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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

All the red flags

86 replies

ITriedToBeIndependent · 06/04/2024 10:21

Hi I’ve found myself in a situation and I am unsure what to do… if you manage to read all this I thank you in advance.
I met someone who I’ve know for 15 years we had a few dates when we were teens but it never progressed anyway I joined the online dating scene and we matched yay! Never had a connection like it he was telling me everything I wanted to hear, the attention he said he loved me after two weeks! He asked me to marry him after three months, but things went down hill pretty much after that. If we were out he would say how women were looking at him, he has four children he doesn’t see any of them. Or pay maintenance for them. He blames the mothers for him not seeing his children, they took them away from him, he has hinted that it was his behaviour and he is grown now, he wouldn’t treat a woman bad again! He doesn’t have a job but is trying to get a job he takes drugs. Cocaine and pot. Pot every day all day! He wanted to move in but his step mum told him to keep hold of his place so he did and now if he’s in a bad mood with me or I say something that he doesn’t agree with he says il just stay at mine! He is constantly accusing me of cheating said he has been the player in the past and has never actually been faithful to any of his exes. He has demanded my location off me, when I’ve been at work. If I want to go out with a friend female he doesn’t like it he texts me all the time if I don’t reply fast he accuses me but he went to the pub with a friend and didn’t even tell me he was going to the pub til after and I felt a way about that, why didn’t he tell me. I have severe relationship anxiety and the thought of sticking by him when he has. Nothing for him to just leave when he finally sorts his life out is haunting me. He talks a good talk about building a life together but I feel like it’s convenient for him to be at my home he said he would move in if he got this job because he wouldn’t have to pay rent then! We get on so we’ll have such a laugh together but on the flip side I feel like I can’t afford everything to feed him four days a week minimum to pay for dates if we go shopping he adds stuff to the basket but doesn’t want to pay for anything if he cooks for me he throws it in my face etc. when he gets angry at me he calls me names like a sl@g, im crazy or mad! The names get worse but I don’t want to post them. When he gets angry I just feel like I need to run away and tell him I need space the relationship worries me that I will waste years of my life for nothing. I have teenage twin girls and he seems to be so good with my two and then I find myself feeling sorry for him and thinking he needs a chance. Would you stay with this man and give him a chance or risk finding someone else who you may not have the same connection with? I am so confused

OP posts:
RainRainGoAway24 · 06/04/2024 11:04

If he’s smoking weed all day long I assume that is in your home and in front of your daughters?

RainRainGoAway24 · 06/04/2024 11:05

Why oh why would you choose a partner like that?

MiniPumpkin · 06/04/2024 11:07

Run

ITriedToBeIndependent · 06/04/2024 11:11

RainRainGoAway24 · 06/04/2024 11:04

If he’s smoking weed all day long I assume that is in your home and in front of your daughters?

He doesn’t smoke weed in my house

OP posts:
Natty13 · 06/04/2024 11:12

Jesus Christ.

You don't need to work together, you both need to work on YOURSELVES. Him to grow up, get a job, get off his arse and stop takong drugs. You to work out why you didn't notice the lovebombing early doors, or run when he started controllong and gaslighting you.

WalkingThroughTreacle · 06/04/2024 11:13

Red flags for me are warning signs that someone might not be healthy for you. There are no ifs, buts or maybes about this guy. What you are describing are not warnings, they are in your face realities. Every single thing that could be wrong in a partner actually is wrong with him, in no uncertain terms. Get the hell out of Dodge and don't look back. I'm concerned that you even need to ask for a reality check.

Goawayquickly · 06/04/2024 11:14

It's worrying you even have to ask tbh.

SparklyBracelet · 06/04/2024 11:21

Sounds blissful 😱

Politeperson81 · 06/04/2024 11:23

Finally OP. I know it sounds harsh this and I apologise for it but..

You need to get some self respect. You deserve to be treated far better and deserve far more than this low life creep can give you, and the only thing he seems to be able to 'give' is the occasional 'laugh'.

Kick him to the curb, and knuckle down and concentrate on you and your girls, you will be far happier in yourself for doing so

waftabout · 06/04/2024 11:28

The red flags started early. Declarations of love and proposals that early are red flag bunting. I generally don't trust blokes that love bomb and he definitely was.

You and especially your kids don't deserve this loser. Get rid and stay safe.

SamW98 · 06/04/2024 11:29

Jesus Christ - you really need to ask?

Why the fuck would you want to bring a jobless druggy love bombing feckless abusive controlling piece of shit into your daughters lives?

Every penny you spend feeding his scrounging cocklodging arse is a penny you are taking from your daughters

Honestly ask yourself why you’ve set your bar so low as to tolerate this creature. MN is an eye opener as to how much shit some women put up with for the sake of dick in their bed.

Like a PP said I’d rather be single for the rest of my life than go within a million miles of a dickhead like this.

SummerHouse · 06/04/2024 11:33

If you have a search for the domestic abuse helpline you can talk to them on the phone or online. If there is any possibility he might find you doing this or track your activity, you can go to a pharmacy and ask to use their safe space.

Every indicator of abuse is there bar violence and sexual abuse but these behaviours can escalate.

There is no doubt you should get rid of him but please seek advice to cement this in your mind as vital but also advise on how to do it safely.

This man is dangerous. His behaviour will probably escalate.

You can also put in an application for the domestic abuse disclosure scheme (Clare's Law). Just go to your local force website and fill in a form. If there is information about his past that indicates he is a danger to you and your girls they will tell you. Again, you don't really need to do this as the dangers are all there to see. But you can just carry on in a terrible relationship, thinking they will change, being scared to leave.

He has no doubt worn you down and you are questioning everything. That's really common when you have been through this.

You can do this. You are worth so much more. This will only get worse.

DeeCeeCherry · 06/04/2024 12:03

he has four children he doesn’t see any of them. Or pay maintenance for them

I'd have bailed put the moment I discovered this. Why haven't you? If he doesnt care about his own flesh and blood what makes you think he'll really care for you? As to the rest...! I guess you have low self-esteem and are desperate to hold on because he once said he loved you.

Anyway you'll get good advice on MN that will hopefully stop you wasting time analysing a dickhead. I wouldn't let a loser like that sit on my sofa, much less let him through the front door. I simply don't get why anyone would even want such a crap partner

Kay101 · 06/04/2024 13:01

4 children and he doesn’t see them? What’s the catch here? He’s not bringing anything to your life. He’s a druggie, controlling and all the other stuff. You need to get rid of this loser sorry to be harsh

Tillievanilly · 06/04/2024 13:08

So if you look at your list where are the positives? I stopped reading. He has love bombed you. Accuses you of cheating because that’s what he probably does. He is a coke head hence his erratic behaviour. How can he live with you when he has no job? What is he bringing to your life?

ITriedToBeIndependent · 09/04/2024 10:51

Hi I wanted to give you all an update from my original post, and thank you all for the advice, so nothing happened Saturday he messaged me quite a lot declaring his love for me, I decided to spend the whole day doing fun activities with my girls, Sunday rolled around and the messages were increasingly worse, the pressure he was putting on me to tell him where he stands in my life, so i told him I didn't want this relationship any longer, he was not happy, he called me a spiteful bitch for doing this to him, he also said i am damaged. He said he feels sorry for me because i will never meet anyone and have the same connection with anyone else, he also said he was going to go back to his lifestyle before he met me (which was fuelled by coke) said he doesn't want to go for this new job anymore and that he is nothing without me which pulled at my heart strings I just told him to focus on his new job etc we are now a week since i physically saw him however he texts me every day and every night. He said i have caused instability because i have said a few times that i want to end the relationship which i have, but this is usually after we have had a row that he has turned disrespectful into calling me names etc. I have reflected a lot and realise that it will only get worse, i have been weak in the past by listening to his declarations of love and falling back into that pattern with him. I realise that the issues were overwhelming, his addiction, his financial irresponsibility, and the lack of trust. I did care about him and i feel bad that i may have hurt his feelings for ending the relationship. I genuinely think I was infatuated with him, and the idea that we knew each other when we were teenagers.

OP posts:
minniefresh · 09/04/2024 10:59

This can't be real?! You have daughters and you are still obsessing over what he may or may not think and do?!

Why haven't you blocked him?!

ITriedToBeIndependent · 09/04/2024 11:04

minniefresh · 09/04/2024 10:59

This can't be real?! You have daughters and you are still obsessing over what he may or may not think and do?!

Why haven't you blocked him?!

I am not obsessing over what he may or may not think, I have ended this relationship. I also haven't blocked him because while he is messaging me i can gage what mood he is in, I would rather him blow up my phone then my front door. Where my daughters are.

OP posts:
MothralovesGojira · 09/04/2024 11:12

Well done but you need to stay strong for yourself and those girls.
He is throwing everything at you that worked before - threats, sob stories, tears etc. He is an adult and HE alone is responsible for what he does about his life going forward. If he really believes that you are the best thing to have happened to him then he will go for that job, give up all drugs and become the best person that he can be for you and himself but he won't because what you see is exactly who he is. He likes his life as it is and if he can get a female victim to support him in that then that's nothing but fabulous for him. What he does or doesn't do is NOT your problem. You tried and HE failed.

Can I suggest that you contact Women's Aid and ask to do the Freedom Programme? In the meantime, please block him and his mother on everything. You have nothing to stay in contact for so block, block, block.

MothralovesGojira · 09/04/2024 11:16

If he turns up at your door then do not answer. If he kicks off then call the police. You have ended the relationship and now has no reason to talk to you. I would suggest that you send him a final text message telling him that it is over and that you do not want any further contact from him ever and warn him that you will go to the police if he doesn't stop.

Nonewclothes2024 · 09/04/2024 11:28

But you're not teenagers anymore. You're adults with kids.
Block him.
Call the police if he turns up ( he won't) he'll be stoned somewhere.

frozendaisy · 09/04/2024 11:55

This is a wind up surely?

He treats women bad, mothers of his children get as far away from him as they can and you expose two teenage daughters to him. Really?

MiltonNorthern · 09/04/2024 11:58

ITriedToBeIndependent · 09/04/2024 11:04

I am not obsessing over what he may or may not think, I have ended this relationship. I also haven't blocked him because while he is messaging me i can gage what mood he is in, I would rather him blow up my phone then my front door. Where my daughters are.

This is a foolish approach. Tell him to stop contacting you, then block, and if he turns up at your house call the police. Stop trying to manage him.

minniefresh · 09/04/2024 12:02

Nonewclothes2024 · 09/04/2024 11:28

But you're not teenagers anymore. You're adults with kids.
Block him.
Call the police if he turns up ( he won't) he'll be stoned somewhere.

This. He doesn't have the wherewithal to turn up at your door, and if he does, you call the police.

Why give him the headspace of reading and analysing his messages and making threads about him?! It's just prolonging the drama.

Starlight1979 · 09/04/2024 12:03

All I took from your OP was

" I have severe relationship anxiety"

I'm not bloody surprised!!!!!