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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

My DH doesn’t love me anymore

128 replies

needingpeace · 24/03/2022 21:23

We’ve been married for more than two decades. It hasn’t been easy. We get in great when we do but he’s a dominant character and we do clash because he wants his own way all the time. Lockdown made things tough and he’s not been happy since then. I don’t really know what to do. I’ve begged and said I’ll try harder but he says he wants out but won’t actually do anything about it. He says he’s not interested. He won’t touch me or say he loves me. He doesn’t seek me out. He’s polite but there’s nothing else coming from him. He does what’s required. Childcare etc but doesn’t call me if I’m not at home. No messages. No dates. No interest. It’s like he doesn’t care if I’m there or not. It’s like “meh”. So it’s me making all the moves. I’ve offered sex several times but he’s “not there yet”. I’ve said then why doesn’t he move out if he wants it over but he wants to stay married but not be married. He is prepared to just make do and that’s it. He offers no support. He doesn’t ask about my day and rarely looks me in the eye. It’s just excruciating. I’m a very touchy person but it’s a killer to be constantly rejected. I don’t know what to do. He won’t leave. He says he’s fine as he is and if I’m not happy then I have to be the one to leave. Can anyone advise please?

OP posts:
Shelaydownunderthetable · 25/03/2022 00:30

OP there’s no way of salvaging something between the two of you when only one of you wants to engage. I mean - if this were one of your friends, what would you say?

Call it what you will… some would say abusive behaviour, some might not. But… Your partner does sound like he shows contempt and a complete lack of love and care for you. You deserve better.

I know you know the way he treats you isn’t right.

I’m so sorry Flowers

Onthedunes · 25/03/2022 00:36

He sounds an absolute joy.

Op, you want a relationship with him, he does not, that is cruel and abusive as a pp poster said keeps you in a continual state of neglect and fear of abandonment.

This is nasty stuff.
You have been conditioned into accepting less and less till he eventually gives nothing. My heart beaks for you reading this and still you continue being used by him.

He is an ungrafeful pig, you must stop all domestic help and physical offerings, he has used you enough and had his monies worth.

You really deserve better.

SpacePotato · 25/03/2022 00:49

Stop thinking about his behaviour and his feelings and start thinking about yourself.

He gives no shits about you and is tormenting you. He wants you gone.
Time to get angry and get shit done.

Ring a couple of estate agents and ask them to come and value the house then tell him he either buys you out or house gets sold so you can go put a deposit on your own place.

Speak to a solicitor.

VanGoghsDog · 25/03/2022 00:51

@needingpeace

Can I ask those that have said it’s abusive why do you think that? What’s abusive about it please? He says that how he lives his life is up to him and it’s now down to me to say anything about it. Why is that abusive? I’m not sure I understand. Surely it’s up to him to decide if he wants to interact with me or not. It’s his choice right?
If he was the lollipop man, maybe. But he's your fucking husband!!!
Libertybear80 · 25/03/2022 00:55

He's left already psychologically. Just go to a solicitor and make sure he doesn't shaft you financially.

Zerrin13 · 25/03/2022 00:56

How old are the children OP? Does he work at all? I think you will come to realise that you don't have any choice but to start getting tough. Let him know in no uncertain terms that you arnt packing any suitcases and you arnt going anywhere. I'm sure he would love you to leave him in his house. He wants this all to be nice and easy for him. I'd be making it anything but. Seeing a solicitor and divorcing him is something you need to do to protect yourself.

Weatherwax13 · 25/03/2022 00:57

Find your anger love. He's watching you beg and plead and he's absolutely stone cold.
Get angry. Get legal advice. Get your self respect back in the process.

frozendaisy · 25/03/2022 01:00

You are clinging on to the concept "marriage".

What does "marriage" mean to you?

Now ask is that what you have here.

needingpeace · 25/03/2022 01:02

I don’t know how to get self respect back. I’m in a no win situation here. There’s no way for me to come out of this.

OP posts:
Quatrophoenix · 25/03/2022 01:04

Paint us a picture of this adonis so that we can better advise you: I'm assuming from your predicament, that he is tall, strapping, well turned-out, kind, funny, excellent in a medical crisis, a super dad and has a good network of lovely mates?

