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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

Who's the narcissist?

20 replies

Longtimelurker21 · 02/01/2021 00:13

Hello MNetters

Ive been lurking a longtime now throughout my relationship of 5 years, a relationship which I ended a couple months ago.

I ended it because it got to a point where I was interrogating everything my partner did, even he said he was sick of me giving him the ‘Spanish inquisition’

This may be quite long and im sorry, however I need to know if I was actually showing narcisstic traits or he was, or both!

So we met online. He lived and worked 3 hours away. Messaged quite alot for a couple of weeks and then met up. I got to the place first then He showed up and was already drunk when he arrived. He had already made a list of all the things he thought we could do for our next date, from ice skating, going to the cinema to having a meal...

Anyway we did go on a couple dates and each time he would be drunk when he arrived ( i didnt know this at the time, it was only once I got to know him well I knew what ‘his drunk self’ was like)
One time we went back to his flat and had a drink there, I took some photos of him as I hadent got any of him. Couple weeks later I went onto the dating website we met on to delete my profile and noticed he was still on, and he was using the picture I took of him as his profile...I asked him about it and he said his email was hacked...I didnt really believe him but carried on regardless 🙄

During the first year of our relationship the following happened, id found out he was still seeing someone he had been with for 3 years prior the first couple months of our relationship, that he may or may not have a daughter from another relationship, he refuses to pay for a dna and doesnt have contact or pay maintenance.
He downloaded the tinder app, then when I pulled him up on it he said he was curious what it was and didnt realise what it was, he thought it was to just meet ‘friends’
Once he started to stay at a weekend he would always arrive drunk. Not bladdered but tipsy.
He told me he loved me 3 months in.
I had his phone at one point as he asked me to google something, I pressed the back button and sex websites came up on his search history...I questioned him and he said he never searched for it and he didnt know how it got there.
So after that first year of all that happening I was suspicious. In hindsight ues I should have ran for the hills but I thought nah hes young (24) he will be growing out all of that now. So I stayed.
He became secretive with his phone, put a lock on it, putnit on silent, bought a case for it and always had it by his side and took it to the bathroom.
He would go on whatsapp everytime I left the room ( yes, I went on to my whatsapp to check. I would leave the room just to see of he would show up online and everytime he would then as soon as I walked back in the room he would either swipe the screen away or put his phone down. This he did the whole time I was with him. I became obsessed with checking his online status and there was a definite pattern.
I accused him a few times of chatting to other women and he would call me crazy and paranoid.
There had been times I noticed a message pop up on his screen and it was a girl and he would talk his way out of it and I would stupidly carry on with my head in the sand.
This last year was the worst. I messaged him one morning and he was online, ignored my message for about half hour then sent me a message with 3 kisses on it which he quickly deleted. I asked and he said it was to his ‘best friend’ at work ( a girl, just started at his work 6 months before)
I became more paranoid and everytime he said he couldnt come home because of work I questioned him. He had to ‘self isolate’ at one point this happened to be when it was his ‘best friends’ birthday.
But, yeah It came to a point this year where I was questioning everything he did, why are you cleaning the car out before I use it, why are there dog hairs in your car (his best friend has a retriever and they were Labrador retriever hairs)
Receipts for flowers he had bought (I never got flowers) receipts for £90 worth of alcohol purchased during at time he said he was working away.

He accused me of chatting to men (I wasnt) and O would quite happily give him my phone or leave it hanging around with no lock or case) he hated that I could drink with my friend and get drunk but when I was with him I didnt drink.
He walked out once because during a night out with my friend id posted on fb that being in a pub I went in as a late teen felt like home.
He thought that I made up being on my period just so I didnt have to have sex with him. He whinged that I never showed him affection ( he never showed any to me unless he wanted sex) we wouldnt have conversations, unless he was drunk and it was about his hobby or work or his ‘new business venture’
He would ignore my messages at work yet if I went an hour without sending a reply I was ‘seeing someone else’

So a couple months ago I ended it. It was on a weekend he was ‘working away’ said he couldnt message me as he was going to be busy. He was online all day, so i texted him saying im done (abit more to the text but that was the jist)...Bad I know but he was completely ignoring me and I couldnt wait any longer, if I did I probably would still me with him.

He ghosted me for days until he asked to have our daughter ( yea I had a child with him too) he would only contact me about our daughter ( we had separated previously and he would talk his way into me getting back with him but this time nothing)
And this is what is bothering me! I know it sounds stupid but the fact he is silent. I am too. I dont contact him at all unless he asks about dd but it can go days.
I am STILL checking his status and hes on it rarely now. Confused
On Christmas night we had been messaging as he had dd and I ft her at bedtime and ex moticed I was down. He asked to ft me which he did and he was drunk. We just chatted normally for half hour like friends. He sent me a message afterward saying he still loved me and he misses me. I said I do too but we were both miserable and we needed to sort that out. I went sleep and he was online all night ( woke up and checked he was still on)
When he dropped dd off the next day he seemed normal, no talk about what he said. He just dropped off and left.
I know hes been seeing a girl he met, said theres nothing going on but I think there is. I dont have feelings for him at all but Im just confused about everything thats happened. Did he push me to leave because I was questioning him? Was I in the wrong for my constant accusations?? Was he being unfaithful or was i just paranoid like he said and just didnt give him breathing space. Did I overthink everything and is that what ultimately ruined us?? I dont know. I know I need to talk to someone about my issues but I dont know if my issues where becasue of everything that happened at the beggining of the relationship or becasue I became so paranoid this last year that I pushed him away and he just never had the balls to end it.

