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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

He Didnt Believe Me

220 replies

JoeyP67 · 07/05/2024 06:53

My partner and I returned from a meal out earlier tonight
I was calling it a "date nite" . We'd had a nice time.
Once home, he reached for an already opened bottle of red and found it empty.. and this is what happened next.
Him "oh. Its empty"
Me " oh, is there any white?"
Him "yes"
Me "then why don't you drink that then ?"
I disappear upstairs for my warm socks and come back down.
He has a glass of white in his hand and approaches me , kisses me on the lips , says "I love you (I thought he was being romantic) then follows it up with "but dont feel you have to manage my drinking".
Me "I'm not" ....
He looks at me. I'm confused.
Me "what are you trying to say?"
Him "you poured it down the sink...
Me : "what ? no I didn't..."
He goes on to tell me I had poured the remains of the open red wine down the sink. I protest my innocence. I make myself a cup of tea and he calmly goes puts the tv on. Calls out what would I like to watch ? I am feeling both foolish (for thinking he was being romantic with the kiss) and angry at his accusation and judgement of me. I go sit next to him. He makes small talk about the t.v program. I am upset at what just happened so I calmly open up.
Me :: "I feel upset at what just happened there. I thought you were being romantic saying you loved me because I looked nice in my dress ...but really there was was something else behind it ...::"
Him: :" yes there was, I did think you liked nice in your dress but I was doing it to start the conversation off (about the sink pouring) nicely. "
I ask in future for him to just be direct and ask me, not fool me with a kiss first.
I tell him again I didn't do it.
He firmly believes that I had. His proof ?..... that he ran his finger over the plug and there was red on it..also that the bottle had been moved from where he put it. so, it's a fact he says, and all I have to be is honest.
I protest my innocence.
I can't believe his calmness. He says maybe I forgot that I did it. I seriously wonder if hes right and maybe I had forgotten but I am sure I didn't do it. I get upset and ask him not to play games with me getting me to think I've done something I haven't..
He refuses to back down. He sways between staying calm with his "facts" and getting agitated with me for pushing back saying stuff like "who was it then ? the fairies...?"
I ask him " why would I suggest you drink the white if I've a problem with you drinking" ? "Why wud I throw the red away to then offer you white? "
But none of it makes any difference. For me, we had a lovely meal out, I really made an effort to look nice and I cudnt believe he wanted the night to end on his mistrust. I said that I had told him the truth and that he had made the choice not to believe me. I felt like the rug had been pulled from under my feet. Said that I loved him and why would i lie to him ? He said it was because I was "2 dimensional". He turned the telly off and didnt want to entertain me talking about it.
He said "just drop it. I"d forgiven you while you were stood at the bottom of the stairs" I started to get a bit hysterical. He still wasnt listening to me and his comments were making it worse. I said I had nothing to be forgiven for. He got up to get ready for bed but then returned downstairs. He slept on the sofa. I said I didn't want the night to end this way and asked if he had created the tension purposely to avoid sleeping with me. He said no.
Im so tired. I have to be up again at 6.30am. He upset me so much my emotions are only just calming down 4hrs later. Hes slept soundly.

I really could do with some careful and honest advice here. Any one else been in the same situation? What do I do about this ? Am I being too sensitive about this? or is his behaviour way off the mark? I don't know how I feel going forward....

Ps ' We been living together since 2020.
Thanks
Joey

OP posts:
user1492757084 · 10/05/2024 05:29

What is it that you can't leave, about this terrible untrusting man?
Is he extremely wealthy?
Is he usually demonstative, caring and generous?
Does he do all the housework or cooking?
Even those attributes would not have me live with someone who did not believe me and who drank alcohol every week, sometimes mistreating it. Paranoia is a biproduct of alcohol abuse.

I see a huge red flag. You would be wise to wise up and preserve your own self worth.

BOOTS52PollyPrissyPants · 10/05/2024 05:52

I think he drank it himself hence the sleeping downstairs and the guilty of the gas lighting etc. Has he ever behaved like this before saying you did things when you know you did not or does he drink a lot or more lately. This would drive me mad as maybe he did throw it away and forgot or worse case scenario he is just been a dick and trying to make out you are crazy hence the kiss and the passive aggressive way he spoke to you and acted.
Keep a close eye on things and write down those things and if it happens again you have your answer.

5128gap · 10/05/2024 06:01

Arguments about alcohol, especially of this sort of weirdness and intensity are a massive red flag. Let's face it, if you didn't pour it away or drink it, presuming no one else in the home could have, he's either drunk it and forgotten or drunk it and is elaborately gaslighting you that he didn't. Neither of which say anything good about him and alcohol. Coupled with his accusations you police his drinking (either you do, for a reason, or he's projecting) I'd think there's an emerging problem there.
If that doesn't resonate at all, then the only other conclusion to draw is that he is deliberately gaslighting you for fun or power play. Your 'date night' effort and investment in looking nice, your pleasure at his 'romance' doesn't come across as particularly secure and comfortable, so not sure if this is in the context of other tensions?

Alittlefrustrated · 10/05/2024 06:06

Staying and monitoring his behaviours, is really not necessary OP. He has a drink problem, and he is emotionally abusive. This tends to get worse not better. He will destroy you if you stick around.

mydamnfootstuckinthedoor · 10/05/2024 06:23

This should only bother you if there are already problems in your relationship. Otherwise, give him the benefit f the doubt and assume he has not realised he finished the bottle of red and blamed you for emptying it. I can't tell you how many times I've gone to the fridge to put myself the "last" glass of white, only to find the dregs in the bottle. I don't blame my partner for managing my drinking.He doesn't drink white and I think he's aware I would most likely crown him with the empty bottle if he thought he could "manage" my drinking that way! At the same time, he might say something openly ... All this suggests to me that there is more to this than meets the eye.

  1. He assumed you were being passive aggressive by managing his drinking rather than addressing it openly.
  2. You assumed he was being passive aggressive by sweetening his criticism with a kiss, when he thought he was simply softening the blow (of the upcoming criticism)
  3. You assumed he was gaslighting you
  4. He doesn't believe you didn't throw out the red wine

So - too many spoken assumptions and doubt. There is something very wrong with your relationship.

Tillievanilly · 10/05/2024 06:43

I was in a relationship with someone who made me feel like I was going crazy and I would question myself. I started to keep a log on my phone of every time it happened. That way I knew it was him and not me. I went for therapy. Eventually I left. You know the truth please don’t ignore. It is gaslighting/manipulative behaviour.

Guavafish1 · 10/05/2024 06:52

He is not a nice guy.

jellajello · 10/05/2024 06:57

This is nasty game playing on his part. And I'm not sure that dressing up nicely "for him" is a healthy way of thinking about your self image. Dress nicely for yourself - to make yourself feel good according to your taste - not his. You are giving away your natural power by waiting for his approval. It's imbalanced. Big hug.

samqueens · 10/05/2024 07:00

Dear Joey -

please read Lundy Bancroft’s book Why Does He Do That? from beginning to end… (read privately, you can download on kindle app/Apple Books) then decide what is best for your well-being going forward.

Take control of contraception in the meantime and don’t fall pregnant.

Unfortunately these kinds of mind games don’t improve with time and the effect on your mental health of being in this kind of situation regularly can be catastrophic. Please don’t be persuaded into thinking this is just some small thing, or that you can/should be able to ‘’manage’ your feelings better. Consider protecting your well being as a fight for your life, and every bit as serious.

💐💐

all good wishes,
Someone Who Has Been There

Spinningroundahelix · 10/05/2024 07:10

Why are you staying with this drunken man? I mean it's bad enough that he is a a drunk, but accusing you of lying? I just would be totally through with him. If my husband ever accused me of lying and refused to listen to my explanation, that would be the end of over 30 years of marriage.

diddl · 10/05/2024 07:11

Honest advice?

Leave!

"just drop it. I"d forgiven you while you were stood at the bottom of the stairs"

What a star-forgiven you for something you didn't do!

wrcm · 10/05/2024 07:17

Do you have teenagers in the house that could have drank it and put it back maybe?

Loopytiles · 10/05/2024 07:20

V sorry that your DP has an alcohol problem and is treating you badly.

It seems clear that he drank the wine!

You sound to have tolerated it to date, which isn’t a good idea. He’s dismissed your concerns and made it clear alcohol is a higher priority and that he will be cold towards you when you raise it, and is now gaslighting you over his own booze-related errors!

It’d be better to move out as you can’t control or cure hie alcohol problem and it is detrimental to you. Seems unlikely he ‘sees’ it and will do something about it.

Also the kiss and ‘I love you’ before the gaslighting, and the sex aspect, are awful.

ThoseBlueRememberedHills · 10/05/2024 07:36

You must leave this man. He is abusive. This is the first 'big' thing but it will be an escalation I imagine.

This reminds me so much of my ex. Weasel words designed to destabilise/hurt/upset so he could gain ground on me. When I left, he went mad at me for having a spine and a pair of eyes to see through him. He could only feel good about himself by subjugating me.

His next relationship lasted a month as she had met his sort before whereas I had not.

I'm old now and I realise the mistake I made was assuming that most people are nice and also well adjusted with good intentions (and also choosing to ignore the flags that are going from pale pink to maroon) They are not. Most people are flawed as fuck, it's working out where the flaws lie that is the secret to relationships and friendships and then deciding how they will impact me.

In that conversation, you gave him a dozen chances to realise you were telling the truth but, like the insincere kiss, it was not designed to get to the truth and you have to ask yourself if you really want to stay with someone that will do this to you and drink himself to death into the bargain.

Nicole1111 · 10/05/2024 07:45

You need to find an al anon group to join asap and do the freedom online programme asap. Your relationship is incredibly unhealthy and it sounds like it’s shredding your mental health.

Tripeandonions · 10/05/2024 07:46

Pinkbonbon · 07/05/2024 15:33

Listen, the fact that you have to hide the wine sometimes is reason alone to leave him.

You already know he has a problem with alcohol. That doesn't get better. It gets worse.

No waiting around to observe what happens next! You've enough red flags even without the recent case of gaslighting.

Get out of there!

This ^.

Sorry OP, this isn't going to get any better.

Starzinsky · 10/05/2024 07:47

I think odd behaviour from you both.

LLMn · 10/05/2024 07:57

You are not married, why are you upset about a stranger?

WalkingaroundJardine · 10/05/2024 08:04

Alcoholic behaviour on his part. I reckon he drank it and knew full well that he did and then projected the missing bottle problem onto you so he can keep on avoiding the entrenched reality of the life he is living.

Why else would he make such a song and dance about it all, especially running his finger over the plug? No one who is well adjusted does stuff like that! Most people would just be puzzled and then shrug with some non-judgmental remark like “it will probably turn up eventually.”

Abi86 · 10/05/2024 08:09

This’ll not end well. Lots of red flags. You need to make some serious decisions. Your relationship/interaction/bf behaviour is not tenable for a long term harmonious partnership.

ChickyBricky · 10/05/2024 08:17

He drinks more than you realise, and normally hides it better. Because you were surprised to find the red bottle empty, he had to blame you rather than admit he had a quick last-minute guzzle before you left the house. Calling you "two-dimensional" is a way of undermining your trust in your own judgement, i.e. suggesting that you will never be able to grasp things fully. Which, in a way, is also true, because he is making sure you won't!

Alcoholics are often delusional about their habit, so it's quite possible that he was so convincing because he flicked a little switch in his head to explain everything, to himself as well as you, and he's sticking to it.

This is only going to get worse, OP, don't wait to find out. Flowers

Calamitycassie · 10/05/2024 08:19

You sound like very very very hard work. Wow.

You brought it back up. You continued the conversation. You were “hysterical”?!

you “couldn’t believe his calmness”?? Me either because this would drive me round the bend. There’s clearly been some wires crossed. It happens. Calm down and get over it ffs. What a way to ruin a night.

TypingoftheDead · 10/05/2024 08:20

Alittlefrustrated · 10/05/2024 06:06

Staying and monitoring his behaviours, is really not necessary OP. He has a drink problem, and he is emotionally abusive. This tends to get worse not better. He will destroy you if you stick around.

This. My adoptive father was an alcoholic; while I can’t remember if he accused a-mum of doing things that she hadn’t, like your husband has, he still treated her poorly and even a few years after his death I can see how their relationship impacted her mental health in general.
I wished so many times that she would just have left him.

BeyondMyWits · 10/05/2024 08:29

Leave.
Love shouldn't be that difficult.

willWillSmithsmith · 10/05/2024 08:32

The fact pouring some average wine down the sink is such a massive issue is a huge red flag in itself. If someone inadvertently threw away a bit of wine I wouldn’t care, why does it matter so much to him? Only people with drink problems would make such a fuss.