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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

Struggling with betrayal

8 replies

NewLemonHare · 05/12/2025 00:06

Hi Ladies,
Just venting my emotions here and wondering if anyone has been through similar?
I split from my husband this year and it was a matter of ignoring my heart and trying to use my head. I miss him very much and the person he presents now is someone I would want to be with. My heart has never left him. However…..I have had years of betrayal and drama. Many instances of cheating and lying, I would get trickle truth. Always found more. It escalated over time. He would convincingly say to me that I need to trust him, whilst on the other hand keeping a secret phone to use escorts.
it’s really devastated me. I’m feeling very tearful all the time. How could I be that bad that he would pay someone. Self esteem is low whereas before I was a very confident person. I’m always worrying that I was ugly or old (they were much younger than me). I worry I am boring…he made a few comments re me being boring. Comments about my appearance but then others about how gorgeous I am. (All from him). We have children together and I hate that he did this. Genuinely tried everything to make him happy. Asked him so many times what I could do and how he could be happy…he just said he was happy.
He wants to get back with me. Is very cheery and affectionate with me. It’s all very confusing. I feel a deep scar sexually as in I don’t think I could ever get over the anxiety of not being enough for someone.
Has anyone been through this and does it get better or easier and can you ever be intimate again? I’m so sad as I’ve always been such an affectionate and sexual person and I feel like I will never be able to be that again through fear that there is something wrong with me. 😭

OP posts:
Namechangetime99 · 05/12/2025 00:27

I have experience of emotional abuse and relationships with emotional abusers. I have experience with emotionally abusive family. I have experience of feeling like you described.

It is so hard to explore, accept and progress forward when you are a victim of an emotional abuser.

This man is emotionally abusive. He lies, he manipulates, he treats you like an object that he needs to supply some need for an ego boost or validation. His expression of desire to reconnect is simply for attention and supply. You are an object to be used and he's probably bored.

It is very difficult to see that people can wear masks that we never truly see behind even after years in an intimate relationship with them.

Feeling so useless and desperate as you describe is a fall out of experiences at the hands of an abuser. You would not feel this way if you had been in a relationship that ended with a non abusive male.

I suggest looking online and reading up on abusive coercive dynamics in romantic relationships. I know these are buzzwords but there's a great deal of online advice and speakers / podcasts about narcissistic strong people in relationships. They are unable to love and care for you. It's all a mask that eventually slips.

I watched another online podcast last night. I recall the speaker saying you should be very cautious when people say ' don't you trust me' or ' you need to trust me'. It's a huge red flag and a common behavior by narcissist,/ sociopath behavior leaning people. He's a persistent liar ffs. Trust nothing with this slug. His new improved persona is simply the mask he has put back on to get something's from you or yo just emotionally torment you. Abhorrent and cruel.

The answer here is to explore this possible reality I've suggested to you. Seeking the truth of what's going on here.

Finding validation from others - online or through professionals usually. Gathering your strength and get as far away from this dangerous prick both physically and mentally OP.

NewLemonHare · 05/12/2025 00:35

Namechangetime99 · 05/12/2025 00:27

I have experience of emotional abuse and relationships with emotional abusers. I have experience with emotionally abusive family. I have experience of feeling like you described.

It is so hard to explore, accept and progress forward when you are a victim of an emotional abuser.

This man is emotionally abusive. He lies, he manipulates, he treats you like an object that he needs to supply some need for an ego boost or validation. His expression of desire to reconnect is simply for attention and supply. You are an object to be used and he's probably bored.

It is very difficult to see that people can wear masks that we never truly see behind even after years in an intimate relationship with them.

Feeling so useless and desperate as you describe is a fall out of experiences at the hands of an abuser. You would not feel this way if you had been in a relationship that ended with a non abusive male.

I suggest looking online and reading up on abusive coercive dynamics in romantic relationships. I know these are buzzwords but there's a great deal of online advice and speakers / podcasts about narcissistic strong people in relationships. They are unable to love and care for you. It's all a mask that eventually slips.

I watched another online podcast last night. I recall the speaker saying you should be very cautious when people say ' don't you trust me' or ' you need to trust me'. It's a huge red flag and a common behavior by narcissist,/ sociopath behavior leaning people. He's a persistent liar ffs. Trust nothing with this slug. His new improved persona is simply the mask he has put back on to get something's from you or yo just emotionally torment you. Abhorrent and cruel.

The answer here is to explore this possible reality I've suggested to you. Seeking the truth of what's going on here.

Finding validation from others - online or through professionals usually. Gathering your strength and get as far away from this dangerous prick both physically and mentally OP.

Thanks so much for your reply and I’m sorry for your bad experience too. It’s hard isn’t it. Feel like I’ve done lots of research and been tk quite a lot of therapy but I still have this draw to him, on one hand he tells me he misses me and pulls out all the stops. On the other hand…I’ve been there before and it goes round in the same circle. Feel like it’s really damaged me, I want to believe I’m worth someone’s care but now I see all men as danger and that I’m going to be replaced. Im trying to be strong but feel like it’s draining after a while and I just want to let it all go for a day and have it back to normal for a day with him to comfort me. Even though I know jr is the one who caused the distress. I’m so pisser off. I’ve got such a view of men now that I just can’t shake it which I know isn’t fair. Xx

OP posts:
fraughtcouture · 05/12/2025 00:42

Please do NOT go back to him. You deserve better than this, I promise you!

