I'm the non-ADHD spouse. A little backstory, we've been married for two years and I've dealt with a lot of his impulsiveness, rage, mood swings, and general irresponsibility. These things caused me to create unhealthy coping mechanisms and dynamics and earlier this year our relationship was pure chaos. So we went to counseling and things started to get better. But recently things are crazy again.
I realized I have severe depression and anxiety so I started on some antidepressants which truly saved my life. The first day on them, my husband was so happy with the change I made and he actually cried saying he missed me and he's glad I'm not suffering.
Weeks have went by and now that I'm in therapy dealing with unhealthy coping mechanisms and codependency issues, it's awoken a beast inside of him. In our entire relationship, when he sets boundaries whether he vocalizes them or not, they're expected to be followed or he will rage. So his boundaries are always respected. Recently I started setting my own boundaries and all hell has broken loose. He doesn't respect any of them. He makes me feel bad for having an hour or two to myself. My medication makes me really tired so if I go to sleep an hour before him (usually around 1AM) he'll complain for a week saying I don't want to spend time with him and I'm always hiding from him so I can't complain about not spending quality time with him because it's my fault we don't have it. Usually we have sex every day or multiple times a day, but since starting antidepressants and birth control I have a much lower sex drive. This has been such a problem. It's "my fault" I have a low sex drive (and it's not even low honestly, he's just hyper sexual) Now instead of every day we have sex every two or three days. Which to me is plenty often. But he makes me feel guilty constantly. He says I think he's nasty and when I do want to have sex he's says I'm just lying to make him feel better. Even if we have good sex and I tell him I enjoyed it he says I'm lying. This has caused so many arguments it's not even funny.
Finally, if I tell him I need reassurance or I need to talk about a problem, he jumps past listening and tells me everything he thinks I'm doing wrong and what I need to do better. When I tell him I don't need solutions I just need to vent and feel better, he says I never want to change and I blame my depression for everything. When I ask why he always points out what's wrong with me even when I'm just trying to tell him my feelings he says he has to fix me because I'm incapable of fixing myself (even though I am in therapy and taking medication to fix myself). He says he has to fix me his way.
All I see now that I've gotten a grip on my mental health are red flags. He's not medicated and not in therapy but says he is putting more effort into changing than I am and I'm not trying hard enough
I had no idea me changing for the better would trigger a side of him I've never seen. He is so critical and cold towards me it's honestly making it more difficult for me to set boundaries and make personal progress. I'm at a loss here and I have no clue what to do.
Your husband needs to learn respect for you!
Submitted by c ur self on
He is controlling and manipulating you....You are perfect candidates for counselling....Your husband needs to be patient, and understanding while you deal w/ your stress, he is just making it worse! What kind of a mind does a person have who tells their spouse, they have to fix them??? He has more issues than adhd....
It's obvious you both have issues (like we all do) but, you will never improve without some love and understanding from one another...Sex want fix your problems or his...Good sex should be two sided, and love based...Healthy marriage's where both partners love and respect each other usually have no problems pleasing their spouse...
The worse thing you can do is to continue to try and have conversations with someone who only wants to fix you....Go talk to a friend or counselor, but, stop talking to him, until he starts caring and listening...He don't have to agree with you, but, he needs to listen and show love...And the best and quickest way for him to understand this, is for you to not speak to him until it gets his attention....Even if it's months!
c
he missed me and he's glad I'm not suffering
Submitted by bowlofpetunias on
That sounds like the way you talk about a person who died after a long bout with cancer.
Glad you're taking care of yourself
Submitted by SeekingEquanimity on
Him fixing you his way is unacceptable! So is his raging and pressuring you for sex.
You mentioned that you've only been married for 2 years. If the relationship is this bad this soon, you may want to cut your losses sooner than later. Over the many years that my ADHD wife and I have been together and separated her ADHD symptoms have gotten worse.
It sounds like you have your hands full dealing with your depression, anxiety and boundary issues. If you don't want to give up on your marriage yet, it's time for couples counseling. Do be prepared that it may not bring significant enough or long enough changes.
My wife and I went to couples counseling years ago before she was diagnosed with ADHD. It seemed to be helping, but after several sessions she wanted to stop. She has tried therapy on her own and always finds something wrong with the therapist.
I'm not saying that people with ADHD can't manage their ADHD, but it takes a lot of work and commitment. Many just aren't up to the task.
Good for you for caring of your own mental health!
I truly hope you divorced him
Submitted by SJC2021 on
I truly hope you divorced him. If you think its bad now after two years, what do you think 20 will look like ?
He will never change. Accept it. Move on.
I agree.
Submitted by sickandtired on
This kind of guy will never change! He is obviously projecting all of his inadequacies on you to make himself feel better. It speaks volumes that he is angry when you are seeking help and getting insight into your own mental health. He resents the fact that you’re changing, and he’s not doing the work to improve his own emotions. Blaming others is classic ADHD. You are still early in your relationship. SJC is correct that as time passes, he will only get worse. If you have children with him, his behavior will become much worse, because he will be jealous of your attention to the child. My ex was jealous of the attention I paid to our dogs. He was abusive to them, and when I tried to protect them, he accused me of caring about the dogs more than I cared about him.... always the victim. I hope you divorce this controlling angry man too.