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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

At my wits end with best friends saying that her dh is abusive

13 replies

Cathy288 · 12/02/2023 16:16

Ive had to name change for this as I don’t want to out myself. I’ve been friends with her for 35 years, since school, and are like sisters. She’s been married 14 years now, her dh is well liked by all of us, comes across as a nice man, he manages large teams of people in his work, and they all love him. He earns a very high salary too. No dc. She gave up a professional job and has always been lazy, hates hard work. At uni she was always applying for mitigation because she chose not to work, and would blame it on mental health which she didn’t have. Over the last 5 years she started to complain about him a lot, first it was his eating behaviour, like she wouldn’t want him eating crisp because he was gaining weight. Then it was he drinks too much, she told him he has to stop but would drink herself. She seemed to control him more and more. He at some point stood up to her and said she can’t choose for him. At this point she started telling me he is EA and FA. We’ve had the same conversations for 4 years now, she calls him a narcissist, has taken him to therapy, gone herself the lot. She has a penchant for expensive things and buys so much stuff, he has asked her to be careful with the money after she bought 3 items of jewellery costing 10k each and without discussing it. She saw this as FA. Eventually she left him whilst in Ibiza on a girls trip, simply refusing to return home and took up a lease, paid for by him. After 6 months he filed for divorce, she was horrified and clearly didn’t want it. As divorce proceedings continued she realised that she’s not going to be able to continue being lazy and will have to work ons day. She also felt extremely jealous that he started dating someone else. So she decided to go back to him and shockingly he took her back. She has said to me she can’t cope with life alone and needs him to help her with day to day things and she needs access to the money. I reminded her of all the abuse she’s told me about. To which she said it’s worth paying the price. They have been in divorce proceedings three times, initiated by him after she’s left, but then comes back. Now I’m left thinking whether she is telling the truth about him being so bad. Whether she’s the abusive one. I’m her last friend, they have all walked away over the years fed up of her behaviour. I have 4 dc I work full time and have sacrificed so much time, our spare room, and more for her. She’s impatient with my dc at times, she frequently cancels plans because she ‘can’t be bothered today’ in fact I’ve now noticed she only contacts me to talk about how toxic her dh is. When things settle I hear less and if I contact her she’s very short, or never replies. I’m upset about all of this, I have maintained the friendship because of how long-standing it is, maybe I should’ve walked away many years ago. I feel sorry for her as she doesn’t have many other friends. But I have nothing much left to give this. And I am completely baffled about what is really going on here, I’m also disappointed that she appears to be manipulating him. Any thoughts appreciated thank you.

OP posts:
Mabelface · 12/02/2023 16:23

You know why she doesn't have many friends. She treats people atrociously, only seeing what benefits her. I'd leave her as someone you used to know.

Pennyforthezombies · 12/02/2023 16:29

She sounds like an emotional vampire… I had a friend like this and eventually I had to walk for the sake of my sanity; it was so exhausting and draining. People like this never see what they’re like, don’t have the emotional insight and she’ll be alright without you if you do withdraw, people like this always are.

Cathy288 · 12/02/2023 16:31

Thank you both
for some reason I feel scared of her
I could never tell her I don’t want to be friends. I would have to find a way of being less available and less responsive in the hope we drift apart.

OP posts:
hryllilegur · 12/02/2023 16:32

since you clearly don’t like her, I’d say she’s not a friend and it may be time to see much less of her.

Cathy288 · 12/02/2023 16:47

The thing is I still do actually care about her, and find it hard to ditch her as a friend.

OP posts:
LoekMa · 12/02/2023 16:54

Cathy288 · 12/02/2023 16:47

The thing is I still do actually care about her, and find it hard to ditch her as a friend.

Never in my life have I ever felt scared of a friend, too afraid to cut ties.

Might be a sign of something worth looking into further OP

Witchytwitchybitchy · 12/02/2023 18:30

I wouldn’t worry about her. She’s living her best life!
From what you said, she’s not being abused. Her husband is though.!

Be less and less available. Return texts several days later. Don’t see her.

Cathy288 · 12/02/2023 18:32

@LoekMa yes you are so right, I’ve allowed myself to be taken advantage of by lots of friends. I allow myself to be pulled into their problems and it’s like they become my problems, whereas other friends step away. I’m working on my boundaries I need to be better. Thank you

OP posts:
WinnieFosterReads · 12/02/2023 18:34

It doesn't sound like you like her and it doesn't sound like you've liked her since uni. So rather than spending ages listing everything about her life, ask yourself what you're getting out of spending time with someone who you judge harshly? Your post says much more about you than it does about her.

Terrribletwos · 12/02/2023 18:46

Cathy288 · 12/02/2023 16:47

The thing is I still do actually care about her, and find it hard to ditch her as a friend.

You really, really need to a deep dive into why you're in awe/scared of her because this isn't healthy.

TheCatterall · 12/02/2023 19:19

She sounds emotionally abusive and controlling to her husband and I can’t imagine what she brings to a friendship either.

this women is toxic and why are you wasting time on her? Ask yourself - would you accept your partner treating you the way this ‘friend’ is? No? Dump her. Phase her out. Become unavailable whatever.

what’s the worst that will happen if you dump her? She’ll have a hissy fit? And then what? Imagine how peaceful your life will be without her drama.

you are only their to be her audience to the drama she creates and imagines in her life. She’s not interested in you other wise.

Cathy288 · 12/02/2023 22:19

@TheCatterall you are right, she has been unpleasant to me, pressured me to only eat certain foods when together because she doesn’t agree with their nutritional value. That’s one of a number of things.
thank you

OP posts:
TheCatterall · 12/02/2023 22:29

You’re welcome sausage. It’s hard dealing with friendship conflict and I feel women will
take a lot more shit from someone they deem a friend then they would a partner. My mums the same and I used to be @Cathy288 but now I’m over 45 and peri-menopausal I’m honestly all out of shits to give or time to spend on folks like this.

massive squishes and good luck.

Soft option is to just start forgetting to reply to messages for a while. Be busy. Vague. She’ll possibly phase in and out a bit more before she drifts off.

fill your life with experiences, people and things that light you up, chill
you out and add positive energy to your life.

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