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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

Think this time really is the last time and we need to separate. Need help.

319 replies

lulupop · 10/12/2004 20:34

Oh God, this could be such a long msg but no point going back to the yr dot with it all. DH and I just had a row and he has screamed at me (as usual, no self-control or thought for DS who was awake in his room) and left the house. I am shaking. I feel all fizzy.

We have had a volatile relationship for such a long time. Things go fine as long as I suppress my frustrations with him but if I bring up how I really feel, it all kicks off. He has no boundaries when it comes to losing tempers and will scream the most appalling things at me, usually in front of the children. We have had 2 separate periods of time going to Relate and all we achieved was that he agreed in principle to setting boundaries, taking time out etc when arguing, but it has always been only till the next time.

He's never been physically violent but he is a real bully and is so abusive I feel like nothing. Just now when I said I was sick of having the same argument over and over again and it made me feel there was no point carrying on, he screamed "Fine! Fine! I will go into work and resign and we can get divorced and you and the kids can have half of NOTHING. And I can tell them that you only married me for the money, you stupid fucking WHORE!"

Not sure what he meant about resigning. I am SAHM and only worked for 2 yrs before having DS. I have no idea how we would live if I left DH but I think I've reached the point where anything has got to be better than feeling like this. All the times we;ve had rows like this before, I've always thought "Don't do anything rash, just give things a chance to settle" and then it goes back to normal for a bit. But nothing changes, it all feels so hopeless now. I don't think I even like him - we certainly seem to be inhabiting different planets. I come from a happy home myself and can't bear the idea of my children not living with both their parents, but don't want them witnessing these sorts of scenes.

I feel stuck in Groundhog Day. No amount of counselling is going to change DH, and though I realise I could change as well, I don't think I can change my personality to accomodate the way he is. He can be very, very nasty when he thinks he's been betrayed, and I am afraid of what would happen if I said I actually wanted to separate formally.

I don't even know how to find a solicitor who could tell me what to do first.

I am supposed to be going to my parents' tomorrow for the night, but now I'm wondering if, if I do so, when I come back he'll have locked me out (he has done this before). What should I do?

Should I lock the door tonight so he can't come back in? I cannot face more of his screaming and ranting at me, with the children hearing it. But afraid of making him even angrier.

OP posts:
OnZephyrstdayofXmas · 10/12/2004 22:14

Night Uwila - thanks for being here tonight :)

rickman · 10/12/2004 22:30

Sorry to hear about your crappy situation. I have been through something similar very recently. The only difference is my ex p would ignore me all the time. My exp made it clear that he wouldn't leave the house, even though we owned it jointly, so I left. I took the 3 children and went to live at my mums, I was also 4 months pregnant at the time.

Things haven't been easy but I am managing. I have just moved into a council house and I'm trying to get myself sorted. If you did decide to leave, it would be hard but you would get through it.

The thing that did it for me in the end was that I felt sick at the thought of spending the next 30 years or so feeling so miserable. Life is too short.

If you are convinced that your relationship is over and that he definitely won't leave without a fight, I would go to your mums and stay there.

I'm in Kent as well, wonder if you're near me?

OnZephyrstdayofXmas · 10/12/2004 22:32

you alright lulu?

lulupop · 10/12/2004 22:37

just talking to my mum. he's rung her

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pixiefish · 10/12/2004 22:40

why did he ring her?

Carla · 10/12/2004 22:47

lulupop, come and live with me. We could get rid of them both. And I'd babysit for you, if you did the same for me Smile

OnZephyrstdayofXmas · 10/12/2004 22:50

lol dp rings my mum too. i hate it and she gets fed up with it. At least now you're mum knows somethings up which would make it easier if you absolutely had to go there

Carla · 10/12/2004 23:06

lulupop, please CAT me. We're in the same boat Sad

lulupop · 10/12/2004 23:14

sorry have been on phone to mum for an hour and you're probably all tucked up in bed now.

apparently he phoned her to tell her he was on his way to his mum's because I had gone off the rails. His mum lives in Manchester so I'll be surprised if he makes it up there tonight.

