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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

Gaslighting husband OR am I confused?

101 replies

beansontoast15 · 12/06/2023 11:33

Husband announced we are going on holiday later this year. Very excited, he knew this. I start looking for holiday clothes, even book 2 weeks off work as annual leave.

8 weeks later, husband announces 'well we're not going on holiday anymore as you weren't acting excited enough, you should have been acting happier and more grateful'

I replied with, well you've already paid a 50% deposit, I was very excited, I'm not going to be jumping up and down about it every day for 8 weeks since you told me?

Turns out he never booked anything, I delete my saved clothes I was buying and cancel leave from work.

A few weeks later, he announces that yes, in fact we are still going on this holiday. I told him, you cancelled it as I wasn't acting how you wanted me to about it?

He denied any of the event ever happened? Completely denies it and tells me I obviously got my wires crossed? Did I f*. I know exactly what happened.

He plays games like this. When we first met, he sent me a booking to a holiday in the maldives, had a countdown on his phone for months, I booked time off work etc etc. 2 weeks before we are due to go, he tells me he has lost the booking, cant find it so we cant go. ...

So many other occasions where he tells me something, I'm excited looking forward to it, and then he takes it away, sometimes because im not deserving enough, or just sometimes because he's an arse?

Why on earth is he playing games like this? What would you do if your husband was like this?

OP posts:
Newcareer2023 · 12/06/2023 12:26

This is not a marriage.

CheshireCat1 · 12/06/2023 12:26

Tell him that you’re not going to leave him, then leave him.

MisschiefMaker · 12/06/2023 12:27

What a weirdo your DH is. Does he play games in other areas or is it just about special events?

Please go on the holiday without him to teach him a lesson.

Dashel · 12/06/2023 12:28

My husband wouldn’t announce we were going, it would be shall we book a holiday or I fancy going to wherever, do you want to have a look.

Holidays are a family decision and adults would normally decide these together

Your husband is cruel and nasty and you should not be teased. If mine had tried the Maldive trick yours did, he would have been dumped on the spot. If he loved you he would respect you and not try and screw with your head. I wouldn’t put up with that and it doesn’t need a name, it’s just cruel and nasty but you need to stop being so passive and letting him announce things.

Although personally I would be announcing my intention to divorce him,

SweetBirdsong · 12/06/2023 12:30

Blimey @beansontoast15 he sounds horrific. Manipulative, gaslighting, narcissistic, sly, controlling, nasty... SO many words I could use to describe him. He will never change. Do you want to spend the rest of your life with this person? I couldn't do it personally.

Mischance · 12/06/2023 12:31

Let me get this clear - he is your husband (i.e. you married him) but he pulled a similar stunt when you first met him.

Thee two statements don't compute.

watcherintherye · 12/06/2023 12:31

What would you do if your husband was like this?

I think you know already what the answer is!

FinestIllusion · 12/06/2023 12:41

I once read on a psychology website that its mostly partners and parents that do this, they get huge kicks from the delivery of a promise to do something that you'll love, they see you pleased or happy, excited and it gives them an endorphin rush or something.
So, they got their kicks seeing you get some, so its job done. Happy bunny. Now following through on that promise is effort and not exciting as it was telling you.
The liklihood of them coming through with the goods is very slim.
There's something wrong with these types.

Mirabai · 12/06/2023 12:41

How long have you put up with this OP?

tattygrl · 12/06/2023 12:41

Leave. I hate threads like this because I despair so much at not being able to spirit you away, OP, and the rage at disgusting men who treat their partners like this. Useless emotions with nowhere to put them.

LEAVE, OP.

Pudmyboy · 12/06/2023 12:45

🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩
Run, run, run!

Pudmyboy · 12/06/2023 12:47

FinestIllusion · 12/06/2023 12:41

I once read on a psychology website that its mostly partners and parents that do this, they get huge kicks from the delivery of a promise to do something that you'll love, they see you pleased or happy, excited and it gives them an endorphin rush or something.
So, they got their kicks seeing you get some, so its job done. Happy bunny. Now following through on that promise is effort and not exciting as it was telling you.
The liklihood of them coming through with the goods is very slim.
There's something wrong with these types.

Wow, thank you for that, interesting insight into this type of weird behaviour!

Manichean · 12/06/2023 12:49

He is an abusive cunt, get away from this evil person.

PoshHorseyBird · 12/06/2023 12:58

Leave him. Tell him that from now on all communication will be via email or a solicitor. Explain to him that this will help him with his little 'memory lapses' he seems to have when he says 'oh I never said that'. You will have everything in writing then. He will never change, please believe me, I know first hand. Please leave him.

Sparkletastic · 12/06/2023 13:02

I read so many threads where posters are using the term gaslighting incorrectly. In your husband's case it's bang on. He's a piece of shit. Leave him.

ElsieMc · 12/06/2023 13:05

This is awful, cruel behaviour op. He is torturing you mentally. You seemed happy and excited and he has enjoyed watching your disappointment and confusion. There is something very wrong with him, not you. You do not need to put up with this, I have never heard anything like it.

Joeylove88 · 12/06/2023 13:05

It's time to leave this abusive asshole and book yourself a nice holiday away!!! At least you know it will actually happen!!
But seriously...this is a no brainer and you already seem to realise this is not normal. As others said it does sound like he enjoys doing this to you. It's controlling and manipulation and he needs his ass kicking out the door!!

AuntieDolly · 12/06/2023 13:13

That's a cruel and evil thing to do. Why would you do that to the person you're meant to love best in the world?

jannier · 12/06/2023 13:21

Why is he still in your life? He gets a perverse please in seeing your disappointment personally I would have booked myself a holiday kept it secret sorted out leaving him wound him up telling him we were going away on something I've booked then on the day given him the divorce papers.

Tiddlypomtiddlypom · 12/06/2023 13:44

Jesus fucking Christ. He’s unbelievably abusive. And quite possibly, totally insane.

Run. For the love of fucking god, run.

knittingaddict · 12/06/2023 13:44

What would you do if your husband was like this?

Leave. Also never be with or marry him in the first place. If this is real, he did this very early in the relationship. Why did you stay?

TeaStory · 12/06/2023 14:06

FinestIllusion · 12/06/2023 12:41

I once read on a psychology website that its mostly partners and parents that do this, they get huge kicks from the delivery of a promise to do something that you'll love, they see you pleased or happy, excited and it gives them an endorphin rush or something.
So, they got their kicks seeing you get some, so its job done. Happy bunny. Now following through on that promise is effort and not exciting as it was telling you.
The liklihood of them coming through with the goods is very slim.
There's something wrong with these types.

My ex used to do that, it was maddening. He'd be outraged if I expected him to actually deliver as promised, telling me what a demanding gold-digger I was etc for wanting what he offered or acting surprised and insisting he never promised that. Eventually I just started shrugging and saying "yeah, whatever" when he announced all the things he would buy/organise/do and he got annoyed about that too.

OP, this is absolutely gaslighting and won't get better. Run.

UnshakenNeedsStirring · 12/06/2023 14:07

Please dont have kids with this man. He will drive you mad. LEave and dont waste your precious life with him.

Tidsleytiddy · 12/06/2023 14:07

Knock him out

thedreamisnotthereality · 12/06/2023 14:12

This is not remotely normal at all! Please believe that! If my husband was doing that I would think I have married the wrong man to be totally honest. Its not normal behaviour. Take control. Dont let him play these games!

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