Author Topic: I have lost myself somewhere....  (Read 2665 times)

lovedafraud

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 16
I have lost myself somewhere....
« on: December 18, 2005, 02:52:47 PM »
   Hello,
  I am new to this forum, but have just begun divorce proceedings with my N. We seperated, (for the second time), this Oct. 15th after I found text messages between him and one of  my oldest friends. They were professing their love for one another, plans for leaving their spouses,etc. I was devastated and at that time still did not realize he was a N, and thought he'd simply fallen for my "friend". Turns out that was only the straw that broke the camels back. I began going through cell phone records, e-mails, his personal belongings and the like. What I found was the last eight years were built upon a series of lies. He had told everyone that he was a Navy Seal and had a "top secret" clearance status, but I stumbled across his actual discharge papers which he'd kept hidden from me in a file with numerous other little suprises. I was shocked to learn he'd been discharged for psychological reasons, namely Personality Disorder. He'd gone AWOL and had convinced a friend to run over his leg twice in hopes of breaking it, all in effort to avoid going back to active duty. He was admitted to Bethesda Maryland Naval Hospital's psyche ward prior to his diagnosis. He was married at the time and for the lasst eight years swore to me the kids were hers with someone else. In actuality he has two biological children, both in their teens now, and his former wife had moved herself and the kids to Nevada to get away from him.
  He also kept the computer "locked up" and told me we had a virus in it, but I have since learned that he was e-mailing various women, most of them being those he'd "met" on the internet chat or sex rooms. He met with some of them for casual sex romps, all the while telling me he had to work or was going to see his family. We never had a joint bank account, if I ever "borrowed" money from him I had to pay it back, I had to "buy" my 1994 Jeep Cherokee from him in order to drive it, I was blocked from making changes on our direct tv account, he had web cams I wasn't aware of, owned a porn site he was making money on, is buying himself an Avalanche I was not allowed to drive, paid only rent while I paid all utilities, phone, tv, etc., had several e-mail accounts I was unaware of, told my daughters to go to their rooms while he e-mailed women,(I was going to evening college courses), would not allow us to let our cats in the house, (but his dogs were always allowed in) and eventually every cat we ever had "disappeared" or became ill and died whenever he was home for extended periods of time.
  He is a chronic and pathological liar, even lying about trivial things, like how much the bbq grill cost and the laptop, etc. My oldest daughter went through a strange transition during the last few weeks he was still with us, and I wonder about abuse. We are all in counseling and Monday I meet with my divorce attorney for the first time. He just recently filed a motion to retrieve property against me in an attempt to take the Jeep, eventhough I have the title and bill of sale. He may be in legal trouble for that. There is a restraining order against him after a domestic violence incident a couple weeks after he'd gone, and he violated it recently and spent the weekend in jail. The week after he filed the motion to recover, (this week), he called the police department here and asked them to contact me for my permission for him to buy my daughters new bikes for Xmas. I am struggling to make ends meet, he offers only grief, then suddenly he wants to be superdad coming in with super Xmas presents. I said no, and the dispatcher relayed the message to him. He told me one day he will make my daughters hate me. He is not their biological dad, but is the only dad they've ever known and they love him. I also learned he is pretty into the methamphetamine scene. He is just a total psycho, and the signs were always there, getting stronger all the time, and I ignored it. I ignored his lies, infidelity,self-centeredness, and control issues.
  Eight years! We split for a time prior to this, yet I took him back! Man! I am so disappointed in it all. I am so dead inside. I feel like a shell of my former self. So empty. Sometimes it just doesn't seem real. I should have started checking into his secrets long ago. Why did I take his word for anything?
  He has slandered my name anywhere and to anyone he can. He has tried to blame it all on me, and he has been doing this, bad-mouthing me behind my back, for quite a long time. I hate him. He left town after his second arrest, and that helps some, but he'll be back and forth for court. He is the most despicable human being I have ever known.
  Now that I have finally started cutting him out of our lives he seems to be trying everything possible to get in the last jab. He just won't fade away. I wish I had never met him.
 
