this is all wishful thinking when it comes to someone who truly has Anti Social Personality Disorder
The awareness is key!
Telling her he was diagnosed could very well be a warning
So when I tell future partners that I have NPD, it automatically means that they should run? Because there's no way I can be in a relationship and not be abusive? Is that what you're implying?
Saying he loves her, he probably gets something from it,
You don't get enjoyment, satisfaction, peace, or safety from someone who loves you and who you love? Sure he gets something. Even if he's “just getting supply” if his actions reflect those of a partner who “loves”, then it counts as love. The problem is the devaluing, the yelling, the erratic behavior, and the abusive behavior in general. If it's not happening and this cat is aware of himself, he's probably doing the work.
knows it's something she wants to hear.
I'm confused by this because it's something EVERY HUMAN wants to hear and feel.
Everything he says and does should be side eyed.
Side eyed? Yikes. What's the bar here for what's good and what's bad? Are you familiar with Dr. Elinor Greenberg? Even she doesn't write us off and she's worked with the Cluster B's for 4+ decades.
Can we agree that honest and open communication is one of the hallmarks of a good relationship? Ya boi up there is being honest and the OP didn't mention abusive behaviors.
I have a friend who is 21 and in couple's counseling for her ~3 year long relationship, which I find very secondhand embarrassing, because she'd rather do that than have to admit she chose the wrong person. You, and your relationship, are too young to need couple's counseling; if you feel you need it at this time, what you really need to do is part ways. I wish people were more comfortable with breaking up when you find out your partner is incompatible with you.
Also, individual therapy would be better for him to nip his lying issue in the bud than couple's therapy. It seems to be entirely a him issue.
I appreciate you trying to make sense of this, but my mother's life choices are one of my main driving forces to BE better in the first place. These two men don't share all that many similarities on the outside. I may have fucked up in getting with someone who's so much older than me, but that was never her particular problem. I suppose you mean choosing the wrong partners in general? But I mean, it did take three years for this to happen and I'm immediately considering leaving, so do we really have to put it on the same level?
Like everyone say “you told your friend”. It's already not really nice and you don't put yourself in the the best light for them. But a other point i would make is, do you think it's fine to communicate a personnal information about Jake to your friend? Don't share personnal information about people with other people. I'm happy that reddit and your friend groupe know about the 3inches dick, but next time say “Sexual chemistry was not there”.
I’m inclined to agree with other commenters that this is certainly a sign of untreated mental illness.
I have OCD that partially manifests in extreme jealousy and sometimes mild paranoia, but what you’re describing is beyond that. And her constantly accusing you isn’t okay.
I went to therapy for over a decade of my life to learn to healthily cope with these feelings/convictions when they arise, it’s all about logic and thinking through it.
It’s exhausting living when you’re always suspicious of the people around you, and she absolutely has to receive therapy and/or medication to manage this or it will only become worse.
Yes, unfortunately this is all sinking in. Even if my mom were thin/normal weight, over the course of life our kid is likely going to have friends that are heavier, friends' parents that are heavier, teachers and other authority figures that are heavier, etc. We aren't going to move to some island where magically everyone is thin or they get kicked out.
Maybe it's easy for me to say as a person who has always been normal weight but…I've always thought that the more one obsesses about weight, the harder it actually is to stay physically and mentally healthy…I definitely think weight obsession does more harm than good.
(And, in case you're wondering why I married someone who is obviously weight-obsessed if I feel this way…it's because my wife didn't represent herself like that to begin with. She told me pretty early on that her dad died of a heart attack when she was young, which meant that genetically had a greater risk of having the same happen so she was accordingly pretty vigilant about healthy eating and exercise. She didn't make fatphobic comments about other people that I recall.)
He doesn’t have the emotional depth to think like that. He told my many times I was the love of his life. Yea people fall out of being in love but he chose that by pushing me away, fighting with me, which of course didn’t bring out my best side
She only wanted you to open up to her on her terms, that’s not how that works. I hope you can find a therapist who can help you process this trauma because you deserve it, and I hope you find a partner who is truly empathetic, not someone who just wants the bragging rights.
I am a huge animal lover and it breaks my heart to hear any animal been treated like this but the animal cruelty isn't the only issue here.
You yourself are a victim of your wife. You say you have to do it all yourself or start another fight, this comes across as, “I am secretly scared of standing up to my wife for fear of yet another confrontation.”
It sounds like your wife controls every aspect of your life and you are not standing up to set the example for your daughter that it is not OK for you or the animals to be treated this way.
You say your daughter will be upset. Good. This is a crossroads for you, you either stand up and state the case and don't back down, or you end up spending your entire life living in the control of your wife with your kid following in her footsteps.
How have I? I decide what is a hobby for me and not other people like you are. Please tell me why relaxing in my own and playing a video game isn’t a hobby?
Just a couple of girls in the past few years that could have been potential long term partners, I just wasn’t ready for that commitment at the time.
I just feel now, that I’m ready, I would love to have those opportunities back. It was my own fault they ended, I simply cut them off for no reason other than wanting to be single.
So, I took some potentially good people for granted. And now that I’m a little older. I’m thinking, I would have liked to have seen where they went. But it’s not a possibility.
These days I’m met with a lot of really dry interactions with women. 3rd even 4th dates and just feeling like there’s no connection. As where I did feel connections with some girls back in the day but I just buried those feelings for the sake of not wanting to be committed to one person.
Online and you learn. I’m sure someone will come around eventually that makes sense to me.
At my last job, a woman I worked with was hooking up with a short term contractor who did some IT work for us. She was very discreet and kept everything after hours. But the contractor was the same religion as a full-timer on staff, and they went to lunch together a lot because they ate the same kinds of foods. At lunch, the contractor would tell the full-timer all about his hookups with the woman. Eventually the full-timer told other full-timers. Soon, everyone knew all kinds of intimate details about this woman. I was a manager in a different department but it wasn’t long before I knew that she had a big bruise on her back from banging into the faucet over and over again when they did it in the sink of our office bathroom. This all happened 5 years and 2 jobs ago but it’s still the first thing I think of when this woman pops up in my FB feed. OP, THIS GUY DOESN’T RESPECT YOU AND HE DOESN’T CARE IF NO ONE ESLE DOES, EITHER. Why would you give him another chance?!
Don't do anything until you lawyer up. Now is the time to be selfish. Your priorities are your kids, you, and then anyone else. I'd get everything sorted, and then drop the bomb on the AP's spouse.
Do explain how everyone else is missing the nuance in this situation. A well adjusted adult understands their SO has old friends. Nothing is “nuanced” about this dudes incredibly strict line of thought that his gf wants to fuck her old friend.
He doesn't want to be convinced and it's not up to you to convince him of something that he doesn't care to hear. My ex did lots of weird diets and such as well and there was no telling him how unhealthy it was. Unfortunately we can't control the actions of others but we can control their place in our lives.
Rather than call it apathy I would call it deflecting. A lot of people just can't process difficult discussions so he shuts down, numbs out, deflects, mocks you, gaslights you. The goal is to just derail the conversation outright and make you long term too tired or scared to even approach the topics. And if and when that happens he can basically avoid anything challenging forever.
Problem is that is toxic. It means that for you to love him you will have to increasingly isolate yourself within a small glass box and avoid the walls. Because the reality is you love him only when he doesn't feel provoked, when you are avoiding anything 'real' or serious. You love the facade.
And note this is the sympathetic take. The reality is that it could also be seen as outright manipulation. It could be that he is just abusive and is slowly wearing you down.
Regardless, you are marching steadily towards a trauma bond dynamic. Be careful with words like 'love' because often they trap us. The dynamic you have with him is one that only works when you are both hiding your feelings, to me that doesn't seem authentic.
Basically I’m the clown now cause I invested so much time and money yes money I gave her money I helped her when she was at her lowest. It hurts I was too good
I agree with most of the sentiments above. I think you should “tell, not ask him.” BUT I feel strongly that this conversation should happen before you terminate the pregnancy.
For some reason, telling them afterwards doesn’t sit well haha. This is completely off topic but when I was a kid, my parents told me and my siblings that we were going to be moving states ( which was BIG thing for me as a 13 year old girl who’s friend group had been the same people since I was in elementary school). I was so upset but I was happy they told me beforehand. Me wanting to stay in my hometown to hangout with my friends OBVIOUSLY wasn’t a good reason to stay when my family needed to move because my dad got new work.
BUT I appreciate my parents giving me the heads up. I’ve heard stories of kids thinking they are going on a family trip, and that “family trip” ending up being their family moving.
Similarly, you should definitely be in the drivers seat in terms of making the decision. Its your call and you should go through with the termination if that is what you want to do. But i think you should let him know.
I caution against you telling him afterwards. It could feel like whiplash. There would be emotions of “wow i could be a dad” to “ wow nvm”. I personally feel like, during early pregnancy, the kid is just a collection of cells BUT there might be real grief experienced by the mom or dad after a termination.
But also this is just my 2 cents. Do what you think is best.
—-
Genuine question to the community: if her boyfriend hears about the termination AFTER she already gone through with it, do you think he would be justified in being hurt or wanting to break up?
Maybe they left her on read because it wasn't their place to have the conversation, it was something the bride should address
this is all wishful thinking when it comes to someone who truly has Anti Social Personality Disorder
The awareness is key!
Telling her he was diagnosed could very well be a warning
So when I tell future partners that I have NPD, it automatically means that they should run? Because there's no way I can be in a relationship and not be abusive? Is that what you're implying?
Saying he loves her, he probably gets something from it,
You don't get enjoyment, satisfaction, peace, or safety from someone who loves you and who you love? Sure he gets something. Even if he's “just getting supply” if his actions reflect those of a partner who “loves”, then it counts as love. The problem is the devaluing, the yelling, the erratic behavior, and the abusive behavior in general. If it's not happening and this cat is aware of himself, he's probably doing the work.
knows it's something she wants to hear.
I'm confused by this because it's something EVERY HUMAN wants to hear and feel.
Everything he says and does should be side eyed.
Side eyed? Yikes. What's the bar here for what's good and what's bad? Are you familiar with Dr. Elinor Greenberg? Even she doesn't write us off and she's worked with the Cluster B's for 4+ decades.
Can we agree that honest and open communication is one of the hallmarks of a good relationship? Ya boi up there is being honest and the OP didn't mention abusive behaviors.
I have a friend who is 21 and in couple's counseling for her ~3 year long relationship, which I find very secondhand embarrassing, because she'd rather do that than have to admit she chose the wrong person. You, and your relationship, are too young to need couple's counseling; if you feel you need it at this time, what you really need to do is part ways. I wish people were more comfortable with breaking up when you find out your partner is incompatible with you.
Also, individual therapy would be better for him to nip his lying issue in the bud than couple's therapy. It seems to be entirely a him issue.
Exactly, since he really doesn't 'know' his girlfriend either at two months.
Glad she waved her first flag so early on.
Bounce time and enjoy your hangout with your true friend.
At 18 years old you shouldn't be thinking about marriage at all. Commitment at this age means monogamy
Haha ta, I would have never got that :)))
Why ultimatum? She's already told you her answer. Just call it off if moving back to Texas is that important to you.
Your husbands knowledge stops at grade 9 biology. If he's not totally unreasonable just do some googling and show him some proof.
I appreciate you trying to make sense of this, but my mother's life choices are one of my main driving forces to BE better in the first place. These two men don't share all that many similarities on the outside. I may have fucked up in getting with someone who's so much older than me, but that was never her particular problem. I suppose you mean choosing the wrong partners in general? But I mean, it did take three years for this to happen and I'm immediately considering leaving, so do we really have to put it on the same level?
Like everyone say “you told your friend”. It's already not really nice and you don't put yourself in the the best light for them. But a other point i would make is, do you think it's fine to communicate a personnal information about Jake to your friend? Don't share personnal information about people with other people. I'm happy that reddit and your friend groupe know about the 3inches dick, but next time say “Sexual chemistry was not there”.
So she’s mad at her mom for being subjected to her dad’s behavior?
I’m inclined to agree with other commenters that this is certainly a sign of untreated mental illness.
I have OCD that partially manifests in extreme jealousy and sometimes mild paranoia, but what you’re describing is beyond that. And her constantly accusing you isn’t okay.
I went to therapy for over a decade of my life to learn to healthily cope with these feelings/convictions when they arise, it’s all about logic and thinking through it.
It’s exhausting living when you’re always suspicious of the people around you, and she absolutely has to receive therapy and/or medication to manage this or it will only become worse.
Yes, unfortunately this is all sinking in. Even if my mom were thin/normal weight, over the course of life our kid is likely going to have friends that are heavier, friends' parents that are heavier, teachers and other authority figures that are heavier, etc. We aren't going to move to some island where magically everyone is thin or they get kicked out.
Maybe it's easy for me to say as a person who has always been normal weight but…I've always thought that the more one obsesses about weight, the harder it actually is to stay physically and mentally healthy…I definitely think weight obsession does more harm than good.
(And, in case you're wondering why I married someone who is obviously weight-obsessed if I feel this way…it's because my wife didn't represent herself like that to begin with. She told me pretty early on that her dad died of a heart attack when she was young, which meant that genetically had a greater risk of having the same happen so she was accordingly pretty vigilant about healthy eating and exercise. She didn't make fatphobic comments about other people that I recall.)
Why would you think it was fake? Literally nothing here indicates that it's a fake story.
He doesn’t have the emotional depth to think like that. He told my many times I was the love of his life. Yea people fall out of being in love but he chose that by pushing me away, fighting with me, which of course didn’t bring out my best side
She only wanted you to open up to her on her terms, that’s not how that works. I hope you can find a therapist who can help you process this trauma because you deserve it, and I hope you find a partner who is truly empathetic, not someone who just wants the bragging rights.
OP,
I am a huge animal lover and it breaks my heart to hear any animal been treated like this but the animal cruelty isn't the only issue here.
You yourself are a victim of your wife. You say you have to do it all yourself or start another fight, this comes across as, “I am secretly scared of standing up to my wife for fear of yet another confrontation.”
It sounds like your wife controls every aspect of your life and you are not standing up to set the example for your daughter that it is not OK for you or the animals to be treated this way.
You say your daughter will be upset. Good. This is a crossroads for you, you either stand up and state the case and don't back down, or you end up spending your entire life living in the control of your wife with your kid following in her footsteps.
What are you going to do?
How have I? I decide what is a hobby for me and not other people like you are. Please tell me why relaxing in my own and playing a video game isn’t a hobby?
Just a couple of girls in the past few years that could have been potential long term partners, I just wasn’t ready for that commitment at the time.
I just feel now, that I’m ready, I would love to have those opportunities back. It was my own fault they ended, I simply cut them off for no reason other than wanting to be single.
So, I took some potentially good people for granted. And now that I’m a little older. I’m thinking, I would have liked to have seen where they went. But it’s not a possibility.
These days I’m met with a lot of really dry interactions with women. 3rd even 4th dates and just feeling like there’s no connection. As where I did feel connections with some girls back in the day but I just buried those feelings for the sake of not wanting to be committed to one person.
Online and you learn. I’m sure someone will come around eventually that makes sense to me.
Thank you so much. I will check for her videos later. ❤❤
Your bf loves to manipulate you and Gaslight yourself into thinking you're the problem. Leave him.