Im so sorry this is long. I just wanted to write it down and have an insight into what an outsider might think

OP posts:
LouiseTrees · 02/01/2021 01:35

Sounds highly probable he did cheat. I mean yes you could have asked less and just checked things out more but you sound like you had reasons to have your suspicions. He’s gaslighting saying you were the one who ruined the relationship. Also why is he allowed to be drunk looking after your shared child?

Longtimelurker21 · 02/01/2021 01:41

On the weekends he has dd he stays with his mum and dad. So basically dd is palmed off on them.

OP posts:
Designingheaven · 02/01/2021 01:43

I would of been the same. I can’t offer much in the way of answers or advice but I hope you find happiness without him, it sounds like you’re much better off to be honest.x

rawlikesushi · 02/01/2021 05:21

He sounds awful, and has been awful right from the start. I don't know about being a narcissist, that seems to be thrown about a bit too much on here, but I think that you stuck around far longer than you should have and will be happier drawing a line under the relationship and realising that wasting even more time psychoanalysing him is completely pointless.

Longtimelurker21 · 03/01/2021 20:13

Thanks for your replies. Theres other things that happened that I didnt include becasue it was already so long, but he would stomp about for hours the next day if I declined sex the night before...He constantly asked for crude pictures of me, sometimes videos and if I said I couldnt as I have the kids to look after he would say I mustnt love him or im giving my affection to someone else then not speak to me for hours.
He never contributed to our child, still doesnt or the house...just food shopping now and again.
I could go on.
Im out of it now thank god anyway

OP posts:
nowishtofly · 04/01/2021 14:33

It's difficult to get over a relationship and/or to dump old habits even if they were bad for you. I think you know you weren't the main cause of this relationship not working out as from what you say you had lots of reasons to be unhappy or suspicious. Don't let his gaslight you on that.

As an outsider I think that's all you are experiencing. You will move on in time. You know you did the right thing by breaking up with him and that's what counts.

IfTheSockFits · 04/01/2021 17:19

I don't know about narcissist, but he's definitely an arsehole, and you are well rid of him.

category12 · 04/01/2021 17:40

Couple weeks later I went onto the dating website we met on to delete my profile and noticed he was still on, and he was using the picture I took of him as his profile...I asked him about it and he said his email was hacked...I didnt really believe him but carried on regardless

At least you know where you went wrong. The first time they take the absolute piss, give them the boot.

HollowTalk · 04/01/2021 17:42

I had to stop reading after three paragraphs. You need to stay far, far away from this man.

Closetbeanmuncher · 04/01/2021 19:32

Frankly that sounds fucking exhausting...

Agree with @category12 that the first time they take the piss they get the boot, no negotiation, no screaming match, no block unblock, block again.

Also agree with @rawlikesushi regarding the wasting time psychoanalysing comment...

You see OP slapping a label on him won't change the car crash of a 'man' or his shitty behaviour; the golden question that you need to ask yourself is why you allowed yourself to ignore the red flag bunting being continually presented to you.

You have no choice over other people's behaviour, but you can choose whether to fuck with it or not.

Until your boundaries are fixed and you are confident enough in your decision making to sack something off when it stinks I advise you to refrain from dating.

P.s he definitely cheated, multiple times.

Longtimelurker21 · 04/01/2021 19:40

Dont worry I dont plan on dating at all. Im happy being single!

I stayed for the sake of our DC, a big mistake but thankfully as he wasnt really around much anyway things have gone smoothly.

I feel alot happier without him but my goodness, how can a person lie so much to someone they claim to love??’

OP posts:
Closetbeanmuncher · 04/01/2021 22:25

how can a person lie so much to someone they claim to love??

My God OP you'll learn 😂😂

Closetbeanmuncher · 04/01/2021 22:27

Have you had an STI since leaving? if not have one ASAP.

Longtimelurker21 · 04/01/2021 23:25

Have you had an STI since leaving? if not have one ASAP

Funnily enough where my partner works he has access to a STI test machine and he bought it home one weekend cause my friend had had some trouble with her ex and so wanted to test. But my ex and I took a test too, just out of curiosity and we were both clear

OP posts:
Longtimelurker21 · 04/01/2021 23:26

This wasnt long before we separated either

OP posts:
Wheresyourclapham · 04/01/2021 23:35

Way too many red flags from the onset.
He cheated.
You’re well rid.
Please learn from this experience. Follow your gut and never ignore the red flags!

Longtimelurker21 · 04/01/2021 23:39

I dont think I will ever trust another human being again unfortunately. I start CBT therapy tomorrow

OP posts:
Wheresyourclapham · 05/01/2021 02:18

‘I dont think I will ever trust another human being again unfortunately. I start CBT therapy tomorrow’

There are some decent people out there. Love and work on yourself and ensure you bring up your child to never put up with that type of nonsense.
Good luck with the therapy 💐

outofthefog.website/

Longtimelurker21 · 05/01/2021 09:09

Thank you to everyone for their advice and support. Onwards and Upwards!

OP posts:
Bouledeneige · 05/01/2021 10:56

You are well out of it OP. Some relationships get tangled up in so much crap it turns you mental and you lose all your equilibrium. Very different scenario but I've been there myself and I lost all sense of who I was and my usual calm easy going nature was shot to pieces. You never win the argument or get closure - you just get wound into balls and dead ends. Well done for seeing the light. Onwards! Life will be simpler and clearer. And find ways to boundary comms with him. Only discuss childcare and don't get drawn in to anything else. It's a tangled sticky web that you will have to fight to get out of again.

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