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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

So upset by headf*ck man. Handhold to finally end it please!

110 replies

pretaranger · 10/03/2024 23:34

This could be a long story, but I’m trying to keep it short. I’ve been seeing a man for a year who, if I spend any time away from him (with my school age dc or just by myself), he gets upset and creates an argument about whether I want to be with him. Same if we go a day without contact. Generally, he will do something like ghost me, or threaten to break up, or he will book a flight somewhere and just go away the next day. This has happened today. I wasn’t able to speak much or to meet up this weekend because my dc was sick. I did see him 4 out of 5 days last week though. He accused me of ‘ignoring’ him, and has worked himself up to ‘if you want to dump me then just do it’ and when I didn’t rise to the bait and said I was sick of the drama cycle, he booked a flight and just messaged me saying hes leaving early in the morning for a week. ‘Just wanted to let you know’. He has no dc and works remotely so he can do that stuff whenever. It makes me feel so so shit. Last time (3’weeks ago) he refused to come back from his trip until I sufficiently grovelled on the phone, saying he was planning on rebooking his flight home to a later date, which he never did. And I’m embarrassed to say I did grovel. I was so upset and panicked.
He has told me that he thinks he might be a ‘drama addict’ and that he may have bpd and he has serious trust issues. So I do know all this. I feel like such an idiot. But even now, suddenly getting a message saying he’s leaving without warning, and knowing I ‘caused’ it, I feel so mixed up and sad. Someone who loves me as much as he claims wouldn’t do this, right? It just feels cruel. It’s like he’s withdrawing in such an extreme way, a way I couldn’t and don’t ever do to him, if he’s displeased with me. It really hurts. I don’t think I can bear to beg him back over the phone ever again. Please help me to end and block. my head is spaghetti from this man.

OP posts:
ExtraOnions · 10/03/2024 23:37

He doesn’t love you.

You deserve better

You will feel better every hour you are away from him

You have choices, power & agency

Use them

MrSlant · 10/03/2024 23:37

Lovely lovely woman, send him off back into the ether, he is an abusive bastard and not worthy of a second of your worry.

Fairly sure you are going to get an awful lot of similar responses. For the sake of you and your children don't have a second more to do with this excuse for a human, you are worth so much more.

pretaranger · 10/03/2024 23:48

The rational part of me knows why he does this. It worked in the past because I was so afraid I’d never see him again and he’d leave me, I would agree to things and in hindsight I did feel manipulated into them but it just felt such a relief when he would come back. He says it hurts so much when I ‘ignore’ (i.e. don’t talk to him through the whole day) but how can he not see that literally leaving me for a week at a time to punish me is so much worse? He just seems so unreliable. He can take off, I can’t. If I did that to him he would be very upset with me. I just can’t believe he’s doing this again.

OP posts:
pretaranger · 10/03/2024 23:49

And I have no way to really talk to him or go see him before his ‘early flight’ tomorrow as I am in charge of my dc who had school tomorrow. So I just have to feel shit about it. I know he will ghost me this week til I beg. Well, I can’t let it
happen. I feel like I am finally seeing him for who he is.

OP posts:
Beamur · 10/03/2024 23:52

He's being horrible to you and pretending it's love.
Please just draw a line and consider this done.
You've had enough of this pointless drama.
Say goodbye and block him.

flyinghen · 10/03/2024 23:56

He's abusive, not a drama addict, straight up abusive. This WILL absolutely get worse. Please for your sake but especially for your children break up with him. Imagine your kids growing up thinking this is okay? What if they grow up thinking this barbaric shit is normal and end up abused by their partners? The saving grace here is that he's not your kids father and you can get rid of him forever so take that opportunity and run a mile!

Avatartar · 11/03/2024 00:00

OMG how exhausting - a relationship should bring you joy - this is just terrible. Let him drama lama on his own and take your DC out for a treat, just you two, delete and block him

Avatartar · 11/03/2024 00:01

Right now grab a drink and watch the Oscar’s itll take your mind off him - and everyone is smiling x

Opentooffers · 11/03/2024 00:08

He is trying to make you put him ahead of your DC, that should never happen as a mother and any decent man knows to respect that. Put your DC first and dump this manchild. Better still, just ghost him right back and block him . I wouldn't even bother telling him it's over, he'd only spout a lot of abuse to you and try to make you feel like shit anyway. No need to hear what he's got to say.

PossumintheHouse · 11/03/2024 00:12

He literally just flys off to whatever fucking destination he fancies?! 😂
Tell him to fly off to Timbuktu and never come back.

LostittoBostik · 11/03/2024 00:13

Nobody who loves you, truly, would behave in this way.

He's a manipulator and likely an abuser.

Cut yourself free now. Don't expose your lovely children to any of his emotional abuse.

You will be happier, calmer, more comfortable, and a better parent alone than with this man.

We are here for you.

Xxx

Mmhmmn · 11/03/2024 00:19

Why do you think you grovelled? Did you maybe not recognise then that your life would be easier without him but you do now?
Just tell him you don’t need this ridiculous behaviour in your life and not to contact you again. He’s an idiot.

Mmhmmn · 11/03/2024 00:22

PossumintheHouse · 11/03/2024 00:12

He literally just flys off to whatever fucking destination he fancies?! 😂
Tell him to fly off to Timbuktu and never come back.

Very tempting to let him fly off into the sunset at great expense and hassle, and tell him to stay there when he rings expecting the grovelling. Wouldn’t that be satisfying??! His behaviour is bizarre and extreme. Completely bonkers.

pretaranger · 11/03/2024 00:22

He just has had some kind of hold on me, he is a really good emotional manipulator. And I did really care for him. But now I can just see what he’s doing. Since I didn’t reply to his message about him leaving he has called me 3 times. It’s so exhausting. I’ve never experienced anything like this in my life. I just want to get off the rollercoaster now.

OP posts:
LifeExperience · 11/03/2024 00:53

You get off the rollercoaster by getting off the rollercoaster. Bin him and be free.

Ruthietuthie · 11/03/2024 01:02

A good relationship is easy. None of this drama. This isn't healthy at all. Don't contact him again. If he calls you, just tell him you are done. That this isn't the relationship for you.

Codlingmoths · 11/03/2024 01:07

Hit ‘block’ set a plan for something you will do every time you think about messaging him- a push up, a doodle drawing, tidy a drawer.

Dery · 11/03/2024 01:23

“You get off the rollercoaster by getting off the rollercoaster. Bin him and be free.”

This. He sounds unbearable. You can’t have a relationship with someone who behaves like this. It will destroy you. Let him go and keep him gone. It will be a wrench at first but you will start to feel so much better without him in your life.

aurynne · 11/03/2024 01:25

Call his bluff. organise something nice with the kids and don't answer any of his calls. Pack his bags so he dinds them ready when he gets back home. And let the door hit him in the arse as he leaves.

He's bringing no joy to your life. Take it back for yourself sister!

ilovepixie · 11/03/2024 01:26

You know you've got to dump him. Being single is so much better than this shit. He's a freak and it will only get worse. Dump him now!

ScabbyHorse · 11/03/2024 01:27

He sounds so controlling, that is not love..

grinandslothit · 11/03/2024 01:28

The rational and logical part of you should realize he's an abusive twat and block him everywhere.

Cuckoochanel80 · 11/03/2024 02:21

You need to end this or he will completely drain the life out of you.