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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

Lying around drinking

9 replies

Sunshine8537 · 02/02/2023 21:33

So I had it out with my partner couple of months ago about his drinking. He has a couple of cans a night; weekends maybe a bottle of wine. I’ve no issue with couple of cans my issue was he was going to the pub before returning home and not telling me and then having additional drink. When I’d ask he would say he came straight home. I found out he was going pub and confronted him - he was also hiding his car. He went defensive, turned it on me and then made out it was no big deal ‘he doesn’t have to tell me everything’. The lying really gets to me because we have a little girl and it annoys me that he would get off work early and go there instead of suggesting he picked our daughter up from nursery…or even returned home to spend more time with her.

after couple of days of not wanting to be around him we eventually started speaking- he actually stayed out for 2 nights (hotel&mums) I told him how I felt etc. He was really sensitive to me until he felt things had blown over and he went back to drinking couple of cans. Anyways couple of weeks I’ve felt uneasy and lo and behold I noticed his car parked up in a nearby street next to pub - he was in there. I gave him several opportunities to come clean but he skirted around it until I eventually had to tell him I knew. Yet again he turned it on me and made an excuse when he clearly stated earlier that he wasn’t there and hasn’t been to that pub for ages.

I'm at the point where it makes me feel sick! The lying really winds me up and I’m struggling to deal with it. That along the defensive behaviour and the fact he can’t accept he’s a functional alcoholic. He thinks because he gets up for work he’s not. Both myself and my partner came from broken homes - we both have childhood trauma (like so many people) and I am trying to avoid this for my daughter but I don’t know how I can overcome the lies and how he twists things. It’s frustrating because he’s a kind and generous person who idolises his daughter but he’s a people pleaser too and almost scared to disappoint.

am I overreacting? Should I just get over it and accept his winding down is a few beers? Like I said it’s the lying. My view is if he didn’t have a problem he wouldn’t need to lie. I just don’t get it!!

OP posts:
missunderstood2023 · 02/02/2023 23:36

He sounds like he has an issue with alcohol and by lying about it seems like he knows it's an issue too.

pointythings · 03/02/2023 09:20

He's definitely dependent on alcohol and the fact that he is going to the pub for 'extra' and lying about it is a bad sign. However, you cannot make him change, only he can do that. It's now up to you to decide whether you want to stay in this relationship or whether you want to go it alone with your DD. I know what I'd choose (been there, done that).

Nikki3009 · 23/06/2023 00:03

Having lived with a man who has a drink problem and has made millions of promises to stop or cut back, I’m sad to say that you won’t get your partner to stop or change. He has to do that himself.

Fidgety31 · 23/06/2023 10:43

Lots of people go to the pub to unwind after work - that’s fine . But lying about it is not fine .

But also I see why he is lying - because if he tells you he is going to the pub you are going to have an argument.

You are just not compatible . He wants to socialise and you don’t want him to .

Shapemyeyebrows · 23/06/2023 15:47

@Sunshine8537 Lying about his drinking is a major red flag. My guess would be you don’t really know the true extent of his drinking. Getting defensive is also a major red flag. I left a relationship with a functioning alcoholic (i didn’t know he was until we lived together) and when the truth came out I remember him saying to me that if you ask any alcoholic how much they drink you can probably double the answer they give. If he is driving as well he’s most likely over the limit.

Sunshine8537 · 24/06/2023 11:42

my problem isn’t him socialising. I am in no way clingy or controlling.

my problem is him spending approx £100 week on alcohol when we’ve got a family.
my problem is he that if he gets an early dart from work he takes the opportunity to go the pub rather than pick our daughter up from school.

I wouldn’t class him as a selfish person but sometimes his thought process is selfish!

OP posts:
Panama2 · 24/06/2023 11:44

Has he always been like this or is new or relatively new behaviour?

WandaWonder · 24/06/2023 11:54

Fidgety31 · 23/06/2023 10:43

Lots of people go to the pub to unwind after work - that’s fine . But lying about it is not fine .

But also I see why he is lying - because if he tells you he is going to the pub you are going to have an argument.

You are just not compatible . He wants to socialise and you don’t want him to .

Yea this is what I am thinking, if drinking is causing issues that should be death with but if I feel I am being interrogated I may lie, I don't think having an drink issue is a simple case of 'I won't drink now' but you should have to put up with bad behaviour either

It does not sound like you are compatible though

Lovetotravel123 · 24/06/2023 12:22

You are not being overly sensitive. It is clear he has an issue. Try logging on to an Al Anon online meeting for families of alcoholics.

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