to peel everything back - strip back the years - and find some place to start - and see if you can have a different relationship- a new and better one. If not - you’ll be no worse off and probably better off for trying?

Anothernick · 14/11/2020 14:54

As a man I find it slightly odd that you do not want sex with your DW but still masturbate to porn. Maybe she has stopped initiating? Masturbation is a bit like non-alcoholic beer, OK when you need it but it doesnt take away your desire for the proper version.

If you find her physically repellent and you also have the other issues you have talked about then it's quite hard to see a way back - as others have said if there is a genuine desire on both sides to try and make it work you could try counselling. This worked for us, though our difficulties did not include failure on the sexual side of things.

Sex is fundamental to a relationship, if you are not having sex you are housemates and not partners. It is not unreasonable for your DW to be upset if you are unwilling or unable to have sex with her, your other problems notwithstanding. Lack of sex tends to magnify other problems in a relationship, especially if one partner feels the other does not have a good reason for withholding it.

OhDidIHurtYourFeelings · 14/11/2020 15:32

OP, the term I've heard used here is that women get the 'ick' when their men touch them or want sex.
If you really don't find your wife sexually attractive then you have a real problem. The day to day grind of daily life can take the gloss away and if you have been arguing then feeling turned on isn't gonna happen, though I thought that was something that we women had issues with as we are given the impression a man would screw anything that moved.

Seadad · 14/11/2020 17:53

@Anothernick - come on! You seriously can’t see how not wanting sex with a women means you can’t enjoy porn or self service?? As a man?
Sexual attraction to someone in both sexes can be reduced to almost zero- and while it may be more fragile for women (ie more related to many other facets) it applies to both sexes.
And the issue with masturbation is that you aren’t sharing your sexuality or having your sexual life affirmed, or communicating this part of you with another person - which is why it can’t satisfy your sexual life indefinitely. But that really doesn’t mean you can share it with anyone as an alternative!

BubblyBarbara · 14/11/2020 18:25

She's changed, you've changed, you don't suit each other any more and it's time to change the channel. You can't keep flogging (or shagging, in this case) a dead horse.

FippertyGibbett · 14/11/2020 18:28

As a woman whose hubby has lost interest, I would say leave her. You need to let her be with a man who is not turned off by her touch, and you need a proper life too.
Set yourselves free.

Deadringer · 14/11/2020 18:40

It sounds like the love goggles are firmly off and you now realise you don't actually like your wife. I don't think a female perspective will help you at all, it's your feelings that are the issue here, and i don't see how anyone can help you with those. I am not saying that you are at fault, but if you don't love her, fancy her, or even like her, surely a split is inevitable.

OhDidIHurtYourFeelings · 14/11/2020 18:47

OP, After reading and rereading your posts I have to wonder why you stay with someone who is critical of you and makes you feel diminished? Has your wife got any redeeming qualities?
As we don't know her we have to take your word for it but if she is half as bad as you make out why subject yourself to this? Is there something else you're not telling us? Is she wealthy or the main breadwinner? Has she threatened to withhold children from you?
To be honest I would be out the door pronto.

Closetbeanmuncher · 14/11/2020 19:02

I don't really enjoy her company anymore. She's bitchy, condescending and can be downright cruel

Well she sounds fucking delightful 😬

The relationship is clearly well past its sell by date so what exactly are you waiting for???

Anothernick · 14/11/2020 20:09

@seadad Yes I am surprised that the OP finds himself physically repelled by his DW, despite their other differences and despite the fact that he continues to have urges which he deals with through masturbation. I can recall more than one occasion on which my DW and I have had a huge row during the day and shagged each other senseless that evening, however angry we might have been our sexual urges were stronger. Which probably goes quite a long way toward explaining why we have been together 30 years.

Seadad · 14/11/2020 23:22

@Anothernick - yeh - sexual chemistry leads to a lot of forgiveness and short memory- essential for long term relationships!

veraismyspiritanimal · 14/11/2020 23:58

Let her find someone who wants her ffs don't just stay knowing you aren't able to give her the loving passionate relationship she deserves.
It's absolutely soul destroying when your other half withdraws intimacy yet keeps telling you everything is fine when you just know it isn't. It destroys you makes you doubt yourself and erodes any self esteem you have

Fudgsicles · 15/11/2020 00:26

End it OP. I felt a bit like you when I was married except my H was a decent man, he just didn't do it for me. We had a sexless marriage and it ended in divorce. It wasn't fair to me or him. I'm much happier now and have a DP who I adore and fancy the pants off which is how it should be.

LargeProsecco · 15/11/2020 07:48

I just find the OP's posting style a bit "off", unemotional, no desire to work at things, clearly does not like or respect his wife. But asking for a female perspective- why?!

He doesn't take responsibility for how he feels; he's withdrawn sex & affection (for whatever reason) but perhaps doesn't want to be the "bad guy" so won't end things.

It sounds an unhappy relationship & OP doesn't sound invested. Probably best to end things kindly & move on.

Puffalicious · 15/11/2020 07:48

Anothernick- yeh - sexual chemistry leads to a lot of forgiveness and short memory- essential for long term relationships! absolutely this!

Suzi888 · 15/11/2020 07:54

Agree with pp, you both need to sit down and discuss separation and be mindful of your children.

wigglyworm002 · 15/11/2020 09:43

It sounds like you have both checked out of the marriage and if you hang on in there for the next few years, do you really see it getting any better?
I was devastated when my marriage ended, however I now feel so much happier than when i "thought" I was happy in my relationship.
I now realise that we had nothing in common, had no joint friends, didn't enjoy sex and actually, we'd just become bored of each other.

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