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Author Topic: My Story WTH

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My Story WTH
OP: September 21, 2023, 04:25:43 AM
My wife and I have been married for 21 years. In May she did the BD. She says there is no affair. I don't think there is but it would not surprise me if there is a emotional affair, I would be surprised if there is a physical affair but I am not ruling it out. It went from giving me a hug and kiss every morning and holding my hand at night when we fell asleep to no touching, and I have not loved you for years. I could sense something was wrong for a quite a few months befor the BD, and I asked here several times what is wrong but got no answer. Hew Dad passed away 2 years ago, and within 6 months her mom was dating someone and they just got remarried a couple weeks ago. Her sister got a divorce in April this year, There daughter ended up with a eating disorder because of it and had to be admitted. We became grandparents this past year, our daughter went off to college, and we have 2 kids in highschool. She has a high stress job that has been more stressful the past year. And she turns 50 in a couple months.
She is going to therapy and says it is to try to figure herself out and why she did some of the things in the past. She did have an affair 16 years ago and that has eaten her up inside I know. However she has rewritten our past by pointing our every thing I have ever did wrong. Like when we first got married I bought a lawn mower and that stressed her out. Some of the things she points out about our marriage is my fault and I have owned my mistakes. None of this is anything a normal marriage can't get through. I have not been a bad person or husband, made mistakes, but nothing so bad that we couldn't get past. I have been working on myself and focusing on me since BD and even before that because I could tell something was wrong. I have went to the just speak when spoken to mode. It is awkward and uncomfortable. We still sleep in the same bed but feel miles apart. She has softened a bit lately but I am worried that this is or new normal. Is she just buying time until the kids graduate? I don't know, but the thought of living like this for 4 years and then ending up not togther after that worries me alot.
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WTH
#1: September 21, 2023, 05:16:47 AM
You bought a lawn mower?

How COULD you do such an evil thing?


Sorry but THAT is a new one... Usually it is more like "You let the dog get fat" or "You didn't vacuum the floor right" or "You don't cook Bratwursts correctly" or some other nonsense.

Other than that, the fact that she is already seeing an IC would indicate (hopefully) more of a MLT (Transition) because usually a real Mid-Lifer in Crisis is ONLY about blaming the LBS for everything bad that happened to the MLC'er in their entire life.... even before they met the LBS....

Only time will tell what path she is on at this point....

Post often if you wish because there are enough people here that someone will have likely gone through something similar.

UM
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Me - 60, xW - 54
Together 19 years - Married 17 at separation & 21 at D-Day
S - 16, D - 12
1 Dog
BD#1 - August 2015
Atomic BD - 13 Dec 2015
House sold & separated - Mar 2016
Divorce final 30 August 2019
Moved on in life

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A "friend" will not "stand by you" no matter what you do. That is NOT a friend. That is an enabler. That is an accomplice.
A REAL friend will sit you down and tell you to your face to stop being a firetrucking idiot before you ruin your life and the lives of those around you.

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Re: WTH
#2: September 21, 2023, 05:46:43 AM
You are still in the very raw state and will be for a while longer. Imagine a burn victim who is in the hospital- alive but undergoing painful treatments and just trying to grow a protective layer for survival sake. That´s where you are. The burn victim is not thinking about hobbies, travel, sports. They want to avoid breaking down and just want to have the ability to do self-care. All that to say that it will take you at least two years to find your center again whether you remain a couple of not and it will take longer than that to feel that your joy tank has refilled completely and that she no longer is a source of daily emotional pain. If sleeping in a shared bed miles apart causes more pain than sleeping in your own bed, you can modify the sleeping arrangements. The way it is now you are subjected to rejection even while sleeping- not healthy.

You are going to need to focus on YOU to get through wherever this takes you. That means sleeping well, eating well, time in nature, exercise, some sort of community socializing BUT NOT straying yourself for female companionship. Keep tabs on finances- joint accounts, new credit cards (yes they will get them and being married you will be on the hook for charges), extravagant purchases, IRA withdrawals, etc.

Try your very best to NOT ask questions as you will likely get lies for answers and that just creates a bigger mess to deal with.

Find an expressive emotional outlet- music, art, etc. and a physical outlet- running, swimming, yoga and a spiritual outlet- church, meditation, etc.

It´s a marathon not a sprint.
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#3: September 21, 2023, 08:46:30 AM
So much of what you wrote I have lived but with a male MLCer, so pretty script. My XH told me that I hurt his feeling when I was u happy he bought me a weight scale for xmas in 1991. 30 years ago!!!!  Of course I wasn’t thrilled with a weight scale for xmas, even if I mentioned we needed one. So, they dig for anything and everything to try and make sense why their feelings are not where they used to be and to justify EA or PA.

Keep busy! Journal when you need to clear your head. Getting your own IC or counselor if you dont have a friend you feel comfortable talking to is also a good idea. This situation is so anxiety inducing that just clearing your head is essential. I walked alot and listened to musics or books.

So sorry you find youself here, but you will feel a little more emotionally stable in this situation seeing and reading you are not alone.
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There is almost something harder about someone being alive and having to lose what you believed to be true of them than someone actually dying.

Indefatigability - determined to do or achieve something; firmness of purpose
perspicacity- a clarity of vision or intellect which provides a deep understanding and insight

Married July 1991
Jan 2018 BD1 moved out I filed for Div/ H stopped it
Oct 2018 moved back
Oct 2020 BD2
Feb 2021 Div-29 1/2 years
July 2021 Married OW
Feb 2022  XH fired
May 2023 went NC after telling XH we could not be friends
Aug 2023 XH moves w/o OWife

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WTH
#4: September 21, 2023, 10:29:36 AM
It is so hard for me to grasp how someone in your family can just all of a sudden treat you like that. After being together for over 22 years. It is mind blowing. I can understand an affair and the temptation easier than I can just turning your back on a family member and telling them you have not loved them for years. Who does that? She must be so confused.  I told her that she was confused  once and she blew up at me. I have been not talking much lately. I am so unsure of what I am supposed to be doing right now, talk don't talk, I feel like I am stonewalling but also feel like I am trying to disengage to protect myself. it is so hard to know how to act and feel during all this. I f____ hate it.
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WHY

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WTH
#5: September 21, 2023, 11:17:29 AM
We feel you friend.  Your wife is following the MLC script I've read about 10,000 times over.  And one I'm seeing in my own W.  In the early stages, its shocking how Ctrl-P the whole thing is.  I never made mine a sandwich back in 2013.  You cannot make this stuff up.

The bad news is you're in for one long, gut wrenching journey, thats going to last YEARS.  Literally years.  You cant fight it or change anything.  Strap in because you're in for one helluva ride.

The good news is that you found the single best community on the web to help you get through this.  The folks here are strong & supportive.  And will help you develop the tools you need to survive this damn thing.  You will get through this.

As for what you're supposed to be doing right now?  The faster you can take the spotlight off her and focus 100% on yourself.  The better it will be for your own survival, and you'll leave her to her own devices to journey through the tunnel.  Engaging her, trying try debate things, trying to change her, arguments...  It only makes things worse and IMO, slows down their journey in the tunnel.

The faster you get to a place where you can be roomates with a colleague, the better it will be for your mental health.

I always ask newbies this question though.  The affair is the cornerstone of MLC.  Not sure I've seen a story where there wasnt one.  So if this is the case, is that a deal breaker for you standing or not?  Could you endure a PA, EA, or fantasy affair.  Because you may want to figure that out first if it affects your decision to stand or not.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/relationships/1527705-Midlife-crisis-this-is-the-script
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Re: WTH
#6: September 22, 2023, 02:23:05 AM
Loo-

Welcome to the club. I was in your shoes in March, confused, hurt, sad, angry. At first I thought it was
Walk away spouse but it’s not, it’s MLC. You didn’t do anything wrong to get here, this is her struggle.
I didn’t want to believe the part about the A either, then I found some guys shirt in my dryer. I’m
Not staying that your wife is doing anything, I’m just saying that it happens in MLC. The people here get what you’re going thru and are going thru it as we speak. Again sorry you’re here but you found a good place with great resources. She may try to kick you out of your own home, I would stay put.
Other than that get ready for a gut wrenching experience, the forums are great form bouncing ideas off people who know.
Good Luck

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l
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WTH
#7: September 22, 2023, 03:22:03 AM
Last night I walked into the bedroom and she was under her facial light thing that is supposed to keep your face young. It crossed my mind to say "working on your midlife crisis." Not so much to be a smart ass, but to make light of it or joke a little about it, but I didn't, but it kinda made me chuckle inside a little thinking about saying it.
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Re: WTH
#8: September 22, 2023, 07:03:59 AM
Guaranteed that if you had said something you would have poked the bear.
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Re: WTH
#9: September 25, 2023, 02:39:55 AM
Guaranteed that if you had said something you would have poked the bear.

Like THIS bear....

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Me - 60, xW - 54
Together 19 years - Married 17 at separation & 21 at D-Day
S - 16, D - 12
1 Dog
BD#1 - August 2015
Atomic BD - 13 Dec 2015
House sold & separated - Mar 2016
Divorce final 30 August 2019
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A "friend" will not "stand by you" no matter what you do. That is NOT a friend. That is an enabler. That is an accomplice.
A REAL friend will sit you down and tell you to your face to stop being a firetrucking idiot before you ruin your life and the lives of those around you.

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#10: September 29, 2023, 07:33:17 PM
I talked to Larry Billota a few days ago and we talked about our childhoods and it all fit in really well with us. We came to the conclusion that the environment I created was negative based on our childhood.  When I mentioned in my original post I made mistakes that is pretty much what I was referring to. He said I need to create a better environment. So I was hoping that maybe it was something I could talk to my wife about because I have been pretty detached for a month or so and not talking much at all. I guess I was thinking it maybe wasn’t a mlc and I would see how this conversation went.
So when I brought it up my childhood and hers and how it helped create the situation we are in. At first it was not to bad she just sat there and listened. I encouraged her to respond and didn’t get much.  Then the monster came out. She said she has been working on saving our marriage for 16 years and she is done now. She said so many things that just were not true. She was trying really hard to make me the bad guy. I stayed calm didn’t interrupt and listened and acknowledged everything she said. The things she would say showed how confused her mind is right now. She would say I don’t hate you but would not acknowledge any positive feelings towards me. She blamed herself alot and said it was her fault we were in this situation then say stuff like I don’t want to talk anymore because you keep interrupting me which I never did at all. It was really frustrating to try to have a conversation with her because she was just so hellbent on coming up with a reason to hate me and she really struggled to come up with one. I owned up to my part on a negative environment. I told her I was standing for our marriage and that made her angry . She finally just monstered and I tried to end the conversation a couple times but it was hard to come up with a good way to end it. I really didn’t want to end it with her mad. I was hoping it would be a positive conversation to help move forward.   She just kept escalating and getting mad for really no reason other than I tried to talk to her and basically I can’t and won’t magically disappear.  It really confirmed to me that it is a mlc. Not sure what to do now. Talk don’t talk, is not talking creating a more positive environment? This is all so confusing.
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WTH
#11: September 29, 2023, 08:46:21 PM
It is. This is very much my story and sounds like MLC.

I am a year ahead of you. You won’t like what I am going to say as I did not listen when I was told. It is a marathon. There are no quick fixes and there may be no fix at all.

My wife said I ignored problems for years. She is probably right that I did not realise how unhappy she was. But when I did she is not prepared to forgive or move forward. The truth is somewhere in the middle. It was not as bad as she says and not as good as I think.

I would encourage you to stop fixing. Just focus on yourself and being calm. It is very hard. Work on yourself. Exercise a lot. Try to control your thoughts.

You are not going to talk yourself out something you behaved yourself into. And sadly the only control you have is in your own well being.
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#12: September 29, 2023, 09:42:15 PM
Do marriages actually survive this because right now she can’t even admit she ever liked me? It is so mind blowing to have someone who loved you so much be so cold in an instant
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#13: September 30, 2023, 01:06:36 AM
There are some return stories (lavender and purple icons), and some still standing after many years. You can decide to stand, but still take care of yourself. And you can decide not to stand 2,3,5 years down the line if you choose. You can change your mind daily. But you can't make it better or fix it.its not really about you or anything you did or didn't do.

Standing Strong has a good thread about his decision to stand, and go live his life while his W figures herself out. It's not for everyone, but a very good read.

If you want to talk to her, talk about mundane things, not relationship things. My xh lied to me, lied about me, gaslighted me, stole from me, verbally abused me, then abandoned me. A person who could do that is not going to have an honest conversation. Your W needs to make you the bad guy to justify her poor decisions. She is not going to have an honest conversation.

Some marriages survive (though the odds are not in that favor). But there's a lot of not so good times to get there. If you mean to stand for your marriage, batten down the hatches and start on your own journey. Change what you want or need to for you. You could jump through every hoop your W will give you and it will never be enough.
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Re: WTH
#14: September 30, 2023, 01:09:22 AM
Do marriages actually survive this because right now she can’t even admit she ever liked me? It is so mind blowing to have someone who loved you so much be so cold in an instant

But that is MLC.  Do not expect the MLCer to even consider you in their thinking.  You are the closest person to them - you know their flaws, their weaknesses and most of all you know that this is not them that you are seeing and witnessing.  Therefore you are the person who is the most "dangerous " to them.  When my H BDd me, he started to cry - I went to offer him a hug and I shall never forget his face which was one of terror - he put his arms out to stop me even getting within a few feet of him and shrieked (yes shrieked) "Don't come near me - I don't want you anywhere near me!"
That cut me to the quick and I was incredibly shocked - in hindsight I think it was that specific action and words of his that started my PTSD not so much the news of OW.

Can a marriage survive - well you have to look bravely at this and say to yourself that the marriage you knew and had is dead.  You are still married and choosing to stay married is down to you.  Marriages that recover from MLC are usually stronger and much more than they were before. The challenge is the time it takes and the LBS choosing to heal and detach from the situation.
Some marriages do end in divorce - mine ended in separation because, even though we are fully reconnected after 10yrs since BD,  my S will never forgive H for what happened.  And so to ensure that my S feels safe  (because in fairness I allowed H to be a stay at homer and S was subject to some awful behaviour) H and I live separately.
We're still married - he calls me his wife to people we meet. He has transformed into a much better person and we could, arguably, live together again and reconcile.  But it's my choice not to.  H has still much to learn about himself and I am so content with my life.  Whether that will change is not necessary at this moment in time.

MLC changes people; it changes marriages; it changes perspectives; it changes everything and in the long run, these changes can be for the better. It's up to you as the LBS to accept the situation (very hard to do in early months or years)  detach and move forward one tiny step at a time. 
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BD march 2013
Stay at home MLCer
OW for 3.5 years - finishing Autumn 2016
Reconnection started 2017.
Separated 2022 (my choice because he wanted to live alone) and yet fully reconnected seeing each other often.

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#15: September 30, 2023, 02:11:26 AM
loo030, it is hard to grasp that this is not about you and not about the marriage, we get that.

The MLCer has fallen out of love with themselves and you are part of "themselves" since your lives are so intertwined. They look for a reason for their discomfort with themselves and you are an easy and convenient target to blame. Some say its been bad for 1 year, then change stories to 5 years, then 10 years, etc.

They also point to things like, "you left the vacuum cleaner on the stairs", "the dog is too fat", and "you bought a lawnmower when we were first married" as justifications for why they are no longer in love with you.

What happens is that to fix their discomfort with falling out of love with themselves, they dream up a fantasy life with all new things. Monster typically comes out in two places. One is when you (sometimes just your presence does this) challenges their notion that you are the source of all bad feelings about themselves. The second is if you challenge their fantasy life.

The fantasy life gives them a temporary dopamine increase (new car, new looks, new other person, new house, etc). With each dopamine increase, they feel justified that the old things were the source of bad feelings about themselves.

The fantasy life and the MLCer have similarities to how people addicted to drugs act to make excuses for and to deny that there is a problem. In this case, the fantasy life is their drug, it is what provides the temporary high--until it doesn't.

It takes a looooonnnggg time because they have lots of new things to try and each new thing gives them a temporary boost.

This is why your time and effort, as much as you can, should turn to taking care of you, turn to healing you. What can you do to heal?
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« Last Edit: September 30, 2023, 02:20:06 AM by Reinventing »

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#16: September 30, 2023, 03:03:42 AM
I’m with the others here that having that conversation, as good as your intent was, was a MLC 101 error. An understandable one, we get it, but an error nonetheless. It suggests that you have not yet reached the point where you see the real practical limits of your own responsibility and influence. Which is understandable too.

Whatever is going on with your wife, she will need to find her own way to comprehend and address. Or not. She may seem a bit bonkers to you, but she is not a child. And imho the advice about ‘setting an environment’ that might ‘fix’ her is not a healthy or appropriate one.

Any conversation about a ‘we’ will inexorably draw you into a R talk of some kind….and that rarely goes well. Right now, your wife does not want to hear anything you have to say that does not fit what she is telling herself. She does not want to buy what you are selling….in fact, she will probably react with anger and defensive monstering the more you try to push her onto your page. And she does not care about your thoughts, feelings or opinions much. That’s a hard thing to swallow after years of a shared life, we get it.

So, stop doing what isn’t working, my friend. Let experience give you useful lessons about what works for you and what doesn’t.

What could be productive though is to think about the environment that you set for yourself, what will help you process and heal from the residue of negative aspects of your own childhood. Share as much of as little as you wish about that here….you’re likely not alone in that experience though….how is the current situation triggering old wounds? What are your default ways of coping with difficult things that you think might need a new approach? What do you need most right now which you can do something about? What are you most fearful about? What are your boundaries that help you take good care of yourself?

Do most marriages survive this kind of hurricane? Tbh, usually not. That’s a hard pill to swallow too, isn’t it? Bc at the moment it’s like trying to save your marriage by clapping one handed. You may choose to not do things that add to the destruction, and that is part of deciding to stand, but you can’t control your wife’s choices. The few that do take a lot of damage and time - years not months usually - before one can even look at what is left to rebuild, or one’s willingness to do it, and that takes two as well of course.

What we can say is that there are things you can do right now to help YOU survive whether you marriage does or not. I’d encourage you to focus on that. Bc that IS something you can control and choose.
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« Last Edit: September 30, 2023, 03:05:44 AM by Treasur »
T: 18  M: 12 (at BD) No kids.
H diagnosed with severe depression Oct 15. BD May 16. OW since April 16, maybe earlier. Silent vanisher mostly.
Divorced April 18. XH married ow 6 weeks later.


"Option A is not available so I need to kick the s**t out of Option B" Sheryl Sandberg

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#17: September 30, 2023, 05:25:19 AM
Hey loo :D

Sorry you find yourself here.  :(
The good news is: you found yourself here!!!  ;)

So she's about to be 50...... how about menopause? Has that started up yet?
It's obvious she's been thru a lot in the last few years...... but from what you wrote, maybe it's MLC - but maybe not.
Plenty of recent trauma and change in her life, but what about damage from early life? Did she have any serious meltdowns 10 years ago?

So Larry B says to make the environment better - not bad advise, but it's not something which will "fix" your problem. It's just a component (IMO) and a positive component. Yeah I'm familiar with his stuff, his viewpoint in a nutshell is waiting them out and being nice enough that they come around eventually [which is cringe - and doesn't work unless they end up with nowhere else to go]. The thing about Larry is: His wife was not in MLC. Nope. Not a chance. He describes his wife being horrible very early in the marriage, and then having a terrible marriage for three decades until finally snapping out of it. That isn't MLC, so how can he help men with wives in MLC? (you learn these things as time goes on  :-\ )
 
I'd say that RCR's coaching is far superior (IMO) for having your hand held and walking you thru things which are very confusing at the beginning (and there will be many confusing things).  :) Matter of fact, I'd really recommend it - especially since you talked to Larry already: compare and contrast the two. You'll find they are very different.

It's wonderful you are looking for help, that's fantastic. It's the 1st step towards a positive outcome, and you must love her very much.
Big pat on the back for you. Pace yourself Loo...... deep breaths. Go too fast and you'll blow yourself up. It may seem like you need to move as fast as possible..... slow down. The panic is in her, the panic is in you..... you're going to feed on each other. You'll have to be the one to break this loop, and that will take time.

