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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

H shouts at me

128 replies

sopsop · 25/02/2023 12:58

I don't know if I'm being over sensitive or not.
But anytime there is a disagreement or argument H starts shouting at me. I can pretty much have an argument in a normal speaking voice.
He shouts and swears and I can't stand it.

I'm not perfect and I can shout when pushed or when things escalate but it's not my default way.

Do I just have to accept we have different communication styles? Would you split up over it? What are my other options?

Obviously I've spoken to him about it. He apologises but it never changes.

OP posts:
HangingOver · 25/02/2023 13:00

I couldn't deal with this. My threshold for this kind of thing is incredibly low. DP has probably raised his voice to me once in 7 years and I asked him to leave the room because he was scaring me.

Mabelface · 25/02/2023 13:02

Get shot of him. He shouts because he wants to and it makes you do what he wants. He's not the boss of you and you don't have to put up with it.

BreviloquentBastard · 25/02/2023 13:03

I wouldn't be with a shouter, I just think it's disrespectful, immature, and shows a complete lack of ability to control emotions. I can't stand it. If you can't express anger or frustration without shouting and swearing, I don't want to know you.

My husband and I have been together since we were 17 and he's never shouted at me or swore at me once, even when we have been arguing or pissed off with eachother. Even in our worst moments, we'd rather walk away and cool off then talk later than scream at eachother.

sopsop · 25/02/2023 13:17

How can he get control of his emotions?

OP posts:
Move22 · 25/02/2023 13:20

Was he like this before marriage?

Goodread1 · 25/02/2023 13:24

Hi Op@sopsop

This is classic case of domestic abuse
It's emotional abusive behaviour
it's drip drip like water 💧 effect,

You don't realise how corrosive it is, until the damage has became detrimental, to your emotional stability,

This is the reason why the wording has changed from domestic violence to domestic abuse which includes /covers all types of abusive behaviour in its entirety,

It's unfortunately all too common,

I would even say that swearing is being verbally emotionally violence with words too,

You say you are not perfect

Who is perfect Op
Nobody is, that who,

Stop making excuses for his behaviour,

My advice is to seek /look at addressing the issue/ or issues of why you have been acctracted to this kind of Partner in first place ?

Often the issue can go back to childhood or something in past that's shaken your sense of self hence low self esteem, ect

What kind of relationship did your parents have then. Op?

even consirder going into effective therapy/therapies whatever this maybe,
But only go on your own,

Don't go into couples therapy, as this type of abusive partner will try to manipulative the kind of therapy you would have in some way, via therapist, ect

Your partners behaviour sounds ingrained ,

Does he admit that he has anger issues 🤔 at all?
Or
Is indenial as often is all too depressing the case?

Even if he admitted his behaviour was wrong and he apologise and he seek therapy on his own to address this,

Would he be doing this to placate you (give you false hope to stay longer in this relationship?

Even with therapy,
there is no gaurenteed that his ingrained abusive ways would ever change sufficiently enough for long term,

(it could/often be just like covering with a plaster over overwhelming gaping psyche wounds)
Is this relationship really worth Salvage of constant work in progress of trying to make it good enough?

A relationship shouldn't be hard work and headwork,

AnnieMore · 25/02/2023 13:25

I would never put up with someone shouting at me.

I’d have no respect for someone who couldn’t get their point across without raising their voice. It indicates a lack of emotional maturity that I’d have no truck with.

Spottycarousel · 25/02/2023 13:25

sopsop · 25/02/2023 13:17

How can he get control of his emotions?

He has to want to, foremost.

It depends what's causing his need to shout at you. Could be past trauma. Sounds like he has never learnt to communicate in a healthy way and has to go on the attack.

Therapy or anger management could help. But he does have to be motivated to change. You can't force him. In fact he might react even more badly if you try.

Nanny0gg · 25/02/2023 13:28

sopsop · 25/02/2023 13:17

How can he get control of his emotions?

Does he behave like that with anyone else or just you?

Singleandproud · 25/02/2023 13:29

In cases like this I think you need to think of whether you would allow someone else to treat you like that a friend, a colleague, a manager? And if the answer is no (and it should be) then you shouldn't remain in a relationship where the one person in the world who is meant to have chosen to spend their life with you thinks it's OK to shout at you.

The downside of this approach is if you were brought up in a house where verbal abuse and shouting were normal as this will have lowered your threshold and self esteem.

frozendaisy · 25/02/2023 13:31

Explain if he wouldn't do it to a work colleague he shouldn't do it to you.

If he doesn't do it at work he can clearly control his emotions and temper so he chooses to unleash them at you.

You are supposed to be his wife, his favourite adult in the world. Not an emotional punchbag he thinks he has power over to treat how he likes.

Goodread1 · 25/02/2023 13:35

You are definitely not being over sensitive

He has done a number on you ,

I think something else in life too in your past has had a similar effect on you too to think like this Op,

BabyOnBoard90 · 25/02/2023 13:46

Work on your communication style and bring him along the journey of better communication.

When you slip up in an argument remind yourselves what was agreed.

sopsop · 25/02/2023 13:47

This is like other threads that I read and think 'god how has the op got to this point'. It's like reading a thread about someone else.

