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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 don 't know what's 'normal' any more.

47 replies

SadMarsupial · 18/10/2024 14:01

Decades ago I did a creative degree where we were put into groups of 4 to work on a project. I was 24 at the time and had been with my DP for 4 years.
He became fixated on a young man in the group who had a passing resemblance to him and suspected that I was having an affair.
I was not. And I must stress this as it would be pointless of my to write any of this unless I am being 100% honest. It struck my friends and I as absolutely bizarre at the time, but it got to a point where he was checking constantly and once even appeared at a house we were working in and threatened to knock the door down. We broke up over it and I moved out into a friend's house, where he was convinced I was still conducting an affair with this person. The guy in question was nervous but persisted in the project on the advice of friends, but was willing to call the police if anything like that occurred again.

Fast forward 18 months or so - we eventually got back together. Yes I know this was stupid of me. But nothing like this ever happened again, and we seemed to grow into a decent relationship afterwards and put it behind us. Over the years I have been terribly unhappy, and only have myself to blame for sticking around. He has never fully committed to me as a partner so we never had children, bought a house together or any of the usual trappings of a big relationship.
I am fine about the kids and house, as those were never a strong urge for me, but I do now regret not leaving sooner. All of this time he insisted we were great and would live together eventually.
But as it turns out he always looked after himself, with only an illusion of including me. As the years have gone by he has withdrawn from me more and more, doing most things alone or not even including me in plans. He insists that he does and that I am reading him wrong Confused
Whenever there is an argument he will occasionally mention the 'affair' that I never had and says it ruined his life and sexuality. He has not had intimacy with me, or anyone else, for 7 years now. He squarely blames this young guy from decades ago. Yes, it's just mindboggling. He acts as if no time has gone by and still has deep resentment. Then he will shove it aside and get on as normal. I am increasingly uncomfortable with this.

My problem is, because he is mostly quiet and nice, it feels difficult to get my head around it. Every bone in my body says leave, I have wasted enough life on this man, but he denies creating distance between us, even as I see it happening. There have never been any threats, or verbal/physical abuse.

Where we currently live is absolutely awful and I have wanted us to move for many years. He has excuse after excuse as to why he can't join me, but I am ready to get out. I am at my wits end with feeling lonely, even though he is always physical there. He has refused to come on holidays I have booked for one reason or another, and it often leaves me feeling that my mind is falling apart.
I know that I am stupid for putting up with this, and I know that I don't need permission to leave.
The last time we spoke about the lack of intimacy, he insisted he was madly in love with me and sexually attracted to me, and always had been. So I asked him why we lived this way, and he replied that due to the guy from decades ago, he could not fix the problem. I said any normal man would seek help for it, but he said it was impossible.
Along with so many other things that would take forever to write down, he is barely like a romantic partner at all nowadays, but insists everything is fine. WTF?

OP posts:
Vroomfondleswaistcoat · 18/10/2024 15:08

There is something deeply wrong with this man. For all you say that he tells you that he adores you - why would you believe that? ALL his behaviour shows that he has only disdain for you and he's hiding his feelings behind all this 'rationalising' that it was because of your previous 'affair'? That is so far from normal that it's out the other side.

This man is no kind of partner. He might say he loves you but it sounds far more as though he likes having you around so that he can berate you whenever he feels like it, and justify it with 'well, you had an affair'.

Utterly mad.

SadMarsupial · 18/10/2024 15:10

Ok, I get the impression my need to talk isn't a right fit for the forum?

I began my post with the intention of leaving him, but needed to talk to someone in the meantime. It doesn't change the fact that I know I am going to leave.
I also didn't think discussing my feelings at the end of my relationship means that I am hoping to work him out. I honestly think these feelings and questions are fairly normal under the circumstances for someone who is preparing to leave but is still in the process of detaching.

I am sorry if this has annoyed anyone. There is definitely a space at the end of a bad relationship where someone would like to get stuff off their chest amongst other women. Taking a look at where I have gone wrong is helpful in my effort to move on.

OP posts:
dairydebris · 18/10/2024 15:11

Stop trying to figure him out and just leave. You'll be lying on your deathbed in no time so so sad thar you wasted your precious life on him. BTW I find imagining my deathbed regrets quite motivating.

TheShellBeach · 18/10/2024 15:13

I'm not sure what you want from this thread.

SadMarsupial · 18/10/2024 15:14

I am not trying to figure him out.
I am trying to figure myself out.

Is there something essentially wrong with needing to talk about something that has been hurting you for years for the first time? I feel like I am supposed to suppress this, or else it is interpreted as me wanting to analyse him.

Like I said, this is probably a bad fit for the forum and I will just have to respect that and move along.