Keep writing - it really helps. Get those thoughts, feelings, doubts and questions OUT!!! Don't hold them in.  :D

-SS

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#18: September 30, 2023, 06:49:24 AM
Quote
I'd say that RCR's coaching is far superior (IMO) for having your hand held and walking you thru things which are very confusing at the beginning (and there will be many confusing things).  :) Matter of fact, I'd really recommend it - especially since you talked to Larry already: compare and contrast the two. You'll find they are very different.

I had a strong need to understand what had happened and whether there was something I could do to make things better. I could not understand how this loved spouse could become so cold and cruel.

I searched the internet (which brought me to HS) and bought many many books on relationships and saving your marriage. I met frequently with other LBSers and talked for hours about the "meaning" of his actions and contact.

I think it is very normal to do this, to do everything we possibly can. I found RCR's articles and her responses to be the best thing to help me understand what was happening. I needed to understand MLC before I could start to focus on my own needs....other's stories were also helpful as I saw time and time again, similar stories.

Although we "advise" you not to have any relationship talks, it's a hard thing to do at the beginning. All our married life, we talked through any issues that were a problem so to learn that this is something that they do not participate in, sometimes takes us several attempts, and knowledge of what a crisis means.

Your BD was 4 months ago, a very short time to adjust to this new person, a very short time to even consider that this is all just  a mistake and that she will realize and with work, things will sort themselves out.

The length of  time that a crisis takes, seemed impossible to me. Years ago, RCR said 2-3 years and I screamed "I cannot do this this for that long"..and that was revised to 3-7 years, there are many of us whose spouses are still in "crisis" more than a decade later.

Quote
Do marriages actually survive this because right now she can’t even admit she ever liked me? It is so mind blowing to have someone who loved you so much be so cold in an instant

RCR started this site because marriages sometimes do survive this. I know that the "stats" are not very positive, but there really is no way to calculate how many MLCers return...too many variables and often the LBSer is long gone.

We search endlessly for return stories...after so many years, it seems to me that there really is no way to predict and certainly nothing the LBSer did, for those couples who reconcile....other than be open to the possibility ...and forgiveness.

I still believe that reconciliation is possible but my mental and physical health became vital, and so my thoughts switched from will our marriage survive this to how will I survive this...that might sound over reactive, but this takes a toil on us physically and sends us into a "crisis" of our own...until we get our feet on the ground again, and figure out how to live with out them.

Each person here, incredibly wishes to help and each of our stories and our beliefs about marriage are different. Your story will be different too. The support you receive here will help you, but you are the only one to decide what is right for you and your family, so take what you read that fits, and discard those that don't.

I wish you did not have to be here.....it took me a long time to feel whole again but it does happen.
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"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see" Hebrews 11:1

"You enrich my life and are a source of joy and consolation to me. But if I lose you, I will not, I must not spend the rest of my life in unhappiness."

" The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it". Flannery O'Connor

https://www.midlifecrisismarriageadvocate.com/chapter-contents.html

K
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WTH
#19: September 30, 2023, 07:13:55 AM
Do marriages actually survive this because right now she can’t even admit she ever liked me? It is so mind blowing to have someone who loved you so much be so cold in an instant

You may find, as many of us do, that some point later in time she denies saying these things. My H said some hurtful things when he left, when I saw him a year later, he denied saying them. Not sure if it is a memory thing, or if it's to do with how much they cycle/ change their minds. Probably a bit of both. Some cycle faster than others. It's very hard, but you have to take what they say with a pinch of salt. This includes the good things, because the same logic applies, and the positives can draw you back in, only to get a wallop later down the line. I know this from experience (I will update my thread soon.) A person doesn't go from snuggling and handholding one day, to this kind of vitriol the next, without there being a serious mental fracture. If you can look at that objectively, you will see this. She felt safe with you for all those years. You were a good H it seems. But knowing all this won't help your mental health much.

My therapist said: Depression changes people. And there's also the well-used, but true phrase - hurting people hurt people.

As to the survival - when I first came here, I kept reading the statement, words to the effect of - it is the LBS in the end that makes the choice. I sort of agree with this, but not necessarily in the context of the MLC returning remorseful and willing to work on the M. I believe it is more to do with a decision many of us make about how much damage we can endure. Or, a point we get to, because I imagine it is more a visceral response, that we know we've had enough. Being the spouse of a depressed person in the context of MLC, it is exhausting and it takes a toll. Yes, detachment is the goal, but realistically it takes time - you'd have to be a stone to do it within a year even, IMO (and I am quite a stony sort  8) ). My H left home over a year ago, I dropped the rope very quickly, and yet he still re-triggers me and causes me distress.

In a parallel story, about 7 years ago, a friend of mine's H performed a classic MLC script (he was Super FOO candidate plus, and had not long lost his father). Got pregnant with OW (when he and my F had long tried for a baby themselves) and all the dreadful stuff we all see here. She never analysed his behaviour much beyond it being $h!tety, selfish and narcissistic. No talk of crisis, no MLC etc and although she grieved deeply, she moved swiftly. Now she has a great job in NYC, new partner and a good life. ExH is living a shrunken life in rural Wales (no offence to Wales :) ) He tried, after a couple of years, to re-engage her but she wanted nothing to do with him. She has moved on. My point is not to criticize a standing approach, or say that this is what everyone should do (I certainly didn't) - it is really just to highlight being to be the rock, the stander, the lighthouse, it is likely so much harder than just ripping off the band aid. For those who have journeyed through to success, it may be worth it. But, IMO, we all need to keep a check on our own health and also the toll this situation is taking on our other relationships. All the emotional energy that goes into the MLC is energy not going into sustaining our children, family and friends. All of whom needs us.
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« Last Edit: September 30, 2023, 07:16:08 AM by KayDee »

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#20: September 30, 2023, 01:51:53 PM
Welcome to the club nobody wants to be member of.

Right now in the early stages you do not have to make anything special besides focusing on your wellbeing (financial, mental and physical) and observing (from distance)  what's cooking in MLC land. I would say the main lesson/skill to learn on this stage is responding mindfully instead of reacting, no matter what. If you react it is like pouring gasoline to flames. It will take at least 3-6 months to master responding. You know you are there when nothing she says or does not cause instant  emotional kneejerk reactions.

Another important skill is learning to place boundaries for your own protection. You cannot control what she does, but you can define how you will respond and what consequences there will be if she crosses your borders. It is all about self respect / self love. Again, prepare for months of self study.

Once you feel you have some level of control of your life, it is tume to start thinking about GAL. If you consider MLC behaviour as infectious condition (both depression and anxiety can spread to family members), then getting a life (gal) of your own is the antidote. Spend time with family, go meet your friends, do things you love, anything that gets you off from MLC land.

By this point, you have likely reached the one year mark from BD.  Which just highlights the fact that this is not a sprint but marathon. You may want a lot of things right here right now. But that is not how growth or healing happens. Not for you, nor your partner.

Which takes to what KayDee wrote ....sometimes moving on in life can be or can seem easier than standing. And I think it is large contributor why so many MLCrs jump out of marriages within first 3-12 months. They simply do not have the energy and resources to navigate through any longer as crisis has already consumed them alive. If you put them more pressure, the faster they run out... what you do and how you proceed from here is a personal decision. Some stand forever, others move on instantly, others have some boundary that sets them free (like partner applying a divorce).... the good news is you do not need to make that choice now.

Alvin.

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At time of BD.... Me: 43, XW: 41
Kids: G19,G18,G14,G12,S5
Together - 20½ Years, Married 19 Years

BD ("I don't love you"): Feb 2019, 
BD2 ("I don't want to fix this marriage."), Mar 2020
D filed May 2020, D finalized Dec 2020
I have moved on, and am in new relationship.

Lessons from Stoicism and REBT helped me to exit the chaos zone and become a better person. 

"Happiness and freedom begin with a clear understanding of one principle: Some things are within our control, and some things are not. - Epictetus"

J
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WTH
#21: September 30, 2023, 04:05:44 PM
Hi, loo030

Sorry you find yourself in this situation. Be careful with Larry Bilotta. Like SS said, Bilotta is coming from a different place. I took his course, and it did keep me occupied in early days, and maybe gave me some hope. But at the same time a lot of it is fishy. I also agree with SS that coaching sessions with RCR are more helpful (and there's a group class that she offers online).

One of Bilotta's references is a book called Reality Transurfing, which is basically another version of The Secret, or the idea of manifesting, or what's most commonly known as "fake it 'til you make it." There is some useful stuff, and some not so useful. One of the big concepts of Reality Transurfing is the idea of "energy pendulums" which may be better described as energy vortices. People can try to snag the energy of others to build up their own cause, and ideally you ignore that. The short description is to accept your situation, focus on good things, be mindful, and don't get caught up in other people's drama, especially the MLCer.

Here is a summary of ideas from the pendulum concept. I'm not so sure about the "you are neither important nor worthless" one, although I suppose it can mean to not take yourself too seriously. This board is the best place by far to vent any and all feelings about your situation, because we've all been there, and we understand empathize with the craziness. Hang in there!

 

 
  • Accept Trouble. Merely accept the pendulum as having a right to exist – leave it alone, never blame it, never get angry at it, accept it as something that exists. Accepting does not mean that you embrace it; you pass it with indifference, wave goodbye as it passes through you, no longer think about it.
  • Problems Are Easy: Keep saying a problem is easy to solve and it becomes so.
  • Search Out Good: Your job is to grab onto the fine thread of good news. Do that by taking an interest in any good news no matter how small. Focus on this good news, good ideas, good purposes.
  • Have Gratitude For It: Accept your present situation as it is. Make even the smallest thing a source of joy. Start by having gratitude for it. Things you throw away deserve your gratitude. Give out positive thought vibrations.
  • Walk Right Through Trouble: When and unfortunate event happens, it is just the pendulum attempting to hook you. Accept it, ignore it, and stay on the Wave.
  • I’m Neither Good Nor Bad: Accept everything about yourself and your situation as good. You are neither important, nor are you worthless.
  • Be Comfortable With Everything: Keep your level of importance, care, concern, need, worry, desire, ambition at zero. Eliminate your mind’s Caring Angry Friend scam.
  • Be Calm And Listen: It is good to allow your mind to be distracted at times so your soul can give you its insights which are ALWAYS right. Order your agitated thoughts to be quiet and ask, “Do I feel good or bad?” If bad, pick a different choice and ask again. Your soul will steer you in the right direction.
  • Friction-Free Life: Do everything calmly. Do everything in the easiest, not anxious, way possible.
  • There’s Multiple Possibilities: In order to avoid becoming anxious about your goals, accept defeat ahead of time. ONE TIME, imagine a scenario of a potential defeat and imagine what would happen if you don’t reach your goal. When you see this, imagine other options to ensure your success, other ways that things might also work in your favor. Do this ONLY ONCE and then it will free you from the need to force your goal into happening a certain way.
  • Greatness Is Normal: Keep looking at your “Have List” every day so you can feel comfortable with this new way of life. Get comfortable with your Have List. Until it is seen as an ordinary life (meaning you are no longer in awe of it), your new Have List will not arrive.
  • Possibility Is Comfortable: Pay attention to the comfort level of your soul. Imagine that everything on your Have List has already been reached. It’s all behind you now. Do you feel very good or very bad? If you feel good, you found your door. If not, assist your soul and keep looking.
  • Secure The Best: When things go right for you, and you feel you’re on a mountain top, dig a foxhole. This means that you will be prepared for the pendulum, your anxiety to come and try to take this away from you. Drop your own importance for this mountain top experience. Immediately let the pendulum fall to nothing. Black Stamp it.
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Everything has a beginning and an end. Life is just a cycle of stops and starts. They're ends we don't desire, but they're inevitable and we have to face them. That's what being human is all about.  -Jet Black, Cowboy Bebop

l
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WTH
#22: September 30, 2023, 04:48:15 PM
Thank you everyone for replying to me. I am reading them and trying to dissect it all. I am reading all them once and will go back and read them again and if I have something I will reply. But for now I am overwhelmed when I think about it to much so am trying to disengage to not feel like crap.
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BD May 2023
Still living at home
SS 26, D19, S17, D15

 

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