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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

Does he have an anger problem?

12 replies

LucyDeSpiderman · 18/05/2010 23:23

I only ever seem to comment on here to ask for help, but you are all such wonderful people, that this has become the first place I think of to come when I feel a little lost & in need of help.
Anyway, dp & I have been having problems for a while. We've been together for just over 3 & a half years, and have 2 dc - ds is 2 and dd is 4.5 months (and absolutely yummy!). Dp gets angry very quickly, and it's now getting to the point where I can't cope with his tempers anymore, and I don't know what to do. It only takes something very small for him to lose his temper, today for example he:
-almost slipped over on some leaflets that were on our bedroom floor, so he swore (very loudly you understand, not just under his breath) and threw the leaflets down the stairs, when I was stood at the bottom holding dd (although to be fair, he didn't know we were there - but still)
-he and ds were upstairs & ds said he needed the toilet. I was on the phone downstairs, so when dp shouted down that ds needed to use the toilet I asked him to sort it. Turns out dp was on the toilet at the time, so he got angry because I had asked him to do it.
-he had work booked off for today because I had a presentation at college o do & had nobody to look after the dc's. Dd is, very whingy demanding, and tends to cry quite a lot. This morning as we were all getting ready, dd was sitting in her bouncer & started crying, but because dp was using the laptop to do something, instead of just putting the laptop down and sorting her out, he just kept stuffing her dummy in her mouth, and when she kept taking it out he started to get angry. He told her to shut up, swore & shouted, and said (& I quote) "I'm definitely going to need a box of fags if I've got to look after these two brats all day". Not on, I think you'll agree.
He cannot cope with dd crying at ALL, she never settles when with him, and to me it's blatantly obvious it's because whenever he has her, he ends up getting stressed out & sticking her back in her chair. Ds is a handful too, and dp shouts & swears at him several times a day. He threatens him with smacks, and although he never actually carries the threats out, it's really upsetting for me to hear it. He calls him names too, not just silly names, but really nasty names
He is absolutely shocking to me, when he's had a drink (which is another big problem) he turns into the most vile, nasty man I've ever known. The things he says to me are said with such hatred in his voice.
After todays events, I asked him to leave, and he did start to sort his things out, but then stormed out & came back with beers from the shop. Now he's asleep on the chair after 2 cans.
I really don't know what to do. I know I'm not perfect, I do get on his back a lot about going to the pub & drinking, but I'm trying to deal with it. A lot of my problems are caused by PND, which I'm taking anti-depressants for, and slowly they are beginning to work, and I am trying to chill out a little, but he seems to be showing no signs of changing, or trying to change.
There has been so much more, but it would take me a loooong time to write down everything. I also found out yesterday that around a year ago after we had had a row (when I was pg with dd) and he had stormed out, he had gone to one of my closest friends (I knew that) and after talking to her for a while he tried to kiss her. This has killed me to find out, as I'm sure you can imagine.
Writing all of that down has made me think "what the fuck are you doing with him", and to be honest,I really don't know anymore. He lies to me, tries to control me, constantly asks for sex which I just don't want at the moment (understandable - I think?!) and is just generally a wanker, but hwhen we do have fun together, it's great. I lost my virginity to him, he's my first serious relationship, and I've always imagined spending the rest of my life with him. How naive.
I don't really know what I'm wanting people to say,m but writing all of that down has certaintly helped, I don't feel that there is anybody 'in real life' I can speak to, so it feels good to get it off my chest. If you've read this far, well done & thankyou.

OP posts:
LucyDeSpiderman · 18/05/2010 23:24

Oh god, I didn't realise how long that was , wont blame you if nobody reads it!!

OP posts:
GypsyMoth · 18/05/2010 23:34

I think it's time to move on if he won't help himself...... He sounds like he needs extensive anger management of some description, not some namby pamby little 'short course' he needs help with alcohol, needs to learn some parenting skulls, the lot!!

Yes, I would ask myself, will he change? Can he change

LucyDeSpiderman · 18/05/2010 23:40

TIFFANY - thanks for the quick reply. I think I agree with you. He definitely need some help, very soon. And definitely agree on the parenting skills. Don't get me wrong, sometimes he is brilliant with ds, they do have a very good relationship, but the bad times definitely outweigh the good.
Just so everybody knows, I do have to go to bed now, I have to be up early tomorrow for college (I'm doing an access course so hopefully I can go on to uni to do midwifery. Although it's looking doubtful as I've been there almost a year and have done sod all really - and I hate to blame it on dp again but it s because whenever I sit down to do some work, as soon as dd cries, I know I will have to sort her eventually, when he loses his temper, so I just give up) but I will be back on tomorrow morning to see what everybody has said (if anything) and I will reply, so don't think I'm a troll or something, I will be back, I promise!!

OP posts:
volatilemeerkats · 18/05/2010 23:44

LucyDeSpiderman, does he find it difficult to control his temper at work? With his friends, family and strangers? If he generally finds it difficult to restrain his anger, then he may have an anger problem.

If he reserves this treatment for you and your dc's then he doesn't have an anger problem, he has a respect problem.

SolidGoldBrass · 18/05/2010 23:54

He needs a good kick in the cock TBH. Like VMK says, if he can behave himself with other people, then he doesn't have an anger problem, he's a knob who thinks he's entitled to do what he likes to you because you're a 'woman' not a person and you exist only in relation to him.