OP posts:
AllProperTeaIsTheft · 18/10/2024 15:15

LTB. Unlike many women on MN, you are not tied to your relationship by children or owning a house together. Just go!

SadMarsupial · 18/10/2024 15:16

TheShellBeach · 18/10/2024 15:13

I'm not sure what you want from this thread.

I did stress that I wanted to chat about my feelings about my relationship now that it is coming to a close. I think that's fairly understandable. I have mentioned it as the reason for posting a number of times now Confused

OP posts:
dairydebris · 18/10/2024 15:18

SadMarsupial · 18/10/2024 15:14

I am not trying to figure him out.
I am trying to figure myself out.

Is there something essentially wrong with needing to talk about something that has been hurting you for years for the first time? I feel like I am supposed to suppress this, or else it is interpreted as me wanting to analyse him.

Like I said, this is probably a bad fit for the forum and I will just have to respect that and move along.

You're trying to figure yourself out in relation to him.
Leave him, then figure yourself out away from him. You won't be able to figure yourself out while you're with him because he's messing with your mind.
Best of luck xxx

JubilantTurquoiseGerbil · 18/10/2024 15:18

It might help you to read this to process your feelings and confusion regarding him and you and your relationship:

www.goodreads.com/book/show/224552.Why_Does_He_Do_That_Inside_the_Minds_of_Angry_and_Controlling_Men

TheShellBeach · 18/10/2024 15:18

SadMarsupial · 18/10/2024 15:16

I did stress that I wanted to chat about my feelings about my relationship now that it is coming to a close. I think that's fairly understandable. I have mentioned it as the reason for posting a number of times now Confused

But your OP did not specifically say that.

This is why you've received the responses you've got.

You posted at great length about this awful man.

Of course everyone is going to focus on telling you to leave.

SadMarsupial · 18/10/2024 15:22

Hey look, I'm going through a really shit time, and feel vulnerable. I came here hoping for some gentle support, but am feeling as if my posts are irritating people. Poking holes in my reasons for posting are not helpful at all. I have tried to explain my point of view as respectfully as I can, maybe there's crossed wires, but probably best to put this one to bed.

OP posts:
Skyrainlight · 18/10/2024 15:22

He is manipulating you. Perhaps he never even believed in the affair and just used it as a way to get control over you. Everything is about him, nothing is about you and the reason he uses is because it's your fault, your broke him. The reason you feel weak is because he has been messing with your mind for so many years. Get out now. He is not kind or good. He is bad news.

Surf2Live · 18/10/2024 15:36

SadMarsupial · 18/10/2024 15:22

Hey look, I'm going through a really shit time, and feel vulnerable. I came here hoping for some gentle support, but am feeling as if my posts are irritating people. Poking holes in my reasons for posting are not helpful at all. I have tried to explain my point of view as respectfully as I can, maybe there's crossed wires, but probably best to put this one to bed.

OP, I think I know what you are trying to say and may know what you need from this forum at this time. I get the need to talk after spending years with a man like this.

I see the term "gaslighting" used often online, rarely correctly. But it's absolutely accurate here. This man has been gaslighting you. Doing things like withdrawing and telling you he's not, that's a special kind of lying. Having someone gaslight you is maddening. It makes you think you're going crazy. It really fucks with your head, and when it's someone you are in a close relationship with it can be really intense.

I was bought up by a single mother who is an abusive narcissist. She used gaslighting on me and my sister all the time. It made us feel crazy. It took me about 2 years after leaving home as soon as I could (age 17) to straighten my thinking out. It took me another two decades to finally go NC with that bitch and now my life is happy and wonderful.

So I know how crazy making this can be and you have my utmost sympathy.

Many of the responses here might read as harsh to you, but I swear I've seen only bloody good ideas.

But good ideas may not be exactly what you need right now. So I'll add that I see you, I hear you and you are NOT CRAZY. This man is horrible, may be a narcissist and has been manipulating you at the very least. Your thinking and emotions have been affected by him and it's hard to think straight and see straight about this situation.

One thing my sister and I used to do was write down what that woman said so that when she denied it days later we could check for ourselves, otherwise we doubted our memories and thought we were going crazy. She would also insist our memories were unreliable. Turns out, that was a lie too. My memory is generally pretty good.

You've stated you are planning on leaving. That's really good. Hold onto that. In the meantime, to minimise the crazy making he's doing to you, I'd suggest grey rocking him. Avoiding as much as possible.

And for gods sake, don't tell him you plan on leaving! That could change his behaviour and see him either

  1. play nice to try to get you to stay, making you question reality and how horrible he's been to you
  2. become very nasty indeed

Ducks in a row. Grey rock. Look after yourself!

I hope my post here helps.