I did grow up in a house where the parents were very unhappily married. Lots of shooting and lots of silences which went on for days.
I have had a very abusive ex partner.

If you met me in real life I'm not some quiet broken shell. I'm confident, outgoing and driven. I'm the happy one in a crowd.

I feel I've come to the end of what I can deal with.

OP posts:
BreviloquentBastard · 25/02/2023 13:51

@sopsop , does he shout, scream or swear at anyone else, or just you?

sopsop · 25/02/2023 13:55

Just shouts at me and also if he gets into rows with his mother.

I have highlighted this to him. He doesn't shout at anyone else, just us.

He said he doesn't know any other way. His parents argued a lot so shouting is normal.

OP posts:
billy1966 · 25/02/2023 13:57

Only you can stop this being your life.

Haven't you had enough stress in it.

Shitty childhood and shitty partners, now a shitty husband.

This doesn't have to be your life.

But only you can change it.

You so deserve better than this.

RunTowardsTheLight · 25/02/2023 13:58

He needs to go to counselling (just him - not both of you as a couple) and commit to working through this with the counsellor. I believe it's possible to change but only if he wants to.

billy1966 · 25/02/2023 13:58

So he likes to bully women.

What a prize🙄.

Start making plans and tell him he can't change and you no longer love him.

Get out.

sopsop · 25/02/2023 14:00

billy1966 · 25/02/2023 13:57

Only you can stop this being your life.

Haven't you had enough stress in it.

Shitty childhood and shitty partners, now a shitty husband.

This doesn't have to be your life.

But only you can change it.

You so deserve better than this.

But there lots of good bits so things aren't a just black and white.

I'd love to be a fly on the wall in others relationships day to day as I want to know if other people really do have perfect lives? Do people actually not fall out every week?

I just thought no couple is perfect and you have to compromise somewhere.

OP posts:
BreviloquentBastard · 25/02/2023 14:02

sopsop · 25/02/2023 13:55

Just shouts at me and also if he gets into rows with his mother.

I have highlighted this to him. He doesn't shout at anyone else, just us.

He said he doesn't know any other way. His parents argued a lot so shouting is normal.

Then he already can control his emotions, he just chooses not to with you. This is much harder to "fix" than someone who just has general issues with emotional regulation.

You are his punching bag. He's even making the classic excuses for himself "oh I just don't know any better!", Yes he does or he'd have got himself fired for screaming at his boss or arrested for swearing at Nana's in the street. He knows full well it's vile behaviour, he just doesn't think he should have to control himself around you.

That's scary and dangerous and can often escalate.

I think you should consider leaving.

BreviloquentBastard · 25/02/2023 14:05

sopsop · 25/02/2023 14:00

But there lots of good bits so things aren't a just black and white.

I'd love to be a fly on the wall in others relationships day to day as I want to know if other people really do have perfect lives? Do people actually not fall out every week?

I just thought no couple is perfect and you have to compromise somewhere.

Me and my husband have fallen out once since January, and it was over socks. It lasted ten minutes. No one swore or screamed. The thought of falling out every week is absurd to me.

It absolutely is black and white. There being good bits doesn't make up for the shit.

If you lived in a house that was brilliant and perfect almost all of the time, except that every time you flushed the toilet shit spewed out all over your feet, would you want to stay?

Macaroni46 · 25/02/2023 14:08

sopsop · 25/02/2023 13:47

This is like other threads that I read and think 'god how has the op got to this point'. It's like reading a thread about someone else.

I did grow up in a house where the parents were very unhappily married. Lots of shooting and lots of silences which went on for days.
I have had a very abusive ex partner.

If you met me in real life I'm not some quiet broken shell. I'm confident, outgoing and driven. I'm the happy one in a crowd.

I feel I've come to the end of what I can deal with.

Really feel for you OP. Your story sounds very similar to mine with the unhappily married parents (mine did separate but then both acted like selfish twats), the abusive ex etc. I think it's because we had a bad example from our parents' relationship that we allow ourselves to slip into these abusive relationships. And just like you, I am a confident and capable person in all other aspects of life.
I walked away from my DH of 21 years as I just couldn't take the barrage of verbal abuse anymore and the subsequent walking on eggshells that ensued.
My new DP never swears or shouts at me. Sure we have disagreements but we talk about things and are able to compromise. It's a much nicer way to live!
You deserve better OP. Sending you positive thoughts.

sopsop · 25/02/2023 14:29

I just can't believe I'm getting advice to leave.

I don't think I can yet. My kids adore him.
I know everyone will say but they are being subjected to the same childhood I had with parents who row. I just can't believe that all parents don't row?

OP posts:
neilyoungismyhero · 25/02/2023 14:35

I have the same issue which has got worse over the years. If I disagree with him I'm told off! for 'answering back' as if I'm a 5 year old. He can't speak in a reasonable manner he has to be verbally and loudly abusive. When I tell him not to speak to me like that it seems to make him worse likewise walking away is wrong too. It really is too late for me to do much about it but don't leave it too long for you. It's just not acceptable it really isn't.