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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

FWB disaster and feeling awful

51 replies

ThisOpalViewer · 31/05/2024 19:40

I’m too ashamed to speak to friends in real life about this as I have let a man walk all over me and I feel embarrassed.

I briefly started a ‘FWB’ type arrangement with a guy I had been on a couple of dates with and it initially started well and I was happy with it. He would message every day and we would arrange a couple of evenings in the week where he would come to mine (he wouldn’t let me go to his which was a red flag in hindsight), we would watch a film, sometimes have dinner, chat, have sex and then he’d stay for a bit afterwards and then leave. It felt mutually respectful at this point.

However, he suddenly started becoming very hot and cold and borderline rude when he was messaging me. One minute he would say he liked me and didn’t just want me for sex and would be messaging all day, the next he was making it very clear he wasn’t particularly interested in me, would go quiet or would make sarcastic comments about things I had previously said that he seemed to find funny. If he got the sense I was backing off he would ramp up
his efforts again and be overly nice. Occasionally he would hint at taking me out on a proper date but this never materialised. If I didn’t message him first sometimes he would sulk and accuse me of ghosting him, and he said I was hard work and he refused to chase me. It just felt like a head fuck but I overlooked all of this as it was a casual thing and I didn’t feel he owed me anything.

On the occasions we did sleep together it seemed very clinical: he didn’t pay any compliments, didn’t say if he enjoyed the sex, would pretty much do the deed and get dressed to leave. He even started making it clear he was taking the used condom home with him rather than put it in the bin which just seemed like overkill and unnecessary. He was never like this in the beginning, he actually was quite caring and sensitive in bed.

It then got to the point i wouldn’t hear from him for days and he’d text in the evening asking if he could come round. I shut this down and told him I needed more notice. To add insult to injury I think he’d actually been on a date one evening and he tried to come to mine on his way home which just cemented what he really thought of me.

The last time I saw him he came to mine after he’d been drinking all day. He actually drove to my house over the limit and I told him he needed to leave his car here and get a cab home but he refused and he drove home anyway. The drink driving, and the fact he made me feel like an unpaid prostitute, led me to block him as soon as he left. Was that the right way to end things? It was a bit knee jerk but I’d had enough.

I guess I’m looking for a bit of support as I feel like such a fool. I let things go on far too long and feel like I’ve lost all self respect.

OP posts:
GatherlyGal · 31/05/2024 20:19

Sounds like you got there in the end OP.

FWB can be hard to navigate and there's a lot of scope for one party to feel somewhat used if rules are not clear.

Don't beat yourself up just move on and next time be a bit clearer about what is healthy and what you really want out of it.

BananaLambo · 31/05/2024 20:53

Well done on setting boundaries. This man has taught you a valuable lesson about knowing your values and your worth. We all have a couple of shitty exes in our past. At least you learned from this one. You should feel proud.

category12 · 31/05/2024 20:58

Of course ending it like that was fine.

As you say, you let it go on too long. Should have ditched him as soon as it got disrespectful and you started feeling bad/used.

FWB is supposed to be fun.

WalkingaroundJardine · 31/05/2024 21:02

It sounds like once you became FWB that he began to look down on you because in his mind you so easily give him sex and expected little in return.

I would send him a clear message that the whole arrangement is over and you don’t want to see him ever again and block.

Be glad you aren’t tied to this guy via a shared house, kids etc. At least you can scrub him out from your life CV as you would a disastrous short term job that didn’t work out. No one needs to know about it.

PermanentTemporary · 31/05/2024 21:05

That doesn't sound like an FWB. Not enough F and not enough B either, for you anyway. Too often for FWB, when did you do anything else??

It is fine to have ended it. A good thing tbh. It doesn't sound as if it was bringing out the best in him as a partner for you. But hey, it was worth a try? You liked him, he had some positives.

To me, an FWB is very occasional - like F most of the time, B at most once a month. Otherwise, it's a relationship. And if you'd been seeing this as a relationship, he wasn't doing enough.

Bellevilles · 31/05/2024 21:06

Sorry to hear that.

I think FWB is an arrangement that doesn’t work well for many (most?) people and it’s a shame that by giving it a jolly name we’ve made it seem as this is a normal state of affairs that everyone should be able to manage.

On top of this, this chap sounds particularly thoughtless and unpleasant. You are well rid of him.

beergiggles · 31/05/2024 21:11

It's because you are a decent kind person whereas he was a predator, it's on him not you @ThisOpalViewer
He is the nasty bitter one, you are bruised but you'll be able to process this, strengthen your boundaries & learn from it💗

flannelonthesink · 31/05/2024 21:16

I'd message him to say you're done with the 'arrangement' and then block him, OP. Don't want him turning up at your house again! He sounds bizarre and a bit vile. I suppose he wants you to fall for him so he can boost his own ego while he strings you along? Don't let him!

Cbljgdpk · 31/05/2024 21:21

Well done on ending it when you did. I think men like this know how to keep things going; they make you feel good then bad and then good again, just when you think that it’s enough they find ways to get you back interested. I’ve definitely fallen for it and it took me ages to realise it wasn’t anything I’d done but just him playing games; the crap sex actually makes it easier by the end

Dery · 31/05/2024 21:22

“Bellevilles · Today 21:06
Sorry to hear that.

I think FWB is an arrangement that doesn’t work well for many (most?) people and it’s a shame that by giving it a jolly name we’ve made it seem as this is a normal state of affairs that everyone should be able to manage.

@Bellevilles Completely agree with this. There’s a thread running on here for people with FWB arrangements which I followed for a bit out of curiosity (if I’m single again, I might go for FWB). What’s clear is that FWB can work very well if you’re in the right emotional place for it but even then it can throw up challenges that can take some navigating. For example, there can still be some disappointment if it comes to an end. Feelings can still get a bit hurt (after all, we can be hurt by friends as well as by lovers). So it can work very well but, as you say, the name can make it sound a bit simpler than it necessarily is and it’s definitely not for everyone.

Myblindsaredown · 31/05/2024 21:24

That’s sad, sad it took you so long, and you took that. Do you understand why? It’s clear you wanted more, and he knew that, but why did you enter fwb when you wanted more, then let him treat you so bad?

ThisOpalViewer · 31/05/2024 21:28

@WalkingaroundJardine what you said about him looking down on me because I gave him sex too easily was my hunch all along. He definitely didn’t respect me.

I really appreciate all of the replies, they’re helping me feel a bit better. I learnt a lesson here that casual sex isn’t for me and I won’t be doing it again. Emotionally, I just can’t do it. I was worried I’d overreacted by blocking him but I’m glad I have.

OP posts:
Myblindsaredown · 31/05/2024 21:30

ThisOpalViewer · 31/05/2024 21:28

@WalkingaroundJardine what you said about him looking down on me because I gave him sex too easily was my hunch all along. He definitely didn’t respect me.

I really appreciate all of the replies, they’re helping me feel a bit better. I learnt a lesson here that casual sex isn’t for me and I won’t be doing it again. Emotionally, I just can’t do it. I was worried I’d overreacted by blocking him but I’m glad I have.

I’m not sure that’s true, I think he lacked respect as he knew you wanted more, and were willing to sleep with him to get it, or to keep him interested.

hinestly op, that never ever works.

FiveZoo · 31/05/2024 21:38

You did the right thing by ending it.

For many women casual sex is hard to endure especially if there is respect lacking. The people I've seen who enjoy FWB are the ones who have other irons in the fire.

There are quite a few divorced women who like this arrangement, keeping the male out of their home and away from kids but generally they think the males are only having FWB with them.

Unless you live with a man you really don't know how may partners he has, even wives have trouble knowing.

You've learnt to respect yourself, that's good.

ThisOpalViewer · 31/05/2024 22:07

Myblindsaredown · 31/05/2024 21:30

I’m not sure that’s true, I think he lacked respect as he knew you wanted more, and were willing to sleep with him to get it, or to keep him interested.

hinestly op, that never ever works.

