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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

Split with DH recently. Help!

763 replies

CarterOL · 04/06/2024 15:37

Hi I was hoping for some sound advice?

I split with DH of 8 years 11 days ango and I’m not sure if I made the right decision. It is driving me crazy and I can’t stop crying when I’m alone.

We have been having difficulty for a year. He was diagnosed with a health condition due to an accident at work which really made him low, put on weight and the like. His mother had died a 3 years ago which he ever got over. He would get depressed easy and had a terrible outlook on life. Sometimes he would be happy, other times sad.

I myself have recently been diagnosed with endometriosis and have been finding my love of life has vanished. I’ve lost all sex drive, and stopped being overly sexual with him. It’s very hard when I’m in constant pain. He tried his best to be understanding but I knew I was letting him down.

So naturally for the last year or so we bickered. We had big fights, small fights. Never violence, he never once hurt me nor I him.

11 days ago we had another fight. He said something stupid, I got sad. He snapped, I snapped. He left the house to calm down and then when he came back tried to apologise. Now my sister had come to see me randomly and was there. She told me to get rid of him because he was making me unhappy.

DH came home. I told him it was over. He got his things and I let him leave. He messaged me a lot at first that he loved me, he was sorry, he wanted to try talking and coming back but I didn’t let him. I ignored his cries and let him sleep on the street in the rain. It got to a point he wanted to kill himself but made no actual attempt.

He has been living rough for nearly the entire time, but I haven’t let him back into the home despite. We have a mortgage together and he could come asking but as yet he has not. He is trying to protect DD but has stopped paying some bills.

I’m scared I made the wrong decision. Because I was unhappy with how he made me feel but I never sat down and discussed this with him. People keep saying either if you are not happy it’s right but also he was a good man and I never just talked to him about thing. We just bickered over small thing that would escalate into bigger fights.

I know he would take me back but I let him sleep outside. Could it ever be normal between us? My family keep telling me to be alone and I don’t want to go against them.

But he is the father to my DD and I miss him so.

What should I do?

OP posts:
CannotWaitToBeFree · 05/06/2024 20:15

op look up local soup kitchens to you, homeless shelters. Go there with a photo and ask for him, if people recognise him ask them to tell him to get in touch. Speak to the brother, ask him to get in touch if he sees him. Go and speak to some homeless people on the street (they are approachable but stay safe) ask them if theyve seen him. Report him as a missing person to police. Ask ALL his friends if theyve seen him. Call hospitals, dont stop until you find him

Blarneytalk · 05/06/2024 20:28

@CarterOL would I tell my patients where I was going?

Yes, I bloody would, whilst telling them to back off and stop dictating to me what I should or shouldn't do.

How dare they say you can't look for your unwell DH, they're disgusting and I'd consider going no contact.

Blarneytalk · 05/06/2024 20:28

Blarneytalk · 05/06/2024 20:28

@CarterOL would I tell my patients where I was going?

Yes, I bloody would, whilst telling them to back off and stop dictating to me what I should or shouldn't do.

How dare they say you can't look for your unwell DH, they're disgusting and I'd consider going no contact.

Parents not patients!

Womp · 05/06/2024 20:36

Your family sound horrible. It's sounds like you're scared of them.

CarterOL · 05/06/2024 20:41

Scared no. But I respect them. They have been there for me a lot and through many poor choices on my own part. They are overbearing yes. But they do care and their heart is in the right place.

OP posts:
Humanswarm · 05/06/2024 20:52

If they care, then they will want what's best for you. And that, at this moment, is ensuring your DH is safe and well and then moving forward in a non abusive, fair way.
Leaving your DH is not a poor choice. But doing what your doing is. So in this instance, they don't have your best interests at heart.
Have you any contact from him? Any news from his brother?
Is your solicitor in contact with you or your parents OP?

CarterOL · 05/06/2024 20:59

The solicitor is only in contact when I need them and as you can imagine not cheap. I am keeping them to when I need their advice moving forward which will be dealing with divorce and the splitting of the home and so on.

I have had no contact as yet.

and while I feel this way and am trying even at this moment my friend, my sister and my parents are messaging me about leaving him and it’s better off he is not here.

its a horrible difficult battle where i am being made to feel awful by them and that its a good thing he is out there. That may seem heartless but that is how they are.

OP posts:
Josette77 · 05/06/2024 21:02

Tell them you won't be responding to them if they keep pressuring you.

Mute the conversations. Step back. They are disrespecting you and your family.

Josette77 · 05/06/2024 21:03

You could also send them this thread.

They can see for themselves how their behaviour is regarded.

CarterOL · 05/06/2024 21:14

Josette77 · 05/06/2024 21:03

You could also send them this thread.

They can see for themselves how their behaviour is regarded.

To be frank I actually do not think they would care or even feel the slightest bit sorry. I have made a mess and been wrong but I do see this.

i hope I can find him and fix this before it is too late. I hope I can help him recover work with him and give him the therapy he needs. I may not save my marriage but at least I could try and help him.

