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Cover1W's picture

H is coming back from his vacation early. He'll arrive in a couple days.

We had a live conversation where I called him out and called his lies to me lies (he tried to deny but eventually gave that up). It was a HORRIBLE conversation that deteriorated into suicide ideation (I am firmly convinced he wasn't going to come back) and resulted in me contacting his sisters and one of his good friends as well as his therapist. He disappeared all that night and into the morning - his younger sister finally was able to get through to him and tell him to go home, stop his trip. I don't believe he was doing it to convince me to stay at all. It was a horrifying 24 hours.

He's sent me messages and a long email, which he also sent to his therapist, admitting to not being honest with either of us about the depth of his problem (yes, sex addiction/compulsion). He admitted to a lot of things, not only addiction related but things that completely effected our marriage and household. I have also spoken with his therapist with his permission. Things are dark right now.

I have moved into the extra big guest room/my office which has plenty of space.

I moved my packed boxes and other boxing materials to the garage, where they will stay packed and ready to go.

I've finished meeting with the real estate agents and think I know which one I'll go with. All are aware of my updated timelines due to his return. I continue with the smallish house fixes that will be needed to sell.

I am still meeting with the divorce atty.

I may still rent a storage unit just in case (our area doesn't have many) if I move to the top of the waiting list.

I have agreed to meet with a marriage counselor, at this point more for therapy and not reconciliation. He must arrange this, I will not help. I am not aiming for reconciliation and don't know if I ever will be. I don't think he can get this under control. Unless he changes EVERYTHING and finds a better psychiatrist. And I don't know if he can. I do believe now he is being honest however.

I am done helping him with pretty much almost everything. He's going to have to get and cook his own food. Clean his own things, make his own schedules and if needed, include me via his communication.

Comments

JRI's picture

This is a dangerous time for you and you already know he's unstable right now.

Felicity0224's picture

Yes, please be extra careful. People can be so dangerous when they feel backed into a corner or like their whole world has come crashing down. It is NOT your fault, he brought this on himself 100%. I would hate for you to get caught up in his downward spiral. 

Cover1W's picture

I'm not worried at all about him being violent towards me. He has never ever ever ever once been that way to me or his kids or family members. I appreciate all the thoughts.

JRI's picture

My ex, the funniest, coolest, most easygoing person in the world, held a gun to my head, stalked me and kidnapped my son.

Rumplestiltskin's picture

Damn. I'm so sorry you are going through this.

ETA i hate that he is mentally ill, but no woman is going to be able to look past an addiction to fking other women. 

Merry's picture

I hope this is his "rock bottom" and he follows through. But an addict can't be trusted. Keep moving forward and taking care of yourself because you are awesome. 

MorningMia's picture

Sorry you are going through this. Keep your eye on the goal: You entering the life you deserve with people who deserve you. 

Yesterdays's picture

Get the best lawyer out there to take his butt down and I hope you can sell quick. I think you should move swiftly, quickly and firmly to do what you need to do. I think moving quick will be an advantage 

Thinking of you and hope it goes ok

Aniki-Moderator's picture

As others said, please be careful. His secrets have been exposed, but there may be more. Is there someone you can text at set times morning and evening as a wellness check? One who will know to contact the police if you don't?

{{{HUGS}}}

StepUltimate's picture

Thanks for the update; you've been on my heart and mind. 

Proud of you! You are doing all the right things, and this will be over soon. (((HUGS)))

notsurehowtodeal's picture

I'm so sorry you are going through this. My first ex husband also went to a very dark place when I told him I was leaving. He called me and told me he was holding a gun to his head, and I could hear the cylinder turning. I was able to contact one of his friends who found him and talked him down. I agree with the others, please be careful. Even though he has never been violent, he is in a very bad place and you don't want to get hurt if he takes a turn for the worse.

grannyd's picture

Hon, I don't feel the slightest bit of pity for your soon-to-be-ex-husband, nor should you. He managed to deceive, bully and cheat on you for years and, now that consequences loom, he's ever so sorry and ready to KILL HIMSELF! Oh, boo-hoo-hoo. If he hadn't been caught out, he'd continue with his disgusting behaviour as long as he was able to get away with it.

Don't fall for his 'too little too late' apologies and self-recrimination; they are simply manipulation tactics. He will never change.

 

Rumplestiltskin's picture

That's so true. He wasn't suicidal before. He was fine and dandy going on trips and visiting his family. And the hookers. He's suicidal because he got caught. Or he's claiming to be suicidal. Reminds me of something a BPD woman would do. Not to say you shouldn't take his mental health issues seriously, and protect yourself in case suicidal turns to homicidal. You never know. 

Cover1W's picture

Actually he has been talking about it in a round about way every so often over the past two years, but says he was working with his therapist and it wasn't ideation. Which now I know not true, it has been ideation.