In the past when we have had big arguments, he's never told his mum, as she dislikes me, I positively loathe her, and basically he knows that anything bad he says to her about me will be repeated back to him ad infinitum.

My mum is beside herself now and my dad is really pissed off. DH told my mu that I had lost it with him and told him he didn't earn enough money and was useless. This is not true, and is a good example of how he does that thing W&R mentioned about projecting his own self-loathing onto me. He is worried about not earning enough, but it makes him feel less of a failure to say that it's me that is demanding more money.

His mum will now feel fully vindicated in her belief that I am a gold digging little tart who's poisoned DH against his own family.

Not sure what to do at all, If I don't ring him, he'll take that as proof I don't care. If I do ring him, I'll get drawn into another fight. What is best to do?

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OnZephyrstdayofXmas · 10/12/2004 23:18

Hiya lulu, I'm still here. Do your mum and dad believe him or do they understand what he's like?

Maybe him going away will be the break that you both need to re-evaluate how you feel about each other and the whole situation, and you can rest easy knowing he's not coming back for another argument tonight. Maybe you could text him and just be calm and say something like - have spoken to my mum, hope you are ok. Can we talk in the morning?

That way he's got no reason to snap back at you or argue with you and you have got tonight to get your head together

cardigansarenotjustforxmas · 10/12/2004 23:21

Leave it - he hasn't rung you to tell you. I'd wait for him to call. Get some rest. Use the time you have with him away at his mums to organise what you'll do. Best wishes xxx

Cinderellascarrieg · 10/12/2004 23:21

Don't let him emotionally blackmail you!

Whoever suggested calmly taking the kids for a break & leaving him to mull it over for a bit - I'd do that. He sounds very like my first husband, all melodrama & expecting you to jump through hoops...

...meanwhile, I'd take the phone off the hook, put the deadbolt on, & let him make the running in the morning...

OnZephyrstdayofXmas · 10/12/2004 23:26

how are you feeling lulu - are you relieved that he's gone up there or wishing he'd come home?

lulupop · 10/12/2004 23:36

I feel relieved he's not here but dreading the fallout from him going to his mum.

My parents are very good in that they know what he;s like, so don't believe that what he says represents The Facts, but equally they are not backward in coming forward about my own failings.

18 months ago I committed a very unfortunate indiscretion with an old acquaintance, which dh found out about. That;s what started the Relate stuff. My parents also know about that. His mum knows nothing. If he tells her, then I will basically become in her eyes the unfaithful, gold digging bitch for all eternity.

he just told my mum that he had left and that "this is it". no idea if he means it or not. I feel very sad to think our marriage could be over, but in my heart I know we simply cannot go on like this any more. He has some majoy psychological issues which he needs some kind of professional therapy to address. He won't do that. He won't even accept he has any "issues" to address.

he has turned his Blackberry off. I was thinking of sending an email just to let him know I do care that he feels so upset but I cannot go on like this, but I really don't want to get caught up in any more recrimination.

God I wish he hadn't gone to his mum

OP posts:
OnZephyrstdayofXmas · 10/12/2004 23:39

can you send him a text to tell him? You must be exhausted are you? I know how drained this kind of thing makes you feel - physically and emotionally.

lulupop · 10/12/2004 23:40

Oh, and thanks to w&r for all your advice. The very idea of court actions etc fills me with horror, and a big part of me hopes that we can find some way to get on a path back to a happy-enough marriage, but I suspect I may be back for some more specific advice. How lucky we all are to have you here!

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lulupop · 10/12/2004 23:43

yes, I am drained, but much too mentally keyed up to go to bed.

ANyway DD will be up for a cry and a moan soon so on point Grin

not sure what's wrong with me really - part of me thinks I should be busy finding important documents etc to take to mum and dad's, packing bag ready to go first thing... part of me feels it will all somehow disappear and tomorrow I'll find it was just a bad dream.

Why am I so wet? If you met me in RL you wouldn't believe this was me! All my friends think I am the most strident, confident person they know! Ha!

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OnZephyrstdayofXmas · 10/12/2004 23:48

see you saying that makes me think that deep down you really want this to work out, otherwise i think you wouldn't hesitate to go - there's nothing to stop you now really as your parents know the score. I probably should have gone a long time ago but five years on i'm still hanging in there hoping that we can get round it all. We've said some really horrid stuff to each other and most of that can't be 'forgiven and forgotten' ... but I'm still here, having the same fights over and over. Maybe I'm just too stupid or too scared to walk away and let it go - or maybe i do still love him - i really dont know.
I think you will feel better for texting him tonight and letting him know you do care about him/your relationship.
Does he generally come back after a fight and carry on like it didnt happen?

lulupop · 10/12/2004 23:54

oh God, Zephyr, reading your posts makes me feel so sad for you, but so glad someone out there understands this situation.

he generally comes back all apologetic and sorry, and things improve a lot for a few days then go back to normal, then slowly deteriorate till we hit the next rocky patch. I used to think it meant he really loved me, but now I feel more tired than I think anyone not yet 30 should feel.

TBH, if I didn't have children with him and wasn't financially dependent, I would have gone a long time ago. The last couple of years a lot of us staying together has come from me repressing what I really think about how things are and focusing on the kids. But one day they will grow up and go, and I'll still be with DH, and will we have anything to say to each other? That's what gets to me. Part of me thinks I'm only 28, I could be on my own, maybe meet someone new one day, and be much happier. The other 99% thinks how selfish is that? The children want their dad.

I cannot pin down my feelings at the moment. Just sick of it all.

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OnZephyrstdayofXmas · 11/12/2004 00:02

I really cant believe how similar our situations and thought are!! I've told dp before that if it wasn't for the kids and stuff - if we were still just us i'd have been long gone!! But I dont want to take the kids away from their Dad until i'm 200% sure that theres nothing we can do to make it work. Poor little dd is so sensitive these days, and quite angry as well which she picks up from us - i hate that bit about it the most.
We also go for a few days where it's all ok and 'normal' but will slowly build up to a big fight, then the next few days are fine etc etc..... I'm going to head off to bed as poor little ds is lying next to me in his bouncy chair so I'm starting to feel guilty!! Are you around tomorrow? In theory I will be at my Mums but will come and find you in the evening and make sure you're ok :)

lulupop · 11/12/2004 00:08

bless you sweetheart, I've kept you up far too long. But so good talking to you. How old's your DS? My DD is 7 months and DS was 3 this week.

I'm probably going to go to my parents' tomorrow but may be able to log on there (depends what my dad's computer's doing!), but either way will be back SUnday so will post with an update.

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OnZephyrstdayofXmas · 11/12/2004 00:13

my ds is 5 months and dd will be 3 on xmas day! Ok if you're not around tomorrow will hopefully catch up with you Sunday. Get some sleep, hopefully things will look better in the morning. :) xx

lulupop · 11/12/2004 00:18

night night. will check msgs tonorrow before I set off anyway.

just composing email to dh now.

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OnZephyrstdayofXmas · 11/12/2004 00:19

good on you - think it will make you feel better. :) nite nite x

lulupop · 11/12/2004 05:05

I feel sick. No idea what is going through dh's head now. I sent him an email saying, basically, I realise you are depressed, and I want our marriage to work but you have to address the depression or hwe have no future.

Regret it now. He'll just see that as a threat and ultimatum.

Have not slept much. Feel sick and shaky and afraid of what might happen.

What am I going to tell ds when he wakes up and asks where Daddy is?

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