Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

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

Thinking too much making me confused??? Very long sorry!

19 replies

Pinkfox · 11/02/2009 16:19

Could be a long post, but any helpful advice on my mashed up thoughts would be lovely

I posted a few weeks ago about my H (I cant even muster a DH). We have been having a difficult time for around 18 months to 2 years by my thinking, according to him things "havent been right between us" for about 4-5 years, ie since we got married. He says we have never been a "normal married couple". He didnt expand on this so I dont really know what he means, he always says something and walks off so it just gets left (after I have initiated the talk).

For around 18 months I knew about him stealing after I kept finding things stashed around the house (which I posted about initially). Each time I would find something, I would question him about it, he would either not give me an answer, with a "so what" kind of shrug and it would get left or he would lie. Now most of these times I caught him out and KNEW he was lying, I would tell him how disgusted I was, how I didnt want him doing it, let alone involving our home and us (me & the 2 DC). The last time I found something I erupted and said it made me think less of him and if I found ONE more thing he would have to leave cos I wasnt putting up with it anymore. That was about Sept/Oct time. Over Christmas time I found more things and my heart just left, I felt sad and sick because to me it was like him sayig "they you go, more things, what you gonna do now" as if he was goading me - although he didnt know that I had found the things.

On top of this during the past 18 months, I discovered he had lied about financial things, bills he said he had paid but he hadnt, credit cards he said he didnt have but I found statements for TWO different cards, bonus wages he received but he didnt tell me about, I dont know what was worse, what he has done or the fact he has lied about things. Some of the lies are really elaborate but bad, I can tell he's lying!

When I brought this up recently (Christmas was a nightmare to get through cos I waited until after it!) he said I was using the lies and stealing as an excuse, that I just wasnt happy with him and didnt want to be with him. He said we live together but thats all, he said he feels like he just lives here to be a dad to our DC (which in my head I agreed with).

He said he was willing to make things better and work at trying to sort "us" out. I said I didnt feel we could do this living as we are, that I felt like I needed him to move out for bit, to give me space and time to be able to think clearly (I feel like I cant while we are living our normal daily lives). He wouldnt have any of it and just kept saying "if its over we will just call it a day and sell the house" - and walk off, conversation over but not resolved.

Nothing more has been said about all this so he thinks it has blown over and is all fine (as has been the case in the past when we've had "talks"). Except for the past 4-5 weeks since our talks I feel nothing towards him, I just want him out and away from me, I cant trust him, I dont believe him about anything. I have no motivation and I feel like him and his actions have dragged me down so much.

I keep wanting to have a talk with him again but am now waiting for valentines to be over. BUT it feels like he is being overly nice with me and making loads of effort to be nice, the worst part is keep wanting to go to bed at the same time as me (which NEVER happened usually). We get in bed and he wants to stroke my hair or my hand and I have to keep pushing him away - how can he behave like this knowing there is an atmosphere between us. BTW we havent had sex for about two years, maybe once in that time and we are in our mid-30's.

Maybe he is trying to make things better but to be honest, im all out of trying, im all out of even trying and wanting to explain how I feel to him. The only reason I havent acted on anything is because im worried about the fallout, how it will affect the DC mainly, I know it will all start getting shitty about the house and about finances - he already said in one of his comments "im not paying for you to keep the house" - fair enough but its not that simple, I owned my own house which I sold so we could buy this house together, he had nothing. I feel petty even mentioning that.

Im stuck in quandry wondering what the right thing to do is, one minute I want him out and I want to get on with life, I feel like I would be a different person, but on the other hand im scared to death about if id cope and then I think "well thats not a reason to stay living this way". He is a good daddy and I think he is worried about being parted from his kids, but we are both adults and I for one would do everything possible to ensure they were not too disrupted, to keep their little routines normal, the only difference would be daddy didnt sleep here, he's left for work when they get up so its just us in the mornings, he could still collect them from school and we'd have to be civil for the kids sakes.

Sorry its so long, but just so much to think about or am I OVER thinking it?? what is the alternative, live like this, a lie, being unhappy (both of us, I know he's miserable too). Then I think "where will he go"?? I have spoken to friends in RL (I didnt mention the stealing, im too embarrased/ashamed) and they said the lying and money stuff would be bad enough, so maybe I an not making a mountain out of a molehill?? So confused

I know one thing, im constantly tired and worn out with thinking, I cant sleep properly and my head hurts, I cant keep this up much longer. I just feel sad all the time Thanks for reading!!

OP posts:
mrsmortenharket · 11/02/2009 16:25

(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((()))))))))))))))))))))))

if the situation was still the same in ten years, twenty years ... how would you feel then? you are not alone sweetheart xx

compo · 11/02/2009 16:25

I'm sorry but he's not a good dad if he lies and steals. You told him after the sept/oct that if you caught him doing it again that would be the end but then at xmas you didn't tell him to get out
Do you think he has changed and won't do it again?

Pinkfox · 11/02/2009 16:34

No, thats the problem, I dont think he has changed but he has done the damage already by time and again going against what I had said.

He IS a good dad, he lies to me (and himself I think) and stole, I dont think he completely realised and understood that this could in turn affect the DC (and me) massively, although I pointed this out to him in no uncertain terms recently, but I think he has deaf ears

I didnt catch him on the stuff at Xmas until beg of Jan when we had our last talk, I asked him about it point blank and he blatantly lied. whats made me think is that I have caught him out on so many lies, how many times has he lied and I havent questioned it??

Mrs M H - exactly, im sick of it now after 2 years, I know you have to work at a marriage but THIS MUCH??? I think I have worked at it for the past two years and got nowhere, just wasted time and effort
(I like your name btw, I used to love Morten ;))

OP posts:
mrsmortenharket · 11/02/2009 16:35

fwiw, although i wasn't in the same situation as you pinkfox, i kept giving x chance after chance --after chance ad infinitum after chance because he kept lying about little things and i kept catching him out. nothing changed there either. ((((((((()))))))

Pinkfox · 11/02/2009 16:45

I know, like I say I think im more worried about the fallout and things getting nasty and mean, but hey.

Also havent told any family about it, they all think we are fine and no problems, both sets of parents are having health worries so I havent said anything to them, although really would like to talk to someone, my mum mainly, just for support.

Im worried that family will try and make us make things better when I dont feel its possible, I dont want to tell them about half of the problem for obv reasons. And then im worrying already about where he will go, although I know he wont go without a fight

OP posts:
solidgoldbullet4myvalentine · 11/02/2009 16:51

Go and get some legal advice. Honestly, you need it. Because TBH you are at risk of legal trouble yourself (as an accessory to theft) because you know that there are stolen goods in your house and you haven't reported them.
You need to throw him out before the police kick the door down, to be blunt about it. And remember that you can, if you have to, use this as a threat 'Leave, or I will report you to the police.'
He isn;t going to change and stop stealing, because he doesn;t actually care what you think about it.
If he is violent or likely to be violent, make sure you have help and support around. I would suggest contacting women's aid for advice, as well.
Best of luck. You do NOT have to put up with sharing your home with a selfish theif.

mrsmortenharket · 11/02/2009 16:55

(thanks about the namelol)
there has been times where x has been nasty and mean,i won't lie about that but what is important is that dd is out of the atmosphere now and we (me and dd) are a lot closer as a result - we do have off days but not so often now. if he has kept stealing there is a very good chance that he will keep on doing it.

Pinkfox · 11/02/2009 16:58

I put everything in a box when we spoke in January and made him see what he'd done and then said he had to get rid of it as I didnt want it in our home. I didnt ask or care what he'd done with it, but its no longer in our home which was a relief but didnt take away the feelings its caused

Not likely to be violent, it would be the last thing he'd do if he even tried it. But yes the fact is he DOESNT CARE what I think, he's proved that by not listening or acting on it in the past. Shows little respect or love, all pieced together with lies and deceit, etc, no wonder my feelings have died.

OP posts:
mrsmortenharket · 11/02/2009 17:08

it doesn't does it (((((((()))))
i would second the idea of you contacting women's aid am just off to find link for you hang ony mo xx

Pinkfox · 11/02/2009 17:12

Im honestly not worried about violence, more about hurtful words and things that will be said and done, as in stopping paying the mortgage and stuff, those are things which will in some way affect the DC which im desperately trying to avoid

I know I prob need to see a solicitor but dont feel I can do this until I know what points I need to find out about specifically. I think I will only know this after we have had the storm and he throws things at me such as "im not paying this" or "we have to sell the house", then I will know to ask a sol where I stand on those things. At the moment its not clear.

OP posts:
mrsmortenharket · 11/02/2009 17:13

link for you here

at least it will help you sort out things xx
the way your p/h (sorry i forget easily these days) is behaving is tantamount to emotional abuse. i had trouble equating the way x was behaving with domestic violence- he may well not be violent but the way he's behaving will affect you, as it already has one. the first step is the hardest one to take and sweetheart, however hard you think it will be, you have already taken at least part of it by talking on mn. please think, if not do, contact wa xx

mrsmortenharket · 11/02/2009 17:14

there are quite afew links on their homepage, i just looked at one that said about covering your tracks online. it might be good idea for you to look at things now, if he not there. fwiw i knew how to delete history on x's pc (he didn't that's how i found him out on lot of things) so please be careful xx

unavailable · 11/02/2009 17:28

You must have lost all respect for him over this.