At my last job, a woman I worked with was hooking up with a short term contractor who did some IT work for us. She was very discreet and kept everything after hours. But the contractor was the same religion as a full-timer on staff, and they went to lunch together a lot because they ate the same kinds of foods. At lunch, the contractor would tell the full-timer all about his hookups with the woman. Eventually the full-timer told other full-timers. Soon, everyone knew all kinds of intimate details about this woman. I was a manager in a different department but it wasn’t long before I knew that she had a big bruise on her back from banging into the faucet over and over again when they did it in the sink of our office bathroom. This all happened 5 years and 2 jobs ago but it’s still the first thing I think of when this woman pops up in my FB feed. OP, THIS GUY DOESN’T RESPECT YOU AND HE DOESN’T CARE IF NO ONE ESLE DOES, EITHER. Why would you give him another chance?!
guessing
So you want to ruin a potentially good relationship because you’re guessing?
I think, for better or for worse, you prioritised Tim over Sam.
Was Sam's abstinence pledge over the top? Yeah, probably.
Was agreeing to it dumb? Yeah, probably.
Would Sam have been as mad if you had refused the agreement? Yeah probably.
Don't do anything until you lawyer up. Now is the time to be selfish. Your priorities are your kids, you, and then anyone else. I'd get everything sorted, and then drop the bomb on the AP's spouse.
Do explain how everyone else is missing the nuance in this situation. A well adjusted adult understands their SO has old friends. Nothing is “nuanced” about this dudes incredibly strict line of thought that his gf wants to fuck her old friend.
He doesn't want to be convinced and it's not up to you to convince him of something that he doesn't care to hear. My ex did lots of weird diets and such as well and there was no telling him how unhealthy it was. Unfortunately we can't control the actions of others but we can control their place in our lives.
Rather than call it apathy I would call it deflecting. A lot of people just can't process difficult discussions so he shuts down, numbs out, deflects, mocks you, gaslights you. The goal is to just derail the conversation outright and make you long term too tired or scared to even approach the topics. And if and when that happens he can basically avoid anything challenging forever.
Problem is that is toxic. It means that for you to love him you will have to increasingly isolate yourself within a small glass box and avoid the walls. Because the reality is you love him only when he doesn't feel provoked, when you are avoiding anything 'real' or serious. You love the facade.
And note this is the sympathetic take. The reality is that it could also be seen as outright manipulation. It could be that he is just abusive and is slowly wearing you down.
Regardless, you are marching steadily towards a trauma bond dynamic. Be careful with words like 'love' because often they trap us. The dynamic you have with him is one that only works when you are both hiding your feelings, to me that doesn't seem authentic.
Basically I’m the clown now cause I invested so much time and money yes money I gave her money I helped her when she was at her lowest. It hurts I was too good
I agree with most of the sentiments above. I think you should “tell, not ask him.” BUT I feel strongly that this conversation should happen before you terminate the pregnancy.
For some reason, telling them afterwards doesn’t sit well haha. This is completely off topic but when I was a kid, my parents told me and my siblings that we were going to be moving states ( which was BIG thing for me as a 13 year old girl who’s friend group had been the same people since I was in elementary school). I was so upset but I was happy they told me beforehand. Me wanting to stay in my hometown to hangout with my friends OBVIOUSLY wasn’t a good reason to stay when my family needed to move because my dad got new work.
BUT I appreciate my parents giving me the heads up. I’ve heard stories of kids thinking they are going on a family trip, and that “family trip” ending up being their family moving.
Similarly, you should definitely be in the drivers seat in terms of making the decision. Its your call and you should go through with the termination if that is what you want to do. But i think you should let him know.
I caution against you telling him afterwards. It could feel like whiplash. There would be emotions of “wow i could be a dad” to “ wow nvm”. I personally feel like, during early pregnancy, the kid is just a collection of cells BUT there might be real grief experienced by the mom or dad after a termination.
But also this is just my 2 cents. Do what you think is best.
—-
Genuine question to the community: if her boyfriend hears about the termination AFTER she already gone through with it, do you think he would be justified in being hurt or wanting to break up?