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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

DH has no friends and following me round the house

288 replies

DotDashDottyDashy · 11/10/2021 16:23

My husband dropped his friends years ago and he has nothing to do with his family. He now works at home since the pandemic and his employer has made this a permanent thing. I already worked at home because I freelance. He goes to a book club once a month, but apart from that I am literally never alone in the house. He doesn't count the book-club members as friends and he will never stay for a drink after they've discussed the book as the rest of them do. I have lots of friends and interests that take me out of the house, but sometimes I'd just like some time in the house on my own without hearing his ever-there presence - the TV, his stomping and sighing.

If I close a door behind me (e.g. if I'm reading in the snug or in the bath, I close the door so I can't hear the TV that he has on all the time, or if I'm in my office I keep the door closed so I can't hear him on his work calls), he will always, without fail, find a reason to come into the room, and then leave the door open on his way back out. If I ask him to close the door behind him, he always frowns and sighs very loudly and exaggeratedly. I find this so unpleasant that I've stopped asking him to close the door and I wait until he's gone, then quietly close it myself. He wants to watch TV every night, whereas I don't - sometimes I want to read or do some drawing or something, but if I say this, he always asks why can't I do it in the same room as him (the reason is because the TV is distracting, but also I just want some time on my own as well sometimes) or he'll pull a 'jokey' sulky pouty face and say sarcastically 'oh that's nice'. Or, he'll give it half an hour, then come and join me in whatever room I'm in, sit next to me, and scroll through his phone.

He cares very deeply about furniture, decor and clothes. He watches what I do in the house and corrects things I do. For example, if I put the box of teabags on the kitchen counter, he'll lift it up to put a protective mat under it. Or he'll pretend he's admiring the knife I'm using and come to look at it (when in reality I know it's because he wants to make sure none of the veg I'm chopping have fallen off the chopping board onto the worktop). If he thinks one of us might have damaged something, he goes nuts, even if he can't see any damage with his naked eye, so he'll do things like get a torch to inspect it. I never do things to his standards - I apparently do gardening wrong, cleaning wrong, bedmaking wrong, washing wrong.

He doesn't like us using things in case we damage them, so the kitchen worktops are covered in lots of protective mats (so we can hardly see any of the worktop now) and the settees are covered in protective throws. And he gets really tense when we have visitors in case they damage something.

If I try discussing anything with him, he either denies whatever I say (even stupid things that are obviously true - it's his default position to just deny anything I say. I could point out his grey hair and he'd deny it's grey), or he gets really defensive, or more often than not he just walks away and refuses to discuss anything with me, going completely silent on me. He literally never gets riled or worked up. He likes to ignore me when I ask something of him, and if I repeat myself, he'll just say really dismissively and calmly, "yeah I heard you", but then he won't comment any further. He also makes things up about me. For example, he was sorting out our important documents and I asked him to leave mine alone and I would sort them myself, and he told me that I had lost my driving licence once so I shouldn't do the sorting and should let him do it. I know for a fact that I've never lost my driving licence, but he was so adamant that I started believing him. He could tell me I'm spelling my name wrong and he'd be so believable that I'd doubt how my own name is spelt.

I'm 20 years into this marriage, and now I'm perimenopausal, and suddenly I'm just drained by it. We're currently not talking to each other at all after he was snappy with me on Saturday all day but wouldn't tell me what the issue was. He does that a lot - snapping and frowning at me, but if I ask him what's wrong he says "nothing" every single time. I really fucking hate the silent treatment - I think it's a pathetic game and really manipulative, but I can't be arsed trying to engage with him anymore, so I'm just not bothering. I know I'm in the wrong not talking to him, but I'm exhausted by him and actually it's quite nice not having to talk to him and listen to him go on about how his work colleagues have wronged him this week.

OP posts:
DotDashDottyDashy · 11/10/2021 18:41

Regardless of the man he once was, he is now boring, grumpy and deeply annoying to live with

If you met him now you would run a mile OP

Yes, he's so far removed from the person I met, I've often thought that if I met him today I'd never pursue a relationship with him. But when I met him, he nodded along and agreed with all my dreams and values, and he said he was in awe of what a positive and happy person I was, but now I think he hoodwinked me - I think I was just really different from his miserable family.

OP posts:
1forAll74 · 11/10/2021 18:42

He has obviously got some sort of issues going on in his mind, that can maybe be helped somehow or other. But it will be hard to do, if he himself, doesn't think that he has any problems at all. These compulsive acts are difficult to deal with. It is most irritating to live with someone like this, but I would not be leaving someone because of this.

DotDashDottyDashy · 11/10/2021 18:43

How have you never told him to butt out with his meddling when you're doing something?

I have, countless times. He just keeps doing it though.

OP posts:
Congressdingo · 11/10/2021 18:43

@DotDashDottyDashy

What do you need the most from thread: do you want empathy or solutions for what your life could be like?

I wanted to know how much other people would put up with I guess.

When I said he's not a dick all the time and said he's supportive etc., that was in answer to someone who asked if I love him. He does have good points, or I wouldn't have stayed for 20 years. Also, the behaviour has crept up stealthily. When he had friends and saw his family, things were miles better. He was a lot more relaxed and fun. The fussiness got worse over the years, as did everything else, but really gradually. He's really quite a different person to who he was even 10 years ago. And of course, lockdown and him now working at home has made things a million times worse.

You are obviously married to my ex husband. Sorry. Just leave already, he wont get any better to live with. Or pull him up every time, that's a losing battle and the ante will be upped if you go that route but it's a possibility.
wewereliars · 11/10/2021 18:44

If being buried alive is not a reason to leave I don't know what is

TatianaBis · 11/10/2021 18:44

The only way to establish what you’re likely to get in a divorce is to speak to a solicitor. The starting point will be 50:50, and even if it’s not precisely that the aim will be a division of assets is fair and equal. It might not be as bad as you think.

Eddielzzard · 11/10/2021 18:50

While you work out what to do I'd be out of that house from morning til night. This is no way to live. He sounds suffocating.

Angliski · 11/10/2021 18:51

You cannot put a price on your life or your happiness. Those things cannot be bought or evaluated, they are priceless. A less comfortable home where you can put your teabags where you choose and enjoy your privacy is infinitely preferable to living with a controlling depressed sad sack.

DotDashDottyDashy · 11/10/2021 18:52

[quote HollowTalk]@DotDashDottyDashy with no children and a twenty year marriage I'd be surprised if you didn't get 50:50. He can do whatever he likes, but you're in a legal partnership with him and there's no reason why he should come out of it with more than you.[/quote]
Thanks, this is really reassuring. I did see a solicitor last year on one of these free 30-min things, but she would only say the starting point is 50/50 and that a court could take his higher earnings into account.

OP posts:
3luckystars · 11/10/2021 18:55

It sounds like you are afraid of what he would do if you told him you were leaving him.
That’s not love.

That is not love.

He has absolutely no friends or anyone who cares about him. Is the whole world wrong? He is 100% awful and is dragging you down with him. Your life is a gift, don’t waste any more of it. Good luck.

Chloemol · 11/10/2021 18:55

So next time he says you are doing the washing/ironing/cleaning or whatever wrong tell him he has a choice

Shut up and you do it your way, or he does it himself, then insist on a response

Afoxtail · 11/10/2021 18:55

He’ll only get worse. Divorce him now.
You’ve described my friend’s ex husband and she finally divorced him recently.

He’s abusive OP. That’s no way to live the rest of your life. On his next Bookclub I’d be photocopying all the financial paperwork you can get your hands on so that he can’t hide any assets once you start divorce proceedings.

youvegottenminuteslynn · 11/10/2021 18:58

You cannot possibly think that living in a different / smaller house without him is worse than being slowly suffocated to death in your current house with him?

You're basically someone he's letting live in his house, in his mind. So you don't get the privilege of relaxation, freedom of movement, choice of activities etc that come with being and equal partner and homeowner.

You're like a guest acting too comfortably for his liking, doing things as if you own the place... (because you do) which he thinks is rude because it's HIS home (in his eyes) and you're touching HIS thighs (again, in his eyes).

He's an arsehole.

youvegottenminuteslynn · 11/10/2021 19:00

@youvegottenminuteslynn

You cannot possibly think that living in a different / smaller house without him is worse than being slowly suffocated to death in your current house with him?

You're basically someone he's letting live in his house, in his mind. So you don't get the privilege of relaxation, freedom of movement, choice of activities etc that come with being and equal partner and homeowner.

You're like a guest acting too comfortably for his liking, doing things as if you own the place... (because you do) which he thinks is rude because it's HIS home (in his eyes) and you're touching HIS thighs (again, in his eyes).

He's an arsehole.

His THINGS not his thighs!
DotDashDottyDashy · 11/10/2021 19:00

@MarleneDietrichsSmile

So you’re staying for the house? Is it worth it? Shock
No, not just the house. Also fear of not having enough money to start again. I'm a freelancer - what if my earnings drop and I can't pay my bills. Also fear of being lonely. I don't have children and my family is very small. All I'll have are my friends and hobbies - will that be enough? Will I feel empty and a lack of love? Also what will I do on Christmas day? Also what about going on holiday? Also my parents are elderly and my dad has dementia. What if they deteriorate further? I don't get paid if I take time off to help them, and I'll have no one to emotionally support me through watching my dad go through a horrible disease like dementia or hug me when he gets worse. What if I get seriously ill - cancer or dementia or something - myself? How will I earn money? Who will look after me? What if I die on my own in my house and no one finds me for days or weeks because I don't have children or family?
OP posts:
MargosKaftan · 11/10/2021 19:02

Have you seen a solicitor, or just assumed he'd not let you have 50% and is usually good at getting what he wants?

I know of several lockdown divorces - couples whos marriages could only survive because they spent little time together had to face the fact they hate each other when together all the time.

If you stay for the house you'll have to face starting again at retirement or him being like this all day, but without the distraction of work to keep him entertained for several hours a day.

Id leave now. If you have a nice house, half, or even 40% will get you a flat of your own.

bigfelephantom · 11/10/2021 19:02

I normally lurk but so much of what you wrote resonated with me. I was with my ex-h for 16 years and spent much of that time focusing and dreaming of what life would be like when I left.

He too was in the house constantly, followed me around, nothing was ever good enough, I walked on eggshells and never had an opinion of my own because he would wear me down until I saw that he was right. I retreated into myself and withdrew from everything except work.
The thought of another 16 years of his abuse made me feel sick and depressed and so I told him to leave - he refused - in fact he went absolutely ballistic that I had the audacity to leave him when I had all the issues! To escape I had to leave with the DC and become officially homeless, whilst sleeping at a relative's house.
We rented so I didn't have equity to start again.
My point is that if you want to leave, you absolutely can and must begin to plan. It doesn't matter that he doesn't want you to have equity - he's not the law. See a solicitor and see where you stand.
I'm a lot of years down the line, I could not be happier. I can put on lamps, light candles, buy and wear whatever clothes I want - which I wasn't allowed to do previously.
Your life is really worth so much more than this. Big hug

trumpisagit · 11/10/2021 19:05

Imagine the peace though OP.
You are being slowly suffocated.
You would be able to have friends over and sit on your sofas with no covers.
Have you discussed this friends in person?

TheCategoryIs · 11/10/2021 19:08

He does sound pretty controlling in a subtle way.

You seem to already have a separate life for yourself with friends and hobbies.

If you are peri menopausal you might need HRT to give you back your va va vroom and the energy to leave as depleted hormones can make you feel a bit hopeless and lethargic and undesirable.

thelastgoldeneagle · 11/10/2021 19:09

Oh, op, but think of all the positives! You'd be free of this huge cloud of negativity and doom. Think how much happier you'd feel! You could put things down, do your hobbies without Mr Gloom looming over you, have a peaceful house - you only have only life, lovely. Is this how you want to live it?

DotDashDottyDashy · 11/10/2021 19:10

@Chloemol

So next time he says you are doing the washing/ironing/cleaning or whatever wrong tell him he has a choice

Shut up and you do it your way, or he does it himself, then insist on a response

To a certain extent I've tried this. So with the prepping meals and generally using the kitchen, I've told him to stop watching me or stop amending what I'm doing, or to stop telling which cloth I should use etc., and if he doesn't stop then he can do the cooking, cleaning, whatever. But his solution is to buy takeaways or ready meals - he won't cook meals. And I don't want to eat that crap, so I need to be able to cook.

I also enjoy gardening, which is something else I don't do correctly, so if I leave him to it, then I've lost a source of pleasure.

OP posts:
3luckystars · 11/10/2021 19:11

I wouldn’t worry about a lack of love if you leave him.
This is not love!

Bad stuff happens everyone, do you think living with him will make this bad stuff easier? He is awful!

Please get some counselling and advice from your family. Nobody would want this life for their loved one.

HoikingUpMyBigGirlPantss · 11/10/2021 19:11

He sounds needy, exhausting, controlling... Does your relationship bring you any joy at all? Do you want to live like this for the next 20 or 30 years? I wouldn't.
Copy all the important paperwork when he's next at bookclub and keep it somewhere he doesnt have access. Speak again to a solicitor and make plans to LTB whilst you're young enough to build a life.

DotDashDottyDashy · 11/10/2021 19:12

@trumpisagit

Imagine the peace though OP. You are being slowly suffocated. You would be able to have friends over and sit on your sofas with no covers. Have you discussed this friends in person?
Yes I'm really lucky to have a really amazing close friend who I can say anything to, so I do have support there
OP posts:
Foolsrule · 11/10/2021 19:14

Oh my goodness, OP! You deserve a medal. Think of all the positives if you fucked him off and ran away into the sunset! Freedom!!!