Now I am married to someone who treats me the same way. I would break off all contact with him. I dont know how to them respond when she goes ballistic Im usually blindsided. You can let him know that this kind of thing upsets you and suggest ways to make decisions together. I told him that it was never my intention to blame him but this sentence always comes from his mouth everytime we had arguments and I shared how I feel. I know you have a child with this man. "It may seem innocent enough like [they talk] more about [their] life than yours on your dates and in your phone conversations," says Russo. Copyright 2023 Live Well with Sharon Martin. But our kids grew up and Im certain I made the very best decision. He tells what what he said, what he did, what others said, what others did. The harder you may try, the more frustrated you maybecome. #1: They minimize your feelings. It has got to the point that I say nothing and this is making me so sad. He never tells me how he feels. How to Deal With a Husband Who Thinks He Does Nothing Wrong - Marriage.com An excerpt of it is below. Not me, but the antidote is ground rules and boundaries. If I tell my husband the light is flashing on the water softener meaning it needs salt, he responds no it doesnt. If I tell him the mixer in the other shower isnt working and the water is scalding hot he says no its not. If I tell him what the doctor said or vet said he responds that makes no sense or or thats not true. Once I smelled smoke in the house and I ran to get my husband. If you ever notice that it is a repeat pattern where your partner invalidates you just leave. Your feelings do count. I cant wait to be out from under him. Heartbreaking Signs Your Husband Doesn't Care About You Anymore David, I know Im responding years after your original post, but I hope you have found peace. Its possible that your husband doesnt fully realize the impact of what hes doing and how much its affecting your self-esteem, but he may also be doing it intentionally. 8. Ever. It is killing me because all I want is to be understood by someone for once in my life! When a marriage lacks connection During the early. Your husband is accustomed to the fact that he can get away with not really addressing your feelings, and he doesnt feel the need for this to change because it would require more effort than hes willing to give. This is perceived as anger, anger thats manifested simply because Im lying or acting out a leaned emotion and Im failing to make her believe an untruth. Your article has helped me not feel so crazy. And I have to admit, it has been a challenge for me to not try to say OH ME TOO, that happens to me all the time, or OMG my SIL does the same thing LOL Anyway I am glad to have found reasons for why I am who I am! All the time and when I walked away how I did even I didnt realize that my feelings for her far exceeded the stress and doubt in myself that I had about being able to deal with a little girl version off the black kid from role models on steroids. Because all my life up until the day that I met him my feelings I dont think have ever been validated. I dont know what to do. Therapy may help, but it wont get to the underlying problem, which is yall need space. You might have noticed a stubbornness or resistance to change or compromise in the past. Once he sees that youre upset, and once he has that level of accountability, he should start to change his behavior. I have read and re-read this article a number of times, and it gave me the information I need to have a discussion with my invalidating husband of many years. Whatever is causing his behavior, its not justified. 8 clear signs you're not a priority in your husband's life Why do you think thats ok to do? 14 signs of an uncaring husband (and what to do about it) - Ideapod I have struggled with my feelings and emotions for the almost 6-7 years. Our first couple of years were great as most relationships BUT I am so scared to tell thus man about my feelings because it turns into a fight. Photos courtesy of Canva.com. I didnt yell, I was crying and even my voice was cracking trying to say that I am hurt but he didnt soften his actions. Unless he can treat you with respect and kindness id distance myself. NO, it is not too much to ask. I know Im a tough egg to crack because I was raised by invalidating parents but Ive found myself feeling very alone and worried about about my adult childs alcoholism. Maybe you feel that you are loved under certain conditions only, or you keep up a facade for your partner. 2. Much love. Its just when this girl interferes, my insecurities get the best of me and he just doesnt care to understand. I started to tell this friend that the results were good! It can be difficult to know when things need a bit more work from one or both of you and when things are simply not going to get better. Its toxic and I gave a generous notice for end of December. My irrational behavior, as my mom puts it, is not productive and will get me no where. Girl, crying more than youre laughing isnt a healthy relationship. I really struggle with some aspects of what youre saying as I do get quite defensive when my partner shares her feelings about how my actions have made her feel, but this is because I feel I havent done anything to her but she is nevertheless accusing me often of invalidating her feelings. I cant tell her how I feel without her bringing herself into it. I knew if I opened my mouth that I would start crying from the bottom of my very soul. For example, when weve been mistreated by partners in the past, were more likely to then look for red flags or bad behaviorsometimes when it isnt necessarily present. You dont want to miss these crucial pieces of information because they can help you to take care of yourself and make decisions to keep yourself safe. Avoid trying to figure out what your silent partner or spouse is thinking. What to Do If You're Tired of Begging for Attention From Your Partner He has previously added a woman and Ive voiced my discomfort. I cant ever just ignore her messages or phone calls because I miss her and ALL of her kids on a daily basis. This can be invalidating because your feelings are being dismissed when someone wants to change your feelings rather than accept them or understand them. This sound like a challenging situation. The first time I expressed to her that sometimes her sarcasm at my expense was hurtful and she responded by getting extremely agitated and leaping off the couch and saying, well I dont think this relationship is going to last. I wasnt trying to end the relationship I was only trying to express my feelings. But the consistency built up to where it was for everything I said. Many, many of your feelings are wrong. Maybe you'll know why they're upset, or maybe you'll have no clue what you did to hurt them. 7 Reasons Its Hard to End Codependent Relationships, https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/f9x3b9, Emotional Invalidation: A Form of Emotional Abuse, 13 Signs You Grew Up in an Enmeshed Family, 10 Ways to Free Yourself from "Toxic" Parents, Why People Refuse to Take Responsibility and How to Cope. This chronic invalidation has finally pushed me to the brink of my sanity. Is that too much to ask? Related - Do you feel awkward around your husband. You can even start with something like being more present during dinnersuggest you put your phones away and have a real conversation, or plan a movie night at home so you can cuddle up together. That makes me so tired and puzzled that I distance from everyone even more: I spend more time on googling, and take even longer to reach received texts/stuff which I find sent to me via internet, Hello Vika Its the same with me too. But what happened really did happen nd hurts even more as tried to do what a person was suppose to meanwhile getting set up for basically to destroy my life and even my family and basically alienated due to lies from others for their own reasons I guess. First of all, from my experience, one may try as much as he/she thinks to convince the spouse to understand him/her still, they dont get along. After over a year of traveling, shes settled in paradise and spends her days wandering around barefoot, practicing yoga and exploring new ways to work on her wellbeing. Perhaps the main reason behind my husband thinks he does nothing wrong is the need to defend himself. 2. I just feel unheard and disregarded in my lowest moments. This is a harsh truth to face, but it could be the reason behind your husband ignoring your feelings. I really handled it the wrong way. Im now 30 and shes 70. He might be shying away from this commitment because he no longer feels like hes getting anything in return, or because hes no longer interested in investing in the relationship. What if shes not a narcissist? Some days, she wears a bow in her . If she does or says something that upsets me, she accuses me of being in a bad mood. Anyway I would love to hear from others who just dealt with the same eye opener. I have seen a therapist who also independently saw my wife so, he has had us both explain ourselves one to one with him. Your feelings dont matter. I cant believe Ive never even heard this kind of language spoken by a therapist. It might almost be a habit or tradition at this point. I simply exhibit learned reactions to emotions. I was in this exact situation with my boyfriend. I hope you can get additional support as you navigate it. At this point he is annoyed with my crying and has told me that he doesnt feel bad anymore, he doesnt care about me, that Im playing the victim now, that he wishes it was just him and the children at home, & that he hates me. God doesnt give you more than you can handle. When Is It Time to Find Long-Term Care for a Spouse or Partner? 8. I have been seeing a therapist for a few months now, it has helped very little. Its just what you need in your current situation. This acknowledges that youve been hurt and gives the other person the opportunity to make it right. The only problem I see is that they didnt acknowledge the fact that you are leaving your friends and that hurt you. But feelings and needing to talk were brushed under the rug, always. But from that day fwd this man of my dreams that so dearly cared about every ounce of feeling and thought that I had over those next 13 months turned into the one that invalidated everything that I felt and that I should not have been feeling anythin but glad n greatfull that it was not me that was the one dying from cancer although every single day I really wished that it was me and that it wasnt him! "I understand you're feeling". My husband doesn't care when I cry. | Talk About Marriage What you're into is dumb. You can try initiating this by suggesting an activity or event that you can enjoy togetherhell soon realize how easy it is to fit in more time with you, and youll find that he puts in more effort the faster he sees how straightforward it is. I didnt bring up the subject myself. When you live with a serious illness - and a bad marriage Who knew the silent treatment could be so damaging? This might be something thats been happening for a long timethere might even be a running joke that he makes about you that you find really upsetting. I got all this today. Having your feelings diminished, ignored, or rejected is a painful experience for all of us but even more so if youre a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) or survivor of abuse or other trauma. My son finally killed the bat. Especially these days since my husband recently past away. Im still on the floor crying, telling him how much I love Him and how much he hurt me and asking him why he would do this. YOU have got to let it go!!! We both suffer from very different emotional childhood issues. I am Sobbing on the floor uncontrollably asking him why he would do this to me and explaining to him that I love Him and would never do something like this even when Im mad. As you know, we can run into emotional problems and become victims when we rely too heavily on external validation. Your feelings are wrong. Its important to form relationships with people who love and respect you, who care about your feelings and want to understand who you are and how you feel. Feelings arent right or wrong. I really appreciate the depth and thoughtfulness of this article and particularly the clarifying questions. As Im writing this to you, Im realizing what I need to do in my situation. You might find yourself making excuses or becoming embarrassed at the thought of admitting to your friends or loved ones whats really going on behind closed doors. Whatever. Ive been taught to do that my entire life by my dad. When Caring For A Sick Spouse Shakes A Marriage To The Core Others may try to invalidate my experiences and feelings, but I will hold on to my truth. ? If this is due to his personality type, its likely something that youve been aware of for a while. Hes. I have a gr8 Dr who has me on quick acting anxiety pills every time I need them & these have been gr8. If your husband is hurting your feelings by spending lots of time without you, you will need to work together to ensure you have enough quality time with each other. If you are not feeling loved, valued, and safe, you are not in a healthy relationship anymore. This might be a big shift in expectations and can cause feelings of unfulfillment, resentment, or dismissal. I dont know how I would cope otherwise. Why? And cut yourself off from anyone who treats you that way. Though you aren't alone in thissexual issues are common in marriagesyou must feel extremely . And it just kinda spiraled downward from there. I was not taught how to dress in tops that hid the incredible pit sweat. Either way, it might have become a habit and hes not realized theres any need to change it because its gone unaddressed for so long. im sorry your going through what i call HELL! too fat to be sexual with or seen with, HELP ME KEEP SANE. I am only learning about this now and understanding it for the first time. They refuse to validate the fact that the day I left my friends I was emotionally destroyed eventhough I rebuilt my life here. Over time, attraction and interest can fluctuate, which can sometimes mean that we stop putting as much effort into things, particularly those that can take up a lot of our energy, like taking peoples feelings into account or engaging in deeper conversations about big topics. I feel like i am nothing anymore and no one cares because he had managed to push them away from me a now i even told my best friend i can no longer speak to her again because he said i chise her over him and he was ready to leave. When you start feeling alone while you're in a relationship, it's a big red flag that your other half isn't putting you first. Feelings are the thing that people are the worst at. I need to back away from this man now. Sometimes its unintentional, but its a sign of emotional abuse when done repeatedly and intentionally. Emotional Invalidators. I have questioned him several times to see if he has reached out to her. It seems like you've been heard, but then the same issue resurfaces later. I then stated that it feels like a roller coaster at times waiting for tests and results, but I was happy. My husband gets upset at me when I'm sick and I want to change - Reddit Ask yourself this - what's changed? I think I have an issue with being invalidated. While your response to sadness is to cry, maybe he needs to take a walk, play sports, or watch TV when he feels blue. I wondered as a teen why so many of the nuns were so angry, mean and heartless. All while rolling his eyes, playing with his phone, and sighing. If youre feeling like your husband is intentionally disregarding your feelings, you need to genuinely consider walking away. Theres no other, easier way out that I know of. But HeyRitual can guide the way and help you achieve the best outcome. Your feelings are all kinds of wrong and underdeveloped. Im 39 years old now and I finally understand they have this problem but it affects me to this day because I have not healed due to their invalidation and expectation of greatful was from me my entire life. I learned to use the word I instead of you in this approach but he still feels like Im attacking him and becomes so defensive about it, thus makes me feel like my feelings are invalidated. But first, you need to end it. Its dealing with that that creates a healthy human. I really dont know what to do. As with every relationship, you both need to make some compromises in order to be happy and fulfilled in your marriage. She however took but never gave back in that all I wanted was some emotional support over time which she never gave me. She was ANGRY when she says this!! I went away to school for 3 1/2 years and was told repeatedly that my feelings didnt matter. He shares facts about his life with me all the time. They keep arguing about it and posting how many great things they have done and that my feelings dont excuse it. When things go south in their marriage, he resorts to name calling and assertions that he doesn't love her and she doesn't deserve him. Why won't He hug me when I'm upset? : r/Marriage - Reddit When I call her out on it, she says I am too sensitive. I found out later on that they had emailed after they ran into each other and he stated in the email that he got butterflies when he saw her. I found this blog post to be very insightful. and I do see, the more I search, so many of my adulthood issues in social and mental health, have most likely stemmed from this childhood of mine. What Is Emotional Invalidation? I Psych Central 11 Major Signs of Emotional Abuse in a Relationship | Allure If you beg for attention and don't receive it, you will feel rejected. But you need to expect more than that. That I just need to get over the traumas that I have suffered in my 21 yrs of life. And Im so glad I found this article because it really made me realize that my feelings shouldve mattered the frist place . You may want to calmly and without blame state that you feel invalidated. The problem is, I am the only one she does this to. I liked the part with all the affirmations. How to Tell If Someone Doesn't Care About You - Psych Central But I know it's not me, its him. My Husband Ignores Me When I Cry (Reasons Why & Solutions) Your husband may be distracted by his own stresses or unwelcome feelings, and his energy and time could be going into addressing and alleviating those. Reading this made me feel a bit better, I felt like posting too. Often, people outside the relationship only see the good side of our partners, and it can be hard for them to believe that theyd ever be nasty to us, or anyone else. I have shut down over the years and stopped talking about the way I feel because all I ever got was a stone wall, being completely ignored (literally just changing the subject or remaining dead silent as if I hadnt said a thing) and sometimes gaslighted or gotten some kind of passive aggressive contempt (eye rolling and sighing). I texted my husband but he never responded. This page may contain links to affiliate partners. I left, twice. You can gently mention that the joke he made hurt your feelings and explain why. My husband invalidates my feelings all the time. By Chris T oday we are going to hear from Kathy whose husband can't seem to bring him self to find a kind word for her. Literally almost everything you said is the same I really hope things got better for you. My BF of 15 yrs has been the biggest verbal abuser and I could not figure it all out till I just got done reading this. Of course, theres a chance that your husband has no idea that hes not showing you enough affection or consideration. Another time she said, you have weird genetics, skin like a mexican and hair like an african. When I mentioned that I didnt appreciate it she said, well maybe you should go to a bar and get hit on by other women and feel better about yourself. There was never a time in my relationship where I felt validated.