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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 abandoned me in another town. Can our marraige be saved?

85 replies

Olivecornfly · 14/07/2025 10:57

Backstory: husband & I had an argument 2 yrs ago in a car out of town, when our arguments were v toxic. He was being aggresive, shouting, which got me scared. I began crying, told him I don't want to be near him & got out. I walked away in a state of panic, he tried to find me in his car. He called me. I told him to leave me alone I don't feel comfortable sitting with him. He told me to get in car, I refused. I said I'll make my own way home I'm scared of you, so he left me 2 hours away from home.
When back, he was fuming, saying I broke his trust, he can't take me anywhere. It's his duty to bring me home. I apologised profusely, said I was wrong for running away, I promised I'd never do that again.

We made an agreement that if I have a panic attack in the car, I need to step out to breathe. He agreed, adding that I should tell him how much time I need.

Fast forward 2 years. I've never made the same mistake again.

We've been in a good place for months, very loving, affectionate.
I sensed distance from him for a few days. We went out of town and he asked what's wrong. I said I was anxious, feeling paranoid he's up to something. He became angry, shouting that he's sick of me bringing it up. He became more n more aggresive. It escalated. He got in my face. He threw something at the car screen it cracked. I had a panic attack. He sped off. I begged him to let me out, I can't breathe. He refused. I pleaded, he refused. I told him its for my health I cant breathe. He refused. Until finally just before letting me out he asked "how long?"- I couldn't answer I needed air, I stepped out. He shouted "were done, u chose this, never come back" people were walking by. And he sped of leaving me with my phone still In his car. No money.

I waited for 40mins trying to calm down. Thinking he'll come back. Shocked he'd actually left me. I found a stranger using their phone asked my brother for a lift, he rang my husband n told him to pick me up.
He came back with no choice as he didn't want to answer to my brother.
He told me it was all my fault. I chose to break our agreement.
I told him he's aware of my panic attacks, I can't think logically or respond. He called me manipulative.
He blames me fully. I said what if something happened, you broke my trust. He said I dont care, you left.
He told me not to speak to him. It is now day 4 and not a single word.
I said I dont have any support, I need to speak to my family. He said if I do, he will leave me.

I don't understand how he could explode,switch in one instance, after months of happiness. I don't understand how he could leave me to fend for myself turn off all care and empathy for me.

Idk what to do.I'm blaming myself bc my panic attacks used to be terrible for yrs of our marraige they affected him a lot. Better control over them now and have them rarely. But they're always triggered in our arguments by the way he acts.

He comes from a toxic family. His father has always verbally abused his mum. They are controlling and Inconsiderate people.
He refuses therapy.

OP posts:
MoveOverToTheSea · 14/07/2025 13:44

You are also aware of your panic attacks. They are yours. Why haven't you sought out help for them?

You’re right.
She should have sought support fur her panic attacks. A lawyer is the right choice seeing that they seem to always happen after he screamed at her and made her feel unsafe. I’m sure @Olivecornfly panic attacks will calm down as soon as she has got rid of her ‘dh’

AMurderofMurderingCrows · 14/07/2025 13:44

Parky04 · 14/07/2025 11:43

Exactly. She is not innocent in all this. They are just not suited and should have split many years ago!

How do you know this? Do you know the OP?

Olivecornfly · 14/07/2025 13:48

IrisPallida · 14/07/2025 13:26

I told him he's aware of my panic attacks, I can't think logically or respond. He called me manipulative.

You are also aware of your panic attacks. They are yours. Why haven't you sought out help for them?

I suggested therapy many times. Individual and couples. He refuses any of it. He said we can work it out ourselves. Also that I was the only one who needed therapy for my panic attacks.

Why haven't you sought out help for your panic attacks?

Why are you making your problem his to solve? That IS manipulative.

I have improved massively and gotten better overtime. I told him I'd go to therapy for them, but he said we can't afford it. I suggested we should both do couples counselling bc we both have issues in our marriage.

OP posts:
MoveOverToTheSea · 14/07/2025 13:48

@Olivecornfly 🚩🚩🚩🚩
He is abusive.
Those panic attacks you describe have all been triggered by him agd his behaviour.
You didn’t do any thing wrong. You didn’t make a mistake.
Your body is reacting to the awful way he is behaving. I’m guessing because your mind isn’t .

Have counselling for yourself.
Have a look at your relationship. If you have/had a daughter, would you think the way he behaves is ok? Would you accept that from a friend or a coworker? I very much doubt so.
You needs to start opening your eyes about the reality of his behaviour.

Bobblebiscuits296 · 14/07/2025 13:49

Therapy is not going to fix this Op. You need to find the strength to leave and that will probably involve getting some support from your gp, or women’s aid. When you do leave, you will find that your panic attacks diminish and you will become much calmer and more independent. Ask for your brother’s help to get you out of the relationship. Good luck 💐. This is no way to live.

EternalLodga · 14/07/2025 13:50

Olivecornfly · 14/07/2025 13:48

I have improved massively and gotten better overtime. I told him I'd go to therapy for them, but he said we can't afford it. I suggested we should both do couples counselling bc we both have issues in our marriage.

Do you have access to your own money?

AMurderofMurderingCrows · 14/07/2025 13:50

IrisPallida · 14/07/2025 13:26

I told him he's aware of my panic attacks, I can't think logically or respond. He called me manipulative.

You are also aware of your panic attacks. They are yours. Why haven't you sought out help for them?

I suggested therapy many times. Individual and couples. He refuses any of it. He said we can work it out ourselves. Also that I was the only one who needed therapy for my panic attacks.

Why haven't you sought out help for your panic attacks?

Why are you making your problem his to solve? That IS manipulative.

Why are you making your problem his to solve? That IS manipulative.

I sometimes think I'm on a different planet to posters like this cos I have no idea how they've come up with this opinion.

Have a word with yourself Iris.

Olivecornfly · 14/07/2025 13:51

MoreChocPls · 14/07/2025 13:42

Why don’t you leave?

I'm confused because he is good to me aswell.

I love him and I never imagined we'd be separated. He is kind and affectionate also. I keep blaming myself for putting him through a lot first few years with my panic attacks. He used to comfort me during them but has always been an angry person. I apologised to him for what I've put him through and I've genuinely changed.
It seems like he has built up resentment. He would always say we'd be together forever but he doesn't say it anymore.

OP posts:
stormwatcher · 14/07/2025 13:52

OP, I had a horrible, violent childhood, and have been left with hypervigilance. But never panic attacks, until after my husband escalated his raging and screaming at home, with our children. I also dissociated, and even speaking on the phone about the children, I am left with a pounding heart which takes hours to calm down. My husband also refused any kind of counselling for himself. He believed that he would behave reasonably, provided he was not "provoked". Don't let your health be destroyed by him.

Olivecornfly · 14/07/2025 13:53

EternalLodga · 14/07/2025 13:50

Do you have access to your own money?

Yes And he's always been generous in providing for us and me.
We have been married 6 years. Its only since we moved in our new house last year that he started prioritising his expensive unnecessary purchases over spending on what I want for the home.

OP posts:
EternalLodga · 14/07/2025 13:54

So do you work for your own money, or you mean he gives you like an allowance?

When and why did your panic attacks start do you think?

Lavender14 · 14/07/2025 13:56

Op, being scared of an abusive partner is not the same as a panic attack.

The problem here is him, not you. You never had anything to apologise for and you did the right thing getting out of the car and away from him because he was behaving in a way that scared you.

Make plans to leave this as soon as you can, speak to womens aid and the police for support because what you've described is clear domestic abuse and get yourself to therapy to help build yourself back up.

You were never the issue. You deserve to feel safe in the relationship you're in 100% of the time.

TheBroonOneAndTheWhiteOne · 14/07/2025 13:57

I assure you that you won't have panic attacks once you've split up.

He's an abusive, gaslighting bully.

Couples counselling never works when one party is an abuser.

Leave him. You'll be so much happier.

TwistedWonder · 14/07/2025 13:59

Another in the endless daily MN threads that basically say ‘my partners is a lovely man, he’s kind and caring but……(insert list of more red flags than a communist party parade on May Day)

Sadly OP it’s textbook abuse where he’s nice as pie to keep you reeled in and confused as you why this supposedly wonderful man turns nasty and treats you like shit.

No kind caring partners treat their OH as badly is this

yallahbye · 14/07/2025 14:01

So basically out of the blue, you start accusing your husband that he must be up to something because you sense him to be a bit distant. Instead of asking him gently how he’s been lately, you just start your accusation. If someone did this to me I would lose my rag too. You sound really irritating and like hard work.
I think you are both as bad as each other.

Olivecornfly · 14/07/2025 14:03

EternalLodga · 14/07/2025 13:43

He sounds like an absolute prick.

This part jumped out at me though: "I said I was anxious, feeling paranoid he's up to something". Where did that come from, considering yoi said you had had a few great months leading up to this?

Also, with all this talk of it being his responsibility to bring you home, you calling your bro, him not wanting to answer to your bro: is there a cultural context here too?

We were good for a while and he was being kind and in a way he's never been before.
When I suddenly sensed something off. A distance, a coldness in his body language and speech. Nothing was going on in his life for this change so I became paranoid that he may be looking at photos of women etc bc his behaviour would change when he used to. (this is a insecurity of mine based on past trauma when I caught him watching p*)

I've been working on building trust with him, he reassures me usually, but he became angry this time and extremely defensive.
His sudden explosive reaction to it all makes me believe I may be right.
Unless he secretly just hates me.

OP posts:
AMurderofMurderingCrows · 14/07/2025 14:06

yallahbye · 14/07/2025 14:01

So basically out of the blue, you start accusing your husband that he must be up to something because you sense him to be a bit distant. Instead of asking him gently how he’s been lately, you just start your accusation. If someone did this to me I would lose my rag too. You sound really irritating and like hard work.
I think you are both as bad as each other.

Is that all you got from OPs posts? You didn't pick up any other behaviours from her husband?

It seems the male apologists are out in force today.

Olivecornfly · 14/07/2025 14:10

yallahbye · 14/07/2025 14:01

So basically out of the blue, you start accusing your husband that he must be up to something because you sense him to be a bit distant. Instead of asking him gently how he’s been lately, you just start your accusation. If someone did this to me I would lose my rag too. You sound really irritating and like hard work.
I think you are both as bad as each other.

I told him I understand how it can be frustrating for me to bring it up like this, but it didn't deserve such a reaction.
That is not healthy communication.
Also later on at night I found videos of what I was paranoid about. After abandoning me. He had watched videos of a pretty woman dressed in tight clothing. So I guess I was right.

OP posts:
EternalLodga · 14/07/2025 14:11

What was it a video about?

Olivecornfly · 14/07/2025 14:13

EternalLodga · 14/07/2025 13:54

So do you work for your own money, or you mean he gives you like an allowance?

When and why did your panic attacks start do you think?

He gives me an allowance. But is very generous with it.
Panic attacks started when I met him and they were triggered during our arguments. I couldn't handle his angry behaviour. We were young and immature and our arguments were toxic on both sides.
I have improved but he's become colder and more stubborn

OP posts:
Ally886 · 14/07/2025 14:15

His behaviour is not right and the reaction far outweighs what is appropriate. Calmly leaving you would be preferable I feel.

Unfortunately men will always look at "pretty women". You can ask a man not to but he will, no doubt. It's part and parcel of being with a man but most are still loyal and respectful to their partners. It sounds like you'll be far happier out of the relationship and take some time to think about what you want out of life. Nothing wrong with being single

Olivecornfly · 14/07/2025 14:16

EternalLodga · 14/07/2025 14:11

What was it a video about?

It was videos of a woman dressed in tight clothing clearly looking sexy, with her cleavage showing using tools. He is obsessed with his tools. But 10 youtube short videos of her in a row?
Also he had watched yt shorts videos of her every other night. Including 10 days ago when we had a lovely romantic day out and seemed so happy.

OP posts:
Trickedbyadoughnut · 14/07/2025 14:16

So you're panic attacks are wholly induced by this relationship?

You need to talk to Women's Aid to get help understanding how bad this relationship is and make a plan to get out. This is so toxic. Shouting, violent driving, throwing things, abandoning you, the silent treatment, trying to cut you off from your family - it's all abusive.

Yes, of course, he's sometimes he's nice to you - would you be with him otherwise? It's part of the cycle of abuse.

EternalLodga · 14/07/2025 14:16

Olivecornfly · 14/07/2025 14:13

He gives me an allowance. But is very generous with it.
Panic attacks started when I met him and they were triggered during our arguments. I couldn't handle his angry behaviour. We were young and immature and our arguments were toxic on both sides.
I have improved but he's become colder and more stubborn

I used to get panic attacks with an ex. It went on for years. Panic attacks are about feeling like you have no control in a situation and your fight or flight response goes into overdrive.

You need to start finding ways to reassert your sense of control over your life. Have you considered getting a job, even part time?

Ansjovis · 14/07/2025 14:18

He doesn't secretly hate you, he just hates you. He's really not trying very hard to hide it from what you've said here. He is using your panic attacks to make you feel like you have to accept his aggression, his moods, his control. Like you should be grateful to him for putting up with you.

The most important lesson I have learnt about relationships: if the bad times are bad enough to leave you an emotional wreck, it does not matter how good the good times are. He could give you a million pounds a day but if he is destroying your mental health it's not worth it.