I've been married to my husband for almost 12 years. He is a wonderful man, everyone's best friend, would give a stranger the clothes off his back, outside of the home. On the inside, I've felt like I have been going crazy for the past 12 years. I feel as though I am in constant fight or flight mode. I guess I don't understand. I've suspected for quite some time that he has ADD/ADHD but he will not get tested. We went to counseling once where he admits to having it but states he does not want to take medication and feels he can manage it. We quit going because he told me he felt as thought I made him look like a constant "dick" in our sessions. So, I once again just gave up. Some of the things that he tends to do are:waiting to the last minute to get ready if we are going somewhere, underestimating the amount of time it will take to complete a project then getting pissed at himself when things don't work out the way he thinks they should, zoning out on the computer, he is constantly on his cell phone....talking to people or texting people, I seem to get blamed for 99% of the things that go wrong...somehow everything is my fault, he is obsessive about how clean the kitchen is but doesn't care about the rest of the house, he tells me how unorganized I am, he expects perfection from our children (we have 3 boys and I have a daughter from a previous relationship who does not live with us....her and my husband do not get along...) he expects them to sit still, be quiet, etc....my husband expects me to be at his every beck and call and to "help" him constantly which usually results in him getting mad at me for not helping correctly, If I am talking about something at work he constantly interrupts me to tell me something about his work making me feel as though my information is not important enough, my husband is always right...even when he is wrong he is right, he makes a commitment to do something then decides at the last minute he doesn't want to do it because it is too hard or too much work, we make plans to do things then at the last minute he finds a way to get out of them, I feel as though he is constantly sabotaging me...my friendships, my weight loss, etc, he says he will support me but then never seems to follow through with it or he will find a way to berate me or accuse me of something, everything seems to have to be on his terms and done his way, he tells me that I never listen to him and I don't support him, really the list could go on but I will stop there.
So, all in all I feel like I am going absolutely insane. I've gained 40lbs (which I am trying to lose), I cry alot, I try not to engage him in arguments which just seems to infuriate him more, I tackle all the household chores because he is always "too busy" to do anything. I deal with our children the majority of the time because he doesn't have the patience or he is "too busy". But yet when asked he will tell you how much he does around the house and he doesn't understand why I complain so much. I worked full time also and I work 3rd shift so I just feel constantly run down. My husband has kept a steady job and he is really good at what he does. He is very focused at work, organized, able to handle things but when he comes home it all seems to fall apart. I try and tell him how I feel but that just ends up in an argument because he feels as though I am attacking him. He isn't very "loving"....his idea of showing affection is grabbing my breast or slapping me on the butt....he can just act very immature for his age. It is almost like he feels that everything and everyone should revolve around him and his thoughts and his ways. All in all, I am sick of crying, I am sick of fighting, I am sick of feeling broken. I left him once for about 6 weeks and he really did make some improvements and now it feels like we have done a 360. I'm lost. I don't know where else to turn or what else to do. I don't want our marriage to fail but yet I don't know how I am going to survive like this for the next 50+ years.....I can't go back to counseling or he will accuse me of wanting to leave again....I have no one to talk to....my family can't stand my husband and this has created a huge divide between us....I'm just lost....so any help or information, anything, would be deeply appreciated. Thank you in advance!
Hi Krissy...
Submitted by julie jay on
I doubt I'm any help, but I, too, came here today to just let it all out...I think I'm done. I've been with my husband almost 9 years total, married just over 6 years. No kids, thank God, or I would have killed myself, but he has 3 daughters from 2 previous marriages.
The one thing that struck me the most about your post is "the next 50+ years", as that really resonates with me. Just this past weekend, my mother came to see me for my birthday. Her and my father have been married for 51 years. I was telling her about what I was feeling and what was going through my head (I don't have any friends either and my mother is the only one that understands b/c of being married to my dad) and her exact words to me were "I don't want you to go through what I have gone through for 51 years". I recently got put on Prozac and had my birth control pills changed to help control my anxiety and stress levels, b/c I was dropping weight like crazy from simply not being able to eat at all due to stress. I had reconciled to myself that I would just die from starvation, at least it would all be over. The Prozac is a DREAM, but I'm afraid what it has done has allowed me to calm down enough to where I am not running around willy-nilly with my head cut off, worrying about what my husband is doing or not doing, but able to stop, take a deep breath and look around....and I really don't like what I see, what I have become.
My mother also says a lot "after 51 years, I'm TIRED", this is usually after I'll "get on to her" for saying something inappropriate or non-tactful, but I believe she is letting her resentfulness and bitterness out from a life she has lost. I keep thinking, if I'm already tired after just 6 years, what am I going to be like after 10? 15? 20???
Good luck Krissy. I'm sure I'm not any help, but had to feel like I talked to someone myself. :o)
xoxo - julie jay
Don't think you didn't help!
Submitted by Krissy37 on
Don't think you didn't help! It does wonders to me to know I am not alone. I take Prozac also, but only has needed. I also rely on exercise to help get me through and use my job as an escape. When we were going to counseling, I mostly did sessions by myself and that helped tremendously. the counselor I was seeing used a technique to help my brain sort through all the "junk" I was holding onto. Now I don't get as angry or stressed anymore and am better at handling my husbands outburst and temper tantrums. People treat me differently since I came back...we live in a small town that my husband was born and raised in and living here is like going through high school all over again, so, of course, I was the "bad person" the "awful one" for leaving. Sometimes I just want to scream that none of them know what has gone on behind closed doors.
