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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

Exhausted, burnt out and stressed in my marriage

41 replies

User210903 · 06/09/2023 09:08

Someone please help me! I don’t know what I am doing wrong, I am feeling so burnt out and exhausted in this relationship. I am doing every-single-thing I possibly can to make my marriage work but I feel he doesn’t understand or appreciate my efforts even though he says he understands. I have a demanding job which involves a lot of travelling and hotel stays and work full time (2 days from home and rest in the office), trying to maintain my house (cooking every 2 days, cleaning, etc), spending quality time with my husband and spending time with his family. I am always so behind with my work (which I never was prior to getting married last year), I am nearly being suspended from work but can’t afford to as I need to get a mortgage. Most of my time is spent with either his family or going out with my husband. I keep telling my husband that I am falling behind and I need some hours here and there to catch up and that we should reduce the time we spend at his family’s house so I can do my work. His daily timetable is he sleeps late and wakes up late, works a few hours and spends some time with me and some with his family and rest on tiktok. That’s pretty much it. He insists us spending time with his family every day for a good 2-3 hours (every day). Every time I say you go alone, he gets mad at me and it turns into an argument. I am feeling so burnt out with my time management, I am juggling so many commitments, I don’t even get to see my own family and friends. I haven’t nailed down a routine yet in my first year of marriage and feel like I am clutching onto the last straw.
Last week my close family member passed away which I am still grieving for, then we went Devon over the weekend, we came back on Sunday past midnight. At midnight he invites guests to have a dinner at our place the following day (12 ppl). I was working until 2am. Exhausted I fell asleep and woke up at 11am and tried to get dressed, make breakfast and it was around 2pm before I got to begin working again. Work not finished. Trying to be a good wife (because I know if I say no he will argue) I cook and clean and host the dinner for his family in the evening. The event finishes at 10pm. In the same night I now need to travel a good 3 hours to a different city for work purposes and stay overnight. Same day! I arrive to the hotel at 4am. I sleep for 3 hours and back to work again.
Now the following day when he is calm I explain to him that I was past my limit last night and I am extremely stressed and extremely tired and I am still so behind in my work. I explained calmly how I wished I said no in hosting the dinner last night because it put me under immense pressure and I still haven’t completed my work and think I might get fired. He suddenly gets so angry at me and says hurtful things to me like if you can’t handle your job, leave it. Im tired listening to how always behind you are at work etc. You only nitpicked at this dinner and you were being lazy last 10 days. I am trying to explain to him my uncle died last week and im still grieving and working my way through that but his anger dismisses everything I say aside. I fall asleep crying. Late at night he says to me I don’t know why you’re crying, it’s not a big deal.
Needless to say I am hurt, stressed and burnt out. I cannot even look my husband in the eye, he makes me so mad. How do I make him understand that I am juggling so many balls and I am stressed and all I want is just some consideration, understanding and appreciation?
He says I am lazy and slacking.

OP posts:
Shoxfordian · 06/09/2023 09:11

He’s emotionally abusive and not supportive. Does he work? He should appreciate you and support you not criticise you. He’s the problem- don’t let this mean you lose your job

Saysoe · 06/09/2023 09:13

This doesn’t sound like a healthy relationship and I am sorry to say but I think you have made a huge mistake marrying him.

I rarely advocate leaving but this doesn’t sound like it is going to improve as he clearly thinks he rules the roost.

humus · 06/09/2023 09:14

This sounds so odd, I agree with the @Saysoe this sounds abusive and you should protect your job at all costs otherwise you’ll be dependent on him.

likepeddlesonabeach · 06/09/2023 09:22

You 'don't know what you're doing wrong' because you are not actually doing anything wrong, but you're being treated as though you are which must feel stressful and confusing.

Your husband is prioritising his own preferences, social life and fun above your needs, your health and your wellbeing and that is both unsustainable and unacceptable. By going to extreme lengths like hosting an enormous meal then driving 3 hours for work to avoid an argument, you're solidifying a dynamic where he does whatever he wants and you exhaust yourself and move mountains to accommodate him. You're both behaving as through only his needs matter, and while it's stressful now, if you have kids together in will become literally impossible for him to get his own way and continue to be the most important person in the family. Then what? You can't outrun the arguments forever.

If you think your relationship has enough good things about it to make it worth saving, you need mediation or couples therapy to figure out how to communicate without him manipulating you or getting angry every time you say no. I suppose there's a slim possibility he's never had to think about someone else's needs and doesn't see what he's doing.

If he's this selfish in every area of his life and you're already on the brink of being done with him, I'd say get out now if you can, before you get a mortgage and definitely before you have kids.

Letmeoutnow · 06/09/2023 09:25

As others, you need to leave this marriage. He doesn’t care about you at all and only sees you as fitting in with his wants.

Leave now and hopefully the financial impact of the divorce won’t be so bad.

He’s absolutely horrible. Don’t waste any more of your time. Get out now.

