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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

Why this feels so weird

54 replies

Favouriteblue · 29/10/2021 19:56

NC for this.

I have been with DP nearly 1.5 years. Still live separately. The first year was amazing, I was treated well and was happy but the longer I am in it, the worse it gets. But maybe I'm too demanding, maybe it is me who is looking at things form the wrong perspective? I don't know what I want from this thread. I'm at crossroad and don't know where to go. There is so many negative things coming out recently and I'm so anxious about it all.

He doesn't have any friends, says he doesn't need people in his life
Fell out with his parents years ago, I still don't know what happened as he doesn't want to talk about it
There are times when he asks me something and stops me half way through saying cool I know what you wanted to say move on to another point or would say he doesn't care when I want to tell him something
When I come to his he wouldn't come to say hi, give me a kiss and when I ask why doesn't he do that he tells me to stop looking for problems
He tells me to tell him when he does something wrong because he might not realise. All fine but when I do that he moans that I make a big deal out of nothing. When I feel he said something disrespectful I tell him and then he replies that I should appreciate what I have and that I'm looking for a perfect man. He calls me Little Ms Perfect what I do that.

He doesn't take me out for dates any more. I don't remember last time when we were out on our own. I have asked but got ignored.
He has 10yo DD and takes her out for dinners whenever she wants. If I join them he considers it to be a date. It isn't.
We go for trips every weekend with his DD (he has her every Sunday and every second Saturday). When I say I would want to go somewhere just with him he is always tired and says I should know he is busy and tired. I know he is busy but do I not deserve anything nice?

Sex used to be amazing but it is not any more, it is now all about him and if I say anything he replies that I should appreciate what I have and stop looking for problems, that it is normal that sex changes. He asks me to go down on him which I (used to) do, but when I ask him to do it, he is always tired or not in a mood. I was trying to be understanding and kind of accepted that despite being upset. He has done it again a few days ago. I've told him it isn't fair and it feels like I put much more in sex than he does and I'm upset because it doesn't get reciprocated. He got offended and told me it is my fault because I haven't told him earlier that I was upset about it. He said he couldn't remember when he said he wasn't going to do it for me. The conversation was just awful. I cried, felt accused and felt like whatever I said wasn't good enough for him, like it was my fault. I feel drained, I feel like we were talking about two different situations, I don't understand him being angry. He never said he didn't mean to, he never said he is sorry. He said he doesn't remember and it is my fault and I should've said something sooner. Maybe I should but I felt humiliated.
He doesn't talk to me now. I feel like I shouldn't have told him anything.

We did have a few arguments and every single time these conversations look this way. No matter what I say is wrong, he always finds a way to misinterpret what I have said and twist situations, he tells me I have said something I haven't. I feel like I'm loosing a plot, like I don't know who I am. I keep forgetting things as if my brain was in some sort of fog. When we don't argue he is lovely, caring, we both have a similar lifestyle and just get on with it together.

I feel I'm not emotionally safe any more, I cry when we argue, I hate these weird conversations, they leave me drained. I have friends, lovely family and never have problems with talking to them, there is never a problem with them understanding what I'm saying.

I don't know what I'm doing. Sometimes I want just to get out of this relationship but then we still have a good times and I love him and miss him. I don't know how to do it.

OP posts:
DivorcedAndDelighted · 29/10/2021 20:13

Just wanted to send a hug. It sounds like this relationship has run its course and really isn't working for you any more. He's being inconsiderate. You're being mature and trying to talk about problems but he's basically saying that you're not allowed to be upset, only he gets to decide what is an issue. I'd follow your instincts get out. Don't try to fix this one. There are some great threads on here with advice from really wise people - I feel like so much can be learned. Take care of yourself. Flowers

Pumpkinsondisplay · 29/10/2021 20:17

Flogging
Dead
Horse
Sorry op but you need to end it.. ASAP.

BlackAlys · 29/10/2021 20:18

He's no good for you.
It will NOT improve.
It WILL get worse.

How much are you prepared to put up with?

Life is too unpredictability short for this shit.

Monr0e · 29/10/2021 20:19

A year and a half in
You don't live together
He treats you like an afterthought and isn't even nice to you
Please tell him to shove this half arsed relationship where the son don't shine and raise your bar. You can do so much better

Monr0e · 29/10/2021 20:20

Sun! Where the sun doesn't shine 🤦‍♀️

RogueV · 29/10/2021 20:21

He sounds awful.

FOJN · 29/10/2021 20:23

I have friends, lovely family and never have problems with talking to them, there is never a problem with them understanding what I'm saying.

He's not misunderstanding you, he's willfully misinterpreting you. Presumably you always end up looking like the unreasonable one at the end of these exhausting conversations. I was married to a man like that. He won't change, things will get worse.

The "good" times are only to keep you hooked and hoping for better.

Cut your losses and reclaim yourself from this head fuck. Walking away will feel like a weight off your shoulders.

Aprilx · 29/10/2021 20:24

You don’t sound demanding. He sounds like he can’t be arsed with relationship.

Dery · 29/10/2021 20:28

"The first year was amazing, I was treated well and was happy but the longer I am in it, the worse it gets. But maybe I'm too demanding, maybe it is me who is looking at things form the wrong perspective? I don't know what I want from this thread. I'm at crossroad and don't know where to go. There is so many negative things coming out recently and I'm so anxious about it all."

You don't feel safe because you're not safe with this man. You're anxious because he's now showing his true colours and his true colours are those of an abuser:

  1. He doesn't bother to hear what you have to say even when he's asked you a question - he shuts you down and tells you he knows what you were going to say (what a fucking liberty);
  2. He says he doesn't care when you want to tell him something (as in - he doesn't care about you and you're not of interest to him);
  3. He ignores your sexual needs while making sure his get met;
  4. When you try to talk to him he twists it round on you - look up gaslighting and DARVO;
  5. He tells you to tell him if you need something; then he tells you you're at fault for his inadequacies because you didn't tell him sooner - so he's always the victim and everything is always someone else's fault;
  6. He doesn't take you out any more;
  7. He doesn't meet your needs and he blames you for that;
  8. He burns relationship bridges - he's socially deeply dysfunctional. It would be interesting to know why his first relationship ended. I feel sorry for his daughter.

You have brain fog because you have fallen into the hands of an abuser. It's a very common symptom. It's the cognitive dissonance between what your brain and your senses are telling you are happening and what he's trying to convince you is happening. It's also very common that there are good times. Look up the cycle of abuse. Even the most vulnerable person wouldn't stick around someone who abused them all the time but abusers can be pleasant quite a lot of the time also.

I actually felt a bit sick reading your account of how he treats you. Get out now while the going's good. This will only get worse. It's already affecting your mental and emotional health and you've only been with him for a 1.5 years.

DrSbaitso · 29/10/2021 20:30

Well he isn't going to get better. It might have been amazing at one point but this is the best it's going to be from now on. You don't need anyone's permission to end it now it's run its course.

Favouriteblue · 29/10/2021 20:31

I've never had these problems when I was single. I was strong and happy and had a lovely life.

He says he loves me and he is trying his best for us to have an amazing relationship. He really thinks our relationship is amazing and he keeps saying there is nothing he could complain about.

This makes me wonder whether I'm missing something obvious, maybe I'm really trying to find problems if he says our relationship is so good. It confuses the hell out of me.

OP posts:
LuluJakey1 · 29/10/2021 20:32

Over, done, walk away.

Honeyroar · 29/10/2021 20:33

He’s not treating you well and telling you it’s your fault if you question it. You deserve better, by far. He’s going to erode your self esteem and happiness bit by bit. Time to walk away.

LorenzoVonMatterhorn · 29/10/2021 20:34

If he is trying his best and you feel like shit, theres nowhere to go is there?

Dump him

DinaofCloud9 · 29/10/2021 20:36

Come on you know he's horrible. Read over what you've written. He sounds like a right prick

Honeyroar · 29/10/2021 20:36

Of course he thinks the relationship is good. You let him get away with murder. He doesn’t have to put any effort in - no effort/romance/dates, crap, selfish sex, blames you for everything. Yet you put up with it all..

rumred · 29/10/2021 20:39

You deserve better. This is not an equal good relationship.

FlorenciaFlora · 29/10/2021 20:39

He really thinks our relationship is amazing

It probably is to him. It’s why he doesn’t want anything to change.

If it’s not amazing for you, get rid. It’s wall to wall cock out there, you don’t have to settle for this.

OverweightPidgeon · 29/10/2021 20:40

This makes me wonder whether I'm missing something obvious, maybe I'm really trying to find problems if he says our relationship is so good. It confuses the hell out of me

He is gaslighting you, he wants you to be confused and doubt yourself, classic abuser tactics.

Please get out of this toxic mess before you lose any more of yourself.

Dery · 29/10/2021 20:42

"He says he loves me and he is trying his best for us to have an amazing relationship. He really thinks our relationship is amazing and he keeps saying there is nothing he could complain about.

This makes me wonder whether I'm missing something obvious, maybe I'm really trying to find problems if he says our relationship is so good. It confuses the hell out of me."

Talk is cheap. He says he loves you whilst repeatedly showing that he doesn't. There's nothing confusing or mysterious here. You're not missing anything obvious. Your relationship is great for him. It's not surprising he experiences it as amazing. He gets sex. He gets your company. He gets you bending over backwards trying to meet his needs. But, you know, while he's getting his needs met, he's repeatedly showing that he doesn't give a flying fuck about meeting yours and that you and your opinions, wants and needs are unimportant. He even invites you to tell him what you need and then takes the time to explain why it's your fault he's not meeting your needs and blames you for having had the temerity to ask for something. He's making damn sure you never ask him for a damn thing. He seems pathologically incapable of seeing things from your point of view which is a very bad characteristic in a partner. I think he's abusive; at the very least, for me, his behaviour is verging on sinister.

Bottom line, OP: if this relationship were good for you, you would feel good about it. You wouldn't feel drained, neglected, confused and hurt. You wouldn't have brain fog. All these are symptoms of the fact that the relationship is bad for you. If it were good for you, you would feel relaxed and happy; the relationship would be a source of emotional support and energy for you.

And this is him 1.5 years in. This is not him going through a dip after, say, 20 years of being supportive and loving. I think he's really bad news, OP, and you would be much happier without him.

DameMaureen · 29/10/2021 20:42

I only read half of it and I was screaming "Leave him " !

FOJN · 29/10/2021 20:45

This makes me wonder whether I'm missing something obvious, maybe I'm really trying to find problems if he says our relationship is so good. It confuses the hell out of me.

You're meant to be confused. He gets you to consume energy trying to recover emotional equilibrium before upsetting it all over again while he appears unaffected and then you question whether it's you.

IsThePopeCatholic · 29/10/2021 20:47

He is a selfish twat. He’s not making you happy. Why are you still with him? You deserve so much more.

ParmigianoReggiano · 29/10/2021 20:47

This is as good as it's going to get OP. I'd walk away now with your head held high. He sounds like a lazy, gaslighting arse. And selfish in bed too.

HollowTalk · 29/10/2021 20:49

There is absolutely no point to this relationship. He's fucking horrible.