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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

Husband is spiralling out of control

135 replies

Scaredstressed · 09/09/2024 12:01

Hey, so I am not entirely sure why or how I have found myself here but I need a sanity check from someone outside of the situation.

My husband and, by extension our entire family unit, has been through a lot of stress over the past couple of years, which has resulted in him developing depression. It's been really difficult to live with as his moods are just awful.

Around 2 months ago, I felt something was massively 'off,' and whilst it's not my finest moment, I checked his phone to find drug orders. I confronted him about this and he admitted he has been regularly (2-3 times per week, including just at home with our family) taking MDMA for 10+years and hiding it from me. Obviously, my world was pretty rocked at this revelation and his being able to keep a secret like this for 10 years (to give context, I do all the laundry and cleaning etc and have never found anything remotely suspicious). I knew he had been heavy drinking to cope with stress but had no idea this was going on. We chatted it through, I decided to support him and we committed to therapy.

Fast forward a couple of weeks and we were at a small gathering of friends. To cut a long story short, that evening I also found out he's been taking coke. We had a disagreement, decided to come home to talk about it and laid it to bed...that was all done.

Then the following week, he went to a networking do and disappeared for the best part of 24 hours. When he came home (again wrong of me) I checked his wallet and found cocaine. I threw it away. The following week, he seemed 'off; again. I asked him to do a drug test and he was fine with it until I showed him I had already bought them, at which point he flipped out and became aggressive...the eventual result was that he was positive and had taken cocaine at work two days before.

His therapy has made things worse. In therapy he has created an entire fake persona for himself, making up literal rubbish about being scarred from his childhood (getting in trouble for smoking a fag etc or being told off for not being home on time). I am trying to be patient with this, however, I feel he may be exploiting me - I am a survivor of childhood sexual abuse and he knows any mention of childhood trauma really gets me on side. I understand trauma is caused in different ways and has different effects on people but I really feel these are normal childhood things being used to excuse his behaviour.

Since therapy began, his drinking is heavier. I am talking 10-12 beers and a third to a half of a bottle of spirits or two bottles of wine every day. Last week he had a seizure after drinking - I told him and he stopped for one day.

He is now becoming aggressive and verbally intimidating. Last night he called me a 'fat bitch,' 'poison,' a 'psychopath,' 'c*nt,' 'manipulative' and he says I am the cause of all his problems (even though he has been taking drugs for 35 years). He said he wanted to go to couples counselling (something which I have asked for and he has previously refused) and when I asked why he had changed his mind, thinking he really may want to save our marriage, he sneered and told me he wanted to see the counsellor tell me how ridiculous I am.

I am a smart, funny, well-educated woman and I cannot believe I am in this situation. He keeps begging me not to leave and telling me I promised to support him in sickness or in health but I cannot live in this misery. My friends tell me to leave but I can't find the strength.

So basically, I am here looking for people's opinions, am I completely ridiculous or is he being an abusive AH? Because right now I feel gaslit to the point of absolute insanity and am so ashamed that I can barely turn to anyone in real life anymore.

Please help me.

OP posts:
Secondstart1001 · 09/09/2024 14:16

To add to my further comment, women are not rehabilitated centres for messed up men,

@Scaredstressed the only ones you owe anything to is yourself and you children.

Starlight1979 · 09/09/2024 14:16

YellowRoom · 09/09/2024 12:55

Why do you rate the opinion if his family over your own happiness and well being?

This. It's almost like you're saying you have to stay with an abusive, lying, alcoholic drug addict so that his family don't think badly of you?

Starlight1979 · 09/09/2024 14:21

He is now becoming aggressive and verbally intimidating. Last night he called me a 'fat bitch,' 'poison,' a 'psychopath,' 'cnt,' 'manipulative' and he says I am the cause of all his problems (even though he has been taking drugs for 35 years). He said he wanted to go to couples counselling (something which I have asked for and he has previously refused) and when I asked why he had changed his mind, thinking he really may want to save our marriage, he sneered and told me he wanted to see the counsellor tell me how ridiculous I am.*

He keeps begging me not to leave

@Scaredstressed - read these two sentences which you have written back to yourself and then find the MASSIVE contradiction.

And then ask yourself why the hell you are not already out of the fucking door leaving this abusive, intimidating druggie long behind.

DadJoke · 09/09/2024 14:36

Call Women's Aid. They are used to offering advice on abusive drug addicts who threaten to commit suicide.

Do you have any kids?
Who owns you property, or are you renting?

You absolutely need to leave this man as soon as possible.

Don't worry about what his family thinks, but if you are on good terms with any of them, show them evidence of his addiction in a "he needs help" rather than "I want to prove this" kind of way. Document his behaviour.

Getonwitit · 09/09/2024 14:46

Please leave. He will be the death of you. To hell with what his family, they will always make excuses but you don't need too. If, in 20 years time your life is still with this alcoholic drugged addled abusive liar will you think you had lived a life surround by love and full of contentment or will you think what a waste ? You cannot save him. Save your one and only life. You have already lived a lie for years and wasted so much time.

Normallynumb · 09/09/2024 14:49

He's a lying, manipulative, drug addicted alcoholic who is fuelling his ego by being cruel and nasty to you.
You must leave and divorce him
He won't change and his family sound toxic too.
He blames you, because he doesn't want to face he is a product of his own childhood.
I think counselling will help you see this.

Autumnismyfavouritetimeofyear · 09/09/2024 14:51

He said he wanted to go to couples counselling (something which I have asked for and he has previously refused) and when I asked why he had changed his mind, thinking he really may want to save our marriage, he sneered and told me he wanted to see the counsellor tell me how ridiculous I am.

Couples counselling is dangerous where there is abuse. It just gives the abuser more ammo against you. No reputable couples counsellor would see you both in this situation.

The fact he has already manipulated therapy in the way he did (and the therapist may have seen through him, but the fact is this is what he is saying about it) points to him not taking responsibility and looking for things to blame his substance misuse on. You have also become another excuse.

You need to be somewhere safe asap - whether he moves or you do. He will definitely pull the suicide threat on you but do not give in.

None of this is your fault. You did not cause this, you cant control it and you cannot cure it.

invisiblecat · 09/09/2024 15:05

Alalalala · 09/09/2024 12:07

He’s an abuser and you need to leave. You cannot help him nor support him to fix this. He is behaving abominably - plus a seasoned, shameless liar.

I agree that he is an abuser, but I disagree that it is the OP who needs to leave. He does.

He is the aggressive, threatening drug-taker, and the OP needs to call the police and ask them to come and remove this person from her home.

BlastedPimples · 09/09/2024 15:08

Oh yes. To be clear. I meant leave the relationship. Not the house. Not ever. He needs to physically leave.

mathanxiety · 09/09/2024 15:09

Scaredstressed · 09/09/2024 12:17

If I ever try to say anything in public he just completely discredits me. His family are deeply religious and he knows that they don't want to face up to the mess they've raised, so it is easier to blame me.

You'll have to face that out. Their opinions don't trump your lived experience.

Ignore his family. Hold your head high.

Lean on your friends. Leave the relationship. Leave his family in your rear view mirror, getting further and further behind you.
Your friends will be relieved and delighted that you've finally made the right decision.

Start making plans today.
Also, investigate AlAnon, for people affected by someone else's addiction to alcohol.

Look up co-dependence. Try to consciously disengage. It will be hard for you with your own traumatic background, but you need to try.

www.mhanational.org/co-dependency

Saintmariesleuth · 09/09/2024 15:11

Sorry you are going through this OP. I am firmly in the leave him ASAP camp.

This man is an addict and he is treating you appallingly. He will only get better if he decides to seek help himself. He has no intention of doing that. He is quite content to lay the blame for all of his problems at your feet.

I think you would benefit from seeking your own counselling (alone, absolutely not with him) and accessing some support through a drug addiction charity- I suspect that a lot of the information will resonate with you.

mathanxiety · 09/09/2024 15:11

Any threats to kill himself need to be handled by the police.

Be prepared to call 999 as soon as you hear a threat like that. The police are equipped to handle these threats.

It's just manipulation, and you need to call his bluff.

Theonlywayisup22 · 09/09/2024 15:11

I have to agree the only cure for co-dependency is working through the trauma that keeps you bound to this type of relationship otherwise it’s hard to not get drawn back into another.

Nanny0gg · 09/09/2024 15:20

Scaredstressed · 09/09/2024 12:22

It is more emotional. I have a good job with a decent income. I can afford a nice place to live: it’s not that. He begs me to stay and tells me he will have nothing without me and he will kill himself. And I know his family will blame me because they are never introspective and don’t do accountability.

IF he kills himself (highly doubtful) it's on him

You know it's emotional blackmail

How much money have his addictions cost your family?

You cannot, CANNOT stay with him

TeaGinandFags · 09/09/2024 15:21

The only way he's going to stop being an addict is by going feet first. You have 3 choices:

1 leave him pronto.

2 stay and watch as he gets nastier and more abusive. Watch as he gets deeper into his drug fugue and destroys your life.

3 insure his arse up to the hilt. After a prime number of months, say 17, book yourself a little holiday that you've saved up for on the sly. Since you know his dealer's number, get your own little supply but never use it. Hide it at your mum's where it'll never be found. Just before you go, leave it tucked away where he will find it and treat yourself to a nice black dress. Claim on the insurance.

I'd recommend 1.

MounjaroUser · 09/09/2024 15:37

You have to separate from this awful man. Who cares what his family thinks? They know what he's really like. You can tell enough of your friends and family who care about you and those are all that matter.

He says he'll kill himself - well, he won't do that. He's simply pulling out all the stops.

As for the therapist - maybe she'll see through him and maybe she won't. She's getting paid to listen to his crap - you're not. Let her get on with it. Nothing she says or thinks will have any impact on you.

Alalalala · 09/09/2024 15:39

@invisiblecat I too meant leave the relationship. But the most important thing is the OP gets away from him.

BananaGrapeMelon · 09/09/2024 17:02

It doesn't matter if his family blames you. Who cares what they think?

anxietyaardvark · 09/09/2024 17:11

You are not safe. Please leave as soon as possible.

MrsMoastyToasty · 09/09/2024 17:25

Drugs and alcohol are his "other women".

If this was happening to a friend, what would you advise her? Yes, leave him or kick him out.

Hungrycaterpillarsmummy · 09/09/2024 17:30

I have no idea why you are staying through this.
He has seen no consequences from you so will just carry on.

My line would have been surprised at the revelation of using mdma in the family home for 10+ yrs. His poor mental health is from rotting his brain with drugs. All selfish acts and you are suffering for it

LightSpeeds · 09/09/2024 17:30

Wow, a lying, drinking drug addict.

Make plans to leave.

Scaredstressed · 09/09/2024 18:37

Hungrycaterpillarsmummy · 09/09/2024 17:30

I have no idea why you are staying through this.
He has seen no consequences from you so will just carry on.

My line would have been surprised at the revelation of using mdma in the family home for 10+ yrs. His poor mental health is from rotting his brain with drugs. All selfish acts and you are suffering for it

To be fair I’ve been in an absolute tailspin of emotions since these revelations. He’s just getting worse and worse quickly and I need time to breathe. He just doesn’t give it to me. I can’t see clearly to make any kind of plan with any kind of consequences. This is well outside of my sphere of experience.

OP posts:
Scaredstressed · 09/09/2024 18:39

BananaGrapeMelon · 09/09/2024 17:02

It doesn't matter if his family blames you. Who cares what they think?

Yeah to be fair they are AHs too. Although they act like they’re Christian, they’re the least Christian people I know: judgemental, rude and they enable him. I’ve been told to keep quiet and support him but maybe that is just because they are ashamed and always deal with stuff by sweeping it under the carpet. Toxic positivity rules their roost.

OP posts:
Secondstart1001 · 09/09/2024 18:45

Is there anyway you can put some space between your H and yourself? A bit of time away from him will help you think and plan clearly.

i think we all know Ltb is easier said than done but it’s possible, I was in an abusive marriage and I stayed for years unable to find a way out, but I did. You sound like you have the resources to support yourself as well as a good network of friends. I think you just need to do it all step by step. Breathe x