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Relationships

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Radicalises into being a neanderthal?

15 replies

Namechangerinserepeat · 07/03/2024 00:53

DH is early 50s. When I married him many years ago, he was humble and so kind, almost too kind. We both come from problematic households: DV in mine despite parents having unfounded amounts of intellectual snobbery. DH has a wonderful mother but he and the siblings were brought up semi feral as she had to work double shifts. Her husband was absent and started multiple families and never knew his son - DH.

Two DC and two decades later, DH is becoming increasingly intolerant about most things but especially the state of the (messy) house. He has a blitz in the morning but is very angry about it always. I am not perfect: I’m very untidy. I need to declutter but don’t have the energy. I can clean for half an hour and it looks no better. Suspected ADHD but that’s for another thread. But I do all the planning, keeping on top of school news, most of the weekday cooking. I work fulltime. My contract is about to come to an end but I’m on near six figures. DH is on double my salary. All finances are shared. Not financially abusive though does raise an eyebrow when credit card is over a grand most months (most food shopping done on it).

I have put on a lot of weight in the last decade. Am now a size 20 and unhappy about it. I’ve tried fasting, low carb, low calorie and Ozempic. Nothing has shifted more than a few pounds - even when I ate practically nothing. He is full of disdain about my weight.

I feel exhausted which is infuriating him further. I assumed I was perimenopausal but had private tests done (so not fobbed off by an NHS GP in case anyone asks) and they said it pointed to thyroid disfunction so am not bracing myself for further tests. DH has zero empathy and thinks I’m useless.

He is short tempered around the DC. I am beginning to resent him - and sadly also the DC who also have no respect for the house. One stays up super late and DH will lie in bed on his phone rather than putting her to bed even when he’s been home longer. It takes whatever energy I have to do bedtime. It is then somehow my fault that the child won’t rise in the mornings. (Both are tweens now).

What I need to work out is, was he always a wanker but just hid it - in the same way that I was a fat woman hidden in a slightly chubby younger woman’s body? Or has he changed due to life grinding him down? Is it unresolved daddy issues? Or is it down to what I suspect is increasingly right wing crap that he’s watching on YouTube? He WAS a left- leaning empathetic person for years but the last 2 years I notice he raises net migration, BLM, the eradication of cash, D&I etc.

Urgh it’s so unattractive. My poor DC witnessing this and possible separation.

OP posts:
DustyLee123 · 07/03/2024 07:16

Perimenopause opened my eyes to things I’d accepted/put up with, when I think back my DH was always like this, but I adored him and needed him as a father.
Now my tolerance is low, but so is my ability to confront, whereas before I’d have had a go.

YourNimblePeachTraybake · 07/03/2024 07:19

I would get treatment for my thyroid and leave someone who respects me this little.

YourNimblePeachTraybake · 07/03/2024 07:19

Which doesn't answer your question, sorry.

VestibuleVirgin · 07/03/2024 07:21

Well, sadly, neither of you are covering yourselves in glory and you are almost neglecting your children.
If you have a low thyroid level, that is easily sorted with a daily tablet. Your DH is sinking into a fug.
Rather than trying to work out what has gone 'wrong' with your DH, you both need to sit down a take stock. Of both of your health, finances and attitudes. You beed to discuss childcare, division of household duries, and give yourselves a timeline with goals for change.
Or split, but do either, quickly

Humptydumptybounced · 07/03/2024 07:23

The following jumped out at me :

"He is full of disdain about my weight."

"DH has zero empathy and thinks I’m useless."

"He is short tempered around the DC"

I don't think he's had a personality transplant OP, I think he was probably always like this - you just didn't see it.

Now that your eyes are wide open, it's your decision what you do about it.

