Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

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

Is this classic deflecting?

13 replies

oldmanandtheangel · 09/07/2025 22:50

So as not to drip feed, this month is bringing up some big anniversaries for me. I'm not someone to dwell but I do like to give some thought to the big ones (good and bad) and reflect, like how far I've come, or to remember a loved one, etc.

12 yrs ago I finally left a DV relationship. I was lucky to get out alive. I had severe PTSD. I still do, to a lesser degree but I manage it. A year after that, I was struggling but adopted a rescue pet. This pet was my world, gave me focus, turned things around ( I can't have kids so he really was my baby)
A year after that, this pet suddenly died. A so called healthy animal and just after his first birthday. Autopsy wasn't that conclusive. My PTSD and grief went into overdrive, I'd already lost so much.
I never really got over this, and the ten yr mark came up. I've rebuilt my life since. Facebook threw up the memories and photos of my pet. I felt it just as raw, not just his loss but that whole awful time of trying to rebuild my life.
I told my boyfriend it was ten yrs since lost this animal and sent a few photos. He knows the story anyway. That's all I did.I didnt dwell I just sent some cute photos.
That was that. He sympathised and said he was so beautiful...

A couple of days ago, he goes to a family wedding...and .. I don't know what happened. He messaged later distraught but not explaining anything. He had he said, quietly walked out of the wedding and was sure half his family hated him for this (I know his estranged brother was there so I 'assume' was possibly to do with that) I said I was there for him and to please ring me. He said he was spending night in car (instead of sharing hotel room with other brother) and turning phone off and didnt want to talk to me or anyone. I was very worried and kept messaging begging him to ring me or just to drive straight to me the next day.

Instead he drove home and I later got a message slagging me off, for all things, sharing with him about my dead pet a few days ago. That it's all about me. It isn't, I'd just said it was ten yr anniversary and sent a few pics. He reminded me he lost a pet to the road two yrs ago.. ie far more recent. Yet he doesn't go on about that. I was so hurt by this and said it's not a dead pet competition and grief is grief. I wasn't even dwelling on it but more, remembering a beloved pet and an awful time in my life. Instead of explaining what happened at the wedding, he kept on about my dead pet and how his loss is more recent . Focussing on this so I still have NO idea what happened at the wedding.
He won't ring or explain and says he can't do anything right and he wants to run away and disappear but me bringing up the pet stuff tells him it's all about me (how can it be when this was before the wedding?!)
Of course I'm really worried but also hurt the way he turned it around onto a dead pet rather than any explanation as to what actually happened.
I can't just turn up as he says he's 'going to disappear' (also he's quite a way from me and I'm a shift worker also seeing to two elderly parents)
He's my partner (or was? who knows where we stand now) yet I'm still totally in the dark as to what happened and he's now apparently ghosting me. Yet launches into this tirade about how I'm selfish as his pet died more recently. The pet messages were days ago as I say. Is this classic deflection? from what actually happened? - it's totally hurtful . I feel hurt, confused and helpless then feel guilty to feel that as he's obviously having some big crisis.
He's not an angry man but can be controlling and sulk. That's not something I want but I don't know the full story here. I can't just call it a day when I don't know what happened to him but it's awful he brought my dead pet into it and refused to tell me a single thing about what happened with his family
Sorry this is long but didn't want to drip
I have enough on plate suppporting my parents who don't live together and aren't local to me and can be very very difficult, as well as a stressful job.

OP posts:
Delilahsscissors · 09/07/2025 22:56

Don’t walk away from this man. Run.

This behaviour is hideously dramatic, manipulative and bizarre. He’s got several screws loose.

You are not a rehab centre for damaged men.

oldmanandtheangel · 09/07/2025 23:02

Yes I think so, Delilah. He actually messaged, "I'm not trying to be overdramatic but it needs to be about me right now and I need to disappear'.
All very teenage.. I should say he's in his 60s...(older than me)

OP posts:
oldmanandtheangel · 09/07/2025 23:02

As such he's not damaged. Very successful, rich, not used to any crisis... so... he's certainly gone into drama queen mode now

OP posts:
Hazelsticksandwillow777 · 09/07/2025 23:20

If you think he is in danger of harming himself - “I am going to disappear” may mean that - then you need to give his phone number and details to the police for them to do a welfare check.

Otherwise op, please make a stand here and block him on all phone lines and sm. Draw a line under the relationship. Refuse to be treated this way. What a load of nonsense honestly. He can’t explain about the wedding because nothing happened that involved you but he is trying to imply that a post reminding him about his own dead pet sent him spiralling in to some sort of mh crisis? It sounds as though what really happened is that his brother called him out and he is probably estranged from his family for good reason!

Even if he is genuinely suffering , it is not your responsibility to save him op. He has agency over his own life, And he is old enough to not be sleeping in his car and causing you grief.

You really CAN call it a day when you don’t know what happened to him op. You don’t need to know. He is behaving like an idiot. And he doesn’t care about your feelings so why should you care about his?

Please don’t follow him down his spiral of dysfunction. Walk away please op, You deserve better than this.

oldmanandtheangel · 09/07/2025 23:38

I have blocked him as I'm so hurt.
That he told me nothing that actually happened (only vague words) and cited my beloved pet instead. His issue is definitely about the wedding/ family. All he said was, 'I can't do anything right for anyone (and that includes you)' and that he needed to disappear or go away to try get himself together. That half his family probably hated him. There is a longstanding feud with a brother and I know he dreaded going.
He does a lot for me, as he can be controlling. I've always been appreciative but I've rarely asked him to do those things. (this should be my red flag right there, even though he's hugely helped with practical matters etc as I have dyscalculia. He's also been generous at times with money. Again I've not asked for it. Our relationship has also been very much on/ off (more off than on to be honest but I thought we'd turned a corner after reuniting a few months ago after a long break)
he has been stalker ish in the past. I took him back as he kept turning up at my local pub quiz I do (he lives over an hour away). Stupid me. More to avoid embarrassment really but I did think we'd made a great new start and I still loved him. Angry with myself right now!

OP posts:
oldmanandtheangel · 09/07/2025 23:40

Brother is estranged from almost entire family and he did do something to cause that, that was pretty bad. DP did not want to see him again . But I can only guess this was the cause... as he's told me nothing ... and it's very dramatic to walk out, even quietly, out of your niece's wedding.... very childish and not like him at all although he is, as I say, a sulker

OP posts:
oldmanandtheangel · 09/07/2025 23:43

Had enough of all the dramas and the on /off relationship if you can call it that, from a so called successful, 'pillar of society' early retired rich man.
It's exhausting. I work in a min wage stressful job so maybe he feels he has that power over me because he did so well as he 'came from nothing'. I am not materialistic and don't care about money except what I need to live on.
Yet he said he wanted us to live together and for me to not work... I still wanted to work part time as always had a feeling he'd just throw it in my face otherwise, ie all he does for me...

OP posts:
putitovertherefornow · 09/07/2025 23:58
Drama Le Sigh GIF

He sounds like a complete drama llama.

MiloMinderbinder925 · 10/07/2025 00:01

Something has happened; he probably fell out with his brother, and he's using you as a punchbag. It's the equivalent of getting home and kicking the dog. Your relationship is off/on for a reason - it doesn't work.

Seaoftroubles · 10/07/2025 00:05

This is a lot to cope with OP. Your boyfriends behaviour sounds irrational and extreme, no doubt about that. I think l would leave him to get on with it and not attempt to contact him again.
I'm betting he will be back in touch when he's ready but have a good long think about whether you want him back. He turned on you and was unnecessarily cruel, wanting someone to blame for his poor behaviour no doubt.
As you weren't at the wedding you can't know the full story but whatever it was he had no right to blame you and turn it into a pity party for himself. Rest assured none of this is your fault, its all on him.

SpryCat · 10/07/2025 00:05

Basically he’s angry you bothered him because you were feeling upset over the anniversary of your beloved pet. His sympathy towards you was fake, he didn’t mean any of it. He is telling you that your feelings are unimportant, that you are not allowed to be upset and only focus on him, his feelings and drama. He then made a big drama about the wedding, didn’t tell you why and then tried to panic you so he can get your full attention.
The reason he stalked you is because wants to make you feel pressured into taking him back and that future he has talked about with you is fake. He is awful and will throw endless tantrums if you don’t pander to his ego of being the only important person in the world.
Run!!!

oldmanandtheangel · 10/07/2025 00:08

yes, Milo, that's what I wrote back before I blocked. I won't be punchbag, scapegoat for a wedding I was not at and know nothing about

OP posts:
SpryCat · 10/07/2025 00:19

Everything is a competition for attention, you’re feeling sad about your beloved pet, well his pet that died was more recent, so is pissed you dare speak of your feelings!
When you feel ill, he will claim, he’s at death’s door.
He will try to make you feel guilty and a horrible woman if you don’t pander continuously to him.
He is self absorbed and an attention seeking twat. He hates anyone or anything that takes the attention away from him, that’s probably the reason he has fell out with his family! He probably went to the wedding and had a full on tantrum that the attention is all on the bride and groom and not him and tried to spoil the day for everyone.
He will get worse and become abusive @oldmanandtheangel .

New posts on this thread. Refresh page