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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

Boyfriend moody when he doesn’t get sex

141 replies

BourbonBiscuit555 · 04/02/2024 11:00

Boyfriend and I have been together 2 years, we’re an hour apart so we generally see each other every weekend. Since fairly early on into the relationship we’ve had issues with sex. My partner would be very happy to have sex multiple times a day, every day, if he could. For me this is too much, I’m content with a few times a week, sometimes more sometimes less.

The issue I have is that on the days I’m not in the mood for sex, my boyfriend will become very grumpy - gives me the silent treatment, turns away from me in bed and starts claiming that the relationship is falling apart etc. he’ll generally be like this until I cave or am next in the mood, then everything is suddenly fine. I’ve tried to tell him numerous times that sometimes I’m just too tired, I work a stressful job and am a lone parent to my daughter as well as studying, it’s nothing personal towards him. He however can’t get his head around this, he says he can’t understand how I wouldn’t want to rip his clothes off after not seeing him all week, tells me that me rejecting him is super damaging to his mental health etc etc. He likes to tell me that he’s never had this with anyone before and essentially can’t understand how I can simply not want to have sex with him.

I’m at a lose end with it because no matter how much I tell him I’m just simply not in the mood some days, he will listen and claims he understands, but when it next happens he then goes into these moods again. The more I feel pressured into it, the more it turns me off and it becomes a bit of a vicious cycle.

I don’t think we’ve ever gone without sex for more than a week. On the days I don’t want sex, I tell him I’m happy to pleasure him in other ways but he then tells me he doesn’t want that as he can do it himself - he only wants sex. I can’t bear the moods, it’s making me dread getting into bed with him.

AIBU here? Am I being out of order for not wanting to rip his clothes off after not seeing him for a week?

OP posts:
FinallyHere · 04/02/2024 17:54

my boyfriend will become very grumpy - gives me the silent treatment, turns away from me in bed and starts claiming that the relationship is falling apart etc. he’ll generally be like this until I cave

Why on earth do you accept this behaviour? Why are you still with him ?

Nanny0gg · 04/02/2024 17:56

BourbonBiscuit555 · 04/02/2024 13:24

See I do understand him being upset if/when I’m not in the mood after not seeing him all week, but I also can’t physically force myself if I’m not in the mood or physically too tired. The issue is he can’t see how I can turn it down as when he’s tired, he still likes to have sex. He says he’s not horny all week and when he sees me, he’s super horny and can’t keep his hands off etc. He just can’t understand how I’m not the same and believes it must be a problem with me because if I fancied him I would surely want to have sex with him all the time. To me, there’s other ways of showing this.

He claims it would be ok if we lived together because he wouldn’t expect it everyday, and apparently he gets like it because we only see each other weekends. But, when we’ve been away together for a week and a couple days I haven’t been in the mood, it all starts up again.

You do know that it's not all about him, Yes?

You are an equal partner in this with equal say.

If he wants a sex doll I'm sure he can find one online somewhere

OlderGlaswegianLivingInDevon · 04/02/2024 17:59

One day, if he hasn't already, he won't take no as a reply

He will either decide he doesn't hear the word NO or decides he doesn't want to hear the word No

and he will rape you.

Gloriosaford · 04/02/2024 18:07

Are you hearing us @BourbonBiscuit555 ?

newlaptop12 · 04/02/2024 18:08

Get some self-respect - why have you not dumped this creep?

porridgeisbae · 04/02/2024 18:18

@BourbonBiscuit555 Just to say, some of these get worse/eventually express their abuse in extra ways. This is a risk, because they feel entitled to your body. So they'll end up shagging you when you're asleep or drunk, or even awake. Aka rape. I've experienced these men.

They're well dodgy, dangerous.

Mitherations · 04/02/2024 18:21

jhy · 04/02/2024 16:05

You see him EVERY OTHER WEEKEND. It's only normal to want to cram it in someway. If you didn't do it one week, it would then be a month since sex and that is a long time for a relationship.
I do think the bigger picture is, if you were to live with him he would expect it more, so probably not compatible.

Can you say more?

Cram it in? Cram what in? The allocation of sex he feels entitled to, or else? Who gets to set that? Does she not get any say in it?

There's a word for what's going on here and it's nothing to do with compatibility.

Gloriosaford · 04/02/2024 18:31

tells me that me rejecting him is super damaging to his mental health
This is because he has a disordered personality and is unable to tolerate being told no, he is only calm/happy if he has total control and everything is on HIS terms.
He is trying to coerce you into living with him, you have a daughter and you are studying because you want to invest in yourself and improve life for you and your dependent child.
If you live with this man he will demand that everything revolves around him & his needs, he wont tolerate you studying, that will make him feel very threatened, he will sabotage anything you do for yourself.
You might think he will take a paternal interest in your daughter, trust me he will not. A man as dominant, dysfunctional & manipulative as him will not be prepared to invest any time and effort in another man's child (this is how he will view her) She will be used as another lever with which to control you, he will let you know that he'll only be nice to her if you comply with what he wants.

Guavafish1 · 04/02/2024 20:11

Lots of men think sex is love. There no sex means no love.

You don't seem sex compatible

Naunet · 05/02/2024 08:45

Guavafish1 · 04/02/2024 20:11

Lots of men think sex is love. There no sex means no love.

You don't seem sex compatible

This is nothing to do with love.