I cant see how it can be fixed unless he accepts what he has done is wrong, that it is a huge deal for you and gives you a full explanation about why he did it.

Do you have money problems? Are you sure he doesnt have debts that you dont know about?
Could it be because he has a hidden gambling or drug problem?

It just sounds really odd - like there are big parts of the picture missing. Could it be some sort of compulsion?

Pinkfox · 11/02/2009 17:38

Thanks for all your replies, some days I feel like I have convinced myself its all this bad!

He has given me an explanation (a few weeks ago) but to be honest I dont really care, he did it too many times and put us all at risk too much, for which yes I have lost respect.

He prob does have debts, I dont know as he doesnt tell me anything unless I ask and when I do ask he prob lies, so its still no result. Ive only found out about most stuff when ive found statements and wage slips lying about, most of the time he doesnt even open the envelopes in front of me, he takes them upstairs, secrecy again is another thing that pisses me off. My post is all opened and put on the side, I dont hide anything (except myself now when I wear PJs to bed

Yes I think he has a compulsion but I also think he's greedy and materialistic when he has no reason to be. we are not well off by any stretch but so long as we have a home, are warm and clothed with food to eat, im happy and the kids are gorgeous happy little people, my 3yo even told me herself that she was happy this morning I just worry sometimes its affecting her, I can feel the tension in the air, but maybe that is just because its ME who is feeling it!!

Unavailable - he prob has all sorts of things I dont know about tbh, I know he is shit with money as ive always had to bail him out or find money for food shopping etc (another bone of contention). Gambling and drugs I dont think so but who knows!! nothing would surprise me anymore

OP posts:
HolyGuacamole · 11/02/2009 17:44

Wow Pinkfox, can remember your posts from last time. What a selfish git he is. As below, I'd seek legal advice just so you know where you stand before he throws threats at you. So that at least when he does threaten you, you know in your head what he can and can't do (even if he doesn't).

He has brought out resentment in you because of his own actions and inability to change, his fault, not yours and he can't even be man enough to see it. A reasonable partner would realise that it was your previous property that allowed you both to buy your current house, he obviously has a short memory too! Also, a reasonable partner would know that your attitude only ever came from their actions.

I'd also speak to your mum. Tell her to trust you that she does not need to worry but there are 'some' things you just can't tell her at the moment and that you just need her to listen. You need all the support you can get. I know you don't want to worry your parents, but they wouldn't have it any other way. You don't need to tell them everything.

You WILL get thru this. You will COPE and you WILL be ok. Lots of women on here have been through similar types of break up and swear that it was the best thing that they ever done. Time and hindsight will let you see exactly that.

mrsmortenharket · 11/02/2009 17:46

hear hear

unavailable · 11/02/2009 17:49

Pink - you need to protect yourself and the children (financially and practically). If you could get some legal advice about seperation, it may help you with the muddle and confusion you inevitably feel.

Sorry you are in such a horrible situation.

lilac21 · 11/02/2009 22:03

Pinkfox, I feel for you. It sounds like there is a load of financial stuff going on that you don't know about. If I were you, I would check that the mortgage is being paid, because otherwise your home is at risk and your credit rating would be affected too (I know that's not the worst that could happen, just thinking ahead).

I agree with HolyGuacamole, tell your parents. It took me years of being unhappy before I told mine, and they had already worked that out anyway. It was the toughest week when I told my H our relationship was over and told my parents too, but I'm very glad I did. I've only told one friend, no-one at work knows, haven't even told my sister yet. It's made such a difference to me that my parents know.

I think you have to arrange a time to talk to your H when the DC are asleep and you can concentrate. Mine has said some pretty unpleasant things to me over the last few weeks but even so I'm still glad I made him face up to the situation.

Hugs to you.

lessonlearned · 11/02/2009 22:41

Pinkfox, financial abuse and emotional abuse over a period of time (systematic) are indicators of Domestic Abuse!!!!
Just because he has not hit you (yet) does not mean it will not be taken seriously by Womens Aid.
Get yourself some practical backup locally and stick to your guns regarding reclaiming your life. At least you will be in control of you finances then because you sure have a financial 'Sword of Damacles' hanging over you now.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread