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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 is being horrible to me

100 replies

LadyFyck · 23/02/2022 18:37

I think.

Recently we had a minor disagreement over a "joke." I was on a stepladder at the top of the stairs painting the top of the wall and he did that thing where you grab someone, jolt them toward a massive drop so their adrenaline goes mad and say "saved your life" or something. So he jolted me toward the stairs, while I was already standing on a ladder and I had no idea he was even there. I had headphones on listening to music and it was absolutely terrifying!! I shouted "what the fuck are you doing you fucking idiot!?"

And he has been sulking and ice cold to me since then. It was on Saturday. He has literally not touched me or shared more than a couple of sentences with me since then. He knows 100% that withdrawing affection is something I consider to be horribly hurtful and abusive and I have, in this time, expressed to him that I feel very unloved and sad. He has done absolutely nothing to make me feel better, nor has he apologised for frightening me, but he expects me to apologise for shouting at him when I literally was terrified. He says I should trust that he would never hurt me or put me in danger and I said I am not apologising for a reaction when I was frightened, perhaps he should apologise for doing something so dangerous! He maintains it wasn't dangerous because he was in control the whole time and I made him feel humiliated by what I said and how I reacted.

He's making me feel absolutely worthless and he's never normally like this. He has got form for sulking like a fucking teenager every so often but not like this. I am so miserable. I told him this and said that I feel like he's doing this now to discourage me from ever sticking up for myself because this will be the result, and he said that's a disgusting thing for me to say!

OP posts:
MsMarch · 24/02/2022 14:29

He got upset and said it sounds like I'm saying he's an abuser who wanted to frighten me

Frightening you wasn't the abusive part - that was a mistake. The abusive part is where he refused to acknowledge that he'd made a mistake and then punished you for 5 days because you dared to call him out on it.

Geranium1984 · 24/02/2022 14:48

You are absolutely in the right and he needs to apologise. It was a horrible thing to do. My palms are getting sweaty thinking about being wobbled up a ladder ughhhhhh

TigerLilyTail · 24/02/2022 14:59

Of course he knows how upsetting this is for you. That's why he's doing it. To punish you!

Personally, I'd enjoy the peace and quiet. Don't let him see that he's getting to you. Grey rock him. It will leave him looking foolish.

AfraidToRun · 24/02/2022 15:04

I really understand. Especially how it can make you feel.

My ex used to kick and punch the crap out of the furniture, speed in the car as I shook like a leaf and make jokes about me being top of the list of people he would shoot with a shotgun if he had one. I should have just known he wasn't actually threatening me, would never hurt me and I clearly had no sense of humour.

Some people have 0 skills to ask for what they need or the ability to cope with any conflict and so bully people into it because they have no other option. Therapy for him would be the best thing but I don't know if he'd be up for that. It could be that he's a lost cause because his entitlement runs too deep but you will know him better than us.

My ex was a no-hoper I'm so glad I left.

P1ainJanine · 24/02/2022 16:06

He says you should know that he wouldn't do anything to hurt you, but he knows that his sulking hurts you and continues to do it, rather than talk to you like an adult. You already know that withholding affection is abusive.

His words don't match his actions. He's unlikely to change, as that would mean he'd have to admit that he'd done something wrong, and that's why he's not talking in the first place. He knows he's being a twat.

OhJesusEffingChrist · 24/02/2022 16:09

Next time he's in a position to do it back to him then do the same
I'd be banking that into my memory and be waiting for the perfect opportunity
What an arsehole
He needs to grow the fuck up

FlowerArranger · 24/02/2022 16:12

@Maray1967

I would be absolutely furious if mine did that to me. There is absolutely no way I would be making any effort to smooth things over when he’s not apologised. That would be it. He can look after himself. I don’t see how giving in will help you in the long term. It will just set a pattern which he will continue. He needs to apologise now for shaking the ladder - extremely stupid and dangerous behaviour.
THIS^
Longcovid21 · 24/02/2022 16:17

What an extremely dangerous thing to do. If you had let go he could have seriously injured you.

MissMaple82 · 24/02/2022 16:23

I've done courses on DV, the silent treatment and withholding affection is a form of emotional/mental abuse

Ionlydomassiveones · 24/02/2022 16:26

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn at the poster's request.

Watchkeys · 24/02/2022 16:41

@OhJesusEffingChrist

Next time he's in a position to do it back to him then do the same I'd be banking that into my memory and be waiting for the perfect opportunity What an arsehole He needs to grow the fuck up
Terrible, immature advice. How would you expect to have a healthy relationship if you're 'banking' unhealthy relationship behaviour and deliberately repeating it?
layladomino · 24/02/2022 16:46

I feel for you Op. It's worse the more I read. You had the awful awful experience as a child, and he's choosing to do the same to you. It's beyond cruel.

Regularsizedrudy · 24/02/2022 16:48

He’s an cunt

Ttcfinalbub · 24/02/2022 16:56

Different traumas can make ups really really hard. It is cruel of him but maybe he's stuck in his own experience too ?

StormyWindow · 24/02/2022 17:03

Your last post made me cry OP, no child (or adult actually) should ever be treated like that. I can completely see why your DH's behaviour has upset you so much with that as background, have you told your DH about it in that much detail? I hope what you've said to him today gives him a new perspective and he can find a better way of dealing with his feelings Flowers

OhJesusEffingChrist · 24/02/2022 18:11

@Watchkeys that's the way I work.... you try to fuck me up, you get it back to know what it feels like and you probably won't do it again 🙃

Watchkeys · 24/02/2022 18:13

[quote OhJesusEffingChrist]@Watchkeys that's the way I work.... you try to fuck me up, you get it back to know what it feels like and you probably won't do it again 🙃[/quote]
Very immature advice, as I said. Good luck!

OhJesusEffingChrist · 24/02/2022 18:14

@Watchkeys thanks! 👍

Opal8 · 24/02/2022 18:16

He's just like his dad

He did a stupid thing

The abusive part is what he's doing now

Why2why · 24/02/2022 18:20

What do you mean when you can’t cope when he is ignoring you? You really should not allow such things to have this level of control over your life.

Fireflygal · 24/02/2022 19:29

He said that he didn't know what to do, he felt humiliated and angry about that

Is he prepared to learn new reactions/skills?

John Bradshaw: "Guilt says I've done something wrong; shame says there is something wrong with me. Guilt says I've made a mistake; shame says I am a mistake. Guilt says what I did was not good; shame says I am no good."

If he's prepared to learn and change he can work on this reactions...it starts with taking time out and when calmer he needs to work on his feelings - recognising he might be feeling shame whereas guilt is more appropriate. Guilt might have allowed him to sincerely apologise to you. Guilt would stop him doing it again. Guilt doesn't suppress his empathy.

Op, if you don't have children please realise that behaviour often gets much worse when dc come along. It is a very vulnerable time for women and why abusive behaviour always ramps up during pregnancy or post birth.

SarahDarah · 24/02/2022 19:58

@LadyFyck the best way to deal with a sulking person is to show them their sulking is not stopping you from enjoying life and having a good time. Go out ans about/ chat happily kn the phone with friends and family and leave him to sulk on his own. Be joyful, upbeat as you go round the house and do your day to day activities. The whole point of sulking is to make the other person feel miserable and uncomfortable so if you're the opposite he will soon learn his sulking doesn't have the desired effect! At some point he has to return to normal so don't worry about it in the meantime. When he returns back to normal, tell him strongly that his behaviour is unacceptable and he's not to play such dangerous pranks pm you again. I've actually never come across someone who does such pranks Hmm

Shoxfordian · 24/02/2022 21:53

It sounds like you married an emotionally abusive sulky man like your father tbh

MrJollyLivesNextDoor · 24/02/2022 22:31

He's not remorseful or contrite at all is he

He's only deigning to talk with you because you are going about your business and showing him he's not getting to you any more, and that doesn't suit him

It's all about him - how your reaction has made him feel.

No apology for a weeks worth of silent treatment - especially unforgivable given your childhood treatment.

MarbleQueen · 24/02/2022 22:38

No one can make you feel any way. Your feelings are your own. You are responsible for your own feelings. Just like well she made me angry - so.... Nope. You need to take responsibility for how you feel

This amateur psycho gobbledygook is really patronising.

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