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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

Is it possible to rebuild sexual intimacy?

79 replies

LibraryDog · 15/05/2024 07:17

DH and I have been together 19 years, married for 15. We are early forties and have two DC. DC2 has quite significant SEND and is awaiting an assessment for an autism diagnosis (although we are already pretty sure).

For the last few years, our sex-life has been minimal. Partly because of DC2’s needs, I continued to breastfeed him longer than DC1 and because looking after him has been so stressful at times I have leant on food and alcohol as crutches and gained a lot of weight. My libido disappeared. DH has always been the one to initiate sex or intimacy and I have to admit that I would regularly reject him. He never hassled me and always respected my boundaries.

This year we have both made changes to improve our health. I weaned DC2 and we are both losing weight, me with Mounjaro jabs which have also completely removed any desire to drink alcohol. I finally felt like I was starting to get some control, firstly over food and drink, and I thought / hoped that the next thing to address would be the lack of intimacy in our marriage. In the meantime, however, DH became distant. It is like something has snapped in him and he no longer has any interest in rebuilding our sex life. He says that he feels he deserves sexual fulfilment (which of course I agree with) but that after three years of rejection from me he no longer feels he can find it with me. He tells there isn’t anyone else and I believe him.

I’m absolutely devastated. It’s like a physical pain. He has agreed that he will speak to a marriage counsellor but it seems he feels he needs to do this out of a sense of duty rather than any genuine desire to rebuild. He was made redundant last year and although he is now employed again in a job he loves I don’t think he has fully processed that experience and I can’t help wondering if it is relevant to how he feels about our marriage.

Is there any way back from this? Could a good enough therapist help us to rebuild, and if so where would we find them?

OP posts:
Janiie · 15/05/2024 20:24

Bobbotgegrinch · 15/05/2024 20:17

Yes, misandry. There are people of this thread basically claiming that men aren't capable of any other feelings than "horny", and that if they dare to feel anything different then they must be shagging someone else.

I've seen a lot of negative opinions of men on this site and often they're justified, but some of the posts on this thread are quite frankly disgusting.

Edited

The op has had weight and alcohol issues, she's addressed this, kids weaned etc it all sounds challenging and stressful. They've had some intimacy but not enough yet instead of working with the op her dh has 'snapped' and strangely after starting a new job he has become distant. Hmm.

I'd check his phone op. Look in his secure folders too.

Misandry though 🤣🤣

Watchkeys · 15/05/2024 20:26

Janiie · 15/05/2024 20:13

Misandry.

Grin

That's right. Misandry. It's not a joke, though. You may have misunderstood. It's to do with (on this thread) the generalisation of men as people who can't think beyond their genitals. Presumably you have no experience of other types of men, which is a shame.

None of us know what your husband is up to, OP. Take no notice of those who are sure of his behaviour and motivations without ever having met him, and based on very little information about him. It's quite plausible that he's felt enough rejection that he feels turned off.

category12 · 15/05/2024 20:39

OP's husband has said that he deserves sexual fulfilment and he doesn't feel he can have it with OP - it's not a huge, man-hating leap to think he might have strayed already or have his eye on someone else.

It's very often the case that relationships trundle along and the crunch moments start to happen or it suddenly seems like there's no rebuilding it, when someone else has caught the eye.

This isn't a likelihood restricted to men.

I'll admit to cynicism and having seen & heard "the script" play out many times, but misandry, nope.

Watchkeys · 15/05/2024 20:44

OP's husband has said that he deserves sexual fulfilment and he doesn't feel he can have it with OP

Right. So all the women on here who say they're not getting what they want sexually from their husbands, but they don't feel justified leaving and breaking up a household just for their own sexual needs... they're all having affairs too, right?

PoochiesPinkEars · 15/05/2024 20:47

Been in a similar position and came back from it - but the inclination to try has to be mutual.
We used the very excellent advice in here and it showed us the way through...
I Love You But I'm Not in Love with You: Seven Steps to Saving Your Relationship https://amzn.eu/d/hbUO7J6

https://amzn.eu/d/hbUO7J6?tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-relationships-5075438-is-it-possible-to-rebuild-sexual-intimacy

Janiie · 15/05/2024 20:48

'That's right. Misandry. It's not a joke, though. You may have misunderstood. It's to do with (on this thread) the generalisation of men as people who can't think beyond their genitals. Presumably you have no experience of other types of men, which is a shame.'

Oh Ive experience of another type of man thanks but those who feel deprived of intimacy do not retreat, upset at being rejected and refuse their dp They would grab whatever was on offer. Unless otherwise entertained (sorry op just got to stop thinking this is all down to you Flowers)

<misandry pmsl>.

