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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

Am I in the wrong here?

50 replies

Yoyo007 · 12/11/2021 15:50

My partner has very clear trust issues. I don't know why. We have always been incredibly open with each other, too open. Perhaps to our detriment as I'm not sure if this is where the trust issues stem from . We have spoken about exes at length, people we have slept with etc etc. I love a drink, he loves a drink. He always instigates our drinks btw. It is always at his suggestion, I am always a willing participant. However the conversation always leads to us oversharing and sometimes we will fall out over it. I also know he has suspicions over an ex cheating on him which could be cause for the trust issues.

He has a DC that he spends every second weekend with. I do not always go, his daughter lives a long way away and he has her at his parents house who live in the same city. So we tend to have one weekend or sometimes two weekends a month apart. I don't have any children.

Now I am a very social person. I always have been a social butterfly, often referred to as the 'life of the party'. Whilst I have completely tapered back my lifestyle a lot, I still am prone to the odd night out with friends over a few wines. I am finding it lately that my DP is more than happy for me to be this person when it is with him, however when he is not around I find he interrogates me about every detail, gets mad if I have a drink, finds some reason to cause a HUGE fight even if nothing bad happens. I realise this is quite controlling. I am so so aware of it and I never have dealt with something like this from previous partners. I try to reason with him and understand his rationale and support him through this. Sometimes I even find myself telling little white lies about my weekends without him to avoid an argument. Which always comes out upon the interrogation and I am then called a liar. Honestly I find the whole situation hard to navigate.

Now to my 'Am I in the wrong?' (sorry I wanted to give the full picture). I went for dinner a few weeks ago with my friend. He knows this friend loves a wine and I'm sure before I went out he was in a foul stinking mood about it assuming what would happen (we spoke on the phone and I repeatedly asked if he was okay?). We had a lovely meal and shared a bottle of wine. We then went onto a bar after (all the while I am texting him constantly 'I love you's' 'I miss you's' trying to make him feel included to diffuse any argument). He told me he was going to sleep. We said good night. The bar my friend and I are in closes and we move onto another bar for a night cap. We walk to the station together after that and I immediately realise I do not have my phone. My friend happens to have me on 'find my friends' and we can see my phone is at the first bar, which is now shut. My immediate reaction is 'DP is going to kill me'. I consider texting him to let him know from my friends phone, however thought twice as I know he already has an opinion of her, don't want him to be worried, don't want him to stress etc. He is asleep anyway.

So the next morning at 6am I woke up quite early and logged into instagram and message him to let him know what has happened. He has gone ballistic about it. Accuses me of getting completely smashed. He has been trying to contact me all night. Why would I not text him at he moment I realised? Why would I leave him having a sleepless night? He 'doesn't want to be with someone who goes out when he isn't there'. He basically has tried to end our relationship and said we will never work. Basically is appalled I am not sorry for making a choice at 11pm that night not to text him about my phone (when he is meant to be sleeping and we would not have text anyway!!!!). I've asked him if he expects me to sit in on my own these weekends he is away. I very very rarely go out and have drinks anymore. Most of my friends have children and we would do something more child friendly.

Meanwhile, I get my phone back all good first thing the next morning. I knew exactly where it was. But I have been reminded of this incident CONSTANTLY since that weekend. And 'how drunk I got'. And 'I'm out of control'. The bloke would have no idea what I drank but it doesn't matter to him.

Am I honestly doing something wrong here? I really think it would be a different story if DP didn't like a drink himself but he only thinks it's okay for me to do it when he is around?! He says he 'can't get over his issues' and 'doesn't want to be with someone who goes out'. I hardly go out clubbing I'm mid bloody 30's!!!! I already feel like a shell of myself to keep this bloke happy and I hate that!

OP posts:
Divebar2021 · 12/11/2021 17:01

He 'doesn't want to be with someone who goes out when he isn't there'

I wonder if he expects his daughter to be dictated to by a man when she grows up?

Sakurami · 12/11/2021 17:16

He is a vile controlling and jealous prick. He doesn't trust you. Either because of his issues or because he's a cheating prick and he's judging you by his own standards.

Why on earth would you keep messaging him when you're out with a friend?? And no, you shouldn't have messaged him at night because he'd already gone to bed and even then, you're a grown adult and not under police protection and he doesn't need to know your every move.

Don't change. The issue isn't you. Dump him.

Aquamarine1029 · 12/11/2021 17:38

It is extremely alarming that you are even willing to speak to him about this. His behaviour and attitude is so horrible, so unacceptable, you shouldn't ever even speak to him again, never mind try to work this out. He will never, ever change.

CecilieRose · 12/11/2021 17:49

God, run a mile. You know this isn't right, don't you? Why on earth was he even awake to notice you weren't texting back? He said he was going to bed! Once I say goodnight to my partner he would not expect to hear from me again until the next day. If I'd messaged saying I'd lost my phone he'd say 'oh that sucks, hope you get it back.'

Everything about this is totally weird and controlling. Now he's manipulating you by making you think he wants to leave you. You don't need to navigate anything moving forward, you need to end things and block him.

Alphavilla · 12/11/2021 17:51

It never ceases to amaze me how men still feel that they own the little woman and that they get to say when she can and can't go out, what she should or shouldn't wear, who she can or can't see. You have equal freedoms to him op tell him to get stuffed with his curtailments to your life. He doesn't own you. If you were married he still wouldn't own you. Women should assert their rights to do as they please the same as men do. There are too many cases of women restricting their life choices to keep the mean moody man happy. We've really got to overcome this mentality and servile expectation. Men are not the boss!

KatharinaRosalie · 12/11/2021 17:55

Run. Not kidding. You're on eggshells, can't enjoy your evening because you are constantly working on diffusing a future argument. This is not healthy.
I go out with my friends. I might text DH, I might not - I am not worried about his reaction or any arguments. And that's not special, that's normal.

Skiptheheartsandflowers · 12/11/2021 17:59

Leave him to it with his 'issues' then! Seriously, stop trying to talk him round about this. Call it a day.

1MillionDollars · 12/11/2021 18:01

Not going to jump on the abusive bandwagon, but he has trust and insecurity issues. No way to live at all.

He needs to deal with it, you need to decide whether you can put up with it.

I know and I've learnt that I can be/was very insecure when I first get together with someone. I hope I can recognise that when I enter another relationship. When I feel more at ease, no problem at all. Ex would go out all the time, come back at all hours, we agreed on not txting when out because you just get carried away with the night etc.

Let's not jump straight to the abusive thing, but he needs to sort his shit out or you walk. His problem should not become yours.

Opentooffers · 12/11/2021 18:05

Yes, you've done wrong, by staying with him, and trying to reason with what is a bad character trait. You really cannot talk a person out of this behaviour, and it will get worse, not better, as time goes on. Stick to your guns, whatever excuses he gives, none are acceptable, he's just plain wrong. Ignore all complaints. You should dump him from a great height. Just do you, because you've done nothing unreasonable here, if he ends it on that basis, he ends it, but you need at the least to push back on this and shut it down. Under no circumstances moderate your behaviour for him or anyone, he gets like it or lump it.

1MillionDollars · 12/11/2021 18:09

@Opentooffers

I disagree. I was unaware of how jealous and insecure I was when entering two previous relationships. It took my last relationship to learn that in the beginning stages org an RL this is how I get. It's painful and although I try to deal with it, it seeps out. I hope I've learnt and grown.

After a little while I would relax and my ex could be talk to all the men she wanted to and come home as late as she cared. It's trust and his trust/insecurity issues.

Does the OP have to put up with it....NO

KirstenBlest · 12/11/2021 18:10

Yes, you are doing something wrong. You are putting up with his behaviour. Bin him.

CloseYourEyesAndSee · 12/11/2021 18:12

You cannot manage or change an abusive man. Make no mistake he is abusive. You need to end it.

category12 · 12/11/2021 18:18

He needs to go to Dumpsville, population, him.

YellowandGreenToBeSeen · 12/11/2021 18:20

Leave him. Immediately. I wouldn’t bother ‘talking’ to him tomorrow, I’d just text him it’s over tonight…

But be aware, he will RAMP up the abusive calls and texts. He’s likely to be furious with you for walking. Block his number.

GrannieD · 12/11/2021 18:20

Dump the bastard and get your gladrags on again. Gonna be a shite Xmas if you stay with him and can’t party with your mates ! Enjoy your freedom x

category12 · 12/11/2021 18:21

@1MillionDollars Someone with "trust issues" that they weaponise against their partner, has no business being in a relationship at all. .

The person has the responsibility to sort themselves out - and to do that before they inflict themselves on a partner.

Aubree17 · 12/11/2021 18:25

Your not in the wrong.

Instead of seeing him as controlling and everything else noted above, maybe consider that he has deeper trust/ insecurity that he needs to address.

I would insist he gets help or the relationship is over. Living in this way will be a misery for you.

Claralaura · 12/11/2021 18:29

Run for the hills, the "honest and open" thing is a really common way that controlling men gain information on their partner early on and can then trot it out to use against them. "Well you cheated on your first boyfriend so that's why I don't trust you" that kind of thing.... honestly just leave don't bother trying to change him, I bet he has form in other relationships and you're 100% better off without him

OfNick · 12/11/2021 18:30

Honestly, finish it. I've been in a relationship like this and it won't end well. Would you want your DD to be in something like this? If you wouldn't then never allow her or yourself around this controlling arse of a man.

1MillionDollars · 12/11/2021 18:31

@Aubree17

Your not in the wrong.

Instead of seeing him as controlling and everything else noted above, maybe consider that he has deeper trust/ insecurity that he needs to address.

I would insist he gets help or the relationship is over. Living in this way will be a misery for you.

. . . I agree.
category12 · 12/11/2021 18:35

@Aubree17

Your not in the wrong.

Instead of seeing him as controlling and everything else noted above, maybe consider that he has deeper trust/ insecurity that he needs to address.

I would insist he gets help or the relationship is over. Living in this way will be a misery for you.

No, he's absolutely controlling and abusive.

He interrogates her, he calls her names, he expects her to be in touch constantly, he throws past events in her face repeatedly.

And he doesn't see his behaviour as the issue. He thinks what he does is perfectly fine and it's up to her to change her behaviour to placate him, not him to get a fucking grip of himself.

She's not a rehab centre for damaged men, especially ones who have no interest in change.

Yoyo007 · 12/11/2021 18:43

@category12 Wow I am so impressed at how you have read my post and absolutely nailed it. This is how I have felt and tried to articulate it so many times. You have said it wonderfully! I am terrible at articulating myself but this has certainly helped xx

OP posts:
category12 · 12/11/2021 18:52

I hope you give him the boot Smile

GoIntoTheLight · 12/11/2021 18:53

“outside of this it is the most open and honest and happy and loving relationship I have been in.”

Even the most toxic relationship looks okay if you discount the bad bits.

What everyone else said. This is not normal. You are allowed to go out with a friend without being subject to this nonsense.

Maybebaby8 · 12/11/2021 18:59

This sounds awful, I had an EX who would call me up and call me a slag if I went out with my friends. Needless to say I was much happier dumping him and being able to go out with my friends when I wanted and peacefully.

I can honestly say if it was the other way around and my partner had messaged to say they lost their phone, my first response would be thank god you're safe and got home OK.

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