Zondra · 19/05/2010 04:00

Get rid now.
Honestly.
You know what's best in your mind.
Concentrate, on what you have to do. The only reason you have posted this is because your concerned.
X

AttilaTheMeerkat · 19/05/2010 07:11

Lucy,

Would ask how old you are.

If this is the sort of man you originally imagined spending your life with then you yourself have very low self esteem and worth. If you looked at this relationship too in the cold light of days the bad times would far outweigh any good and shortlived ones. There are so many red flags with him, how on earth did the two of you end up together in the first place?. You are in a relationship with an abusive man; you and by turn his children to him are nothing, just someone to service him sexually and do his chores/bidding under threats of more verbal abuse.

He is verbally abusing both your children as well, if you do nothing now you become complicit in his ill treatment of them. Your children are also unhappy and play up because of this so called man of yours as well. He won't get help because he feels he has done nothing wrong. Don't waste your time trying to fix him, instead get him out of your lives.

I would also argue that you are on ADs also because of his ongoing abusive behaviours towards you.

He is NOT worth holding onto now; this relationship is dead in the water.

Your man is also quite happy to drag you all down with him into his pit. Do not let that happen to you and your children. Womens Aid can help you here, also enlist the help of a trusted friend to get him out of the property for good this time.

LucyDeSpiderman · 19/05/2010 07:23

He never gets angry around other people, no. He sometimes gets angry with his Mum, but not like he does with me & the kids.
I know you're all right, and I need to get out of this. The thought of being by myself is horrible, but unless he turns into a completely different person overnight, then how am I supposed to know how long it's going to take to him to change? He does seem to know he has a problem, he said he will go to the doctors, but so far no appointment has been made. He has also said a few times that he will stop drinking, and it's never lasted longer than a week.
The more I write, the more I realise I've been a twat staying for this long. I feel lke an idiot, I really do.

OP posts:
LucyDeSpiderman · 19/05/2010 07:30

AttilaTheMeerkat - sorry, x posted with you there.
I'm 20. When we got together it was a couple of days before my 17th birthday. Back then we had fun, went out together, he was NEVER abusive towards me, never shouted at me, he was really lovely. Then when I got pregnant with my son, things changed, he was unsupportive & used to go out drinking every weekend. At the time we were living at my Dads, and he used to come in at whatever time he fancied. That's where it started. When we moved into our own house, things got a little better, but sinse we moved into our new house & throughout my pregnancy with dd & since she's been here things have got worse & worse.
We're struggling financially, he works hard for a pittance, and we rent privately so rent is fairly high. He misses his old life so much, it's painfully obvious.
Thankyou for replying, your post has really hit home.

OP posts:
AttilaTheMeerkat · 19/05/2010 09:20

lucy,

He may miss his old life but what about you? Frankly all he cares about are his own needs and how they are serviced. No-one else matters to him, certainly not you or his children.

I thought you were very young hence me asking how old you are. You've had three years of him now, imagine what life with him will be like in say three to five years time. You will truly be a shadow of your own self, still on ADs and with no fight left.

You still have some fight now, use that strength within you to get him the hell away from you all. I never write that lightly but he will destroy you all emotionally if you were to stay with him.

You're only 20, life and love should not be such bloody hard work honestly. You don't want to be 21 and still in this dysfunction. You're onto a loser with this man here and have been from the start. Abusers can be all nicey nicey to start with but the facade cracks over time and you are now seeing his true nature. You probably met him at possibly a low point in your life when you were feeling very vulnerable. He exploited that vulnerability and you with it. You were targeted by him and such men have radar for women with low esteem and worth because they are easier to manipulate and control. This has been building over time too but these people are clever and women do not always spot the red flags. Your man has so many red flags.

He does not have an anger problem if he can behave around other people and anger management would not help him; infact it could make him even more abusive. It is you and the children he is reserving his abuse for and you're all on the receiving end of his actions with predictable consequences.

Also actions speak louder than words, he has no intention at all of changing his ways. All of his words are designed to keep you in line and to date it has worked.

You and your children would be better off without him and undoubtedly your children will be happier too. You can show them that it is not okay for their Mum to be treated in such a manner; it is a powerful lesson for them. Put yourselves first and love your own self for a change.

You are responsible for your own self along with that of your children - being in an abusive relationship as you currently are will do them as well as you no favours at all. He needs to go asap and you will need support in getting him out. This is why I also suggest Womens Aid as they will be helpful to you.

Longer term too, I would suggest you attend one of their "Freedom" courses. You may also want to read "Why does he do that?" written by Lundy Bancroft. Controlling men are angry men too.

DixieD · 19/05/2010 09:23

You poor thing - it sounds like a terrible situation. It really sounds like your dp is very immature, it seems like teenage tantrums he is having. Is he the same age as you? He needs to grow up but I don't know if you and your DC can afford to be around him until he does as this is a horrible atmosphere for you all.
I assume you have spoken to him and told him that it needs to change? If he is not prepared to or has not then I don't see what is in this relationship for you to be honest. It seems like he takes out far more than he adds.
I don't like to advice anyone to break up a relationship especially where there are kids involved but from reading your posts it seems you are already there in your own head? Try and have some good RL support around you as it will be tough.

thisishowifeel · 19/05/2010 09:30

I second Attlla's advice to contact Women's aid.

Think of the lesson this relationship will teach you dc's. Do you want them to grow up with this a s their template for how relationsips should be?

Children witnessing abuse...are being abused too. Is that what you want for them....abuse?

Look at the Women's Aid website, and the Freedom programme website.

You are still so young, you deserve much better than this.

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