When I would talk about leaving my husband people would always say to me "You will know when enough is enough". I use to fantasize about my husband finding somebody else...lol...Now I just live in the moment, take it minute by minute, breathe and hope for the best. Sometimes I feel that is all I can do to keep it together.
I have a feeling you are a strong person and you will know what is best for you and when it is time to make those things happen. Please feel free to talk any time!
-Krissy
Hi Krissy...just reading you ladies posts....
Submitted by c ur self on
I'm so sorry that you are dealing w/such inconsiderate behavior...There is many common themes here on this forum when it comes to what we all deal with in our add/adhd spouses...But one common theme I see with you ladies more than with the guys is your faithfulness to endure...What I see in so many your lives is an unwillingness to rock the boat so to speak...It's hard to know how to deal with inconsiderate behavior, anger, and being insulted etc...But, I think you need to confront your husband...If he want listen to you...then a counselor is a good option...It's much better than what you are enduring now...For both of you...he just doesn't know it. It's a lot of work this Tyrannical life style...(and from you post, he has issues)...You are a person, and individual, someone God loves...He needs to listen to you...You need to tell him that...If you aren't going to listen to me, respect me, go to counseling with me...Then there is nothing here for me...I am important!
I would tell all you ladies, do not let yourselves be run over...You do not have to be angry or bitter, or loud....As a matter of fact when you get it down to one quiet sentence or two, then you will get results...When either of my wives walk into a room (lost my first one to Breast Cancer) whining and complaining I may or may not hear them...But, if either walked up and set down beside me...Get my attention and say calmly...I love you, but, this marriage is in trouble, I feel abused and unappreciated...And I'm thinking if we can't do a better job of communicating and making positive strides...I do not see me continuing to stay in it....Believe me, when that statement rolled out of a sincere calm face....They would have my attention!
Blessing....C
New
Submitted by NatashaE on
Hi there.
im also new and just stumbled on this page as I searched the Internet for some help.
my husband was diagnosed with ADD 9 years ago and although it's always been roller coaster marriage the last 9 years have been particularly difficult as now I feel he has an excuse and uses it. I constantly get throw back comments of " this is just me so like it or leave it." We have three young children, I'm the only one earning a living right now so its kind of hard to leave it.....although after 17 years of marriage that's about all I have the will to do now.
Tonight it all blew up as we sat at the dining room table over dinner and my husband lied to me in front of the kids and when the kids called him on the lie he got really angry and verbally abusive with them. I don't want my kids to grow up with that.
There re are a million other things....day in and day out. I'm so tired of it all and tired of feeling like the wicked witch because I won't accept the behaviour from him. I have a demanding job and so he is with the kids most of the time and I don't like the lack of values and ethics that they see on a daily basis.
My husband won't do anything but take a pill every day. He wants a magic quick fix and that's it!
I regret letting things go on this long and feel like it's getting worse.
I feel alone and feel like I live a complete lie. No one really sees what's going on and he can keep up appearances for a while so from the outside all looks good. But it's really not. I want out but feel like I'm giving up on marriage vows by doing that.....in the mean time I resent him more and more every day.
It's amazing how exact
Submitted by MSR on
It's amazing how exact reading this is to my life. I got married a year ago and my husband has ADHD. It's the 2nd marriage for both of us. I am so exhausted! I work full time, he lost his job a year ago, I do all the cleaning cooking and anything else while he sits and watches tv and plays Xbox. We are in our forties so the XBOX is insulting at this point in my life to have a video game played 24/7 and to have to sit an wait to ask something till his game is finished. He is highly critical of myself and my son and if I say anything he blows up blames me for everything tells me to leave him alone and plays more XBOX. I've gained 15 pounds and the more I try to talk to him the angrier he gets and turns it all around to blame me again and again. The outburst are getting too common and my 16 year old is confused about how his stepdad acts. My husband has a son and either barely sees him or over compensates and tries too hard but if his son doesn't do what he wants then he shuts him out. Last weekend his son told me his dad was the hardest person in the world to get along with. It made me so sad that his dad affects him that way and he's only 11. I want my marriage to work but the hurtful words he says are damaging and its getting harder and harder to take it while he sits at home all day everyday doing nothing to help himself or our household. His finances are a mess and I'm afraid to merge our things together. He has a home that's about to be foreclosed on as well as blowing every penny of his retirement he took out over the last year from being out of work. He owes his ex for child support and they don't get a long but after a year of this behavior I now know she isn't the evil person he made her out to be. I cry all the time and feel like I'm living in a surreal world where the person I love hates me and never intends on getting a job or participating in being a grown up. This site is making me at least feel like I'm not alone and for the moment I have a little peace.
Do NOT mix your money with his....do not let him have access....
Submitted by overwhelmedwife on
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His finances are a mess and I'm afraid to merge our things together. He has a home that's about to be foreclosed on as well as blowing every penny of his retirement he took out over the last year from being out of work. He owes his ex for child support and they don't get a long but after a year of this behavior I now know she isn't the evil person he made her out to be.
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Do not merge money otherwise your finances will be a mess. Frankly, you need to get out. Your son is being hurt by this.
Your H will never get a job if he has access to your income. There are plenty of posts here from wives whose husbands "play games" all day while their wives work, yet they also blow the wives' earnings on stupid stuff.
You now realize why his first marriage ended. His ex wasn't a bitch, she was likely exhausted, frustrated, etc..
There are many, many cases here on this forum where the person isn't just suffering from ADHD. The anger, yelling, tantrums, and other traits suggest a co-existing mental illness.
Is he living in YOUR home? You mention that he's going to lose the home he owns. Did he not bother to try to sell it? or rent it out?