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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

Teen in emotionally abusive relationship

6 replies

Cascade39 · 18/05/2023 15:38

My 15 year old daughter and her boyfriend are in what I can only describe as an emotionally abusive relationship. It isn't just the boyfriend towards my daughter, my daughter is equally as emotionally abusive to the boyfriend too. They are both insecure, jealous, paranoid and controlling. They are at the same school.

So for example my daughter needs to know where her boyfriend is, where he is going, who he is meeting at all times. So he'll ring her and say I'm going to the shops with X and she'll start a fight saying why did you ring me to tell me that you could have just text me. But if he texts her she'll ring him demanding more details.

She hates it if he's meeting up with his female friends, and even if he says he's meeting his male friends she'll tell him he's lying. They calle axh other every evening but he'll be playing FIFA online or something so he won't necessarily be talking to her and she'll be like NAME - TALK TO ME! She'll question who he's playing with and if he puts her on mute she'll say who were you talking to, what we're you saying when he comes back.

He comes over our house and she'll even get annoyed and jealous if he's paying attention to her 3 and 4 year old siblings, or even our dog.

He doesn't particularly like her friendship group at school (which I actually partly understand has she's had major fallings out with all of them, the whole I hate them, we're not friends anymore but then the next week everything is "calm" again. She also went out with these friends and got drunk in the woods behind a park, which I only found out about because her boyfriend saw it on her Snapchat and told me as he was worried for her and knew I'd like to know). So if she tries to hang out with them at lunchtime at school he'll get arsy with her, shout at her, storm off, block her on socials etc.

At school they will have full blown screaming, shouting, swearing, name calling arguements in the halls, playground, dining room. Apparently it's so common now even the teachers are used to it. People know who they are just because of their names being screamed at each other all the time and will go up to her 13 year old sister saying things like they're arguing again, I've heard them do this, that etc. They will be late to lessons because they are arguing, they will refuse to let each other go into their lessons. They'll scream at each other to f**k off, say they hate each other, walk away but then continue the arguement over text.

The boyfriend isn't essentially a bad lad. When he's at mine he's polite, kind, respectful, good with the younger siblings but there is always some kind of arguement pretty much every time he is here as well. He doesn't have a great home life, his mum isn't kind, caring, supportive or anything. She calls him names, swears at him, tells him he's useless etc. And I'm not exactly sure what his dad is like. But he doesn't have any guidance, anyone to explain to him that his behaviour in the relationship is bad and not acceptable. He doesn't have anyone who will actually try to get him help with the issues that he's clearly got. While obviously I am there to do this for my daughter.

I've spoken to them both about things SO many times. I've told them it's ridiculous, that it's not healthy, that it's harmful, that it needs to stop but it doesn't.

Realistically they should split up because it is clearly a toxic relationship but they are 15 and they "love each other", they don't want to split up.

As a mother I don't want my daughter in a toxic, emotionally abusive relationship. I don't want her to accept being treated like that - but I'm not blind to the fact that she is as much at fault as the boyfriend is.

I know if I come down hard, say they can't see each other anymore etc then that'll just push my daughter away, it'll make her dig her heels in and she'll get stubborn about it but things are just getting worse and worse for them and it can't keep carrying on like this. They are both year 10 so got GSCE's next year and clearly are.both being impacted at school as well so this could mess up both of their futures as well.

How do I handle this? How do I get them both to see that their relationship is unhealthy, toxic and abusive and that things need to change. Because I can't keep letting it carry on the way it is.

OP posts:
junebirthdaygirl · 18/05/2023 15:50

You can only deal with your own dd. She needs counselling. She cannot go forward in life with such insecurity and such carry on. Don't make it about the bf at the moment but about her own level of confidence.

Pinkbonbon · 18/05/2023 15:54

Your daughter needs therapy. Like, yesterday.

It's obviously some sort of personality disorder developing (either that or a mental illness). She shouldn't be anywhere near him. It actually sounds like she is the abuser.
Not that he's swell either.

Get her to the gp ASAP.

Cascade39 · 18/05/2023 18:41

I have suspected for a while she is ASD / ADHD and we are exploring going down the diagnosis route for that.

Around 10 months into the "relationship" the boyfriend did "cheat" on my daughter. He was away for 5 days and held hands with another girl and they kissed on the lips. He did then lie about it even though she knew it had happened as his friend who was away with him told her. They did break up for 3/4 weeks but got back together, supposedly on the basis that it was in the past and forgotten about. So that is where a lot of her paranoia, jealousy, insecurity and controlling behaviour comes from because she doesn't fully trust him. She hasn't cheated on him but she has had very close friendships with other boys which she has kind of rubbed in his face, which is where his comes from.

It's so tough because as an adult, from the outside I know why both of them are acting the way they are, but I also still know that it is toxic and isn't healthy for either of them but they won't entertain the idea of breaking up.

My daughter's dad and step mum have flat out refused to even entertain the boyfriend since they got back together because of the cheating (even though dad cheated with step mum on me and that's why our marriage ended). They said he's not allowed over their house and she can't see him at the weekends she spends there and she's openly told me that she still meets him but just lies to them about it and says she's meeting other friends. So I made the decision not to go that way and do the same and to try and be more supportive and educate them both about their behaviours but it's just not helping.

I arranged counselling for my daughter in February 2022 as my daughter was having OCD issues around vomiting as she'd been sick the August previous and was basically obsessing over dates that happened, food she ate when that happened, where she was when it happened, who she was with and would not do, be with or eat anything related back to the incident in any way. After 2 sessions the counsellor told her it sounded like a phase, she was fine and ended the sessions.

I've since referred my daughter to well being support through the school to try and help her work through her issues, the controlling behaviour etc but after her previous experience with the counsellor above she says there is nothing wrong and won't engage with the therapists.

She self harmed previously as well, cut her hand with the blade from a sharpener, she said she just wanted to know what it felt like, I rang the GP about that and the OCD thing and they basically said there was no referral they could do as "she wasn't bad enough for CAMHS" so I've not previously had much luck or support from them but I will try and ring them again.

OP posts:
Pinkbonbon · 18/05/2023 19:04

Keep on it.

Self harm can be an indicator of borderline personality disorder. As can manipulative behaviours, other mental disorders presenting at the same time, volatile relationships, paranoia around people leaving them and abusive behaviours.

Though I don't know if they can 'diagnose' it or some other personality disorders this young.
My incline would be that fits more than adhd from what you're describing going on.

She might just vibe a very hormonal teenager.
But it sounds like there's something more going on. How is she at home? Is she respectful to you? To her teachers?

LHJ21 · 21/05/2023 17:17

Get your daughter out of this relationship. I was 15 when I met my now husband of 20yrs. It was very much like that in the beginning and has never changed. I was unhappy within the relationship but was too scared to end it.
I wish I had gone to my parents. They knew it wasn’t a good relationship and said we argued all the time, but think they were worried about me running away with him or thought it would fizzle out.
But 20yrs, and 3 kids later we are stuck in an unhappy marriage with an unhappy home environment.

Lookingoutside · 21/05/2023 19:19

She’s 15, they’re children. Why are you giving this ‘relationship’ credibility?

Her other parents won’t entertain him because of ‘the cheating’?! How about because they’re both far too young for any of this?

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