PermanentTemporary · 05/02/2024 16:24

No sex?? There's plenty of it, just not exactly at the frequency he thinks he should be able to order from deliveroo! This is not a sexless relationship.

perfectcolourfound · 06/02/2024 08:14

Occasionally the title of an OP is enough.

Moody when he doesn't get sex? So he feels he's entitled to sex? It's something you owe him? If you don't want to have sex he doesn't have to be nice to you?

There is NO positive spin on his behaviour. It's uncaring, selfish, entitled, immature.

Mature adults don't sulk if sex is off the cards. Decent people don't try to guilt trip other people (people they are meant to love) into doing things they don't want to do. Good people don't want other people to feel forced into sex.

JacksonLambsEatIvy · 06/02/2024 08:22

This is one of those absolutely clear cut red flags.

Any man who sulks to coerce you into giving in to having sex with him is not a good boyfriend/partner. Unequivocally.

You are a single mum trying to study. You do not need a boyfriend who will sulk and treat you poorly unless he gets his sex quota. Men like this do not improve if you live together.

Throw this one back.

JacksonLambsEatIvy · 06/02/2024 08:23

Guavafish1 · 04/02/2024 20:11

Lots of men think sex is love. There no sex means no love.

You don't seem sex compatible

There’s always at least one apologist for poor male behaviour, isn’t there. 🙄

ShineNon · 02/11/2024 02:55

BourbonBiscuit555 · 04/02/2024 11:00

Boyfriend and I have been together 2 years, we’re an hour apart so we generally see each other every weekend. Since fairly early on into the relationship we’ve had issues with sex. My partner would be very happy to have sex multiple times a day, every day, if he could. For me this is too much, I’m content with a few times a week, sometimes more sometimes less.

The issue I have is that on the days I’m not in the mood for sex, my boyfriend will become very grumpy - gives me the silent treatment, turns away from me in bed and starts claiming that the relationship is falling apart etc. he’ll generally be like this until I cave or am next in the mood, then everything is suddenly fine. I’ve tried to tell him numerous times that sometimes I’m just too tired, I work a stressful job and am a lone parent to my daughter as well as studying, it’s nothing personal towards him. He however can’t get his head around this, he says he can’t understand how I wouldn’t want to rip his clothes off after not seeing him all week, tells me that me rejecting him is super damaging to his mental health etc etc. He likes to tell me that he’s never had this with anyone before and essentially can’t understand how I can simply not want to have sex with him.

I’m at a lose end with it because no matter how much I tell him I’m just simply not in the mood some days, he will listen and claims he understands, but when it next happens he then goes into these moods again. The more I feel pressured into it, the more it turns me off and it becomes a bit of a vicious cycle.

I don’t think we’ve ever gone without sex for more than a week. On the days I don’t want sex, I tell him I’m happy to pleasure him in other ways but he then tells me he doesn’t want that as he can do it himself - he only wants sex. I can’t bear the moods, it’s making me dread getting into bed with him.

AIBU here? Am I being out of order for not wanting to rip his clothes off after not seeing him for a week?

2 years in suggests this is a recent problem. You say

"happy to pleasure him in other ways but he then tells me he doesn’t want that as he can do it himself"

He can't give himself oral, try increasing your frequency, and something I only learned several years in if you do this first thing particularly on a saturday morning he'll be serene and do nearly anything you want all day 😀

Try that

Ps. I think part of the problem is your not initiating, the above solves two birds with one stone

Edingril · 02/11/2024 02:56

So do you honestly think it is right for him to expect this? really?

beachcitygirl · 02/11/2024 03:03

Get out of this.
I have a mutual friend whose husband turned up at the hospital and pulled the curtains round and expected sex/bj/jandjob whilst she had just been operated on for cancer.

Run. Don't walk.

JoBrandsCleaner · 02/11/2024 03:13

You’re damaging his mental health, oh dear. I think I’d split up with him so that he can find a woman who understands that he should be able to use her body when he feels like it, we wouldn’t want him getting depressed. How about the nearest prostitute

Mischance · 02/11/2024 08:19

I am at a loss to understand why you are with him. Why do you have him in your life? In what way does he add to your happiness? What is the point of him? How much of your short life are you prepared to give up to this man-child?

Mischance · 02/11/2024 09:35

if you do this first thing particularly on a saturday morning he'll be serene and do nearly anything you want all day

I am assuming this is ironic. I certainly hope so.

Nanny0gg · 02/11/2024 10:25

beachcitygirl · 02/11/2024 03:03

Get out of this.
I have a mutual friend whose husband turned up at the hospital and pulled the curtains round and expected sex/bj/jandjob whilst she had just been operated on for cancer.

Run. Don't walk.

Envy
Screamingabdabz · 02/11/2024 10:28

beachcitygirl · 02/11/2024 03:03

Get out of this.
I have a mutual friend whose husband turned up at the hospital and pulled the curtains round and expected sex/bj/jandjob whilst she had just been operated on for cancer.

Run. Don't walk.

Please tell me she didn’t and she got rid of the cunt…? 😱

AnellaA · 02/11/2024 10:54

You are incompatible. You do have mismatched sex drives he is incapable of behaving rationally and maturely to figure out that this means the relationship will fail. It will fail, OP. Your best bet is to end it now before you get more hurt.

Tillow4ever · 02/11/2024 11:35

Zombie thread guys - it's from February!

Swipe left for the next trending thread