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I've been with my current partner for nearly 6 years.
It's been mostly wonderful.
Lately, it's been bad.

His communication skills have disappeared along with his ability to listen.
He just does whatever he pleases.

I've attempted to discuss all of this with him to no avail.

It's been a few bad months.

How long would you try to salvage a relationship before you officially called it quits?

Donotbelieve 9 Aug 27
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72 comments

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0

That sucks, I'm sorry. In my experience if communication has died, there is no other path to a successful relationship. If he won't talk about your issues, he already chose to end it.

@Donotbelieve Wow, that's very "adult" of you, I'd probably still be burning his underwear or something equally petty. If there's one thing I really wish I was stronger with it would be forgiveness.

@Donotbelieve I assumed that when you said "he just does whatever he pleases" that he was doing things that were not any longer conducive to your happiness. Personally if a SO began to disregard my feelings I'd be heated.

@Donotbelieve You sound very accepting of the situation. If I'm prying feel free not to answer, but did you go through a phase of extreme emotion over this? I feel like before a relationship ends, that I'm definitely in a state at one point or another where I'm almost to the edge trying to make it work in any way that I can.

@Donotbelieve Holy shit if I get a vote for the 15th Dalai Lama, you're it.

When a relationship ends I take it as a point of pride that I act like an adult. I'll make sure that I don't badmouth the other person or be unfair in how we split, or even hurt them more than absolutely necessary. I want them to be okay for all the good times we had, but inside I'm plotting their demise of them and anyone who's name starts with the same letter.

0

Be prepared for separation even before trying to find out why.

Gert Level 7 Nov 2, 2018

@Donotbelieve I actually meant that in that situation you'd better gather, or at least list those things that are valuable for you. Years ago as there was a bankruptcy rising at the horizon, I took all that was valuable (not just money wise) and stored that with family and friends. Later it appeared that I had not needed to do it, but it still gave me peace of mind riding this bumpy road.

@Donotbelieve You are so lucky. I have a lot of good memories stored in quite some objects. On the other hand, one trunk is probably still enough. They are just for the years that are left for me to live. When I die I don't care anyway. But, I'm glad I don't need to worry about it.

@Donotbelieve What can a (wo)man want more? Fulfill the life as you like it most. I'm glad for you.
My needs are more in the middle. I love some paintings, my cook-ware and smaller things in the house. Well, a mattress, some blankets and a few pillows are welcome too. But what does a person need to survive …… or die? Not much I guess 😉

2

First off, really sorry that you're going through this. The end of a relationship
is always difficult.
And yes, I said "the end of a relationship".

Based on what you said (and I believe you, I think you're pretty level-headed, and not a drama queen, who makes up shit just to have something going on), he no longer communicates, you've tried talking to him, it's been going on for months,
it's over.
I don't believe in ultimatums. To me, giving someone an ultimatum is equivalent to emotional blackmail, and it hardly ever works. In most cases, even if the other person acquiesces, it's only temporary, and you're right back to where you were in fairly short order.
He's made his position clear. If he were interested in making the relationship work, he wouldn't be behaving as he is.

Make your own plans. Do not include him in those plans. Begin the execution of
your plans as quickly as possible.
If he's in your house, boot his ass out, with no remorse. No discussion, and no possibility of making you change your mind. Have people present for your own protection.
If you're in his house, make arrangements to move you and yours into another domicile as soon as financially feasible.
If you are both on a lease, find out what your legal obligations are. Take the necessary steps to extricate yourself.

Do not tell him your plans. He has no right to know what you're planning.
If you think there is any danger of violence, be prepared to file for a restraining order, and go FASTER.

I know there are some who will think that I am unnecessarily going straight to
Def-con 5, but I've been through this. I've seen this play out in multiple scenarios for myself, and others.
The ONLY thing that matters is protecting yourself, and any children who may be
effected. His feelings are irrelevant now. He has shown you that he no longer cares about the relationship, therefore, he no longer cares about about your feelings. I'm not saying to be ugly, vindictive, or confrontational in any way.
Actually, that is to be avoided as much as possible.

