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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

Relate course/trrying to discuss it with DP/what should I do? - sorry long.

38 replies

notsurenow · 21/04/2008 20:54

Ok could be a longish one (I'm a namechanger btw). To cut a long story short, been dating OH for 2 years, and we've split up several times. We decided to go to Relate and had aour initial counselling session a few weeks ago. I live a long way away from my xp and the relate sesson was in his neck of the woods. We were offered an appt at 11.30 on a Weds which means I have to take a day off work to get there. He rejected this as he would have had problems getting the time off work. We've since been offered, and he accepted a9.30am appt on the basis I can travel to him on the night before, go to the appt and then straight to work (a journey of about 200 miles). Thursday we're going on holiday - or supposed to be so I proposed to him today that we postpone our Relate to next week instead of me hoofing it there tomorrow, back Weds and off on Thurs, partly as it's very busy at work, I'm in my probationary period and don't want to rock the boat too much (even though I could be leaving soon, I want a "clean sheet" as regards absences). He told me that they're hitlers if they won't give me time off for this. I don't think that they're obligated to but as a matter of courtesy, good staff relations, they probably will, if I put it to them properly and they don't suffer for my time off. In short, he's told me to tell them I'm going to have Weds morning off for the next however many weeks and then leave to live with him. I'm not prepared to tell my employer any such thing but I'm going to talk to them on a one-to-one basis about letting me have some time. I am prepared to put in the work with Relate. He's told me if we lose the appt next week, it will be my fault and he thought we'd do well at Relate as he was intrigued by some of the stuff coming out. I think I feel aggrieved since he's accused me of not trying when I'm the one who'll be taking considerable periods of time off work in a short period of time plus travllig 400 miles in two days to fit it in. He's a contractor so can get new jobs when he wants. I did say to this him then we descended into a row. I think I love him but even talking about Relate seems to lead to an argument now since he gets ideas into his head and any counter-idea seems to offend him. Should I ring him and say not to postpone Weds now or leave it? He's alrady taken the hump and doesn't rank my job as important as his even though if I weren't working, he'd be making comments about me sponging off other folk. I think sometimes he'd like me to get sacked.

OP posts:
naughtystep · 22/04/2008 22:27

Good! Erase him from your memory! You have good, happy times ahead

poppy34 · 22/04/2008 22:37

you've been very brave and deserve more than this. big hugs for you...

notsurenow · 22/04/2008 22:50

Thank you, you are all very kind

I have managed to eat something tonight (only crackers and a bit of cheese spread but it's food) since one of the first thing I do when upset is stop eating. I refuse to make myself ill over him! He's done enough damage to me.

I wonder how we (I) let people treat us like it? Are we too nice?

OP posts:
AttilaTheMeerkat · 23/04/2008 07:37

notsurenow,

re your comment:-

"I wonder how we (I) let people treat us like it? Are we too nice?"

Some men also hone in on vulnerable women and exploit their kindness. It could also be perhaps because we are repeating patterns that we saw in previous relationships. Some women have a need to "rescue" and to "save" such men from their own selves. By showing them love they think that this will help; however, such approaches are doomed to failure because these emotionally damaged men ultimately do not want to know.

On a wider level what was your parents's relationship like?. You don't have to answer that of course but its something you may want to think about. For example if their relationship was very chaotic and argumentative you've seen that and learnt it in your subconscious. We learn about relationships first and foremost from our parents. It may be that you will need some counselling also to "unlearn" destructive patterns.

Getting back to the bare bones of your relationship this relationship was never healthy to start with. Splitting up and then getting back together over and over is not worth doing and is ultimately destructive.
You are wise to end this mess for your sake as well as your daughter's. He would not have been a good role model for her either.

Would suggest you read "Why does he do that?" written by Lundy Bancroft. Its all about controlling men and how and why they operate the way they do.

notsurenow · 24/04/2008 16:29

Thank you for all your very kind comments. I'm in work right now so I can't be long . I've cut all links with him - got a new mobile number, blocked emails etc and am working on being me for a change (I enrolled on an archery course last night!!). I really do feel as though I was being suppressed for a long time. It's very early days, I think I will get some counselling on my own account once I've read that book but in a way, I know I had to do it this way rather than tell him face to face as it were (I simply rang and cancelled the relate and simply didn't catch the train to his so he was effectively left in limbo... but he shouldnt have been too surpised. I mean telling me I was dumped for this that or the other, no debate or discussion allowed ). I was thinking today that if he'd cared about me, he'd have acted differently. So although I should have got out earlier it does show that it was never right.

OP posts:
littlewoman · 24/04/2008 16:52

Tell him to fuck the fuck off.

Why would you bother trying to work out anything with this tosser, except when the very next bus leaves town. Now you've explained more, it all becomes so much clearer. Please please don't settle for this pig of a man.

notsurenow · 24/04/2008 20:39

Don't worry LW, I'm not going within a 10-mile radius of him from now! It's taken me a long time but I've finally had enough of him. I think I was looking for validation on Tuesday since I knew I shouldn't go... but I needed to hear someone else say it. I've started to rebuild my social life now and I'm feeling quite hopeful. I'm going to take a bit of a break from dating though to make sure I avoid toads - not even frogs! in future .

OP posts:
littlewoman · 25/04/2008 01:01

Good girl. Lol @ toads. This one was toad of toad hall.

Hope your next one is prince charming

littlewoman · 25/04/2008 01:02

Archery course? You're going to shoot him? Probably for the best

notsurenow · 26/04/2008 13:29

I was online this morning and he IMd me from a different isp address I'd blocked him and even changed my mobile number. He wrote saying he wants to be friends and he was wrecked when I didn't turn up on Tuesday. He reckoned that he was watching the trains all night . I find that a bit hard to believe. He said he loves me, wants to stay in touch as friends but we won't see each other. What is all that about? If he'd loved me, things wouldn't have turned out this way. I was feeling happier today since I've studiously taken it one day at a time, was thinking I was making some progress since I think it will take me about 2-3 months to work on being me before I really move on and now he's managed to find a crack to get to me. I am weak and would want to believe what he's telling me. I didn't answer the IM (shouldn't have read it) so that is one good thing .

OP posts:
notsurenow · 26/04/2008 13:31

I care about him but I dont' think being friends is healthy. How can it be?

OP posts:
notsurenow · 16/05/2008 14:01

Just a quick update: I am reading the book by Lundy Bancroft (a chapter or so a night which is all I can handle) and I am definitely not going to see him again. He has tried to wheedle me back, declaring his love for me in one sentence and criticising me in the next but when I responded, he turned nasty again - go figure. I'm not going to counselling at the moment but I am concentrating on rebuilding my social life - plus I've began to actually tell people what sh*t he put me through. I'm not mad as he said, I'm me and I deserve respect!! I've found out since that most of my friends disliked him.... I do feel as though a ton weight has come off my shoulders. Mn-ers are great for rallying around .

Thank you all so much.

OP posts:
naughtystep · 01/06/2008 18:59

Hi notsurenow.

Have only just seen your message.

Well done for moving on - sounds like you are doing really well!

You are going to be much happier now - could only see unhappiness for you in that relationship. Thank God you got out.

Best wishes to you and your daughter. XX

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