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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

Will I ever completely heal from this mans emotional abuse?

16 replies

Raisinnola · 05/08/2023 21:56

My ex and I split at the beginning of the year, instigated by him as he said he didn’t love me anymore. I suspected another woman, he denied it, we have one very young DC together.

To cut a very long story short, since the split he has gaslit me horrendously, lied at every opportunity, of course it turned out I was right about OW which he still denies and tries to maintain that they started seeing each other more recently, due to timings and circumstances I know this to be untrue. He has treated me with such disdain and cruelty since the split that there’s still a part of me finds it surreal that he’s actually done those things, i always knew there were red flags even since the beginning which I unfortunately ignored, but his treatment of me over the past few months is just not normal.

I have thankfully reached a place where I no longer miss ex or want to be with him but I am really struggling with the sense of injustice I feel, I won’t go too deeply into it but he has put OW before our DC on several occasions, tried to make out to people that I am limiting his contact with DC (I have never done this and never will) and now all of his family (that were part of my family up until a relatively recent time) are congratulating him on his “new” relationship, some of them commenting how much better OW is than me which I obviously find hurtful.
He has introduced her to our DC without telling me then lied about it, either ignores me or becomes defensive and aggressive if I speak to him about it so I no longer bother as I won’t argue in front of DC.

I feel as if he wants to erase me as the mother of our DC, he notoriously can’t do things alone and is very codependent and his behaviour is like he is getting OW to immediately step into role of other parent when he has DC, he won’t take into account anything I say regarding DC, he almost actively wants to oppose me at every chance he gets.
If we didn’t have DC I would be completely over this by now, but I find having to see him and communicate with him extremely triggering as his emotional abuse (there is a lot of historic stuff as well) feels like it will never end, his family are just as bad and just as cruel and I feel so helpless that this is what I’m going to have to deal with for the foreseeable future.
If I had the money I would genuinely pay someone to be a go between so I would never have to physically see him or his family again as I find it so triggering and it makes me so angry and frustrated but sadly I don’t have that capability.
Does anyone have any advice on how to deal with this kind of thing? Will it get better?

OP posts:
Titicacacandle · 05/08/2023 21:59

It takes time sorry OP. It took me almost two years to get over the emotional abuse exh dished out. It does get better. The less contact you have the better. Parallel parenting not coparenting.

Andthereyougo · 05/08/2023 22:16

You will but it takes time. Can you have someone with you, friend or family member, at handover ? I had a friend step in for a few weeks and do it for me as he brought his “friend” OW to the door and I was sick of her peering round me to look in the house. He also denied OW but was engaged within 6 months of us splitting.
It’s more difficult with SM seeing photos, messages etc so maybe separate from that as much as you can? It will get easier. 💐

Raisinnola · 05/08/2023 22:28

Thank you both. Regarding social media, I’m no longer on his and I recently blocked all his family, but with their official relationship announcement came a flurry of messages from well meaning mutual friends. I have now been clear that I don’t want to know and that’s that hopefully.
My dear sweet father has stepped in to say he will do handovers (or as many as he can) for the next few weeks but the first time he did it my ex rang me asking where I was, then just turned up the very next day (I still live in our house while looking for somewhere else and we both still pay towards mortgage and bills so not as easy to just turn him away) then has rung me out of the blue today as well to ask after our DC. I would love a couple of weeks where I just didn’t have to see him or interact with him at all but it’s almost like he can sense me disengaging so has to remind me that he’s there.

OP posts:
Titicacacandle · 06/08/2023 00:07

Work out what level of contact you feel happy with and ask him to stick to it unless of emergency.

Exh, is it okay if we don't have friendly chitchats and just keep things about dc only. I don't want to have these chats, I'd feel much more comfortable if we only had to talk when it concerns dc or selling the house.

Tbh OP you'll find it harder staying in the house that he's still paying for. You need to become independent of him bar child support.

Seddon · 06/08/2023 00:11

In my experience, yes and no.

The hurt passes and you can go onto lead a happy and fulfilling life, for sure.

But the experience will probably influence how you view yourself, and men, and relationships in future. That's not necessarily a bad thing though!

omgsally · 06/08/2023 00:17

Many people underestimate just how devastating emotional abuse is. Being heard and acknowledged is hugely important. Validation of your experience is critical in building back all that was taken from you. It takes a long time to recover. In the mean time, read as much as you can about parallel parenting and how to deal with abusive men.

Mensuckbigtime · 06/08/2023 05:45

Raisinnola · 05/08/2023 21:56

My ex and I split at the beginning of the year, instigated by him as he said he didn’t love me anymore. I suspected another woman, he denied it, we have one very young DC together.

To cut a very long story short, since the split he has gaslit me horrendously, lied at every opportunity, of course it turned out I was right about OW which he still denies and tries to maintain that they started seeing each other more recently, due to timings and circumstances I know this to be untrue. He has treated me with such disdain and cruelty since the split that there’s still a part of me finds it surreal that he’s actually done those things, i always knew there were red flags even since the beginning which I unfortunately ignored, but his treatment of me over the past few months is just not normal.

I have thankfully reached a place where I no longer miss ex or want to be with him but I am really struggling with the sense of injustice I feel, I won’t go too deeply into it but he has put OW before our DC on several occasions, tried to make out to people that I am limiting his contact with DC (I have never done this and never will) and now all of his family (that were part of my family up until a relatively recent time) are congratulating him on his “new” relationship, some of them commenting how much better OW is than me which I obviously find hurtful.
He has introduced her to our DC without telling me then lied about it, either ignores me or becomes defensive and aggressive if I speak to him about it so I no longer bother as I won’t argue in front of DC.

I feel as if he wants to erase me as the mother of our DC, he notoriously can’t do things alone and is very codependent and his behaviour is like he is getting OW to immediately step into role of other parent when he has DC, he won’t take into account anything I say regarding DC, he almost actively wants to oppose me at every chance he gets.
If we didn’t have DC I would be completely over this by now, but I find having to see him and communicate with him extremely triggering as his emotional abuse (there is a lot of historic stuff as well) feels like it will never end, his family are just as bad and just as cruel and I feel so helpless that this is what I’m going to have to deal with for the foreseeable future.
If I had the money I would genuinely pay someone to be a go between so I would never have to physically see him or his family again as I find it so triggering and it makes me so angry and frustrated but sadly I don’t have that capability.
Does anyone have any advice on how to deal with this kind of thing? Will it get better?

Are you me?
I am going through exactly the same thing. STBXH has swiftly introduced OW into thr DDs life, she cooks, cleans and helps with childcare because he is oh so alone I this life he chose for himself.

I also feel.like he is trying to establish OW as a replacement mother and its incredibly hurtful.
He ended our marriage and it feels as though hes trying to fill the void that hes created by seperating and "taking" our childrens mother away from.them (because obviously they now dont see me everyday).

Ex taunts me.by telling me how great things are between him and her, it's so painful.

It's the unfairness of it all and how he still has the power to hurt me so much

I am so sorry that I can't really offer you any advice because I'm right in the middle of it as you are.

I just wanted to say that you're not alone and.that your ex sounds very much like mine so there must be some kind of pattern that lying cheating bastards follow.

I'm guessing its going to be hard for a while and I truly hope that both you and I will find our peace again.

Take care and feel free to PM me

DelphiniumBlue · 06/08/2023 09:06

He sounds horrible, no wonder you are traumatised.
There's no reason for you to have to answer the phone to him. If he needs to say something important he can text. You can give him any necessary info by text too. This has the added advantage of being a record of what was said and when, which might be important as he has gaslighted you in the past.
Just don't answer if he calls you. He'll soon get the message.
This will get easier, it's not been very long since he admitted the relationship and it must all feel very raw to you.
Remember, you don't owe him conversation, and discussing how you feel about all this with him will only give him ammunition to use against you. It's not like he's going to say " oh now I realise how much I've hurt you , Ill be nice in future ".
You don't have to talk to him if you don't want to.

TheoTheopolis23 · 06/08/2023 11:27

then just turned up the very next day (I still live in our house while looking for somewhere else and we both still pay towards mortgage and bills so not as easy to just turn him away

How far along are you in getting the house, financial settlement etc sorted? He shouldn't be able to just turn up where you live and expect the door to be answered or to be let in.

If he's outright abusive etc you could get a non mol order to get him to not be able to do that. If he's not, it's important to expedite getting your own place independent of him asap.

I would continue to use a third party for exchanges.

I would propose to him to use an app for all information and communication re your kids etc.

Do not answer you phone to him. Or change your number and give your new no only to the relevant people.
Tell him to use the app or a certain for emergencies only.

Block him, his family etc on every single SM etc platform.

TheoTheopolis23 · 06/08/2023 11:28

*a certain number

TheoTheopolis23 · 06/08/2023 11:33

You need to avoid every bit of interaction with him to the greatest extent that you can, and you need to record every bit of interaction with him.

He should not having any contact with you that is not in black and white/recorded.

If you feel anything is harassment or abuse, I'd speak to WA for some advice.

If you haven't got a ring door bell, I'd get one. He'll be aware it's recording him calling at the house etc.

TheoTheopolis23 · 06/08/2023 11:40

it’s almost like he can sense me disengaging so has to remind me that he’s there.

He's been treating you horribly because of the guilt. He can't accept that guilt so he's convincing himself and others that you're awful and drove him to what he's done/deserve what he's done.

Cheater 101.

You didn't and don't.

He looks like a right c*nt cheating on and leaving the mother of his young child. His new woman is a fool. Others are idiots or are doing a version of what he's doing to cover up the real appearance of his behaviour & character.

He probably does not want you to disengage because he knows then he'll have no choice in going back, he'll have no choice of having you again and you'll move on to another man.

These guys are often fine and dandy when they think they have two women on the go, or at least the option of two women ... But not so fine and dandy when one of them moves on and replaces him.

He's probably also v uncomfortable about the idea of being replaced in your home as a partner and Dad by a potential new partner if you move on, date etc.

While being v happy to do that to you, of course.

I think he'd like you and your child there in stasis for him. When you move on, which you urgently need to do, you're going to see more volatile behaviour from him. When he realises his actions have consequences and he hasn't got the choice of women and lives any more. That's why you need to get very strong barriers between you and him. Recordable string barriers. You'll be in for a rough ride and you better protect yourself.

TheoTheopolis23 · 06/08/2023 11:43

I would propose to him to use an app for all information and communication re your kids etc.

Sorry, kid not kids - you only seen to have one by him, which is a good thing.

BobShark · 06/08/2023 11:50

You will recover, I had six years in n an EA relationship, it's around 10 months now since I got him to leave and I'm only now feeling like I don't want to set him on fire 😳

Do t get me wrong, he's still a horrific person, but the bitterness and rage is now passing.now I do t seem to care so much.

Raisinnola · 07/08/2023 08:18

Thank you for the replies everyone, it’s so helpful to have support from others.

I am no longer engaging in conversation with him, it took me way too long to realise that he genuinely doesn’t care how much I implore him or appeal to his better nature or try to get him to understand the effects of his actions on me or our DC, he simply doesn’t hear it, he is only interested in what he wants to do.

i guess my biggest concern when we split was that I wanted to remain on friendly terms for our little one, but he and his family have treated me so badly that that isn’t an option anymore which feels very sad.

i am looking to buy another house, just nothing come up yet that I’m happy with and I don’t want to rush into it and make a mistake but equally I’m desperate to be out so I can make a fresh start with little one and cut all financial ties with ex.

i suppose I always think of myself as a kind person, I genuinely always try to do the right thing and think about others so it seems so bizarre to me the way he and his family have dealt with the situation, I can’t compute their behaviour and still find it very hurtful.

OP posts:
Mensuckbigtime · 07/08/2023 08:36

Hey, the one thing that I've learnt in the few months since DD..
It's also vital that YOU put up boundaries and ensure that you're OK.

Obviously, DS come first, but it's not on you to ensure an amicable relationship with ex and his family, especially not if they are treating you appalingly.

Go NC as much as possible if it helps you deal with the pain

Take care

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