Don't make excuses for him. He's a grown-ass adult. If he doesn't know how to conduct himself within the context of a relationship, it's not your job to hang out and teach him. He may never learn, and you've got more important things to do.
Good luck going forward. I'm here for you if you need moral support.

I agree with you in principle but if a child is now involved I personally think it's worth a little more effort to at least get to the bottom of what is going on, even if it's not fixable. He's a permanent psychological fixture in the child's life going forward even if the relationship ends, so it's worth some effort to see if he can be prevented from becoming a completely absent / irresponsible father. So efforts at open communication and understanding are worth it for the child's sake, if it's at all possible.

@mordant I disagree 100%. As a child of parents who NEVER should have gotten married, let alone had children, I firmly believe that "staying together for the kids" is the worst thing any couple can do. It only makes it worse on the kids. Instead of making a clean break, and focusing on making it okay for the kids, the drama gets dragged out and that effects the kids in an even more profound manner. Breaking up isn't 'more' traumatic for kids than two people who should no longer be together, staying together in acrimony, under the guise of trying to work it out for the kids. Kids are resilient, they're also smart enough to know when their parents are unhappy.

@KKGator I actually agree. I'm not proposing "staying together for the kids", simply laying a better working basis for shared parenting. It is also possible on occasion that a happy outcome of that is resolution of issues in the relationship, but I would never count on it. My basic point is that fighting on the child's behalf for a better coparenting situation is more worthwhile (and arguably more ethically binding) than fighting for a dying relationship when the effort is not mutual.

My first wife never gave our kids the time of day after the divorce, largely because she was mentally / emotionally incapable of it. I saw how that effected my kids. My current wife's struggles with shared custody arrangements inform the rest. In that case it started out well and then her ex remarried to a child hating P.O.S. You can never be sure that's not going to be a source of drama but you can at least try not to front load it with difficulties. Children need their father, at least if he's making some kind of actual effort. Ending a relationship on a positive and cooperative note helps. The typical strategy of demonizing and demoralizing the father usually doesn't end well, for the child much less anyone else.

@mordant I can agree with your basic point. Although, I have no idea if that's even a consideration in this particular situation. She didn't mention it, and I wouldn't dream of assuming.

@KKGator Yeah I've been careful to say "if that's true", it's none of my beeswax. If there's no children in the mix (including any children from prior relationships who have affection for the S.O.) then things get a LOT simpler and less painful. But even there, one has to do what's right for oneself, and staying in a loveless unfulfilling relationship ultimately doesn't work.

2

Sit him down and have one more talk to him. Make it as obvious as what you are saying to us here. If he doesn't respond, you know how long you have to take.

In fact, you already know, or you'd not be asking. My real advice here is to make sure your partner KNOWS before you move forward.

@Donotbelieve Just for the record, and I don't think YOU need to hear this but I don't like getting caught in assumptions: my relationship survived good times and bad times... and some of the bad times lasted a LONG time. WE worked at it and we muscled through. Fortunately, when I was down, she was my rock. When she was struggling, I was hers. We both helped nudge, push, pull each other when necessary. That said, at times each partner may well feel like they are carrying all of the weight. The key is that it shifts. My only real regret is that I didn't acknowledge this with her enough. I didn't thank her enough. I guess I am saying that I intend to make sure to make it obvious that I am thankful when next I get a chance to share my life.

@Gnarloc I envy you that marriage. I was raised to believe that's how marriage was supposed to be. My huge flaw was in the choosing of the partner. As my dear dad explained it, "She can't tell the difference between a prince and a pile of poop!"

@Deb57 Thank you for that laugh. 🙂

0

I would be willing to call it quits. I would guess his actions indicate that he has found someone else and not willing to tell you.

@Donotbelieve In his head?

@Donotbelieve It must be somewhere. Drugs?

I don't do salvage work for well. 😉

0

That's a tough one. It seems like you'd know each other well enough to have a sense of what is going on. I'd recommend counselling. A neutral ear is a good thing.

@Donotbelieve I assumed marriage counselors worked to preserve marriages, but not always. Ours said, after maybe month, "Why are you two still married?" Very good question.

@Donotbelieve A few minutes? They won't get rich that way

1

We have to be careful here. If my memory serves me well, you're currently pregnant. That changes the dynamic, like it or not. For some in one way, not the same for everyone. On top of that, psychologically woman and men are completely different (Obviously we do NOT know all details), one scenario could be that you are thinking A and he is just thinking B, simple as that. Other possibility is that men are wired differently and they get bored and tired of the other person from a pure physical stand point, in other words, they may not feel any desire at all but that does NOT mean they don't love their partner anymore. It's just another joke of life and the biggest problem is, the man don't even know/understand/accept it as a problem therefore they can discuss or even bring it to the table. The woman keeps pressing the issue and the man keeps getting frustrated out of not knowing how to handle it and they drift apart more and more slowly and stead. You can pull a string only so much. You can be the adult and try an experiment, as much as your logic will tell you "hell, why me??.. screw him !!!"..but if you can overcome those feelings for a couple of day where you give him space and surprise him with nice gestures like "oh you want to watch this TV show then I'll watch it with you" or any little thing you can think of where you can make him feel comfortable. Here is the best part, if he reacts favorably then I would say you both have a big chance to ride the storm if any of you gives the first step towards caving in somehow. If that doesn't help then the problem is something else. I know you will wonder why am I telling you all this like is your job to carry the burden right now and not him...well that's exactly my point, someone is going to have to do this and I guarantee you, we as man are so stubborn with this things that it won't be him taking any step. Once we get in that loop, it takes the other partner's help to get out of there, again if it is a salvageable situation which I think there is a big chance that it is. If you think I am just full of it then I am very much aware I am taking my chances because I have no doubt you will let me know. That would be ok. Anyhow, I understand you are in a tough spot, I hope this helps.

Sorry, one more thing.... you will get a LOT of advise towards "send the damn husband to hell" and crap like that but ..and this is a BIG but... Here is why....when you do that, you really need to weight the impact it will have on you, your kids, your family because once you start dealing with those other problems when you are on your own, NOBODY that is suggesting to call it quits will be there to help you !!! (That is a pure cold fact). Once again, all I am saying is based in the hopes that you can find the way to save something that is salvageable. That should be your first choice, unless of course, there are other more severe reasons like domestic violence or other non negotiable options.

@Donotbelieve fair enough

1

i would address him and say either we sit down and talk now or I will be leaving soon.If he isn't ready to talk the time to leave is now.

@Donotbelieve Why does he "deserve that much"???
If you've already tried to talk to him, already delivered an ultimatum, you already have your answer.
What do you think you "deserve"? Do you think you deserve someone who hears you when you talk to him?
Darlin', I think you already have your answer. You also used the word "salvage" in your original post. That words indicates to me that something is already broken. Do you deserve to remain in a relationship that is already broken?

@KKGator If you have delivered the ultimatum and you are still with him he has control over you and you need to break that. I would move on immediately.

1

I didn't know about the pregnancy, with that information I would change my answer. Don't give up just yet, consider other ways to communicate. Ask him if he would write down what's bothering him if he won't talk about it. Request he attend couple's counseling with you. Maybe give him a few more months to adjust to the changes before giving up on him.

@Donotbelieve I am definitely not suggesting staying longterm in an unhappy relationship, just maybe giving him a little more time to adjust.

0

I'm sorry you are going through this. Communication is so important, seems like there must be an underlying problem. Others mentioned a medical issue maybe?

@Donotbelieve Maybe just ask him what's on his mind if everything is OK.

0

How does he feel about being a father? Does he want to help raise his child?

@Donotbelieve, you might want to discuss this with him. It may be part of the problem. It may also help open up communication and save the relationship.

2

I can't offer any great advice. I hope things start to work out better for you!

1

That’s not an easy question to answer. Have you tried to tell him how fed up you are and that he’s getting close to losing you? Maybe he’s freaked out about the baby and doesn’t know how to communicate that to you or maybe even to himself. Maybe he’ll snap out of it once the baby arrives.

There's a baby involved? Man I was the worst husband ever when we were expecting. I was freaking out inside about my ability to be a good dad, if we're have the time and money. In my attempt to be supportive I pushed all these fears way inside and as a result made all of us miserable. I don't have an answer for you, just some perspective.

1

We are the only animals on earth who think of time invested as an actual investment, not to be abandoned because of what we have put into it. Forget about the six years. Think about now. If it's bad, it's bad. Think about what you want and what you're willing to put up with. There's a buy in in every relationship. Is this relationship worth the current cost to you?

Sunk cost fallacy... great point.

1

What you're describing sounds like a loss of interest in putting effort into the relationship. That could reflect anything from an actual loss of interest in you, to depression, physical issues, mid life crisis, etc.

There's nothing in your post about being pregnant but a couple of people have mentioned that. If that's the case, it's particularly concerning that this is developing at a time when a couple should be drawn together in anticipating making a stable home for the child. Maybe he's freaked out for some reason about being a father and this is his way of avoiding "dealing" with it. But until he opens up about it you can only guess. If pregnancy is in the mix then my money would be on some kind of approach avoidance going on around that ... but ethically, he has to work it out. If you have to issue ultimatums to make that happen, then so be it.

Sorry you are going through this. 😟

0

my approach to strained relationships has always been to call it quits rather sooner than later. in the case of my longest relationship (8 years) i actually gave it 2 more quite frustrating years after it had started to get uneasy - & in the end we managed to stay friends. someone else might stay, no matter what, "working through it together" & secretly gnashing their teeth; my experience & trust in myself is that the love within will be there anyway, & people exist like so many stars - why wreck the rest of my life in unhappiness...?

@Donotbelieve, well, in the case of my last marriage we actually got back together, i think it was three times, before i realised that my first impression had be correct: it was indeed over! & i can only give a mate so many second chances ...

0

I sttrongly suspect, based on personal experience, that he Has moved on, with someone else, because the behavior you describe is Not loving, caring, or even concerned in the least with you. Sorry...consult a lawyer Now!

@Donotbelieve if you are having trouble, and having his child you MOST DEFI NITELY need a lawyer!

2

My ex-wife and I knew for about years before we decided to just go ahead and separate

We were together 11 years (married 8 years)

@Donotbelieve
I can't say my ex-wife and I were "in love" the vast majority of those years but there was a certain amount of mutual benefit to staying together until the last couple years

1

Sad to say there is a trick some men use to absolve themselves of responsibility in a failing relationship, which is simply to become such a pain in the arse that the other partner leaves or throws them out, making him the innocent victim of a heartless and unreasonable woman.

This is true, you're so right. It's a coward's way too, used by crappy communicators.

0

You do not want to wait until you get slapped in the face! When someone stops trying any is liable to happen.

I meant 'anything" is liable to happen. I wish you well on your decision.

1

That's difficult to say. Being In Love with someone and Loving them are two very different things. So I just hope things get better for YOU, either way.

1

Does the timing coincide with anything, like this site, for instance?

0

Unfortunately, I think you should make a clean break. When things are done, they're done..

3

Depends on how long you've been together. Six years is a pretty strong investment. OTOH, if you had just met him last week, then CYA. Certainly no one suddenly loses "communication skills" or ability to listen. Somthing has caused a road block that has brought out this characteristic in him that's always been there, but was not relevant to yr relationship. If you hope to save yr relationship, you need to figure out what that is, and more importantly, need to make him understand it.

godef Level 7 Aug 27, 2018
4

He is not interested in his relationship with you . Sounds like , he's found someone who he thinks makes him feel better about himself . He has no intention of making you feel good about your relationship with him . Prepare to stand on your own two feet .

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