Letmeoutnow · 06/09/2023 09:28

And don’t waste your time on couples therapy. Couples therapy can’t make him see you as a human being he should care about or support

He has you burnt on, on the verge of losing your job, subject to his anger when you try to assert any boundary for yourself and blaming yourself for all this. Couples therapy can’t fix what’s wrong with him.

ThePoetsWife · 06/09/2023 09:31

You need to leave this lazy selfish abusive man

HerAvatar · 06/09/2023 09:34

You do know it's not normal for him to expect you to spend hours and hours with his family don't you OP? Or to expect you to cook for everyone when he knows you should be working? He should care that you're burnt out and exhausted, should be doing what he can to take pressure off you, not be piling more on. You say you and he argue if you try to say no, what would actually happen if you stuck to your no and refused to see his family or cook for everyone?

User210903 · 06/09/2023 10:07

He’s emotionally abusive and not supportive. Does he work? He should appreciate you and support you not criticise you. He’s the problem- don’t let this mean you lose your job

I really don't want to lose my job :(

OP posts:
User210903 · 06/09/2023 10:13

@likepeddlesonabeach - this is the best advice I have received and I am going to talk to him about this when I get an opportunity. At the moment I feel so shut down and numb which may come across as silent treatment but it's not.

OP posts:
User210903 · 06/09/2023 10:15

@Letmeoutnow I know I really need to set my boundaries and stick to it.

OP posts:
User210903 · 06/09/2023 10:16

@HerAvatar - I am going to try this and start saying no and stick to it

OP posts:
TheShellBeach · 06/09/2023 10:18

What was he like before the wedding?
Was this an arranged marriage?

beatrix1234 · 06/09/2023 10:21

This is madness. I was already feeling stressed just by reading your post. If you continue in this marriage that is clearly not working for you (but seems to be working nicely for him) you’re going to end very ill or with clinical depression. This man is not going to change.

AttilaTheMeerkat · 06/09/2023 10:27

He knows completely what he is doing here and he does not care one bit about any aspect of you or your own well being. He is also projecting his own self onto you in that HE is the one who is both lazy and unappreciative. Therefore talking to him about this will be a complete waste of time. You need to plan your exit from this sham of a marriage.

Couples counselling is also NOT recommended where there is abuse of any type within the relationship.

How can you be helped into leaving your abuser?.

Tinklyheadtilt · 06/09/2023 10:27

He is lazy and selfish. Time to get tough - tell him he needs to pull his weight or he can leave the house.

ZeldaWillTellYourFortune · 06/09/2023 10:28

Why on earth are you with him?!?

This is your one and only lifetime, you know.

MyEyesMyThighs · 06/09/2023 10:29

Obviously you should leave this horrible man, but as a first step I would start working all 5 days in the office. He is making the WFH days impossible for you, seeing you being there in the house as being at his beck and call.

You can then start to meet your friends after work, if he is at his family.

It sounds as if he is most abusive when you are in his presence, so I would limit his opportunities to order you around.

Then leave, life should never be this hard.

pinkyredrose · 06/09/2023 10:35

Your husband doesn't respect or even like you.

Why does he spend so much time with his family, are there cultural issues at play?

He can't see your point of view, your mental and physical health is suffering.

If I was you I'd book into a hotel for a few days, catch up on sleep and work and then leave him.

Pixiedust1234 · 06/09/2023 10:39

He needs to work more, is he parttime? He also needs to take over more of the household chores. He cannot dictate what you must and must not do, eg see his family for 2 hours everyday or host 12 people. If he invites others you don't have to host, just go to bed and sleep.

But honestly if your marriage is this hard after one year then you shouldn't be together. How long were you together pre marriage, and was he similar in expectations/anger?

determinedtomakethiswork · 06/09/2023 10:41

TikTok? How old is he?

Are you the breadwinner or does he have a private income?

It's absolutely vital you don't lose your job. I think you should move out even if that's just for a while (30 years). Have a look at Airbnb's in your area, then pack up your things and just go.

He is extremely selfish and it sounds as though he is lazy as well. He is very entitled in the way he behaves. This marriage is not good for you. It's extremely good for him but it will make you very ill.

Crikeyalmighty · 06/09/2023 10:43

Why all this time with his family? Is it a cultural thing? It's really not normal

pieinthesky10 · 06/09/2023 10:45

Oh op this is not normal at all , l would have left by now despite being a short marriage.

He does not have your back
He does not prioritise your health and happiness.
He speaks to you appallingly
He is a bully
He is lazy

Leave whilst you still have a job and future, and don't get pregnant iron clad your contraception today.

User210903 · 06/09/2023 10:46

@beatrix1234 Thank you for helping me realise it's not all in my head. I agree...it's so so hard for me but I agree I need to set my boundaries and stick to them. I have never been good at setting boundaries.

OP posts:
WhatNoRaisins · 06/09/2023 10:48

He just sounds like a massive drain on you OP. I know people are really quick on here to tell you to leave a partner but this is one of the times it's the right advice.

And yes, don't get pregnant with this loser.