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Thu 16 Dec, 2004 08:08 am
I've been reading this board for the last few days hoping to find advice or some sort of way to resolve my situation.
I met Brian in February. We hit it off immediately and became inseparable. I love him very much. In July he was transferred to another state for his job, 900 miles from home. He asked me to come with him. I left my job and my family in October to move away to be with him. Things have been rocky ever since.
We have not had sex in almost six months. He is rarely affectionate, I get usually one peck on the lips when he gets home from work. We've fought about the no sex several times. He uses excuses like work, stress, tiredness and the fact that I am not a domestic goddess. By this I mean that I despise housework. I never promised him otherwise. I am not saying I am a slob, but a little clutter (not filth) does not bother me. He expects a pristine household. Despite this, I still do all the domestic chores...cooking (he expects homemade meals every night), cleaning, laundry, etc... We have argued over this as well because I don't think I should have to do it all. He usually gets upset, throws a tantrum, tells me I don't do that much, he will do his own laundry (which he starts, but never finishes, I end up doing it) and that I need to ask if I want help. Well, I ask, but he always puts me off and I end up doing it myself. He doesn't see it this way.
He claims on of the reasons he doesn't want sex is because the house is "a mess". His point being mainly one room in the house which we decided would be my spare room (he has one as well).
When I moved at the first of October to be with him I had very little time to unpack my things (a whole household) as I was starting a job the following Monday. My spare room is full of my things...besides having my old bedroom furniture crammed in it, there are a lot of boxes, some open and half way unpacked with my clothes. There are things on the floor. It bothers him, I mean really bothers him. It does not so much bother me. I have little time to deal with it. I have made some progress, but it's slow and that really is my style when it comes to cleaning and organizing.
He uses this room as the excuse for not wanting sex. Poor housekeeper = No sex. Is this the reason? I wonder all the time. I think it's me, that's he all of sudden not attracted to me or he's cheating (which I know he's not) or he doesn't love me anymore.
He's not a very emotional or affectionate person, but his affection has tapered off since I moved here. It makes me feel like I've made a huge mistake and now I'm stuck 900 miles away from my family with a man who treats as if I'm insignificant and just there for his convenience.
I feel resentful and angry towards him because of the lack of intimacy. We had another huge fight last night because he said I was acting "pouty". Well, I just have begun distancing myself from him because it hurts too much to continue to be rejected. He pays no attention to me. From the time he gets home, it's a peck on the lips, how was your day? (though he's so uninterested, it's a going through the motions thing), what's for dinner...then I serve him dinner, do the dishes, he sits in the recliner, watches tv and ignores me unless I leave the room and then in this sweet voice says "baby, where are you going?"
Last night he asked me what I wanted from him. I told him more affection, more help around the house and appreciation for what I do do.
He said he needs me to keep the house clean. I said I do, but he says it's not good enough. I told him I would try but that I need some initiative on his part first because I am tired of giving and giving and being the only one trying to make things work. He got really angry and said he won't be threatened. I said well, I guess that's it then and walked out of the room. He attempted to start mindless conversation once or twice but I just ignored him. We slept apart last night.
I am leaving to go see my family on Friday for a few days without him (this has been planned for some time). I can't leave with things like this. It is destroying me. I have never been so depressed, isolated and lonely in my entire life.
Please help me. I don't know what to say to him to get him to understand how I feel. I cry when we fight and he yells and tells me I just do it for attention. I hate crying and I can't help it. It's not some ploy to get what I want. It makes me feel weak. He is very insensitive and tells me to toughen up. What do I do? How do I save this relationship? Become this domestic goddess he wants at the sake of my own happiness?
Thanks for listening. I'm sorry this is so long.
Welcome to A2K, DFox. I'm very sorry about your situation. It sounds to me like there has been a big shift in the balance of power between you two with you no longer working (?) and you are probably also experiencing the usual adjustments of moving in together. Those are big changes for a relationship and it's not surprising that it's rocky.
I think getting away for bit to see your family is a good idea. If you are worried about leaving things as they are after the fight, just sit down with him before you leave and say 'I'm sad about the way things are going and I hope that getting away will give us both the perspective we need to work things out when I get back'. Then see how you feel after a few days away from him.
I would not only walk away from that guy, I would run.... as fast as your little feet can carry you.
... and straight into gus's arms. He's very lonely and needs a good housekeeper. :wink:
Fox...
I tend to lean towards Gus' advice. This guy sounds like a real jerk.
But it could just be the stress of a new job/new home/new live in girlfriend. I say stay at your parents as long as you can. That way he will be forced to do the house chores. Perhaps then he will realize how much work you are doing. You are working a job as well as doing all of the house chores, right? Then come back and see what kind of condition the house is in. Maybe then he will start helping.