Namechangetime99 · 05/12/2025 00:43

NewLemonHare · 05/12/2025 00:35

Thanks so much for your reply and I’m sorry for your bad experience too. It’s hard isn’t it. Feel like I’ve done lots of research and been tk quite a lot of therapy but I still have this draw to him, on one hand he tells me he misses me and pulls out all the stops. On the other hand…I’ve been there before and it goes round in the same circle. Feel like it’s really damaged me, I want to believe I’m worth someone’s care but now I see all men as danger and that I’m going to be replaced. Im trying to be strong but feel like it’s draining after a while and I just want to let it all go for a day and have it back to normal for a day with him to comfort me. Even though I know jr is the one who caused the distress. I’m so pisser off. I’ve got such a view of men now that I just can’t shake it which I know isn’t fair. Xx

I would keep so far away from the idea of men as possible right now. I am single for 12 years. I am in my 40s. Can you believe how safer I feel because of this. Could you imagine ever being ok with this. I couldn't even imagine it years ago in the midst of confusion and heartache.

With abusers, the less contact the clearer your mind and emotions stop dominating you. Your behavior is just part of the abuse cycle. They train you through cruelty and then reward and sprinkles of intensity that feel like love to feel like you will die from heartache without them. The abuse has caused this. You are in the fog right now.

I would be speaking more in therapy. Therapy can be lifelong. It has been twenty years of pretty regular counseling for me. You're used to abuse so it's a lifetime programming to undo.

Maybe start watching a few podcasts online as a start. Dr Ramani is a good start online. He is lying to you and confusing you. I really hope you have good kind people in your life.

NewLemonHare · 05/12/2025 00:45

fraughtcouture · 05/12/2025 00:42

Please do NOT go back to him. You deserve better than this, I promise you!

Thank you. I can’t see it right now but hopefully in time x

OP posts:
NewLemonHare · 05/12/2025 00:52

Namechangetime99 · 05/12/2025 00:43

I would keep so far away from the idea of men as possible right now. I am single for 12 years. I am in my 40s. Can you believe how safer I feel because of this. Could you imagine ever being ok with this. I couldn't even imagine it years ago in the midst of confusion and heartache.

With abusers, the less contact the clearer your mind and emotions stop dominating you. Your behavior is just part of the abuse cycle. They train you through cruelty and then reward and sprinkles of intensity that feel like love to feel like you will die from heartache without them. The abuse has caused this. You are in the fog right now.

I would be speaking more in therapy. Therapy can be lifelong. It has been twenty years of pretty regular counseling for me. You're used to abuse so it's a lifetime programming to undo.

Maybe start watching a few podcasts online as a start. Dr Ramani is a good start online. He is lying to you and confusing you. I really hope you have good kind people in your life.

Thank you. I will check this out re the podcasts. Ah yes I am in my 40s too and have only ever had bad experiences with men even though I really am loyal and give my all to relationships. Maybe that’s boring, I don’t know. Feel like I’m in constant anxiety state. The only good thing is that I am able to cry again. I taught myself not to as it just annoyed him so maybe my emotions are starting to become more real. I used to cry after having sex as it made me feel compared to the others which would probably have pushed him further away really. Never would have believed this could have happened from who I thought he was. If anyone met him now they would think he is amazing. Which is scary. He is in many ways which makes it so confusing. I kind of wish I could be a thick person and be oblivious and un know everything x

OP posts:
Namechangetime99 · 05/12/2025 01:08

There's an online video podcast I absolutely love. It's called ' Women of impact'.

The presenter can be a bit irritating although I feel she is a relatable woman. The guest speakers are fantastic. The topics are so educational and some blow my mind in revealing the absolute hideousness of people I have interacted with in my life and behavior I have denied and excused.

You will find your 'guy' and his behavior flagged up with huge warnings in various podcasts on this channel. 🙏

Your anxiety is from abuse. You wouldn't be anxious like this in any aspect of your life if you hadn't suffered endless abuse.

Have you ever watched the Gabby Pettito ( excuse spelling errors) documentary on Netflix? The young lady had severe crippling anxiety that she felt only her beloved could calm and bring back to baseline safety and security. The guy had convinced her of this without her knowing it was what was happening - through emotional abuse.

All footage of him we see in the documentary is this calm, chilled, super easy going smiling guy. She is a jibbering anxious wreck who desperately needed him to calm the anxiety. You would never ever believe he could harm. He killed her eventually.

I'm not saying your ex is going to kill you. But I'm telling you this guy is dangerous to you OP. He sounds like he could go very far with this dangerous behavior. Please start looking in another place when you have energy. Look at some podcasts, therapy again, being around kind people.

AcademyFootball · 05/12/2025 01:14

NewLemonHare · 05/12/2025 00:35

Thanks so much for your reply and I’m sorry for your bad experience too. It’s hard isn’t it. Feel like I’ve done lots of research and been tk quite a lot of therapy but I still have this draw to him, on one hand he tells me he misses me and pulls out all the stops. On the other hand…I’ve been there before and it goes round in the same circle. Feel like it’s really damaged me, I want to believe I’m worth someone’s care but now I see all men as danger and that I’m going to be replaced. Im trying to be strong but feel like it’s draining after a while and I just want to let it all go for a day and have it back to normal for a day with him to comfort me. Even though I know jr is the one who caused the distress. I’m so pisser off. I’ve got such a view of men now that I just can’t shake it which I know isn’t fair. Xx

Spending time with this disgusting trash will damage you.

He doesn’t use prostituted and trafficked women because of how you look or behave, he does it because he wants to. Because he has no respect for any woman.

Stay away from him. The longer you are away the more you will recover.
he can get in the fucking bin.

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