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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

Feel like I’m going mad

3 replies

Downadrain · 01/02/2021 12:25

I’ll try to keep it short
Married for 21 years , most of them pretty happily , however things have changed .
There are so many things that have happened over the last few years that have really made me suspect DH has cheated . A few years ago I found a Condom wrapper in the back of his jeans . He’d been out late with his mates . I wasn’t snooping I picked them iff the floor , I was obviously really upset , he accused me of putting it there myself !!!! Then he said he must have picked it up off the floor of our bedroom ( we sometimes use them ). I went on and on he just denied everything and said he’d done nothing wrong and that he didn’t know what it was doing there . I wanted to believe him so so bad , I pushed it to the back of my mind , but there’s been other things since , I found a woman’s jumper in the back of our car , not my size. I asked him about it and he was like I saw it on the back seat and thought it was yours so put it in the boot . Then he said it’s not like I’m cheating , no woman is going to go home without her top. I thought about it and agreed , surely if he had cheated he’d have noticed if she left it , and even more so wouldn’t have put it in the boot of OUR car . Fast forward to this weekend . He asks me if I want to go night fishing , knowing full well I hate it . I said no thanks , so he gets ready and takes his fishing stuff and heads out at 7.30 pm sat , gets in at 5 am Sunday . Climbs into bed , turns his back to me and takes my hand to drape over him like I’m cuddling him from behind .He never does that , he always cuddles up to me facing me . I just had a feeling . I rolled him over and could smell perfume over his chest . Obviously I went mad , I grabbed his t shirt which stank of perfume . He got really mad and said I was fucking controlling him and he can’t even go out fishing in peace without me smelling his clothes . I went into the spare room , the realisation has hit me that he just does what he wants he doesn’t give a shit about me at all

Tonight I came in and he starts on me saying if I’m unhappy it’s my fault because no one else can smell perfume , and that I control him .
I certainly don’t , he does what he wants on his own terms and blames me for everything that goes wrong . He hates me if I ask him any questions about anything that he deems were too long ago to matter .
He said I’m always accusing him of cheating. I told him I never thought about it till I found an empty Condon wrapper in his pocket . He replied that was about 4 years ago , you still going on about that .
Honest to god , he twists my head so much . I don’t know which way is up . I know what I see snd feel but he says I’m wrong . How can I be wrong to feel something .
I know so many people are going to be going well it’s your fault , you should have left after the Condon incident . I really do know that .I tried so hard to believe him and I just pushed all doubt away , bloody stupid I know

I spoke to a lawyer in sept last year, not so much divorce , more settlement ( she advised to get the financial stuff sorted out , as divorce is very straightforward )as I know he’s going to make my life as hard as possible , I didn’t chase it up as it was 4K and I couldn’t afford it , but I’m going to save up ( luckily I have another job since speaking to her in sept )and I’m going to go with her ,. I do feel really scared about that aspect , when he gets that letter in the post from her saying she’s representing me all hell will break out

I dont have any family or friends I can talk to I’m so embarrassed and disappointed in myself . Honestly I feel so worthless right now , like I’m scared to make any move in case it’s the wrong one . He always tells me whatever decision I make it’s wrong snd I’m stupid for deciding that .
Sorry that was long , I didn’t mean it to be , Don’t even know what I’m looking for here , just to vent , or have someone tell me I’m not crazy . I m just lost .

OP posts:
CrispsnDips · 01/02/2021 12:32

Is there anywhere you could go to get your thoughts in order? Could you tell him you need a couple of weeks to think about what you want, as the relationship is causing you to tie yourself up in knots, and you need some space away? Just a temporary break. Have you got a friend or relative who could put you up? It might give you a clearer idea of exactly what you would like to see happen. 🌺

Downadrain · 01/02/2021 12:45

Thank you for replying. I have no relatives here at all , I live overseas . My friend is amazing. She is very supportive . She’s looking at getting a rental in the coming weeks , and said I could move in with her , me paying my half of course . That sounds the answer to my prayers , but despite everything I feel fear . I guess I’ve been conditioned to fear doing anything without his approval . It’s a really hard mind set to get out of . But yes ultimately my plan is to be renting with her , after I have the funds for the lawyer . I’m guessing I can’t just leave , but will still be responsible for my half of the mortgage , so things will be tight , but right now I’d consider a box at the side of the rd over this

OP posts:
Ablemaybel · 01/02/2021 13:24

Hi Down, really sorry you're going through this.Flowers

Just wanted to say you're not crazy at all. He's making you doubt yourself, and he knows it.
From what you write it does sound as though he may have cheated. After 21 years of marriage I'm sure you know your husband well.

Could you tell him you need a couple of weeks to think about what you want, as the relationship is causing you to tie yourself up in knots, and you need some space anyway?
This

Like you I found myself in the position where I needed to get away to think things over. I stayed with a friend, and it definitely helped me get things straight in my mind.

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