Thanks FreeDuck. Sorry if I wasn't clear. I do work, full-time. I'm an accountant. He also works full-time, as a transportation manager. His job is demanding and that is really all that he talks about when we do talk.
I did try something similar after Thanksgiving. I made a huge dinner for just the two of us, homemade pie and all. He said he would help do the dishes, he never did. It made me so angry after all I had done, that I didn't do a damn thing for a week. Things between us got worse, he was hostile and snapped at me for no reason. I refused to cook and he would leave in a huff to go get fast food. It was just easier to clean it up and start cooking again.
It sounds to me like he's not as ready for this step as he thought he was. He sounds like he's feeling trapped, all kinds of bad libido-damping things. His own fault, he didn't think things through, he asked you, but that's what it sounds like to me.
Either that or he's an unalloyed jerk.
Either way it sounds like the solution is to get outta there, temporarily or permanently, and see whether if he feels un-trapped he will become attracted again, or whether this is just done. Put some sort of deadline on it so you're not swanning around waiting for too long... waiting is never fun for the waiter.
Good luck.
DumbFox wrote:Thanks FreeDuck. Sorry if I wasn't clear. I do work, full-time. I'm an accountant. He also works full-time, as a transportation manager. His job is demanding and that is really all that he talks about when we do talk.
In that case I suggest following gus's advice. If you are both working there is not reason on God's green earth why the house work should be your sole responsibility, and absolutely no reason why he couldn't just hire a maid and leave you free to pursue happiness elsewhere. Especially if he doesn't feel the desire to show you affection.
It's not that easy to leave. There are 4 states separating me from my family. I have no friends here and essentially nowhere to go if I do leave. I make okay money but don't know if I could live alone in a safe neighborhood here on my income. I can't afford to move back home right now. Do I just stay, emotionally distance myself, live platonically and leave when I have enough money?
You have your own room, right?
No, I think I'd figure something out -- group house or efficiency apartment? You don't necessarily have to move home. Who knows, he may turn back into mister wonderful whe there is a little distance between you.
Maybe...in the two months we were apart, because I couldn't leave my old job due to a contract with my old job, he was so sweet. Called me several times a day and always telling me how much he missed me and how he couldn't wait for me to move out to be with him.
Apartments and group houses are probably out because I have a dog and a cat and it's hard to even find a house that allows pets.
My family has no idea that any of these problems have been going on. I'm so ashamed to tell my mom. It will make me feel like a failure. I don't know if I can put on a happy face and pretends everything is okay.
If you feel like the relationship is over, anyway (and while I think the best chance for the relationship is some distance, I don't think it's much of a chance at this point), sure, living there platonically for a while (not long) could work.
I think you'd have to be honest with him, though, and I'm not sure if he'd LET you live there for a while. He doesn't need to, and he clearly is having problems with you impinging upon his space. (For the record, if people are moving in together I highly recommend a new, neutral ground, rather than one moving into the others' territory.)
Sorry you're in such a tough situation, you may have to scrimp and save for a while.
You don't need to pretend, Fox. These things happen.
Couple's counselling could be helpful, you will see how committed he is to the relationship if he is willing to go. You will also see he is not committed to the relationship if he does not go.
It is also possible that depression (in the clinical sense) is part of the problem. Isolation from one's support system (family, friends) is a big factor in causing depression, as is stress. (It sounds like you both might be at risk for this.)
I would recommend individual therapy for him, but that isn't really under your control.
Some individual therapy for yourself could be a big help. This doesn't mean you have a mental problem, just that you're cut off from your support system and a theraputic relationship can help you sort out your feelings.
Your family is your family and I'm sure they will support you. If they love you they won't want to see you unhappy.
Tell your family... they are there to support you and maybe they can help you move back home.
"It will make me feel like a failure."
Failure in an endeavor is different from "being a failure."
Show me someone who has never made a mistake and I will show you someone who has never made a decision.
It is OK to cut your losses if that is what you decide to do; trying to stick it out and wasting another 6-12 months would be a less-than-optimal solution.
I really don't think he would consider therapy. Not so much because he wouldn't commit to me, but more because he sees things like therapy as being for the week.
Yes, I agree, that some sort of counseling would give me some support...you are right, I'm becoming seriously depressed. I need to wait until my health insurance kicks in at work though.
I really need to know what to say to him. It would be much easier for me to email him or leave him a note. When we are face to face I just want to break down and cry, which only makes him angry. Writing is the only way for me to communicate with him without him seeing what my emotions are.