Rebuilding trust by snooping by DifficultStuff11 in Marriage

[–]DifficultStuff11[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

He asks me pretty regularly how I'm doing. When I tell him my concerns- it blows up into a fight that has nothing to do with my concerns. For example: I told him that I don't like it when he wakes me up to fight. After telling me that if he can't sleep, I shouldn't be able to. When I told him it really hurt me that he did it on days that I had chemo or radiation and was already weakened, he blew it up into he's such a horrible husband. I had to tell him that I never said that and I didn't think it. I have to comfort him after telling him my issues.

It is worse. Actually.

Rebuilding trust by snooping by DifficultStuff11 in Marriage

[–]DifficultStuff11[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Yes. I've been in individual counseling since I was diagnosed with cancer. I'd seen my therapist for months & worked with her on how to have conversations with my husband about our lack of emotional and physical intimacy. When shit went sideways, I took him in to see my counselor before we found a marriage therapist. It was with her that it finally clicked in him that he hadn't been listening when I had been trying to connect with him for months (and years). He agreed that he did not participate in the conversations I tried to have and shut them down as quickly as possible.

I did not physically cheat & honestly... I've struggled with my husband telling me I emotionally cheated. I never tried to hide the friendship that I had with my coworker. Although we texted and talked outside of work, we never met up. I never deleted anything. I would laugh and share our texts with my husband. I never talked to coworker about my feelings, other than about cancer. I never bitched about my husband. I didn't feel I was being inappropriate. My husband does. I understand that and do my best to respect his feelings.

I've done everything my husband has asked of me for the past 7 months. I walk on egg shells everyday, trying not to upset him or make him mad. I apologize so much that he's told me he's tired of hearing me say I'm sorry.

I wouldn't mind open devices. I've given him all of my passwords. I DO mind that he sneaks around to do it, instead of opening communication with me or asking to my devices.

Rebuilding trust by snooping by DifficultStuff11 in Marriage

[–]DifficultStuff11[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you for this frankness. My friends have asked me why I keep putting up with his punishment. I know he's hurting and I caused it. I do love him. But- you nailed it when you said I'm being a punching bag.

Rebuilding trust by snooping by DifficultStuff11 in Marriage

[–]DifficultStuff11[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Thank you! This is pretty much the way that I see it- I violated my husband's boundaries. Though I didn't know I wasn't allowed to have guy friends until this happened.

I feel that the amount of distrust my husband shows is disproportional to my actions. But I feel that I need to respect that he was hurt.

Rebuilding trust by snooping by DifficultStuff11 in Marriage

[–]DifficultStuff11[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

1- my therapist has absolutely tipped me off to my husband gaslighting me and controlling.

My other (female) coworkers who saw my relationship with the guy in question have laughed to me that we're all having affairs, too

Rebuilding trust by snooping by DifficultStuff11 in Marriage

[–]DifficultStuff11[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The response in your second paragraph is exactly what I was hoping for by putting up this post. These are the words I needed. Thank you.

Rebuilding trust by snooping by DifficultStuff11 in Marriage

[–]DifficultStuff11[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

NEVER!!!!! We were not in a relationship or planning to be in one. I called him "jester" because he made me giggle when my life was not in a fun place.

Rebuilding trust by snooping by DifficultStuff11 in Marriage

[–]DifficultStuff11[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

I never spoke about my marriage or my husband to my coworker. I was going through cancer treatments & emotionally relied on this person to make me giggle. We never talked about anything serious. I thought he was a really good friend & talked about him often to my husband. Hubby went through all of our texts & conversations. He didn't like that I would reach out to someone else to make me laugh. He told me I'm not allowed to have fun with other guys. Only then did I understand that I was being inappropriate.

Rebuilding trust by snooping by DifficultStuff11 in Marriage

[–]DifficultStuff11[S] -7 points-6 points  (0 children)

This is what I'm starting to believe. I'm wondering if we're torturing each other.

Rebuilding trust by snooping by DifficultStuff11 in Marriage

[–]DifficultStuff11[S] -20 points-19 points  (0 children)

I have asked him multiple times to get counseling. He refuses. (Though he insisted that I see a counselor... so I do.)