NeurodivergentBurnout · 07/03/2024 08:21

I felt like this OP. Fell in love with a man who was cheerful, happy, great sense of humour. Come from a difficult upbringing and I thought how amazing it was that he was lovely in spite of all of that. Gradually turned into a miserable git! I spent so long wrestling over whether he was always like that and I didn’t see it, or if he’d changed? He’d had health problems that seemed to trigger this change too and I waited so long for the man I fell for to come back. Eventually, as his behaviour got worse, I decided I couldn’t wait any longer. Similar to you - house was a mess, he blamed me (I have ADHD myself, late diagnosed). Every so often he would do what I called ‘angry cleaning’ where he’d charge through the house. Tried getting a cleaner but he’d moan at the cost and having to tidy up for her. His negative attitude cast a shadow over everything and in the end, something snapped. I had a ‘lightbulb’ moment when he said something nasty (about how he’d been looking after me after an accident and he’d concluded if roles were reversed I wouldn’t do for him what he did for me) and I thought ‘That’s not true; that’s just a lie you tell yourself to justify your behaviour towards me’. In that moment, I saw him for what he was, an abusive, horrible man I needed to leave and protect DC as much as possible.
We separated. He wanted a trial split but then changed his mind after a couple of weeks (turned out he already met someone else! After 15 years together he waited less than a month to move on). I now realise he was abusive:. The nice, kind, generous guy was an act as he love bombed me, the horrible bloke is who he really is.
I fee free now. Financially it’s tight. DD doesn’t like going to his house much but otherwise she’s much happier. It was worth it.

SwordToFlamethrower · 07/03/2024 08:40

If you're so well off, why don't you hire a nutritionist to look at your needs and give you a diet plan that works for you?

Eating practically nothing won't work, that never works.

Get a housekeeper.

treadmilljazz · 08/03/2024 01:27

Not my DH thankfully but a good male friend of mine is now like this, he's so awful I don't even really see him anymore, when I think of the sweet, fun young man he used to be I could cry but he's changed into a rude, arrogant, judgmental middle aged man. I pity his wife and daughters having to live with him and I know his wife would leave if not for the girls, I just don't know how some people go through such a radical personality change.

aurynne · 08/03/2024 02:15

You can shift about 200 pounds in 5 minutes by kicking that sorry arse of a H you have to the kerb.

Botanica · 08/03/2024 03:09

It sounds like you're both at fault here and have fallen into unhealthy habits and have lost sight of your priorities.

You need to start communicating better and spend time talking about how to improve your relationship, care for your family and manage your home.

I know from experience just how demanding it can be to maintain careers which command large salaries, but ultimately is it worth it if everything else is falling apart behind the scenes.

You need to stop looking for fault in each other, each get your own health and mental well-being in order, and start rebuilding what really matters.

FortofPud · 08/03/2024 03:42

Personally I think the right-wing thing is a red herring and you will waste your time looking there for blame. I know plenty of wonderful and kind men of both political leanings, and some terrible unpleasant partners on both sides too. I think its more likely to represent him struggling with the direction his life has taken and looking for answers in new places rather than it being the thing changing him into this grumpy mean man.

If you're fed and tired of life, I wonder if he is too. Except that he's looking outwardly and placing the blame on you rather than facing up to the parts he needs to take repsonsibility for. That's very much on him of course, and I don't mean you should put up with it, but it is potentially fixable if he's depressed for instance.

Plan to have frank chat (as in don't spring it on him) at a time when there isn't a current argument. Be honest in the kindest way you can and put all you cards on the table. It's up to him to choose how to respond. It he could take that as a kick up the bum and you were able to pull back together as a team, would you be up for that? If you would be happy with that, tell him. Give him the best chance of hearing you and making a good change.

Newnamehiwhodis · 08/03/2024 04:08

What good is he?

FedUpMumof10YO · 08/03/2024 04:23

In terms of the state of the house, if you have nearly £300k coming in, you can employ someone to do the tedious stuff.

Others can tell you about everything else in your post including your unsupportive husband.

Pinkbonbon · 08/03/2024 05:11

Just to side note op, none of the plans you used to lose weight sound HEALTHY.

If you are a size 20 it's not a diet you need it's permanent overall of your eating habits. Focus on losing a small but consistent amount of weight over a longer period of time.

Groups like slimmingworld or weight watchers may also be of use as a group environment can help keep motivation up. Plus you're less likely to eat badly if you know you're getting weighed at your next meeting.

Keep a food journal too. Write down everything you eat so you can see where extra calories are coming from.

Sceptical123 · 08/03/2024 05:42

aurynne · 08/03/2024 02:15

You can shift about 200 pounds in 5 minutes by kicking that sorry arse of a H you have to the kerb.

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻😆

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