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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

I can't make my now ex H understand how much he has hurt me

58 replies

BirthdayRainbow · 27/09/2024 21:40

He said sorry twice but he didn't really mean it.

How do I stop expecting something I'm never going to get? I feel I'm putting myself in harms way but hoping for an epiphany.

He was beyond cruel on top of an affair years ago. I'd rather he'd had another affair tbh.

Furious row this week. Yet I still sorted something for him. Idiot.

OP posts:
WiserOlderElf · 28/09/2024 07:36

If he’s said sorry twice and didn’t mean it, he’s not going to mean it if he says it a third time.
He’s not going to change. If he understood how much hurt he was causing you, and cared, then he wouldn’t have done it.

ivykaty44 · 28/09/2024 07:37

This is no longer your concern, he is an ex

YellowRoom · 28/09/2024 07:37

You're putting your happiness in the hands of a man who couldn't give a shit.

stayathomer · 28/09/2024 07:37

Some people will never ever understand until it happens to them.

Bestyearever2024 · 28/09/2024 07:39

Why are you STILL trying to make him be someone he's not and can never be

Why are you STILL giving your power to him?

deeahgwitch · 28/09/2024 07:42

BlastedPimples · 27/09/2024 21:54

Never expect the person who hurt you to help you heal.

It won't happen.

This.
And do your damndest to move on.

Neveragain35 · 28/09/2024 07:48

He won’t apologise. He will have changed the narrative in his head to justify all the vile things he did. There is no point- as a PP said, the best revenge is living well.

Just don’t engage with him and keep contact to an absolute minimum. Don’t ask him for anything unless you have to.

Meadowfinch · 28/09/2024 07:52

He's an ex for a reason. He doesn't care about you, clearly thinks he is entitled to have affairs and isn't interested in how you feel. Why are you still conversing with him. You only need to arrange child pick ups & drop offs. The occasional query about schooling. Nothing more.

Now he's your ex, just categorise him as a nasty smell and move on. He and his thoughts are irrelevant.

catcurl · 28/09/2024 07:57

I felt just like this after my boyfriend of 4 years cheated on me. He refused to speak to me after I found it, and I desperately wanted closure. Best thing I did was going on date a few months after and meeting my now lovely DH. If I had wasted further thought on my ex that wouldn't have happened.

It's really hard but you can't control what your ex thinks. You can control what you yourself do, so as much as it is a grieving process moving on from a relationship, focus on doing things that make you yourself happy.

Mill3nnial · 28/09/2024 07:59

You need to let it go and stop expecting something from him. You don't need his apology to move on. You deserve better than how he treated you. Don't put your life and your wellbeing on hold based on his actions and don't let him know you need anything from him. If you need to engage with him about personal property keep it very surface level and to the point.

Startingagainandagain · 28/09/2024 08:06

You need to let go and focus on moving forward.

As someone has said already, if he did not care enough about you when you were married, he is not going to turn into a different person now that you are no longer together.

BirthdayRainbow · 28/09/2024 08:14

Wow. What a lot of replies. Thank you. I'll read now.

@Unexpectedlysinglemum my son asked me if my ex could have made it right - he said something unbelievably cruel about a childhood trauma and has been feeling this way for many years - and I realised he couldn't. But he never even tried! I should have realised as when he had his affair I feel I did more to get us back to how we were. He did buy me two rings and wrote a few cards when I asked, but who was buying little treats and cooking the other person their favourite meals? Not him. I am making progress but yesterday was tough and it will be a slow process at times.

@Starlightstarbright3 I will live well. I'll have less money but I'm used to going without and it doesn't bother me. But I'll have a mortgage free little house that no one can take from me (he's done it three times and I had it all my childhood), I'll be near really dear friends but the ultimate revenge would be to tell him the love of my life is now my friend again. I wouldn't though as I don't hurt people for fun. I'll be living 4+ hours from ex so won't ever have to see him unless the kids have something they want us both at.

He laughed when I said I was happy he and someone @JaneEyreLaughing. I added that he can't manage on his own which might have been bitchy but I'm not bothered he has. I'm just upset he's told her my business but I need to remind myself it isn't my shame so I shouldn't care who knows. He sad yesterday it was horrible for him too but I don't see how. I have moved on from him, there are no feelings, but the hurt will take more time.

@OlivePoetry he said sorry twice but it didn't sound genuine. I accept it comes from within and I need to work on that.

@Boidont maybe it won't feel like the last 27 years were a waste as they do now and that I'm right to feel as I do. Not really sure as I don't need his validation. I suppose consequences for him. Face up to what he has done. But I know I won't get it. I'm doing misc better than I was and more accepting, but yesterday and this week has been thought so there is bound to be odd steps back.

That is a really good idea @Holidaysrule and I do need to focus on myself more. I have the most amazing dog so I have walks with her but I also go running. Turned out I'm pretty good at it - he even admitted he was surprised I was still doing it four years later - and sometimes I go as I feel I need it for my mental health and I'm a bit panicky but I've never once in all my runs given up and walked the rest of the way. I'm embarrassingly proud of that.

I am sure you didn't mean it that way @MerelyPlaying but your post came across a little patronising. I have been having therapy for the last 16 months and it was after about two months of speaking to her that I realised it wasn't okay what he said and made plans to ask for a trial separation. I am dealing with 50+ years worth of trauma. It is going to take time and this past 12 days have been particularly painful.

OP posts:
Viviennemary · 28/09/2024 08:16

It's awful but you need to move on. Does it matter whether he is sorry or not. It's only a word. And some men never think they're the ones in the wrong even when they are.

bergamotorange · 28/09/2024 08:19

BirthdayRainbow · 27/09/2024 21:56

We do have kids.

The stuff isn't something the solicitor can help with.

I do feel if he genuinely understood and said sorry again that it would actually help me.

Thinking to be done. Thanks.

I do feel if he genuinely understood and said sorry again that it would actually help me.

I think you should speak to your therapist about this. This sentence is so unhealthy and unhelpful. You seem to want to put your efforts into him, despite the fact you're separated.

You can help yourself, you don't need his apology.

Viviennemary · 28/09/2024 08:19

Sorry I didn't see your last post. But you are getting it together which is great. You are doing absolutely the right thing to focus on yourself.

MosaDiCello · 28/09/2024 08:22

Heybearu · 27/09/2024 21:51

Radical acceptance and self compassion x
Like you say he isn't ever going to get it.
But you can show yourself the kindness you deserve x

This 🧡 The acceptance is key to freedom from all those questions.

MerelyPlaying · 28/09/2024 08:23

It wasn’t intended to be patronising and I’m sorry you interpreted it as such. You seem stuck in the past, and I was offering a suggestion of what helped me to move on. Not everyone in your situation is having therapy/counselling. I hope that you find it helps.

Coconutter24 · 28/09/2024 08:23

He knows full well he has hurt you but sounds like he just doesn’t care so why would a sorry make this any better for you? You need to find a different way to get over this

BirthdayRainbow · 28/09/2024 08:29

@XChrome your post and imagery is very powerful, very helpful and very true. Thank you. It feeds into me feeling like he was my prize after all I'd been through and I'd said I'd go through it all again if it meant I got him. I realised only this morning that maybe I was telling myself that as things weren't as good as I thought they were. I'm completely over him. I don't want him back and never did form the minute he left the home but him and the pain he caused are separate things. I'm not pining for him. I'm hurting at his actions. But I'll remember 🐵.

@HazelPlayer you have hit the nail on the head. He has zero emotional intelligence. He manages to say he's taken responsibility for his affair while also saying he wanted to feel better about himself, blame it on the fact I had an ex I still liked but never had contact with and justified his affair to her because of how awful it was to be with someone who had been abused as a child, had depression a lot after having his children and sometimes needed reassurance. Looking back all the signs were there this was not a good man for me but I was comparing him to the ones before who and hit me and not been great plus having to accept the true love of my life had married (spoiler, he hadn't. Mutual contacts lied as they knew I had met ex and probably thought I should move on). So he seemed like a good option. I worry for the lady he has now given she's a widow. I hope it's just companionship as there won't be any fireworks in the bedroom. He is currently in my phone with no name at all but there has been several. At one point he was just a full stop but I realised I don't have to have anything

@StripeyDeckchair we are divorced so all the finances are done. I do have to give him back the £321 as part of the agreement as it wasn't household expenses. But it was too late to change and he said ok so I assumed he was fine with it. He only had one affair but I take your point. I know I'll do better than him as I can look in the mirror and know I was a good wife, and excellent mother and I have supported my kids though all this. It has been hell but I've put them first. He has wallowed for a year, sent the, two emails about it and now he was feeling. Didn't ask how they are, blamed me to them about the affair and has been bloody useless. He even cut their phone contract as said he didn't see why they should have more than him! I told him he sounds jealous of his own children.

I am sorry you've had similar @rockingbird . Did you just decide and find that was enough to help you move on? I have been implementing that and saying the same to a friend so I need to do it and say to it myself as well.

I know it sounds daft @AllProperTeaIsTheft but it also helped me and saved me a tricky job.

@Hercisback1 that is a good one. He has no value to me so why should I attach any value to anything he says or does. Whereas I am valued by my children and friends and I need to recognise that.

He was just thinking of himself @WiserOlderElf and he only told me about his affair as her h was writing to tell me and he felt he should tell me first. He beat the postman by less than ten minutes. As for what he said, I can't help wondering if there was already someone or something else going on but I'm not wasting any time going down that road as I don't care and I'll never know.

I'm not @YellowRoom . I have my own happiness. I just wanted to be heard but I know I'm not going to be.

OP posts:
AgileGreenSeal · 28/09/2024 08:31

Let go.
Just let go.

OrangeTeabags · 28/09/2024 08:35

I get why you feel you want an apology, I think it's because it's so traumatic when someone you love & trust treats you cruelly. You want to see that they are a least a decent person with enough love left for you to at least feel sorry for what they did.

But he will have reframed it in his head and will probably deny things happened the way you say so it's pointless waiting for a sincere apology.

My exH said some terrible things to me when I discovered he had cheated. I remember them all as clear as day but he later denied he had said any of them.

Denial is one of the ways a cheater processes their guilt and shame.

Just know that deep down he will feel guilt & shame over what he did & he will have to live with that forever.

And move on to your new life in your lovely new home.

Good luck x

BirthdayRainbow · 28/09/2024 08:37

@Bestyearever2024 I suppose I'd had faith that something would sink in and he would get it but I know he never will.

@stayathomer I have found that some people don't seem to understand the pain his words caused me but I'm happy about that in a way as it means they haven't experienced what I have.

I had reached that point @Neveragain35 but this week or so happened and set me back a bit.

@Meadowfinch he had one affair, the kids aren't at school but I take the rest of your points.

Very wise @catcurl . Everything will be better for me once I've moved house. I'm glad you found someone lovely. I'm happy on my own with my animals.

Absolutely @Mill3nnial .

You are right, @Startingagainandagain he isn't suddenly going to be someone different. My therapist pointed out he has never changed from when we first met with some things. I just felt as I did and brushed it off. The biggest thing out of all this is I've learnt to trust myself and know my value.

I don't want to put any effort into him @bergamotorange . I've spent too long doing that but I do take your point.

OP posts:
BirthdayRainbow · 28/09/2024 08:40

@OrangeTeabags i do feel you've explained how I'm feeling very well thank you. I know everyone is trying to help but maybe they don't understand how hard it actually is at times. It isn't always a case of just deciding. It needs to be worked through and got there at a pace and rate that is right for you. I have learnt in life that if I try and force things without dealing with them, they come back to hurt me much later.

OP posts:
OrangeTeabags · 28/09/2024 08:47

BirthdayRainbow · 28/09/2024 08:40

@OrangeTeabags i do feel you've explained how I'm feeling very well thank you. I know everyone is trying to help but maybe they don't understand how hard it actually is at times. It isn't always a case of just deciding. It needs to be worked through and got there at a pace and rate that is right for you. I have learnt in life that if I try and force things without dealing with them, they come back to hurt me much later.

It is hard and it takes a long time to recover.
There is so much to process and so many conflicting emotions to deal with.

I found, and still find, writing it all down and then shredding the piece of paper very therapeutic.

My exH did eventually try to apologise to me but only for the way he saw things had happened. I didn't accept it & although we are now to all intents and purposes relatively friendly I will never forgive him fully.

BirthdayRainbow · 28/09/2024 08:48

I have a thread called I need all your swear words, etc. That explains a bit more what has been going on. I posted on this thinking I was on the other one so let slip something that I had been too shamed to write out in actual words. But I'm not going to feel shame anymore.

It has been a tough time. But I know I am stronger than I think. I just have the odd time when I need support.

Thank you to you all for giving me some 💐

OP posts: