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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

I hate myself but it's undeniable

84 replies

Back2the90s · 22/01/2021 18:16

My relationship has dwindled to nothing. It has been dead for a couple of years. I've stayed for our two boys. I didn't realise until eight months ago how low I was feeling. I was having alot of panic attacks. I developed anxiety for the first time in my life. I couldn't see the joy in anything. I lie on bed every night alone. Whilst the man I'm with is kind to me. He parents equally. He makes me a cup of tea. He helps around the house. He would buy me anything I needed. That's it. The romance and conversations died a long time ago. We attempted to agree to changes but we were never at the same point and it continued to fail.

Into my life walks "Sean"
Instant attraction. We spent all of September bumping into eachother. Then we swapped numbers when we were no longer going to be seeing eachother anymore.

We've been talking non stop since. We haven't met yet as we were enjoying the contact and then lockdown happened.

He told me he knew he loved me after a few weeks of us talking back in the summer. I felt the same. It's like we are soulmates. We are opposites in our attitudes and things. But absolutely match with our opinions, ideas and dreams for the future. We both have not had sex etc for a very long time and his last relationship ended like mine. They are still friendly but never worked out. So there's alot of understanding.

I've sat down three times now with my children's dad. I've told him that I feel we won't be able to get back the sex and things. I said he's like a friend. A housemate. But not a lover. He agreed ever so slightly but mainly said we will get it back in a few years when the kids get older. I shook my head and said we can't survive years like this. It's so unhealthy. I told him I didn't want either of us to waste our lives. Along with many other things.
But he just won't accept it.

All I've wanted is to settle things here. Get down to a friendship level and once we are ok I would like to spend time with new guy and start enjoying being an adult again. I don't mean just sex. I mean conversation. Support. Naturally wanting to sit and spend time together.

I'm not married.
I feel so much frustration around my partner not wanting to absorb what we've said. He won't mention it at all. So therefore I feel I'm playing games by the phone calls and plans for the future with the new guy. I don't like it. I hate not being able to do what I want to do sometimes. Like just meet for a walk. Nothing else. It feels like a sneaky lie.

What would you do? I don't want to hurt anyone.

OP posts:
AnyFucker · 22/01/2021 18:24

You could sort this easily. The one thing you haven't done that is the actual crux of the situation.

Stop playing games. Tell him you are having an affair with "Sean"

Nothing will change while you are still lying.

Hoiking · 22/01/2021 18:25

Have you actually finished it with him though? Listing 'issues' isn't finishing a relationship.

ravenmum · 22/01/2021 18:28

I don't understand what you are waiting for. Why haven't you moved out?

BrokenBrit · 22/01/2021 18:29

You are having an affair. Tell your partner the truth and end your relationship properly. Focus on your DC and your living situation before rushing into a relationship with Sean. He won’t be such a fairytale when consumed with the day to day life of raising young children and it’s not illicit and exciting. Your poor partner, he sounds a decent and kind man and didn’t deserve to be treated like this.

Back2the90s · 22/01/2021 18:31

Yes I've told him I think it's best for us to be friends for the children. I've said it three times. He said I can't make decisions right now with covid etc. So he ignores me.

I haven't moved out because it's a joint home and has been mine four years longer. We have a mortgage. So we'd need to sort things so we both had something out of it. I did say to him that we don't need to rush to sort the house as we are able to be friends. But he didn't seem to register that either.

He just isn't in the same place I guess.

OP posts:
category12 · 22/01/2021 18:32

It feels like a sneaky lie, because it is a sneaky lie. You're having an emotional affair and have detached from your primary relationship because of OM.

And you may well be fooling yourself about just how much of a soulmate this bloke is. You have "opposite attitudes and things" yet match in opinions? That doesn't even make sense. But its' easy to gush over each other and mirror each other when it's a shared fantasy online.

AnyFucker · 22/01/2021 18:34

He isn't in the same place because you are lying and gaslighting him

You just don't want to be the bad guy. All this talk of "remaining friends" would be blown out of the eater if he knew you were having an affair and you know it

Your behaviour is appalling

Back2the90s · 22/01/2021 18:34

@BrokenBrit

I'm not sure if you have read my post before your assumptions. He's not slept in the bed with me for two years. Not had sex or kissed. Not cuddled. We do our own thing. Poor me aswel.

I've not had an affair. I've spoken to another man for weeks but we've not touched eachother. In that time I've told my partner we need to face up to things.

We are like friends. I'm a person with feelings too. I want to feel loved and have someone to sleep with and spend time with. Do projects with.

Why am I bad for being sad and changing my life.

OP posts:
AnyFucker · 22/01/2021 18:34

*water

AnyFucker · 22/01/2021 18:34

You certainly are having an affair

ravenmum · 22/01/2021 18:36

@Back2the90s

Yes I've told him I think it's best for us to be friends for the children. I've said it three times. He said I can't make decisions right now with covid etc. So he ignores me.

I haven't moved out because it's a joint home and has been mine four years longer. We have a mortgage. So we'd need to sort things so we both had something out of it. I did say to him that we don't need to rush to sort the house as we are able to be friends. But he didn't seem to register that either.

He just isn't in the same place I guess.

If you're not going to move out, what else is the plan? You don't mean that you want to pretend you are just housemates, and you're allowed to see other men?

Is this a reverse?

AnyFucker · 22/01/2021 18:37

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Blacktothepink · 22/01/2021 18:37

Cut to the chase...does he know about Sean?

AnyFucker · 22/01/2021 18:38

Does he fuck know about the other man

StormBaby · 22/01/2021 18:38

This is an emotional affair. Relationships that start this way, in turmoil, lies and chaos, always end this way. Put Sean on the back burner and sort your life out first.

TreacleHart · 22/01/2021 18:38

You are calling it ' your relationship ' . Are you married ?

Blacktothepink · 22/01/2021 18:38

And you are having an emotional affair!

Ninkanink · 22/01/2021 18:38

You need to tell him the truth - that you are done, you no longer want to be with him, and there’s someone else you’re interested in.

Anything else is just cruel, never mind dishonest!

ravenmum · 22/01/2021 18:38

Sean will appear when her husband has been duped into allowing her to see other men, while staying in her own home with him, is that right?

RandomMess · 22/01/2021 18:39

Just tell him it's over and you are going to start dating.

ravenmum · 22/01/2021 18:40

Continue dating.

BrokenBrit · 22/01/2021 18:40

@Back2the90s oh give over! You have been having an emotional affair with Sean for months now. Emotional affairs are just as damaging, if not more so, than physical ones!
Just tell your partner the truth and face up to the facts.
You could have left your relationship months ago when you weren’t feeling happy, but you sat and waited it out until you met someone else. So no, I have no sympathy for you! Leaving a relationship you aren’t fulfilled in is totally fine. Having an emotional affair and lying to your partner, not so.

As I said, tell your partner the truth, sort your living arrangements, prioritise your DC and then go from there! Good luck with your fairytale ending, it never works out like that!

AnyFucker · 22/01/2021 18:41

Yeah, not start dating, carry on dating.

Hoiking · 22/01/2021 18:44

A vague chat about feeling like friends is a far cry from dumping him.

Tiktaktoe · 22/01/2021 18:47

So you want the house and Sean? What exactly do you think your husband should have?
Tell your husband you want to seperate. You will need to either buy him out or sell the house. Then continue on with Sean.