I’m embarrassed for myself if he thinks that. We did have a discussion that it was just sex and I knew it wasn’t going anywhere outside of that. Being completely honest I think I kept hoping he would go back to how he had been at the beginning when he was nice and caring but those moments became few and far between. I was basically hanging onto intermittent crumbs which is pathetic really.

OP posts:
NippyCrab · 31/05/2024 22:17

@ThisOpalViewer it's not pathetic, you're not pathetic! He's a dobber and just get angry and hope that his next sh*t is a big hedgehog.
You've done the right thing blocking him.

category12 · 31/05/2024 22:21

he suddenly started becoming very hot and cold and borderline rude when he was messaging me. One minute he would say he liked me and didn’t just want me for sex and would be messaging all day, the next he was making it very clear he wasn’t particularly interested in me

It might be that he wanted to destabilise you and get you more emotionally engaged as an ego/power trip.

I don't think you should be embarrassed, it sounds like he was playing mind-games. If he only wanted sex, he didn't need to do the hot part of the cycle.

He wanted to get you to want him more, basically.

Pillowface1 · 31/05/2024 22:23

You absolutely did the right thng. Well done. Stop beating yourself up

horriblequestion · 31/05/2024 22:28

Don’t feel embarrassed at all

Feel proud you blocked this guy and got rid of him

He sounds absolutely hideous

dibly · 01/06/2024 00:34

Agree no way should you feel
embarrassed, he acted appallingly and you gave him the benefit of the doubt.

FWB definitely didn’t work for me, the timing of the benefits felt much more on his terms than mine.

Block and move on x

LifeExperience · 01/06/2024 00:49

Give yourself some grace. You made a mistake, paid a price, and learned an important lesson. Now it's time to forgive yourself and move on, OP.

Endoftheroad12345 · 01/06/2024 03:42

Don’t feel ashamed @ThisOpalViewer , you’ve done well to call time on it.

I’ve been reflecting on casual sex recently and I have come to the conclusion that women of my age (43 this year) were sold a dud, coming of age as we did when Sex and the City and ladette culture was at its peak.

My first “relationship” was a very similar arrangement to what you describe, when I was 19, in the year 2000. He was the first guy I slept with and I found my diary from that first year of uni and I can see now how much it hurt and damaged me, to be treated like that and then ghosted.(At least you have the satisfaction of being the one to end it!). I then met the man who became my (now exH) the next year, and that brutal experience of being used for casual sex by FWB (who wasn’t a bad guy but definitely wasn’t a friend to me) really set me up for accepting terrible behaviour from exH, because at least he was prepared to call me his girlfriend. It’s humiliating to reflect on now, and I am 42!

I’m now with DP and our sex life is so great because it is built on a foundation of love and trust and each wanting to make the other person happy (as well as cracking chemistry). I don’t think I could ever go back to loveless sex, although I hate to sound puritanical and would never presume that what works for me works for everyone else.

I think you have learnt a hard lesson here, but you seem to have learnt it pretty quickly! Took me 22 years 😳

CultOfRamen · 01/06/2024 03:50

Sorry can we cycle back to taking the used condom home??? What the fuck?

renthead · 01/06/2024 03:56

Sorry can we cycle back to taking the used condom home??? What the fuck?

I know, was he thinking that OP was going to scoop out the contents and try to impregnate herself after the fact to trap him? Confused

I'm glad you've figured out that this sort of arrangement doesn't work for you OP. Casual sex really doesn't work for most women, we simply aren't biologically programmed for it and there's nothing wrong with that.

Sablecat · 01/06/2024 04:10

Yes the used condom is super weird. Did he think you were planning to inseminate yourself like that unfortunate tennis player claimed had occurred? How did he drop this into the conversation about what he was doing? The mind boggles - did he bring a small ziplock bag or what?

I think FWB is probably ultimately not a good idea, subject to limited exceptions, because people, particularly women, tend to start to have feelings for people they have sex with. It's just how most of us are wired.