JumalanTerve · 15/05/2024 21:04

Polishedshoesalways · 15/05/2024 18:49

Op I would prepare myself in all ways to find out he has had an alternative for the last few years, his total lack of engagement is a dealbreaker and concerning. What man would turn down intimacy? Red flags to me.

Edited

This is an absolutely incredible post, in the original meaning of the word. Men are not walking penises, they have feelings as well and have their libido affected by rejection and emotional issues just like women do

Watchkeys · 15/05/2024 21:05

sorry op just got to stop thinking this is all down to you

Yes, it's not all down to you, OP. Sounds like you had a hard time and have done much to recover yourself. Unfortunately, people don't always fit together long term, and it's nobody's fault. If he's telling you that he doesn't want to have sexual intimacy with you, you'd be best to respect that, and work out how you want to go forward, with that as a given. If he was saying 'I wish we could get back on track sexually' that would be different. But respect what he's told you about what he feels; that's not something you can correct. You don't know best how he 'should' feel, and deciding for your own benefit that he 'should' feel more sexually interested in you won't make him want you more. In fact, dismissing or over-riding his feelings will turn him off more, in the same way that you would feel turned off by someone who dismissed your view that you didn't fancy them.

Watchkeys · 15/05/2024 21:06

JumalanTerve · 15/05/2024 21:04

This is an absolutely incredible post, in the original meaning of the word. Men are not walking penises, they have feelings as well and have their libido affected by rejection and emotional issues just like women do

Not on this thread they don't...

GingerPirate · 15/05/2024 21:18

Hi, OP.
4 years of no sex here, but after deciding and talking about it. Husband significantly older and me not really EVER interested in sex (hence the choice of DH) among other reasons.
Is it possible to rebuild sexual intimacy?
In my opinion it isn't.
Full stop.
Sorry 😐

Wakemeup17 · 15/05/2024 21:19

Watchkeys · 15/05/2024 18:20

According to what decree? Lots of relationships go through this process and recover; why do you speak as if it's a fact that that 'can't' happen, when it can and does?

Because more often than not, it doesn't. Chances of fancing again someone who had been constantly rejecting you to the point you stopped seeing them as a sexual person are very slim.

Watchkeys · 15/05/2024 21:21

Because more often than not, it doesn't

So, sometimes it does. So it's not 'impossible' to rekindle, then, is it. Make your mind up.

MyMamaWasAThief · 15/05/2024 22:05

DH has always been the one to initiate sex or intimacy and I have to admit that I would regularly reject him. He never hassled me and always respected my boundaries.

OP, how often was your husband initiating sex during the three years that you mention, and how often did you actually have sex? Because although you say that he didn't hassle you and respected your boundaries, at a certain point if someone is trying to initiate sex significantly more often than their partner wants it then it can become pestering.

I feel like half of the PPs have read a completely different description of your relationship to the one that's here. You describe a relatively short period (yes, in the grand scheme of a lifelong commitment like marriage three years is not that long) of less (not no) sex, during a phase of life where many couples have less sex (raising small children) while you were breastfeeding (known to commonly reduce libido) and parenting a child with SEN (so an extra pressure on top of everything else!).

What was your husband expecting during this highly pressurised phase of your marriage and parenting experience? Mine didn't really expect any sex at all for the first six months post-birth although in the event I jumped him as soon as I'd had the all clear the first time around and a couple of months on after the second child (both smooth pregnancies and easy deliveries). Our eldest didn't sleep for about the first four years though so after the initial enthusiasm once the chronic sleep deprivation had properly kicked in then yeah, we had a lot less sex than usual. Second time around my sex drive nose dived so we were having sex about once a month at my instigation (in opposite style to your husband, mine rarely initiated because he didn't want to pressure me at all).

Once my sex drive came back again my husband was thrilled! He'd been taking care of himself more often during our dry spell, although I didn't actually realise that until after the dry spell was over - I'd thought he was as knackered and unbothered about sex as I was! He's told me since that he'd have been up for sex much more frequently but recognised that I wasn't and was happy to wait until there were fewer demands on us from young children and I was better rested.

Our sex life now is very active and much wilder than before, the period where we had young kids seems to have been a hiatus in the general trend throughout our relationship of sex getting better with time. We talked about it recently and he pointed out that there have been other phases during our relationship with either very little sex or no sex at all (we've both experienced close family bereavements, we've been through job loss and some periods of depression, we actually didn't have sex before we got married at all which he says was helpful in terms of knowing how to do a relationship without sexual intimacy for a bit) and for him this was just another scenario that he rolled with in the expectation it would improve once other areas of life had gotten easier (which it did!).