RaspberryBeretxx · 18/10/2024 15:58

JubilantTurquoiseGerbil · 18/10/2024 15:18

It might help you to read this to process your feelings and confusion regarding him and you and your relationship:

www.goodreads.com/book/show/224552.Why_Does_He_Do_That_Inside_the_Minds_of_Angry_and_Controlling_Men

I was also going to recommend this book.

He sounds controlling and abusive and may well enjoy the dynamic of him being a poor victim in life because you had a (non) affair decades ago. It's very common for abused women to be paralysingly confused.

I'd keep reminding myself that he is not your friend, he isn't a kind and nice man with reasonable explanations. He's a man who has enabled himself at your expense and seemingly offers you nothing in life.

I think the replies are encouraging you to look ahead and focus all your energies on leaving this man rather than rehashing or looking for explanations on what he has done. You may never get a full explanation but, from experience, distance from him will help A LOT but it all takes time. At the moment you're stuck in the stress of the situation so any attempts at understanding him or the situation will just leave you more stuck or confused and not ultimately help with unraveling things.

His true persona may also come out when you tell him you're leaving so please do be careful and follow the steps in the book above for staying safe when leaving.

MrTiddlesTheCat · 18/10/2024 15:59

I'm so sorry OP. It's absolutely shit that he has been punishing you for years for an affair you didn't even have. You deserve so much better.

Icepinkeskimo · 18/10/2024 16:18

OP I believe he has worn you down over the years. I can understand how vulnerable this makes you feel.
Whilst you currently have this time of ‘clarity” to the this raw and cruel situation, I would not be overthinking it.
Make your escape plans without discussing anything with him and get out.
Its not till your out, you can clearly see manipulation, and everything else he has subjected you to.
Walk away with your head held high, there is a wonderful world out there, trust me in time you will feel more like ‘you’ again.
If you need a shoulder to lean on, you’ve got mine. I went through similar, and it’s a terrible way to exist.
Sending you strength and love.

cooldarkroom · 18/10/2024 16:23

It's a tactic abusers use, to control you, Why do they want to control you is a complicated question, they are usually jealous & insecure, they want to own you, (even though you are already willingly living together & would have married & shared all you had ) they want to have you in a box,
Accusing you wrongly for most of you life, you always feel under scrutiny & on the defensive "walking on eggshells" means that he has slowly boiled you like a frog in a pot....
It's time to find a new home in a place you like & be free from his abusive shroud. be careful to hide anything precious, important documents out of the house.
he will probably become cruel & vindictive when you say you are leaving, with accusations of your infidelity no doubt !

TSMWEL · 18/10/2024 18:23

OP I highly recommend the freedom programme and for you to find yourself a therapist. You have been ground down so much over the years by this horrible man who claims to "adore" you but yet falls asleep in front of your face while you are having chest pains?

I understand that you want to talk through the end of your relationship and therapy will allow you to do that. MN is a forum and you need a trained professional after the years of abuse you've been subjected to.

I'm so so glad you've realised you need to leave, don't waste any more time on this awful man. Move, be free Flowers

Valkyrie3 · 20/10/2024 11:01

OP, it really doesn't matter why he is like. You aren't happy (and who would be?).
You only have one life. Don't waste any more of it on this man.

ZippyDoodle · 20/10/2024 11:54

I understand. I also understand when you are dealing with someone who is surface level polite and gentle. Over time it becomes very confusing.

You need to accept that you will never know why he is like this. It's a waste of your time and energy trying to find out. He will never change because he doesn't want to.

There is a very good thread on the Relationships board about something similar. Someone recommended a book called 'Women Who Love Too Much' which looks helpful.

ZippyDoodle · 20/10/2024 11:54

Other thread is.... Why don't I ever matter much to anyone?

unsync · 20/10/2024 13:40

@SadMarsupial Are you aware that he has been abusing you? What he has done and continues to do to you is psychological abuse. He has isolated you so you have no one to talk to. You are trying to make sense of what has happened in the relationship. He has done this on purpose. You were right when you said it felt he was punishing you for what happened the first time around. He is punishing you and will continue to do so. It is cruel and selfish. He has taken so much from you.

Well done for making the decision to leave. It is the right thing to do. I would suggest that you do not tell him your plans. I would also suggest that you seek help from Refuge or Women's Aid to get help with a plan for leaving.

There's something very wrong with this man and whilst you say he's never threatened you physically, if he realises he losing control of you, that could change.

In your shoes, I would make my plan and just move out when he's not there. Go a long way away and not say anything to him.

Try not to over think what he's done to you, once you are away and safe, you will be able to unpick what has happened to you preferably with some professional help.

Psychological abuse is a horrible thing, you feel you are quite mad sometimes and that it is all your fault. You aren't and it is not.

It won't be easy, but it is most definitely worth doing. You can do this, please do post if you need to talk. Some of us understand what you are going through. 💐

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