Yesterdays's picture

 it is simply inexcusable under any circumstance how he treated you with those actions with those women... and will never, ever be ok. I am just so sorry that you have to deal with this. 

Rumplestiltskin's picture

I stand corrected and can admit when i'm wrong. But please, still, don't let your sympathy blind you to your own safety! Your mental health is at risk by the hurt his actions cause. Your physical health is at risk because of diseases he might bring home and his mental instability could lead to him harming both of you.

Look, i haven't broken it off with my SO, either, so i'm not judging you. I get it. Nobody is perfect. But hookers? Suicidal threats? It's a thing that some people take their closest loved ones with them when they do it. Maybe it's done out of a misplaced love or attachment or maybe they are just that messed up. Idk, man, we just worry about you and get angry on your behalf. No matter what you do, this community is here for you. 

Rags's picture

IMHO those who threated suicide are seeking attention. If they wanted to do it, they would't tale about and would just do it.

The commone perspective seems to be that they are seeking help.  I am extremely suspect that they even thing they need help and the whole unsuccessful attempt followed by therapy thing is a Look at meeeeee! thing.

Nea

Don't get me wrong, I do not want anyone to do themselves in because the paid they cause others is entirely selfice and painful beyond belief. However, the threats  and "attempts" are no less evil than actually doing it.

IMHO.

I would be hard pressed to allow their key to work in my door when they got out of the hospital after an "attempt".  Barring any mitigating information of course.

WIth the whole sex addict bullshit, they would be gone regardless of if their "suicide attempt" was successful or not.  I have zero tolerance for a cheater. My first marriage ended any tolerance for that crap in my life.

Take care of you.

CajunMom's picture

I know he's never been violent but you have to think about where he is mentally. He's been exposed and everyone knows. Please consider changing locks, having police at the home, family with you, etc. And as I've said and everyone else has said, his mental state is NOT your concern. He's an addict but knows what he's doing. Take care of you.

Harry's picture

He can't be fixed.  He seeking a therapist and is in this shape ?  The therapist is doing nothing..  You know you must leave. This is not marriage material.  Best luck.   What is he going to do at home ?  Why did he go on vacation like this ?   Leave

ESMOD's picture

First.. please take care of you and be safe.. he is acting unpredictably.. so there are some risks obviously.

IMHO.. I would move out at this point.. and if he wants to have you join him in therapy and arranges it.. you can try that.

However, I think it's a very uphill road.

First.. his job travel would probably need to completely cease if you were to want to try again because I can't see how anyone would trust after what he has been doing.

second,  I think it's awfully hard to move past things when he may start to resent the level of scrutiny and lack of trust he is facing.. letting you have open access to all his electronics etc.. 

Third,  I think you are "over" it at this point.. so the relationship lasting and enduring seems like more of the long shot.. so I would at least set up a temporary separation.. a year lease for you... so that you can make your own decisions  without him trying to lovebomb and gaslight you into staying.

dragonfly878's picture

Every time he goes to the grocery store and is 10 minutes past when he says he'll be back- you will be wondering where he is. There is no coming back from what he did, time and time again.

He showed you he has no respect for you and the only reason he came clean was because he got caught- lord knows how much longer he would have willingly put you at risk had you not confronted him. No one, and I mean no one will want this man once they know who he truly is. You deserve happiness. Get your stuff out and don't give him room for false hope. Hugs 

advice.only2's picture

Cover1W I am worried for you, a person who feels they have nothing left to lose isn’t afraid of the law anymore.  Perhaps get a hotel room and stay there for the time being until the house is sold.  I know it’s not ideal but I don’t think you should be anywhere near this guy at this point.

StepUltimate's picture

I believe Cover mentioned she has an elderly, sick cat. Likely only still at the home due to that. When I filed for divorce in Fall 2021 & had now-xH move out, it was partly due to me not wanting to move my old, declining dog (he had doggie dementia/confusion, no depth perception, and was almost deaf). So I totally understand that additional consideration that likely informs Cover's decisions. It's an extra layet of difficulty in an already-challenging situation.

Merrigan's picture

Please consider everyone's advice and do NOT let him in the house, or get a hotel if you have to.  My outlook is a bit skewed due to my profession, but a lot of women have said their soon to be ex is incapable of hurting someone, and then they end up in a suitcase in a ravine. Your H is in a dark place right now. 

Lillywy00's picture

a lot of women have said their soon to be ex is incapable of hurting someone, and then they end up in a suitcase in a ravine. Your H is in a dark place right now. 
 

exactly 

Some of these men think they can treat you any kind of way and you'll foolishly stand by them and their dysfunction 

then when your tired of dealing with the industrial grade baggage they're bringing - they have the audacity to expect you to tell them when you're leaving so they can have "opportunity to change their ways"/"talk to you" (aka manipulate you back into their web of deceit, trickery, etc only to cause you more emotional harm or worse) 

sadly with men being the ones most likely to commit domestic violence they are most likely to snap when a woman leaves them.....even ones who have no history of past incidents can snap if their ego is bruised by the perceived slights

just be careful and don't let your guard down 

CLove's picture

Huge hugs and many prayers and love going your way. Im glad you are taking all the necessary steps to get away from him ASAP.

Take care of you.

Merrigan's picture

In my own experience, my ex (was with him for 13 years, we split 8 years ago), was cheating with sex workers. When HE broke it off, I stayed in our condo for one month before I could get out. I banned him from the condo and even blocked the bedroom door just in case he got in. He had never been violent towards me, but had been in bar fights in his early 20's. He went on a coke and alcohol bender during that month and threatened suicide.  I had coworkers in law enforcement on standby, and people I had to check in with on a schedule.  I knew from work experience that it was an unsafe environment, and I couldn't undo one act of violence if he chose it. Please stay safe. 

Livingoutloud's picture

omg I am so sorry

He didn't come clean. He was caught. There's too much evidence for him to keep denying it so it's not really the same as coming clean.

He's really smart lying and hiding  like this for years and he's being smart now telling you things to keep you engaged and hooked and worrying about his well being. He's not a victim here.

Perhaps he's not violent but he's not someone you can ever trust.

Put your safety and well being first. don't focus on his well being and what he needs, even in this horror he manages to be the center of everyone's concern: is he ok, what's he doing, how's he doing etc But what about you?

Stay safe and put yourself first 

Yesterdays's picture

I agree... I think it's important to focus on YOUR wellbeing and whatever YOU need...if ever was the time.. It's about you now. Not him.  You thought of him for years and you were there for him, him, him and his kids that took from you. Now's the time to take care of you. Do whatever you need. 

Felicity0224's picture

Cover, I thought about this all night and I wanted to say that I completely under why you still have concern for his well-being. Of course he still has the ability to tug at your heartstrings; you wouldn't be married to him if you didn't love him. And that doesn't just shut off overnight. It's normal and healthy to have mixed feelings. Add to that the fact that you're a decent person who wouldn't want [i]anyone[/i] to harm themselves.

I get it, my XH's sex addiction led to affairs that led to our divorce. The anger that I feel about that is indescribable. But to this day, I still have love for him. I used to feel really ashamed of that, but being a loving and kind person is a key component of my character, and honestly it's a miracle that everything he did didn't squash that out of me. 

My therapist really helped me see that both feelings can exist at the same time, what's important is that I still took the actions I needed to take in order to protect myself. Even when his apologies and begging would tempt me to do otherwise.

It's a good thing to not live in bitterness, but you do have to leverage your anger and betrayal to get done what must be done. I believe that you're strong enough and wise enough to keep your eye on prize, so to speak.

Has your therapist recommended any support groups for families of addicts? Understanding the addiction aspect of this is so important. Not to soften your feelings towards him, but to help you understand that an addict who is actively in the throes of their addiction simply cannot be trusted. It's sad, but it's true. Every single thing he says and does must be taken with a tablespoon of salt until and unless he's been "clean" for a significant period of time and actively has a sponsor or someone holding him accountable on a daily basis. 

Whatever you do, everyone here is on your side and wants what's best for you. Please keep us posted as you're able. 

Cover1W's picture

I get you. And allllll this is in my head for sure, and it's why I'm physically separating myself in the house. I do have my elderly cat to take care of and I cannot just up and go, and I don't want to. If anyone goes it will be him. He cannot take care of himself let alone the house. And NO I am not taking care of him. He's going to have to do his own shopping, cooking, etc. I'm done. I don't trust him. I think he knows that. Everything I knew since I met him is now different. He's made his confession about the past year, but not for everything. I'm certain he's still hiding things. I'm going to be very direct at all times. I'm still presenting him with the realtor info and going to proceed for sure with a storage unit. I am looking at changing counselors since this is a bigger deal than I first thought.

I will be ok, I know that.

If he does become destructive, I have multiple places to quickly go.

Sadielady's picture

I so agree with everythting everyone else has said. Especially the part from Felicity about being ablento care about your H while still knowing that you can't be with him anymore. I also agree with the recommmendations to gonto a hotel. I have both personal and professional experience in this. Personally, my exH turned into a totally different person when I pulled the plug and he panicked. He wasn't a bad person but he wasn't a good person during that time and I ended up calling the police. Professionally, I can back up what others have said. A woman is most likely to he hurt by her partner in the days after the breakup. And if you truly believe he was suicidal, please know that suicide and homicide are two ends of the same continuum. One can flip to the other in a moment. Please stay safe.