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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

Feeling sad about my marriage and not sure what to do

40 replies

Grapelipstick · 14/10/2023 08:56

Feel so conflicted about whether or not to separate/divorce from DH.

We've been married for 18 years, have three dc (all at secondary school).

I am sure DH is neurodiverse, and a few other people have suggested it too. His work was always so stressful for him, and he has now taken early retirement (he's only 55 but can just about afford to.) I'm a bit younger, late forties.

Our relationship was always a bit rocky, I did feel like he used to love me, but the last few years I've felt that he's withdrawn from me and now I don't feel he loves me at all. In fact he's told me that he loves me as part of the family, but not in the way he used to.

Over the past few years I have really struggled with the fact that he didn't seem able to deal with his stress from work/life - he used to get angry with me, cold, eye rolling, passive aggressive, moody. He'd punch the sofa cushions or zoom off in the car for hours and i was so worried as I didn't know where he'd gone. I was very affected by his stress and moods and found it very difficult to cope. Now he's finished work he is a lot better, eg he doesn't seem so stressed or have those behaviours he did before, but he is still withdrawn. I know he has noticed that he and I don't interact much any more - I think what has changed is that I used to be the one to always make an effort, ask him how he is, plan dates for the two of us, watch a film together - I've now stopped doing that as I just lost the desire to spend time with him after he'd been so stressed and angry for years.

We've had relationship counselling which didn't really help. He hasn't really apologised for how he's been, if I ever bring it up he just gets defensive and says it was a dynamic between the two of us eg it was both of our faults. He's also had counselling over many years.

I feel we are two very different people now to who we used to be. I feel I still love him, but how do we go forward? On a day to day basis it all seems ok - I go to work, he does hobbies at home, we look after the children etc. He doesn't do any housework really, I used to feel very annoyed about that but somehow I don't mind as much anymore.

I keep thinking about divorce as I would love to have my own space. I feel so conflicted- as I mentioned I do feel I still love him, and almost feel sorry for him at times, but I also feel so damaged by how he behaved, and also I'm not sure we have that much in common any more.

He loves the dc and he is financially responsible, which I do appreciate. I don't know if I'm asking for too much - I'm sure after a long relationship/ marriage, a lot of water passes under the bridge for most people.

I just feel like I don't have the energy to split up at the moment - work, dc, extended family, house and garden seem to take up all my energy and I am barely on top of everything as it is. Not to mention the worry about how the dc would be if we divorced. But I just feel unfulfilled, sad and in limbo. I would be willing to talk to DH about everything and move forward, but if he is unwilling to accept how his behaviour has affected me, is there any hope? But maybe he finds it difficult to express an apology in words but is showing it through being financially responsible?

Also I think even though he is better now he has finished work, if another difficult situation came up again (which is inevitable) I'm sure he wouldn't be able to cope and would revert back to all his old behaviours. I know he is not purposely trying to harm me when he gets stressed, but he does.

I feel really sad as I remember the man he used to be who I feel in love with, and the stresses and strains of life seem to have beaten him down into a different person. Even his mum has said she doesn't recognise the person he has become.

Sorry if it's all a bit rambling - I just have a lot of mixed feelings about everything and not sure how to go forward.

OP posts:
minieggsandmaltesers · 14/10/2023 19:39

I don't know the answer, and I'm sorry you're in this situation.
The only thing I would caution is don't leave thinking that you'll find affection and love in a new shiny relationship. You may be happier by yourself that you are now, but you need to be sure you're going to manage and be happy alone.
There's nothing out there. Dating tumbleweed and no decent guys on OLD or anywhere at this age.

Grapelipstick · 14/10/2023 21:43

mustardseedandmoonshire · 14/10/2023 19:28

@Mari9999 you are not alone. I have been married 24 years and have the same dilemma about go/stay. If it was just about me, I would have filed for divorce quite a few years ago. I have 3 secondary school-age children and have stayed because I think it’s nicer for them. However it isn’t nicer for me, and it’s becoming increasingly difficult for me not to feel like I’m being eaten up from the inside. My DH is completely ostrich-like about our situation and it really gets to me that he would rather passively carry on living as housemates rather than talk about our sham or a marriage. I relate to what you say about simply running out of gas to always be the one who arranges stuff. I am trying to work out if there’s a way we can afford to bird’s nest to keep things stable for the kids. I think if I presented him with a workable compromise to split he’d just go along with it..

@mustardseedandmoonshire I totally relate. I keep thinking that I need to get out soon while I still have the energy/ motivation....I can't bear the thought of still being in this position in 10 years time! But then I think, maybe in 10 years time, I might not mind about the lack of connection and living as housemates...? It's so difficult to know. And like you, my main motivation for staying is the children. It's so strange that it sounds like a lot of men don't seem to mind living as housemates with no emotional connection, as long as their practical needs are met. And don't want to address the situation. I just don't get it.

OP posts:
Grapelipstick · 14/10/2023 21:47

minieggsandmaltesers · 14/10/2023 19:39

I don't know the answer, and I'm sorry you're in this situation.
The only thing I would caution is don't leave thinking that you'll find affection and love in a new shiny relationship. You may be happier by yourself that you are now, but you need to be sure you're going to manage and be happy alone.
There's nothing out there. Dating tumbleweed and no decent guys on OLD or anywhere at this age.

@minieggsandmaltesers I have been thinking that would be the ideal, to be in a relationship where I felt loved and "seen" as a person, but I know how hard it probably is at this age to find someone like that. So yes, I would have to make sure that I was fine being on my own if I was going to leave, rather than assuming I'm going to find a lovely new relationship! Thanks for your thoughts.

OP posts:
billy1966 · 14/10/2023 22:22

You have been his emotional punching bag for many years, doing it all in the home as he took his stress out on you to such an extent that you didn't want to live?

And you have a poster asking you why you would want an apology?🙄.

It sounds as if you have had many long difficult years yet have somehow remained loving him.

You are a very generous woman.

He sounds awful.

I can well imagine the Bank is empty and you feel zero interest being around him nor running after him, not to mind planning date nights!.

Your life has been very hard as you carried the family load.

Do nothing that makes your life harder for you with the children at the moment.

This is your time to start planning.

It is great you are getting therapy.

How far off are you from the children being finished secondary and off to college etc?

In your place I would look at establishing your own interests and life outside the house.

Focus on the children helping out more to lighten your load.

The very last thing you want is retirement with such a man, so getting yourself to a place where you are organised, detached, and focusing on a future where you can enjoy some peace for yourself.

Lots of marriages can become about companionship after a long time, and that is not to be dismissed IMO.

However his awful behaviour towards you was such that it drove you to such a sad place, over so many years, is not something that I would want to just get over and face again.

When he is stressed he is an ugly angry man who takes it out on you.

I wouldn't want to end up with such a man in my retirement.

Think about yourself only.
You owe him nothing IMO.

Start planning.

DustyLee123 · 15/10/2023 07:48

He doesn't do any housework really, I used to feel very annoyed about that but somehow I don't mind as much anymore.

What I have found over the years is that you move the goal posts in your mind. You think, when he does xxx, that’s when I’ll leave. But when he does do xxx you think, it’s not that bad really and easier to stay, but when he does ooo I’ll definitely leave. And so on, until you’re years down the line, still there, wondering why you didn’t go before.
If you’re not going yet, getting your ducks in a row while playing the long game will give you some control and empower you. Then you’re ready to go if you need to.

Grapelipstick · 15/10/2023 10:14

billy1966 · 14/10/2023 22:22

You have been his emotional punching bag for many years, doing it all in the home as he took his stress out on you to such an extent that you didn't want to live?

And you have a poster asking you why you would want an apology?🙄.

It sounds as if you have had many long difficult years yet have somehow remained loving him.

You are a very generous woman.

He sounds awful.

I can well imagine the Bank is empty and you feel zero interest being around him nor running after him, not to mind planning date nights!.

Your life has been very hard as you carried the family load.

Do nothing that makes your life harder for you with the children at the moment.

This is your time to start planning.

It is great you are getting therapy.

How far off are you from the children being finished secondary and off to college etc?

In your place I would look at establishing your own interests and life outside the house.

Focus on the children helping out more to lighten your load.

The very last thing you want is retirement with such a man, so getting yourself to a place where you are organised, detached, and focusing on a future where you can enjoy some peace for yourself.

Lots of marriages can become about companionship after a long time, and that is not to be dismissed IMO.

However his awful behaviour towards you was such that it drove you to such a sad place, over so many years, is not something that I would want to just get over and face again.

When he is stressed he is an ugly angry man who takes it out on you.

I wouldn't want to end up with such a man in my retirement.

Think about yourself only.
You owe him nothing IMO.

Start planning.

@billy1966 thanks for your understanding. Our youngest dc is 13 so at least another 5 years of her being at home. That's good advice to try to get myself to a place where I am organised, detached and focusing on my future. Hopefully my therapist can help me with this.

I feel very depressed about this situation, and go from feeling yes I can do this, I can leave and there is hope for the future, to feeling paralysed and like I will never be able to leave and this will be my life forever. I think it's a case of building my inner strength, detaching from DH, getting support from other people and working out all my feelings about this situation.

It was interesting that you said "Think about yourself only" - I have always found it very difficult to do that, and actually this situation shows that too, as I am constantly thinking about how my DC and DH would feel, rather than how I feel.

OP posts:
Grapelipstick · 15/10/2023 10:19

@DustyLee123 yes that's very true about moving the goalposts. I just tried to imagine if my DH had had an affair - I still think I would be feeling sorry for him and wondering whether I should stay or leave, or work on the relationship! If someone else told me that about them I would think they clearly had no boundaries or self esteem, so maybe that actually describes me.

I have been looking into trauma bonds recently and think I might actually have that with DH (also I'm sure I had it with my dad), as rationally it doesn't make sense that you can still love someone and want to stay with them even if they don't treat you well, or the relationship is not working.

OP posts:
billy1966 · 15/10/2023 13:12

Writing down how you feel has great value, so continue to do that.

There is absolutely no rush for you to make any rash decisions.

Seeing a therapist is excellent to tease out how you feel and what you want.

Can you reconfigure the house and move into a bedroom of your own?

This will give you a safe space of your own where you can focus and think of only yourself.

You are doing it all yourself so you do not necessarily want to make the next 5 years harder for yourself.

You can focus on what a single life would look like and forge ahead with relationships and friendships that will support and nourish you in a life without him in it.

Whether you actually leave or not can be decided in the future, but having your own interests and network will benefit you either way.

Look at getting your children to do more and be less reliant on you.

The nights he cooks should be nights that you take for yourself and start seeing friends, sports, an evening class, a walk with a friend, anything at all that takes you out of the house.

Men like your husband can be very difficult in retirement.

It reminds me of an a lovely woman I play tennis with, she is 67 and her husband has been a demanding man in their marriage.

Within a year of her retirement at 60 she was really struggling.

He was quite controlling of her time, when she was leaving the house, seeing friends, she felt she was on his clock.

He was very demanding about his meals being at a certain time.

He also didn't like to fly.

She was offered a free holiday in Tenerife by a friend with a holiday home there.

She went for a fortnight and then suddenly decided to stay on for a further month.

When she returned home she told her husband she was done.

They haven't divorced but are now living separately within the home.
The house was surprisingly easy to carve up.
They only share a kitchen but she no longer does any cooking for him.

She lives and holidays completely separately.

The garden is his pride and joy and the alternative for him if he doesn't like this arrangement is the house will be sold.

She is very open to the house being sold and he knows this.

She hasn't any interest in another relationship but was more focused in living peacefully, independently, without his demands.

She said that within one year of being retired she realised that not only did she not love him, she no longer liked him, didn't want to listen twitter on, no longer cared at all.

She realised while on holiday that for her mental and general health she needed to not be with him.

His constant texting and ringing her about him being inconvenienced by her holiday was the final nail in their marriage.

She is so grateful that she has her own pension, she has repeated this on several occasions.

Her husband is very wary of her now and she wishes she left had him a decade earlier, but she is happy enough.

There children have adjusted.
She was very firm with them.
They were busy living their own full lives and she was done putting their fathers care ahead of her own.

You are still a young woman with a lot of living to do.
Feeling powerless is awful.
As is the loneliness of just drifting along.

Taking back control by seeing your therapist, figuring out what you want your future to look like, expanding your circle, looking and managing your finances, will help you to feel less adrift and more in control of your life and future.

Grapelipstick · 15/10/2023 15:43

@billy1966 thank you so much for taking the time to write your post.

DH and I have actually had separate bedrooms for a couple of years now (it was initially due to DH's snoring), and I do seem to spend quite a bit of time in my bedroom to get some space. Now DH is retired and at home all the time, I can feel his heavy presence and energy throughout the house as he very rarely goes out. He has actually gone out today to visit a friend for the first time in months and I feel so relieved, the atmosphere feels so much lighter, but I am already anxious and dreading him coming back!

It's like I find it hard to think clearly when he is around - I need to be by myself. Yes I do relate to feeling powerless - DH subtly controls so much of our life, and I can't say anything otherwise he gets angry so over the years I feel I have just relinquished the power over most areas of my life.

That is very inspirational to hear about the lady you play tennis with, and great to hear that she now has a life she is happy with.

Thank you for all your advice and suggestions, they are very helpful.

OP posts:
category12 · 15/10/2023 16:09

I know you're passing off all his behaviours as due to stress or neurodiversity, but they are/were emotionally abusive. Could argue about intent, but intent isn't magic - the person on the receiving end experiences it as abuse and is duly affected.

It's not uncommon for people to feel sorry and responsible for their abusers.

You only get the one life, OP.

FinallyHere · 15/10/2023 20:06

He doesn't do any housework really,

Does he perhaps pay separately for someone to do his share of the housework, or does he expect you to do it all?

This is where I would start, to ask him quite neutrally why he thinks it is acceptable for you to be working and doing all the household tasks plus their management while he is retired and still does

FinallyHere · 15/10/2023 20:09

FinallyHere · 15/10/2023 20:06

He doesn't do any housework really,

Does he perhaps pay separately for someone to do his share of the housework, or does he expect you to do it all?

This is where I would start, to ask him quite neutrally why he thinks it is acceptable for you to be working and doing all the household tasks plus their management while he is retired and still does

Sorry, posted in error but I think you will get the drift of my argument.

This is clearly not fair. Whatever the reason, it's just not fair on you are you are imo quite rightly coming to resent his selfishness.

Just because someone is ND, sadly, doesn't stop them being selfish and a user.

I'd encourage you to dig deep and discover your inner 'up with this I will not put'. If not for yourself, then for the example set for your children.

billy1966 · 15/10/2023 20:27

I am glad you have your own space, that is something.

I think you need to talk to your therapist about his anger and how it has controlled you and the house.

I think it will help you realise just how abusive this relationship is.

Good men do not control their familys with their anger.

Abusive men do.

You have be ground down by his anger that you no longer recognise it for what it is....plain abuse.

Please reach out to Women's aid for a chat.
Every bit of support is welcome.

Also tell your friends and family the truth.

Stop protecting him and look after yourself.

Telling the truth might help you feel less alone in this.

We are here for you.

OzziePopPop · 15/10/2023 23:02

You said your children are in secondary but are any in exam years? If so, I’d wait…. Otherwise I’d leave. ND or not, this isn’t ‘enough’ for anyone.

orangecowboy · 16/10/2023 08:29

Hello Grapelipstick

I wanted to echo what other posters have said. Your post resonated with me as well unfortunately in terms of how I feel. I would also add looking after your physical health, sleep, diet, exercise. Getting all of those in a good place can help you have the strength to face things. I know when my sleep starts going badly I see things very darkly and spiral downward in my mood and feelings about my situation.

I am beginning to think on a 5 yr horizon and trying to get my life into a good place.

It is ok not to know yet what you want to do, it is ok to give yourself time. I am using the time until the children leave home and we can sell the house to audit and improve my life outside of my husband and then I will decide if we buy another house together or go our separate ways.

I wish you well.

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