Yaya26 · 25/03/2022 01:05

God he sounds like a prize. Nasty ba**d and he doesn’t work. Get rid x

keely79 · 25/03/2022 01:05

Just stop trying. This isn’t equal with you doing somersaults just for the barest flicker of recognition. He doesn’t love you anymore or otherwise he wouldn’t treat you like this.

keely79 · 25/03/2022 01:07

Also - think about what you’d advise your kids if they were in your situation. Would it really be to stay?

AutumnColours9 · 25/03/2022 01:07

I could have written this post and my exH was having an affair (not the first either). He eventually left for OW (he got dumped soon after Grin).

Sweetpeasaremadeofcheese · 25/03/2022 01:08

Of course it's not salvageable. He doesn't love you, it actually sounds like he really dislikes you. You can't magically make him love you and have a personality transplant, because that's what you want. He is showing you who he is and what he thinks of you.

Quatrophoenix · 25/03/2022 01:10

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

sortmyselfout · 25/03/2022 01:11

You deserve so much better than this. The situation has become dysfunctional and normalised. Which suits him fine as you're the one left suffering in a horrible silence trying to make it right. It's time to challenge your way of looking at this and him. It's time you respected your needs. He isn't and never will. You will
Become more and more miserable. It sounds like you're already doing so so much. You deserve better. Think of your life in chapters if you're finding it hard to let go of the fact it has been 20byears. They are not wasted. It is time to close the chapter and start a new one. It doesn't have to be the end of the world. It can be amazing. But right now you're holding on to what you want or hoped it would be. It isn't. And it won't be. He sounds awful. Start preparing yourself for life without him. It is a process but you absolutely need to.

Bussinbussin · 25/03/2022 01:13

OP when you're on the precipice of a separation it's truly the most terrifying thing in the world. It's normal to try to avoid it if at all possible, even if the prospect of staying is miserable.

But, thousands if not millions of people have done it, and survived, eventually thrived. You can do it too if you decide that's what's best for you. Making the decision is HARD - and things continue to be hard for a bit, then they get easier and before you know it everything feels normal again.

Do you know what's making you want to stay? From the outside looking in it sounds like a horribly bleak relationship that you'd be much better off out of. What's keeping you there, torturing yourself?

frozendaisy · 25/03/2022 01:14

Your kids won't hate you.

You need to fully understand this.

Your kids won't hate you.

They will, in time, thank you for dissolving a domestic situation where they repeatedly say their amazing mum being ground down to a shadow of what she could be by their dad.

They won't hate you.

But you need to be honest with yourself and with them.

Force the sale of the house.
Start divorce proceedings.

Accept you can't fix this, try to get to the place where you don't even want to.

Your kids won't hate you.

caringcarer · 25/03/2022 01:19

Yes you can win. You can move from having a shit life with no love, no sex and no warmth by a husband who clearly disposed you to divorcing him, getting financial independence, dating again, which you will find fun. After no warmth or affection you will find another man will care for you, find you sexy and attractive and give you love. Why would you chose to stay in a loveless marriage where you h disposed you?

JeanMarie · 25/03/2022 01:23

I was in a similar situation 26 years ago. I too had humiliated myself but finally found my anger when he started to rip up our wedding photos and unravelled a wedding video. I finally saw him for the complete and utter bastard he was. You need to find your anger and see him exactly as he is. I always think of the Maya Angelou quote " when someone shows you who they are....believe them the first time". Yes, it will be tough for a while but ultimately worth it. The one thing I regretted was losing my self respect but I got it back and it would be a cold day in hell before I'd let anybody treat me like that again.

needingpeace · 25/03/2022 01:30

All I’ve ever wanted is a family. I can’t bear to not see my kids every day. I’m not a confident, attractive person. I’m a lonely loner and I just want to be with my kids. I don’t have many friends. It’s not going to be easy to get a life. I’m nearly 60 and I feel like I’ve got nothing if I lose this marriage. I’m not one of those people who has a busy, interesting life. I’m a homebody who just wants to sit on the sofa with her kids and watch TV. I know other people might find that boring but I don’t want anything else other than that. Now I’m going to lose even that tiny little thing that I have in my life. I just want to rip my eyes out I’m so unhappy at the thought of this

OP posts:
TheTeenageYears · 25/03/2022 01:32

How old are your DC, they aren't going to live at home forever and then what will you do?

Onthedunes · 25/03/2022 01:32

Is this a reverse ?

needingpeace · 25/03/2022 01:36

@TheTeenageYears I hadn’t actually thought of that.

OP posts:
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