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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

Anyone able to explain what's happening here?

40 replies

Haribo32 · 04/04/2021 19:42

Got involved with someone in October last year. He's abit of a complex guy. 2.5 years single but a little stuck in the past it seems. He's got an ex hanging of him a little. But he seems insistent that's well and truly in the past. He said she hurt him quite alot and sounds like they were fairly toxic together. He had to tell her he was seeing me and she's in that time expressed regrets and asked him if he still fancies her. He always claimed he won't go back there and he tells me he realises now he was never really happy with her and doesn't think they were right for eachother. They took eachother for granted etc.

Despite this he brings her up alot and will contact her sometimes when something happens in his life. It always feels abit odd and like I'm in bed shadow.

Three times since we've started our thing he's gone off in a huge huff with me. All three times have been when he's not himself and he's abit down, quiet or whatever. I always remain kind and say he can talk to me. But I always say are you sure you don't need abit of quiet or A couple of days to think or just enjoy relaxing by himself. Each time he's dumped me and told me I drive him mad with these comments. He accused me of being insecure. Often these mood swings would be along with me asking him about the future. Not in any sort of marriage way but checking my young kids are not off putting. Or once I felt another women was flirting with him allover Facebook and he seemed to be interested in her. So yes that one time I asked him the deal with her. He deleted the women. But then chucked me when I tried to speak about her.

He stopped speaking to me for two and a half weeks. Then he came back with texts asking if I missed him etc. For a few days we were messaging and we're supposed to meet for a talk to see how we felt in eachothers company. I asked to speak on the phone before we met. So he called and sounded off instantly. I said I had only just started getting over him and therefore I want to know what he's looking for going forward. A friendship or a lover. I said we need to make a decision and stop having these spats. He ended up shouting at me and turned everything on me. I told him I was finished with him in a text Tuesday when he said he couldn't trust me anymore. I spoke to a women from his past and she was put through exactly the same as me with him as he wasn't over the ex. Although they had only just seperated when she was involved with him. This women told his ex that I had been in touch and the ex went back to him with her tales.

I have told him that until he's got his ex out his life it won't work out with anyone.

I know exactly how dramary this sounds. But I am trying to understand why he comes and goes. No doubt he will try come back one day and I feel like I won't be sucked in this time. But I still can't make sense of his extreme reactions.

Just need a girly chat. thanks.

OP posts:
goody2shooz · 04/04/2021 19:51

You have young kids - do yourselves all a favour and dump this headfuck of a man. He sounds like a complete waste of your valuable time, don’t you think you (and your kids) deserve MUCH better than this? And if not, why the hell not? I mean really?

ErniesGhostlyGoldTops · 04/04/2021 19:54

Why would you even bother.

StrictlyAFemaleFemale · 04/04/2021 19:56

Honestly I got halfway through that and gave up. Its been 6 months you should be in a honeymoon phase, not dealing with all this. Yes relationships take work but not this much work this early on. Life is too short for this shite.

Apileofballyhoo · 04/04/2021 19:57

Don't waste your time and energy.

Bagelsandbrie · 04/04/2021 19:58

This is insane. Way too much drama!! Dump and run.

AtrociousCircumstance · 04/04/2021 20:00

He’s malfunctioning. He’s just a messed up twattish game player who doesn’t even know why he does things himself.

It will be a sweet relief for you to feel completely detached from him - and once you make that decision, I don’t think it will take very long for you to go from feeling hung up and confused to rolling your eyes at the memory of his nonsense and being relieved!

Ohpulltheotherone · 04/04/2021 20:03

To be honest no one can explain why he does what he does - probably not even him! He probably does it because he’s a mess. He’s emotionally incapable and immature. He may well have lots of hang ups from his earlier life and have toxic traits due to various dysfunctional relationships.

Ultimately you can’t know why and you can’t do anything to change or control it. The ONLY thing you have insight to is your own mind. You know this is a shit show and that this man isn’t in the place to have a relationship.

Draw a line, be grateful it didn’t go further or become more complicated for you, you’ve got out so stay out! Don’t be drawn back into this pile of rubbish, let him and his ex crack on.

Stop trying to understand why people do the shit they do - anyone with emotional intelligence will check their own behaviour and won’t require you to analyse them because they will tell you. If they haven’t got their emotional shit together then just leave them to it - life is too short to take on this type of relationship

OldWomanSaysThis · 04/04/2021 20:06

But does "Why?" really matter? Does knowing "Why" change anything?

Is there an Exam or a Test at the end of this?

BrilliantBetty · 04/04/2021 20:07

It really, really isn't worth it, complete waste of time and he sounds like a weirdo anyway. Block and delete. Onward and upwards!

CatNamedEaster · 04/04/2021 20:09

Sounds bloody exhausting. I get that people try hard if things go off the rail a few years down the line, but if someone fucks up/upsets you in the first few months, isn't it easy to just call it a day and move on?

Dery · 04/04/2021 20:09

“Stop trying to understand why people do the shit they do - anyone with emotional intelligence will check their own behaviour and won’t require you to analyse them because they will tell you. If they haven’t got their emotional shit together then just leave them to it - life is too short to take on this type of relationship”

This. Many years ago I learnt that in romantic relationships there was little point asking why someone was behaving a certain way. You may never work out why someone is behaving a certain way and anyway it can lead to excusing poor behaviour. The key questions are (i) what is he doing?; and (ii) how do you feel about it?