So I guess I'm wondering what your husband thought the last three years "should" have been like, or what he thinks you "should" have done differently? Because what you describe sounds very normal to me, and in my experience sex ebbs and flows during a relationship for many reasons. However, it sounds like he is blames you for rejecting him "for no good reason" rather than understanding that your lowered libido was a normal, typical response to the situation you were in.

Apologies for the length of this, we've been talking about it recently and it seems like the bones of our situations are quite similar although the responses to them have been very different. But yes, in my experience it's totally possible (and normal, and expected as part of married life post small children or other relational challenges) to rebuild sexual intimacy.

LibraryDog · 16/05/2024 08:41

Wow, this has really kicked off. Thank you for all of the thoughts, and for the kind posts. They mean a lot.

OP posts:
Deargodletitgo · 16/05/2024 08:51

Watchkeys · 15/05/2024 20:44

OP's husband has said that he deserves sexual fulfilment and he doesn't feel he can have it with OP

Right. So all the women on here who say they're not getting what they want sexually from their husbands, but they don't feel justified leaving and breaking up a household just for their own sexual needs... they're all having affairs too, right?

You'd be surprised...women just don't talk about it and less likely to be found out

mothra · 16/05/2024 09:17

I feel like I've been in a similar situation, but for much longer than you. I absolutely adore my DH, and have always found him attractive, but a combination of severe birth trauma (requiring a year of physio post birth with dilators fuck it was grim), untreated PND and extreme stress parenting a PDA autistic child meant we had a very sporadic sex life for 9 years. I felt my body and sexual function had been taken from me, but I was so overwhelmed with parenting a high needs kid (with full input from DH) that I just couldn't address it. I rejected DH loads of times (although we remained affectionate, lots of casual touching etc, very harmonious and happy apart from infrequent sexual intimacy). I didn't even tell my closest friend, I felt so isolated.

After brainspotting therapy last year for birth (and parenting) trauma my libido returned, and fortunately DH has been nothing but understanding (and obviously extremely happy things have turned around). We've talked a lot about it. I wish I had felt in a place to therapeutically address what had happened earlier, but I didn't. Now we have a regular 'date' for sex, which works for us. And lots of touching and kissing in between. We still carry a lot of parenting stress, but I've felt completely back to normal for 7 months. And I'm still having therapy.

Pineapples1234 · 16/05/2024 09:49

New job? Been working on his physical attractiveness health? He's got his eye on someone else and has checked out of your relationship. When he became distant was probably around the time he first realised his feelings may be reciprocated by the one he has his eye on.

Watchkeys · 16/05/2024 10:10

@Deargodletitgo

What on earth gives you the idea that you know better? We all have different experiences. Perhaps you'd be surprised.

Janiie · 16/05/2024 10:22

Watchkeys · 16/05/2024 10:10

@Deargodletitgo

What on earth gives you the idea that you know better? We all have different experiences. Perhaps you'd be surprised.

Why do you keep getting outraged and saying posters 'know better'. It's a chat forum! the op has actually asked for opinions and yes a high proportion of people constantly rejected have affairs or visit hook up sites. It isn't rocket science or a new thing.

Seaoftroubles · 16/05/2024 10:57

I'm sure the OP is grateful for all contributions, and the different experiences and opinions that have been offered.
No one can know for sure at this point OP, l hope the couples counselling he has agreed to helps you to move forward and gives some more insight and and resolution. If nothing else it will be good to talk it through with the guidance of a therapist before you both make a decision. Wishing you all the best.

acquarius · 16/05/2024 13:27

How do you feel now about physical intimacy in general?

Do you have erotic thoughts now and then? Do you fleetingly find other men attractive?

How about with him in particular? Do you see yourself doing something intimate and possibly enjoying it?

If the answer to all these questions is no it is going to be tough rekindling something you fundamentally do not desire.

LibraryDog · 08/09/2024 21:29

Updating this months later as I like threads to have a resolution.

It wasn't possible to rebuild. There was somebody else. I should have trusted the instincts that told me that he was lying about that. I hope others have happier outcomes but it wasn't to be.

OP posts:
MontyVerdi · 08/09/2024 21:31

So sorry to read this OP 💐

Gettingbysomehow · 08/09/2024 21:38

I'm sorry too but I was sure he'd found someone else. I am old enough to just know the signs.

LibraryDog · 08/09/2024 21:46

Indeed, @Gettingbysomehow. A tale as old as time. Several pp on this thread called it and got an absolute flaming for their pains.

OP posts: