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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

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:
Mumofoneandone · 09/09/2024 18:53

Woman's aid and, depending on the age of your children, SS contact. Think your children are at risk (as are you) to have this man in the same house as you.

Scaredstressed · 09/09/2024 18:58

Mumofoneandone · 09/09/2024 18:53

Woman's aid and, depending on the age of your children, SS contact. Think your children are at risk (as are you) to have this man in the same house as you.

I have already reached out to social services but I am so embarrassed. I am a good mum and my children are well-looked after and loved. I provide so well for them. I started crying on the phone as I’m convinced they’ll take them away. The lady was very reassuring but I am just mortified that it’s ended like this. 8 weeks ago, my life was perfect 😔 I guess I just didn’t know the truth. I want that back so much 😢

OP posts:
teenmaw · 09/09/2024 19:09

Op this is a shit situation, please do not make the mistake I did. All that sickness and health chat. He's not kept his end of the bargain, he's betrayed and gaslit you for ten years. There is no obligation to sacrifice your happiness to try in vain to save someone that should have saved himself. I went to couple counselling....AWFUL! There's a reason they say don't do it in an abusive relationship. It's damaged my kids, it's damaged me, we've been separated 3 years and he is no different. Please don't do it to yourself. I'm divorced now and this has been the best year of my life. Don't waste more time on a liar, your life will be a rollercoaster forever.

Bertgotkinky · 09/09/2024 19:14

For your own safety and sanity get yourself outta there. Read your story back the whole thing is getting progressively worse. You say you are “ smart and well educated” well be smart and well educated by protecting yourself. By the sounds of it he has had endless chances and now he is destroying himself and taking you with him. You don’t need this. You have your own life to live,go and live it. The way I see it you have two options stay and pander to a train wreck with all the worries and fears that come with it or retract yourself from a very toxic situation and live a great life looking after yourself doing what you want to do when you want to do it. Move on you deserve better.

BMW6 · 09/09/2024 19:16

He's a drug addict and alcoholic.

You can't help him. No-one can.

The ONLY hope for your relationship is if you leave him. He MAY then reach his absolute bottom, admit his addictions and get help.

If he goes into detox and then AA for at least a year and stats clean and sober he has a slim chance your relationship can be resurrected if YOU are willing.

In the meantime you need to get away and keep away from him, for his sake as much as yours.

If he did kill himself that's his decision and not anyone's fault.

There is only 1 way out of this to have any life. That's the outline above. His choice now.

Save yourself, you can't save him.

pointythings · 09/09/2024 19:17

Scaredstressed · 09/09/2024 18:58

I have already reached out to social services but I am so embarrassed. I am a good mum and my children are well-looked after and loved. I provide so well for them. I started crying on the phone as I’m convinced they’ll take them away. The lady was very reassuring but I am just mortified that it’s ended like this. 8 weeks ago, my life was perfect 😔 I guess I just didn’t know the truth. I want that back so much 😢

You can't go back. You have made a good start by reaching out to Social Services - now make a better one by starting your divorce. You should also get some real life support because your situation is not the usual one - you are living with an addict. You need real life specialist support - Al-Anon or similar is one, but other organisations exist. AdFam is probably a good starting point for you.

Lastly, there is a support group over on the Alcohol board that might be helpful to you. You will learn a lot from women who have been where you are now, myself included.

Put yourself and your child(ren) first. That is not selfish, it is the only safe, sensible thing to do.

BMW6 · 09/09/2024 19:18

Christ I've just read that you have children

You MUST get them away from this or they'll be damaged.

Do it for them if not yourself.

Scaredstressed · 09/09/2024 19:21

pointythings · 09/09/2024 19:17

You can't go back. You have made a good start by reaching out to Social Services - now make a better one by starting your divorce. You should also get some real life support because your situation is not the usual one - you are living with an addict. You need real life specialist support - Al-Anon or similar is one, but other organisations exist. AdFam is probably a good starting point for you.

Lastly, there is a support group over on the Alcohol board that might be helpful to you. You will learn a lot from women who have been where you are now, myself included.

Put yourself and your child(ren) first. That is not selfish, it is the only safe, sensible thing to do.

Edited

Thank you.
I looked into some of the support offered by Adfam
and other organisations but there is nothing really near me.
what’s interesting from this whole thread is that not one single person has said I am being unreasonable. I’m being made to feel like I am crazy and he’s told me what he does is completely normal (and that I’m overreacting because I’ve led a sheltered life) but everyone else seems to be agreeing with me that it’s not normal and I’m not the problem. As for me leading a sheltered life…it’s news to me, I’ve travelled Pacific Central America and African no-man’s land alone so I’m fairly sure I have some decent life experience!

OP posts:
Pinksmyfavoritecolour · 09/09/2024 19:28

You cannot love an addict sober.
Find an alanon meeting local to you or online, and start looking after you.
Leaving is hard when you love them, so start by being kind to you, one day at a time, slowly and gently start to get yourself some boundaries.

Scentedjasmin · 09/09/2024 19:38

I'm really sorry that you are going through this. Unfortunately you are enabling his behaviour by giving him chances and being 'supportive'. In turn, he is trying to stop you from leaving by destroying your confidence. Addicts have extremely low self esteem and become very defensive. Drugs and alcohol also change the way that the brain operates so thinking patterns change. Addicts are also, by their nature, less likely to take responsibility for their own behaviour and to blame others. Very sadly we have been through all.of this with my sister who is now terminally ill with end stage liver failure. By the time liver failure symptoms hit, it is too late. My sister has thinning hair, lost muscle mass and was found collapsed with severe malnutrition and ascites (she had to have 14l of fluid remover from her abdomen). She had been sleeping in her kitchen as she was too weak to do the stairs. Her brain is totally fuddled and she has become extremely anxious and paranoid. Dying from Liver failure is one of the most horrible ways to go. The liver controls 800 different functions in the body.

Staying unfortunately will not help him get better. You are being a prop for him to convince others that he is leading a normal life and that everything is under control.

There's a really useful book that I have found. I'll post a link shortly, which will help you understand the addiction behaviour and understand how you can (and mostly can't help). It's important to look after yourself.

In a nutshell, you have to leave. It's not working and he's getting worse. I realise that you are petrified that he will go completely off the rails if you leave and you feel the fear of the guilt. He may well do. If you leave he could get much worse. However, if you stay, he could also get much worse as is happening now. If you leave, then he has no one else to blame and will have to look at his own behaviours, so that gives him a chance and puts the decision in his hands. Ultimately only he can get himself better with the help of professionals.

You need to leave. You can tell him that it's not forever and that he can call you once he's sought help and been in recovery for a long period of time (minimum 6 moths). But for now you need to leave.

Bertgotkinky · 09/09/2024 19:42

There is no way on gods green earth YABU. What he does is not completely normal at all it’s common but most certainly not normal. You are his “crutch”. He is drinking to excess, using illegal substances and making you feel like you are crazy. You are crazy, IF you stay in that environment. He’s projecting his problems onto you. Stop with the self analyzing he’s the problem not you. You have done nothing wrong hell you’ve stuck by him and look where this has got you. You are doing everything right you are protecting your family but also remember to protect yourself. You are really vulnerable right now do not think you are alone. There has been some great advice passed to you here including people who have been or are going through similar situations. Be strong, think things through carefully and decide what’s best for you all. Leave him out of your thought process until he actively gets the help he needs. Move on if he fails to do that or you decide your marriage is done.

EmeraldDreams73 · 09/09/2024 19:52

Oh sweetheart, what an appalling situation for you and your children. You have done all you can, you can hold your head high, but for your sake and your dcs, you have to get him out. He's an abusive addict and you can't love him out of it.

I don't know enough about logistics, but do document everything carefully. You and your dcs will be FINE and you can't help him. Please, please, recognise the finality of this and begin the process of getting him away from you all. And be incredibly careful about believing future promises that splitting up was the catalyst for him cleaning up his act etc etc.

Focus on YOU and your children and do what you all need and deserve. Immediately.

Blueberrycreampie · 09/09/2024 19:54

His family have very good reasons for wanting you to stay with him. They don't want to take responsibility for him and his future path. Walk away while you can.

Justanotherusername27 · 09/09/2024 19:58

Hi OP, I haven’t read all the responses so I’m not sure if anyone has suggested or spoken to you about this, apologies if so.

If you are living in the UK your locality will have a drug and alcohol service that is free and confidential that can offer the right support. If you’re buying in therapy it often is someone who is unspecialised in substance misuse (obviously I don’t know the ins and outs of therapy). It’s up to him if and how much he wants to engage with this but the SMU service can also offer support for you and your family if they need it.

I work in this field and once upon a time my job was to support families like yours. I know it’s so shit but you aren’t alone. And as he is prioritising himself in this situation you also need to do that too. Whether that means leaving him or reestablishing boundaries within the home that’s up to you.

Firstly, if you have children. Number one rule he doesn’t use around the kids period. Out of the house, wherever. Not around them.

Secondly, look after yourself within this. Make sure you’re eating/sleeping/ looking after yourself as this whole experience is exhausting.

thirdly, he is consuming very high levels of alcohol, to a point where it would concern me whether stopping would cause him to fit. He needs to see a medical professional about this as a matter of urgency. If he just stops this could prove fatal depending on how much he is drinking and what times in the day.

, if he has been using for ten years there’s not a chance he will be able to just quit cold turkey. He’s told you and you , out of the goodness of your heart, have stayed and he feels this is the green light to continue taking substances because he knows you stayed. And he feels he can be more open about it.

These services will offer substantial support to you and your family. If you want to PM me I can speak you through it but he needs to want to want it. But you can still access the support regardless of whether he does. He needs a lot of work not just a therapist as this is high level use.

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe · 09/09/2024 19:59

If he wants to kill himself let him. He's doing that already. I'm sure he wasn't like this when you met him but he hasn't cared enough to not take these stupid risks with his health and both of your wellbeing and marriage.

See a solicitor and end this. Every bit of time you spend with him he will leach anything he can from you and use you as a verbal punch bag. You don't deserve this and he doesn't deserve you.

You are not being unreasonable. Don't let him take another minute of your life that you don't need to.

PolePrince55 · 09/09/2024 19:59

I feel from reading this that there is nothing more you can do for him.

Italiangreyhound · 09/09/2024 20:04

He is utterly wrong, and he is abusing you. He has lied and he has been aggressive. He has wasted tons of money on drugs and lied about it.

Please stop apologizing for checking up on him, good that you did because you found out the depths to which he had sunk! Given half a chance he will sink you too, I think. Please leave. Get legal advice. You need to be safe.

Justanotherusername27 · 09/09/2024 20:05

Also forgot to mention don’t engage with him when he’s under the influence if you can help it. No good arguments happen when people are leathered as he won’t be able to compute it anyway

AmberAlert86 · 09/09/2024 20:08

First and foremost, look after your children, di ehatnis in their best interests

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe · 09/09/2024 20:08

"Women are not hospitals for damaged men"

Not my quote but a fabulous one from a MN poster that's stuck with me.

OP, the sooner you can get yourself and your children away from this man, the sooner you can all recover and put your lives back in order. He can too if he wants to. He'll never do that with you there to prop him up.

MollyButton · 09/09/2024 20:16

Is there an alanon near you? Or even an online one you can access. While it might not be for you longer term it is somewhere else for you to meet people who will re-enforce the:
It's not your fault
You didn't cause this
And you can't change him
Message.

Get out and good riddance. Then work on yourself and rebuilding your boundaries.

ThankGodForDancingFruit · 09/09/2024 20:17

Treeinthesky · 09/09/2024 13:39

It's cocaine makes um nasty.
I have a bf of 2 years and recently found out the same. Our lives are identical. But your married and have been together longer.
I've never done drugs and I am.very anti drug. He won't believe it's cocaine but it is it makes them nasty. Get rid

Cocaine (or any drug, including alcohol) does not make people abusive.

Drug users who are also abusive are rarely abusive to other people aside from their spouse/partner when under the influence.

When confronted with their behaviour while under the influence, they usually choose to continue to use that substance.

Both of these points show that they choose to abuse.

Drugs are never the reason or excuse for abusive behaviour.

Abusers abuse their victims because they choose and want to.

pointythings · 09/09/2024 20:21

@Scaredstressed you can get support online - SMART Family & Friends might be what you need, and they do run online groups.

But ultimately the bottom line here is that you are living with an addict who is not willing to make any changes, who puts all the blame on you and who threatens to harm himself every time you challenge his cosy little world where he can do what he wants with no consequences. Think about that. You don't have to be his punch bag.

Thevelvelletes · 09/09/2024 20:21

Mdma,coke, heavy drinking he's headed for a heart attack.

Amazonmulu · 09/09/2024 20:22

Supersimkin7 · 09/09/2024 12:13

He’ll try anything to get you to stay.

Leave. Tell everyone why.

This EXACTLY.

You are not ridiculous.

He is an abuser and an addict.

You need to leave to protect your sanity and future happiness.

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