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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

My wife left, but I have concerns

10 replies

BLibbs · 15/01/2022 09:00

Hello,

A couple years ago, my wife and I were trying to conceive. We were finally successful, but we miscarried. During the miscarriage, she had a major hemorrhage. It completely traumatized her. She had always had some depression issues, but the trauma and the loss sent her spiralling. I have done everything I could to help her through. Tried to get her to see a therapist. I was also dealing with the loss of my mom to cancer, the loss of our potential first born, losing two of my uncles within a week of each other, and an 8 month long court battle with my aunt over our inheritance from my mother. I tried to be strong for her throughout all of this. I tried to shield her from the weight on my shoulders, trying to deal with all of the above, and trying to support her in any way I could. In the process I fear may have become emotionally distant.

After a very long time of trying to get her to see a therapist, she hit rock bottom and finally sought help. A few weeks into her therapy, she told me they had suggested that she get out of her element for a few days. Learn to cope on her own, without using me as a crutch. I reluctantly agreed to it. I didn't want her to go, but I wanted her to get better.

After a week, she left me. She said she's turning into a different person. A person I wouldn't love.

She almost immediately jumped into a new relationship with one of the people she was staying with. Someone we both met only a handful of months ago.

He is her mothers age. I've had a hard time wrapping my head around that. Thinking about it, I started remembering conversations I had with her. Her talking to me while she was out of town for a tournament, he was there too. I remembered her telling me about how he was cracking jokes about how old they both were. I didn't really think anything of it at the time. I thought about her telling me she was going to stay the night at their place (he lives with his 30 year old son, and his girlfriend) because they got her too drunk. That happened several times leading up to her leaving. These are people who haven't known is all that long, but long enough that at the time I felt I could trust them. They don't know our history, all that we had been through together. What they did know, is that she has been dealing with severe depression.

I feel like this is a weird statement to make, but I never noticed until now. But her and I both added him on Facebook the same day. She was accepted, my request is still pending.

I want to point out all this started about a month before she left. And I did condone her going out to be with friends. She has always struggled in that regard. She always felt as though our friends were my friends, not hers. I was happy that she had people she saw as her own.

Anyhow. My big question here is. Do you think she was groomed, manipulated, taken advantage of while in a very vulnerable state? Because with the context of what has happened now, that is all I can see. From the pending request, him cracking jokes calling them both old, them getting her too drunk to drive.

I hesitate to tell her my thoughts. I feel like if I do, I will just drive her further away from me.

OP posts:
BLibbs · 15/01/2022 09:11

Long, I know. There is a whole lot more to this. But mainly I had a question on the final point. I felt the rest was necessary for some context.

I am dealing as best I can. I do want my the best friend I have ever had, my wife back. Although some would call it naive of me, but I do forgive her. I know the mental state she is, and has been in.

OP posts:
LowlyTheWorm · 15/01/2022 09:19

Sorry for your losses. Perhaps instead of focusing so much on your ex wife you need to start taking care of yourself. You have also been through as much as her- more, as it was your mum who died wasn’t it?

With regards to this older man- she isn’t a child and can’t be groomed. She’s an adult and even if he has taken any advantage, and I’m not sure he has… she’s made her choices. Maybe she was vulnerable and he has swooped in, or maybe he’s just a huge change and an escape from the life she didn’t want. Who knows?
For your own sake back off and leave her to it. See counselling and support for yourself and stop worrying about her life as she is no longer your best friend- a friend would not do that to you. Let her go. I wish you well.

Purplewithred · 15/01/2022 09:19

It’s possible. Alternatively it’s possible she made an entirely adult decision to leave you for him. Did you become ‘emotionally distant’? You talk about her as if she’s incapable of making any decisions herself - do you see her as a puppet who is vulnerable and easily influenced and able to be “got drunk so she has to stay over”?

If she has left you my advice is look to yourself - why might she find the grass greener with this other person?

Haggisfish3 · 15/01/2022 09:20

Adults can be groomed. It sounds like it to me but I think you need to accept its over and put yourself first.

PainterMummy · 15/01/2022 09:24

If you say anything to her st this pint about it, it will come across wrong, more sour grapes type thing. If the door is still open with her keeping in touch h, don’t say anything negative about the guy. Just keep communication open. Every so often tell her you still love her, hope she’s doing well, getting better. If you can encourage her to continue her therapy, the therapist jay twig done things if indeed she was groomed.

For you, just keep the door open

LowlyTheWorm · 15/01/2022 09:41

Okay I should have said is an adult and hasn’t been groomed as there is only a few months she’s known this guy and there isn’t any sign of anything untoward there. I’m sorry but I think that @BLibbs is grasping at straws to make him feel like this isn’t his wife’s choice or under her control when it is. And he needs to accept that and move on with dignity and focus on his own loss and wellbeing now.

MMMarmite · 15/01/2022 09:50

I'm sorry. It sounds like this have had an awful time. I hope you are getting support for yourself.

I think there's no way of knowing what's going through your wife's head. She is an adult, so it's her choice to make. Unfortunately there's nothing you can do to change her choice . At most you could mention your concerns to a trusted mutual friend and ask them to keep an eye on her - not to report back to you, but just so that someone else can look out for her.

You've given a lot of your emotional energy to help her, and she's thrown that in your face. Whatever happens in the future, for now try to focus on yourself and be kind to yourself.

Crumbs22 · 15/01/2022 10:25

OP this must be very difficult for you. Yes, it is possible your wife was manipulated but have you ever thought about what if she wasn't? What if she really is changing as a person, what if she is happy now? You have done so much in supporting her, no one can take that away from you. However, maybe this is the time to focus on yourself and take care of yourself after the stresses you went through. Sometimes sad and traumatic events do change people and it's not always possible to return to how things used to be before. Be kind to yourself and perhaps think about doing things for yourself now and worry less about your wife.

Eleganz · 15/01/2022 14:33

I would agree with posters here that you need to focus on yourself and make sure you are getting support.

You can't change or control what your wife is doing so her motivations are not going to help. Even if you knew she was being manipulated, would she listen to you? I suspect not as she does not seem to be considering the impact of her actions on you at the moment. I suggest trying to find a way to move forward with your life not expecting her to change.

I see some have suggested keeping communication open and I would support this but only in the case that this doesn't damage your well-being.

BLibbs · 16/01/2022 21:22

I agree with all tbh. I guess with this post, I was perhaps looking more to see if I was going off the deep end for lack of better words.

I have started doing things to improve myself. Quit drinking (not that I had a problem with it before, but with the state of mind I'm in probably not a good idea) quit smoking. Started rock climbing again, seeing a therapist. And just in general trying to look forward.

I guess it was more that I felt like I was going through an emotional roller coaster, and going down this conspiracy theory route. While I still believe it's a possibility. I truly don't know. And no, I would never bring it up to her for many reasons. One being I know that if I did, the only way she would view it is that I'm trying to sabotage her relationship.

I've been in contact with her, but mostly when she reaches out, and I try to keep the conversation away from me trying to fix our marriage, or trying to convince her to come home. Again I know if I did I'd just further alienate her.

Also a couple of you mentioned the "grooming" term I used. Yeah, it's not quite what I meant, but I couldn't think of another term to use.

Anyhow. Where I'm at now is trying to figure out how to have another conversation with her about me no longer paying for her car, insurance, storage unit, phone, etc. It's a tricky one for me. She really doesn't make much. I've never asked her to find a better job, I was always able to take care of both us very comfortably. But now, I just feel like I'm paying for her to maintain her lifestyle without me. I feel like a chump.

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