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Relationships

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Opinions re chat with estranged husband please

11 replies

Helpots · 07/05/2023 10:24

We separated 6 weeks ago after 8 months of increasingly toxic arguments, stemmed from his mental health, his inability to communicate, an 8 year unsuccessful infertility journey and hormonal difficulties on my part. He told me he no longer loved me and wanted out and moved to his mums where he remains.

since then, he’s completely blocked me, he’s said he needs space. He’s in regular contact with 20 yr old DD but is so acrimonious towards me.

I got to agree to talk yesterday, we met in a neutral place. He made clear that we are not reconciling but during our conversation, he told me he was still really unhappy at his mums, that he’s got nothing to do, that he doesn’t like to go places as people are in couples etc. all of his friends are married with families.

I asked him if he missed me, he said he wasn’t prepared to answer that but then told me that missing one another wasn’t just about date nights and weekends away, but that you can miss being in the house together doing mundane things and watching boxsets etc. I told him I missed this too. He also told me that he’s missing my parents but that’s not a reason to reconcile.

I'm going on holiday tomorrow with DD. I’ve told him I can’t live in limbo and that I may have to consider starting divorce when I get back, how would he feel. He said he didn’t know. He didn’t know a lot of things, I put to him that he clearly didn’t know what he wanted - he took umbrage with this but still couldn’t give me clear answers.

I think he’s concerned that his mental health will spiral again if we try to reconnect and I understand that - for my part, I can’t carry on living in this hell. But I still love him, deeply. He asked me why didn’t I go and look for someone who ticked all my boxes, told him that he ticked enough boxes and that he’s my husband and I would prefer it to stay that way.

he’s Refusing to unblock me, he said the amount of text messages I’ve sent him have caused him stress (I accept that I have, I’m impulsive, I recognise this is something I have to work on). We communicate via email or our family WhatsApp group.

I noticed that he’s still wearing the bracelet that I bought him on our wedding day - am I reading too much into this?

he’s going to look after the house whilst we’re away etc. but doesn’t want to stay here

my dads told me he thinks there’s a glimmer of hope, and that if he won’t say whether he misses me or not, then he must be missing me as otherwise he’d say not. My dad is very pragmatic and told me that if I want my marriage, then fight for it.

can I ask for other’s opinions on my convo with husband please?

apologies for lengthy post, I’m desperately seeking answers!

OP posts:
Thebigblueballoon · 07/05/2023 10:30

If you’re going on holiday tomorrow, that is the perfect opportunity to give your husband some much-needed space. If he doesn’t know what he wants, you need to cut all communication for the time being and let him work it out.
What do you mean by you believe he is worried his mental health might spiral if you get back together? That is rather concerning. Is your husband on medication/seeing a therapist? Would you both consider seeing a therapist together?
But first off, use this holiday as a breather from communication for you both.

Shoxfordian · 07/05/2023 10:32

Why do you want more toxic arguments? Has he suddenly learnt to communicate better or is it just going to be more of the same? It sounds like he doesn’t want to stay together. Use the holiday to really think about what’s best and don’t contact him

billy1966 · 07/05/2023 10:35

Your relationship is toxic.

He has MH issues that he needs to try and fix.

Let him go.

Callyem · 07/05/2023 10:57

You and he need a sustained period of zero contact. This will provide clarity. I'd recommend at least a full month of ZERO emails/texts etc. In that time, consider what your ideal outcome would be. Then meet for another discussion then and reassess.

Helpots · 07/05/2023 11:03

Hi @Thebigblueballoon - we entered a cycle where we couldn't be in the same room together, it was like a pressure cooker. He has depression and we couldn't cope being in the same house together. He's completed a course of CBT and he's in counselling. I'm about to start CBT and I'm also in counselling. I think he's scared that if we reconcile, then the arguments will start again and his mental health will plummet

OP posts:
Helpots · 07/05/2023 11:04

Hi @Shoxfordian - something H and I both agree on is that we don't want any more toxicity. It's been like living in a pressure cooker. But I married for life, I miss him terribly, I think he's missing me from what he said. It would be a case of a very slow rebuild but I'm willing to put the work in, if he is

OP posts:
Muppetshair · 07/05/2023 11:12

‘Fighting’ for your marriage involves kindness and respect.

Your DH has asked for space to manage his MH - show him this kindness and respect him by giving him the time and space he has asked for.

The more you chase him the more you chase him away.

Concentrate on having precious time with your DD that focuses on her and not obsessing and ruminating about your marriage. Be emotionally present for her. IIRC you and your DH are only speaking through her - this is highly inappropriate and bordering on emotionally abusive and will likely cause her chronic MH issues.

I think you need to access professional support to manage your own emotional impulsivity, lack of boundaries and insecurities. Focus on what you can do for yourself rather than being demanding or controlling of others.

Your DD is the focus here - she will have absorbed the trauma of your failed IVF and the collapse of your marriage throughout her fragile teenage years. She needs this inadvertent emotional burden lifted from her and for the adults in her life to focus on her care and emotional wellbeing.

DepartureLounge · 07/05/2023 11:24

If you've been together a long time, it's natural to miss each other on a day-to-day basis - it would be odd if you didn't. But imo that's not a reason to get back together or an indication that you could make it work if you did. Maybe you both just have a lot of sadness to work through.

I'm not a fan of "fighting for" relationships. In my experience, it's a concept we fall back on when we haven't accepted something is over. My feeling is that you should spare yourself the heartache and channel your energy into healing from the break-up, and perhaps even more so from your infertility journey.

NewDayNewBeginnings · 07/05/2023 15:16

For what it's worth, when I split from my DH and he would ask if I missed him...I wouldn't answer either, but it was so I didn't hurt his feelings more by saying no not at all... Felt leaving had already hurt him enough.

Helpots · 07/05/2023 15:27

Thank you @NewDayNewBeginnings - my H has been quite blunt in telling me how he doesn't feel about me lately, so I'm hoping his silence on this occasion speaks to the affirmative as he added on that he didn't want to say in case he gave me the wrong idea, but then went on to tell me that he misses my parents, and that missing me isn't about the nights out etc but also just watching telly series and things together, which we've always done

OP posts:
EvenMoreFuriousVexation · 07/05/2023 15:37

I'm truly sorry OP but I think it sounds like he's not coming back.

When a man has to scrape around the question of "do you miss me" by saying he misses your parents and misses watching TV with you, but can't bring himself to say he actually misses you as a person, then that sounds very much like he doesn't miss you, but doesn't want to hurt you by saying that.

I would suggest you take action yourself because him leaving you dangling is going to harm your mental health much more than taking control.

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