JuniLoolaPalooza · 04/04/2021 20:11

I wouldn't waste any time wondering why he's doing this, he's doing it because he can. He's dumped you three times and you've let him back in twice? Who can be bothered? Block him and move on.

WhereYouLeftIt · 04/04/2021 20:17

"Three times since we've started our thing he's gone off in a huge huff with me. All three times have been when he's not himself and he's abit down, quiet or whatever. I always remain kind and say he can talk to me. But I always say are you sure you don't need abit of quiet or A couple of days to think or just enjoy relaxing by himself. Each time he's dumped me and told me I drive him mad with these comments. He accused me of being insecure."

Ooh, that's as far as I needed to read before I thought 'Why haven't you dumped this guy yet, he's a total arsehole, do you have an issue with your self-esteem to put up with this shit?'

I'll go back and read the rest now, but I doubt I'll think any better of him.

WhereYouLeftIt · 04/04/2021 20:21

I was right, he didn't get any better.

So let's talk about you, @Haribo32. Why do you feel the need to put up with his appalling treatment of you? Do you think the reason you were put on this earth is to 'fix' other people, put their wants above your needs, and generally be some sort of emotional skivvy? (Hint: No. You weren't.)

RizzleRazzle · 04/04/2021 20:22

You both sound like hard work.

He's showing a lot of red flags too, he doesn't treat you well and he shouts at you and has dumped you three times in 6 months.

I'm not sure you need anyone to explain to you what's happening. Just cut him off

katieg03 · 04/04/2021 20:39

Dump him. It's only going to get worse. All this after 6 months is crazy. You are already confronting women over him flirting. He's moody and unstable you don't need that drama

toocold54 · 04/04/2021 20:39

This is too much drama for less than a year. It sounds like you both enjoy drama though but I couldn’t be bothered with it.

Ruminating2020 · 04/04/2021 20:42

He's playing mind games.

Make the decision easy for him and send him one last text to tell him you will never contact him again and then block.

His last relationship was toxic and it was already going that way with you when you were with him.

WhereYouLeftIt · 04/04/2021 20:46

Actually, rereading the OP I should have stopped at "He's abit of a complex guy."

They never are. They're always arseholes, when someone describes them that way.

Herses · 04/04/2021 20:48

So...
He blows hot and cold.
He dumped you three times.
He gives you the silent treatment.
He shouts at you when you tell him how you feel.

Do you deserve to be treated like this?
Is that what relationships should be about?
Nope, and nope.

The fact that he is still in touch with his ex is the least of your worries.

Bloody hell, block him already.
Sounds like the ex should do the same too.

Monr0e · 04/04/2021 20:53

6 months in, repeatedly ends things, ignores you for over 2 weeks and you took him back, wtf Hmm Repeatedly brings up his ex and makes you doubt yourself by telling you how much she wants him back, goes huffy on you.

6 months! Who cares why! Even if you know why it won't change a single thing. And the more you continue to meekly accept his shit treatment of you and take him back every time, the mors he'll do it and the mors crap he'll expect you to swallow.

It's not about him getting over his ex, it's about him not treating you like garbage

Ruminating2020 · 04/04/2021 20:54

@Herses

So... He blows hot and cold. He dumped you three times. He gives you the silent treatment. He shouts at you when you tell him how you feel.

Do you deserve to be treated like this?
Is that what relationships should be about?
Nope, and nope.

The fact that he is still in touch with his ex is the least of your worries.

Bloody hell, block him already.
Sounds like the ex should do the same too.

And he's triangulating you with his exes.

He has narcissistic traits - get out and stay out. You will become shell of yourself if you allow him in your life any longer.

If you really want to understand his behaviour, there a hundreds of YouTube videos on narcissists and their behaviours.

Your priority is your wellbeing though. Forget about him and just be thankful you got our while you could.

Monr0e · 04/04/2021 20:57

And to answer your question, anyone about to explain what's happening here? Your ex is a dick, hth

Herses · 04/04/2021 21:09

As someone who was raised by a narcissistic mother, and who had a very abusive relationship years ago, I can relate to the " Why are they being like this? What is going on?". It usually goes with " What should I do to make it better/ to make them realise they are hurting me/ to help them?".
Because yes, in a way, you want to help, you think you can help.
I can't tell you how fucking liberating it is to realise that basically, they do this because they are sick, and there is nothing you can do,nothing you should do, but stay the hell away from them.
Do yourself a favour and stop asking yourself why.
It is not you, it's them.
You know how they say it takes two to tango?
I used to buy this.
But actually, with people like my mum and this bloke you are describing, this saying doesn't work.
Run and don't look back.

sadie9 · 04/04/2021 21:42

You are continuing to enmesh yourself with him because it suits you to engage with his needs, his moods, his stories about his past. What are you getting out of being so obsessed with him?
Him, him, him, him, him. Run to his Exs to talk about him more.
All of this distracts you from your own feeling and emotions. Look how you put your own needs aside and possibly your children's needs.
Or worse still how your own needs disappear when you get in a relationship with a man.
Endless time spent analysing him while you are not noticing your own life. He treats you like shit but you just worry that your kids are a bit annoying for him. They get demoted in the rankings.
He rages off in anger, and you meet this with staying 'kind' and saying he can talk to you. What you are really saying to him is 'speak to me how you like. I've no self respect so no matter what crappy treatment you give me, I'm that desperate for a relationship I'll excuse almost anything'.