OP posts:
HollyKnight · 05/06/2024 21:15

You don't have to save him. You just don't have to destroy him.

Itstimetoquit · 05/06/2024 21:21

Your in the UK,legal aid is free! Your an idiot,liar and God damn awful wife

CannotWaitToBeFree · 05/06/2024 21:26

CarterOL · 05/06/2024 21:14

To be frank I actually do not think they would care or even feel the slightest bit sorry. I have made a mess and been wrong but I do see this.

i hope I can find him and fix this before it is too late. I hope I can help him recover work with him and give him the therapy he needs. I may not save my marriage but at least I could try and help him.

I really hope you mean this op.

have you been out in your local town/city where hes been seen?

CarterOL · 05/06/2024 21:28

Itstimetoquit · 05/06/2024 21:21

Your in the UK,legal aid is free! Your an idiot,liar and God damn awful wife

It is absolutely not free. Consultation is possibly free but action such as writing to people and moving forward is not.

OP posts:
CarterOL · 05/06/2024 21:29

CannotWaitToBeFree · 05/06/2024 21:26

I really hope you mean this op.

have you been out in your local town/city where hes been seen?

I have. I have no idea where I could go to better look but I have. I feel awful because I know he is both ill and and in danger from being out there alone. He may be at a friends or even his bothered but even then that’s not the point. I pushed him out I asked him…

I know I’m a bad person.

OP posts:
CannotWaitToBeFree · 05/06/2024 21:34

Get the numbers for all homeless shelters in your area and ring round. They keep a log of who has been in, they will be able to check records/advise you

RobinStrike · 05/06/2024 21:41

OP, you said you emailed him to send him the solicitor's letter. You could try emailing your DH or his brother?

wiseoldsnail · 05/06/2024 21:42

@CarterOL I am currently getting legal aid for divorcing my abusive ex husband. I am thankful that I haven't had to pay a penny and never will. My solicitor has wrote, emailed and rang my ex many times and it's not cost anything.

In order to get legal aid, I had to prove he was abusive and also get confirmation of this from the domestic abuse charity who I had been working with to get me free of him.

Your version of legal aid makes no sense.

Youdontevengohere · 05/06/2024 21:44

wiseoldsnail · 05/06/2024 21:42

@CarterOL I am currently getting legal aid for divorcing my abusive ex husband. I am thankful that I haven't had to pay a penny and never will. My solicitor has wrote, emailed and rang my ex many times and it's not cost anything.

In order to get legal aid, I had to prove he was abusive and also get confirmation of this from the domestic abuse charity who I had been working with to get me free of him.

Your version of legal aid makes no sense.

I think the OP just meant she paid for legal advice, rather than that she got legal aid.

Itstimetoquit · 05/06/2024 21:50

wiseoldsnail · 05/06/2024 21:42

@CarterOL I am currently getting legal aid for divorcing my abusive ex husband. I am thankful that I haven't had to pay a penny and never will. My solicitor has wrote, emailed and rang my ex many times and it's not cost anything.

In order to get legal aid, I had to prove he was abusive and also get confirmation of this from the domestic abuse charity who I had been working with to get me free of him.

Your version of legal aid makes no sense.

Exactly no sense at all,I mean her husband must be the worse man on the planet (well that's how he's being treated)so legal aid would be granted,or hes not a bad man and she just wants rid and mummy and daddy are paying.I'm not buying this bullshit anymore.

Wakemeup17 · 05/06/2024 21:52

This is less and less believable with every post by the OP.

therealcookiemonster · 05/06/2024 21:58

wiseoldsnail · 05/06/2024 21:42

@CarterOL I am currently getting legal aid for divorcing my abusive ex husband. I am thankful that I haven't had to pay a penny and never will. My solicitor has wrote, emailed and rang my ex many times and it's not cost anything.

In order to get legal aid, I had to prove he was abusive and also get confirmation of this from the domestic abuse charity who I had been working with to get me free of him.

Your version of legal aid makes no sense.

I think at the beginning OP didn't know what the term legal aid means. convo has moved on from there now

sorry you went through such a rough time

CarterOL · 05/06/2024 22:12

No, sorry I used the term legal aid as a way of saying insight legal advice that gave me aid, I wasn’t aware it would refer to being given legal aid for free.

i have had to pay and haven’t been offered any for free as I earn to high.

OP posts:
Humanswarm · 05/06/2024 22:22

Can you see if messages to your dh are going through? Being read? Can you email? Call? Do whatever you can...
Ignore your family, don't tell them your plans. Just agree with them if needs be. But find him.

What's the worst outcome here? Falling out with your parents? Or your husband potentially seriously ill or..worse?

CarterOL · 05/06/2024 22:25

he hasn’t read my messages I can’t tell about mail but he was told to not contact me and so may not be even reading them.

OP posts: