Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

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

Advise needed please

159 replies

Cheekychopz12 · 30/10/2025 17:28

Need some advise please
With my partner just over 1 year, don't live together thats not an issue. Few months into seeing eachother something came up on his phone which showed he had been in contact online with other women. I played detective and was sent screenshots of him sexting multiple women telling them he was single single and not seeing anyone. He said we wern't together in that way and it was non of my business which I understand but we had got so close, together all the time. He said if we were in a proper relationship things would be different, delete his social media, change numbers etc, which I didnt ask for and he hasn't done. He blocked me on all his social media back then and still won't allow me on it even though were together "properly" now. His phone is always either in his hand or his pocket, never sets it down, brings it to the toilet with him. Am I in the wrong for thinking something isn't right? Theres so much more that doesn't add up but im always made to feel like im the problem. Theres so much more, but he says hes sick of my constantly accusing him. I just cant shake the gut feeling ive had its making me so unwell but I idolise him and dont want to lose him. He has snap, hes 43, says hes never on it but I got someone to check and hes always still active. He says he uses it for pictures but always insists he doesnt use filters before snap was mentioned. His tiktok was literally just hundreds of women before he deleted it. Now he has a work page and im still not allowed on that and women keep appearing on it and he sent me a screenshot not long ago that one of them was a contact in his phone. He said shes an old friend but I reached out to her she says they've never met but just know eachother. It just seems like hes hiding something from me. The sexting from before was from women from all over the uk, were northern ireland. He has so many women's numbers in his phone from snapchat and tiktok including his ex that he said cheated on him. I just find it so disrespectful. He has 2 facebook "work" pages, tiktok "work" page and snapchat. He's always telling me to stay off social media because I got looking for things so i deactivated them. He's also refusing to put on his facebook that hes in a relationship

OP posts:
Lennonjingles · 02/11/2025 08:49

Well done, what an excellent, well thought out message, that took great courage, you said it all, would love to have seen his reaction after he got up from the floor, probably still thinks he’s perfect and it’s all you. So glad you’ve blocked him.

Cheekychopz12 · 02/11/2025 09:22

Thank you @Lennonjinglesthe last few weeks ive sent him similar messages so I dont think he'll take much heed to this one. What he will do i know that im serious this time because he won't be unblocked so he can't get into my head anymore and twist things around. Only for everyone here thats comments I dont think id have the strength, the clarity its gave me knowing im not the problem is unreal

OP posts:
Cheekychopz12 · 03/11/2025 21:59

Hi everyone. Just feeling a bit lost at the minute, have had a really bad day. Keep wanting to unblock him and apologise when I know its the wrong thing to do. Why is my head so messed up 😭💔

OP posts:
SortingItOut · 04/11/2025 05:57

There will be good and bad days, grieving is not linear, ride the waves as they come.

What can you do to take your mind off things?
Can you watch a good series or film on TV?
Have you got hobbies?

Just take the bad days hour by hour and soon they will pass.

I hope today is a better day for you 🤎

HelenSkeleton · 04/11/2025 08:06

Cheekychopz12 · 03/11/2025 21:59

Hi everyone. Just feeling a bit lost at the minute, have had a really bad day. Keep wanting to unblock him and apologise when I know its the wrong thing to do. Why is my head so messed up 😭💔

Apologise for what? You've nothing to apologise for. Him, on the other hand ...

VanCleefArpels · 04/11/2025 08:22

Cheekychopz12 · 03/11/2025 21:59

Hi everyone. Just feeling a bit lost at the minute, have had a really bad day. Keep wanting to unblock him and apologise when I know its the wrong thing to do. Why is my head so messed up 😭💔

Stay strong, re-read this thread. Nothing has changed. Nor will it change. Remember you deserve better than being a bootie call putting up with quickies against the kitchen counter while he is clearly not being honest or faithful to you

Cheekychopz12 · 04/11/2025 08:48

Thank you @SortingItOuttheres just so much going on in my head right now, i honestly dont know what im feeling, just that I keep wanting to unblock him. I don't really go out, but I might try and find a series to take my mind off things. He's in my head non stop 😭 I just feel so lost. Like what am I actually missing? The breadcrumbs and lies? I dont know what im so afraid of. I appreciate you 💖

OP posts:
Cheekychopz12 · 04/11/2025 08:49

@HelenSkeletoni know your right. Being stuck in your own thoughts is the worst.

OP posts:
Cheekychopz12 · 04/11/2025 08:52

@VanCleefArpels this is the thing ive read over it a few times and still dont know why I feel this way. I know in my heart nothings going to change. This man has got into my head so much, hes not doing anything wrong, its all in my head. Im never going to find anyone else like him and end up very lonely. It took me a year and a half before I allowed myself to even meet him after being single for 4 years!!! Im so angry and confused. Thank you

OP posts:
TheThingOnTheIce · 04/11/2025 09:00

I keep questioning if I’ve done the right thing too op . Keep going over everything in my head . I’ve got him blocked and keeping it way though.

HelenSkeleton · 04/11/2025 09:03

Cheekychopz12 · 04/11/2025 08:52

@VanCleefArpels this is the thing ive read over it a few times and still dont know why I feel this way. I know in my heart nothings going to change. This man has got into my head so much, hes not doing anything wrong, its all in my head. Im never going to find anyone else like him and end up very lonely. It took me a year and a half before I allowed myself to even meet him after being single for 4 years!!! Im so angry and confused. Thank you

Would it help if you realised that everyone on this thread thinks he's a good for nothing waster and user and all have too much self respect to even look at him? He's destroyed yours. Nobody would go near him. Contact him and that self esteem you've shown by binning him will be eroded again.

Cheekychopz12 · 04/11/2025 11:32

@TheThingOnTheIceits making me physically unwell. To the point im throwing up (sorry if tmi) i just can't stop thinking of him, im sure im sounding so childish right now but im being honest. I have no one to talk to about any of it.

OP posts:
Cheekychopz12 · 04/11/2025 11:38

@HelenSkeletonI know deep down nothing will ever change with him, and that’s what hurts the most. I keep hoping he’ll suddenly realise what he’s done and be the person I needed him to be, but he never will. Part of me is dying to unblock him, just to feel some sort of connection again, even though I know it would only break me all over. I hate that he still has this hold over me after everything he’s done. He’s destroyed so much of my confidence and left me doubting myself. It’s just heartbreaking accepting that the person I loved never really cared the same way. He did all the things im begging him for with his ex and I know it makes me look absolutely pathetic, but why can't he do the same for me. Because I've allowed his behaviour for so long. Im sorry im just hurting so much right now 😪💔

OP posts:
Wrenjay · 04/11/2025 19:59

Get out of the home: go for a walk and try to make it to/from somewhere that is new to you. Try to get a bit lost so that you have to really think/ask your way back. Walk as fast as you can and take a good look around, notice the different fronts of buildings, roof lines, pavements etc. Keep a pleasant look on your face, i.e. not sad, and look at other people. The more you go out the better you will feel and remember there is no bad weather only inappropriate clothing!

Enjoy all your time outside.

Wrenjay · 04/11/2025 20:03

Life is not lived on social media, it's experiences in real life that count. Don't hide away.

Cheekychopz12 · 04/11/2025 20:04

@Wrenjaythank you so much for this honestly. I was so close to unblocking him earlier then my family support worker called out about my son 11 (hes been having really bad behaviour issues, thankfully more settled now) and I just broke down hysterically crying. Just having that time to vent face to face definitely helped. I went out tonight with my little girl and drove to mcdonalds and a quick run into Asda. I really do need to get out though as you say. Ive always struggled socially around people with anxiety etc since ive been a child but its something that I do need to do

OP posts:
CleanSkin · 04/11/2025 21:47

Nah, @Cheekychopz12 you don’t want to unblock him, absolutely no way! That’s just the bullied version of you, the one who your ex was training to be a dependent doormat - not the Real You, the strong, independent, happy woman who is emerging!
You’re way too amazing to go backwards now; you don’t need him in any way, shape or form.
You & your DC are the important ones, enjoy your new lease of life with them.
Sleep well x

SortingItOut · 05/11/2025 06:39

You are trauma bonded to him, have a read up on this and look at strategies to help you.
You're grieving for the end of the relationship, not for the bad times but for the good times and what you hoped your future was - without him you think you have no future but you do.

It's good you went out to McDonald's and Asda, getting out of the house is great.
Can you build on that?

Whats your daily routine?
I cant recall if you work?
If you have social anxiety you dont have to join groups or meet lots of people, just being in the fresh air is good.

What do you do at weekends?
How old are your kids?

My friend has a son with additional needs and they often drive around to different towns and villages to try out different play parks and they definitely have their favourites.
They usually finish off with an ice cream in summer or a McDonald's....its a nice day out for not much cost.

Is there something you could do with your children each weekend to get out together?

TheThingOnTheIce · 05/11/2025 09:53

Please don’t unblock him op
you will kick yourself if you do
i kicked myself after I crawled back after last Xmas and begged forgiveness for being so angry over him muting another woman so I couldn’t see they were in contact and then seeing them both slag me off on his phone . This was due to me asking to meet her 6 months prior and he hoped I’d just forget about her . Cut to now when we’re done again because I found the used bondage tape in his room .

they won’t magically get better . I’ll keep mine blocked if you do

Idontjetwashthefucker · 05/11/2025 10:01

Are you sure you haven't posted before, this is very, very similar to a recent post where the OP was given tonnes of excellent advice but none of it seemed to sink in. Just when you thought she'd turned a corner, she'd come back after a few days "in a bad way".

If it's not the same poster then I apologise but the questioning, hand wringing, and even writing style is exactly the same, and then a few weeks down the line there'll be another post...pretty much the same.

Cheekychopz12 · 05/11/2025 10:21

@CleanSkin Thank you so much. You’re right, I’ve come too far to go back now. It’s just hard some days, its like a roller coaster, but I’m reminding myself who I was before all this. Me and the kids deserve peace, not chaos 💖

OP posts:
Cheekychopz12 · 05/11/2025 10:24

@SortingItOut Thank you, that actually makes a lot of sense. I’ve read bits about trauma bonding before but I think I need to look into it properly. It does describe what I’ve been feeling. I know I’m not missing the bad parts, just the version of him I thought was real and the future I imagined. It did feel good getting out to McDonald’s and Asda. I’m trying to push myself a bit more. I don’t work at the minute but I’m hoping once I build my confidence up again I can look into something. My routine, pretty simple, mornings are sorting the kids for school, theyre 9 and 11, then I try to keep the house going and have quiet time when I can. Weekends are usually just us at home but I love the idea of drives out to different places. The kids would enjoy that 💖

OP posts:
Cheekychopz12 · 05/11/2025 10:25

@HelenSkeletonthank you for this 💖

OP posts:
Cheekychopz12 · 05/11/2025 10:27

@TheThingOnTheIce Oh I’m so sorry you went through all that, it must’ve been horrible to find out. It’s mad how similar some of these situations are. You’re right though, they don’t suddenly change or start treating us better just because we hope they will. I know deep down unblocking him would only set me back again, so I’m holding strong this time. We both deserve way better than this kind of shit 💖

OP posts:
Swipe left for the next trending thread