 Report to moderator    Logged 
 

CeeMee

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 139
Re: I have lost myself somewhere....
« Reply #1 on: December 18, 2005, 04:13:36 PM »
Tina,

This is probably the worst scenario I have read on the board since joining.   Take all necessary precautions.  It is good that you have the restraining order.  Don't let that lapse.  Clearly you are angry and full of rage against this man for all the deceit an hurt, and rightly so.  A little bit of proactivity might be prudent as this is not a typical situation you are dealing with.  Beware, be alert and move quickly to extricate yourself and your children from this  situation.  Having an attorney is a good move.  When you say you are all in counseling, who exactly is getting counseling?

You can probably learn a lot from the folks on this board on how best to deal with a N.  Has he had an official diagnosis?  Having mental illness myself, I do feel for your husband who is obviously very, very ill.  Hopefully he will get the help he needs. 

Take care of yourself and your kids.  You all have a lot of healing to do.  There are plenty of folks on this board to lend an ear and offer suggestions if you need.    Wishing you all the best.

CeeMee

lovedafraud

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 16
Re: I have lost myself somewhere....
« Reply #2 on: December 18, 2005, 05:38:52 PM »
   CeeMee,
   My daughters and I are all in counseling, each individually. He was discharged from the navy in the 90's for Personality Disorder, but it did not specify which type. After speaking to professionals and doing much research, I firmly believe he is N, but also dual diagnosis due to the drug/alcohol abuse. I was wrapping Xmas presents today and found a couple of name tags on some saved bags which read "to daddy". UGHH!! That is tough. The Holidays are tough. I am thankful the man I now know is gone, but I really miss the man who seemed like my salvation in the beginning. In deciding to divorce him, I am experiencing this "grief" at what could and should have been. Then there are those moments when another of those "why didn't I see that" things flash through my mind and then I find myself spiralling through my own mind. I have had clinical depression since I was a teen, (N mother), and am on medication which has always helped me so much, but this depression is so different. I constantly feel like screaming or hitting something, or burying myself in my bed.... I am so bitchy and my compassion is amiss. My poor kids. I cannot believe I allowed another human being to wreak so much havoc! My counselor said this is a type of PTSD. That's pretty intense. This is pretty intense. It helps so much to be able to share my story and read others. I don't feel as alone as I did.
   lovedafraud (tina)

Plucky

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 800
Re: I have lost myself somewhere....
« Reply #3 on: December 19, 2005, 01:16:19 AM »
Hi Tina,
your kids are going to be alright.  You are making things right.  They can see and understand this and it is an excellent lesson for them.     
Plucky

spyralle

  • Guest
Re: I have lost myself somewhere....
« Reply #4 on: December 19, 2005, 05:17:32 AM »
Hi Tina,

I would love to just give you a big hug and make you a hot drink and tell you that you are going to come through this.  i know thae space you are in and I also know how hard it is to deal with the intensity of these feelings that seem to turn up like a tidsl wave from nowhere.  it is now six months since my N partner left me after stealing 25,.000 pounds from me and also having spun a web of lies.  You may be uncovering those for a while yet.  You know I also still have the "why didn't I see that moments" but these people are good at what they do.  i remember my best friend saying o me that my partner was the best thing that had ever happened to me...... 

You know you didn't allow this pr**k to wreak havoc, you allowed the man he professed to be into your home.  You trusted him and gave him love and honesty,  It was him who abused that.  These characters are very convincing.  i too thought my partner was my salvation.  Two years beforehand I had been through a terrible time when the man I loved died suddenly.  I had beendesperate with grief,. and then along came the N,.  I thought he had changed my life and helped me believe it was worth living again.  All he saw was a vulnerable woman who owned her own house.  i believed all the sincerity and love that he poured over me in the beginning.  It is only now that I am beginning to realise that thiat was not actually who he was.  He was mimicing.  he is not capable of feeling the words he spoke.....

So your compassion is amiss.  me too.  i have no trust for anyone and see the down side all the time now.  I am constantly looking to uncover the truth and this is causing me problems everywhere, especially at work.  But I am beginning to understand my feelings with the help of my therapist and have learned to accept them more.  Of course you are traumatised.  You know I used to work with people experiencing PTSD.  The one thing they all had in common was that they felt like they were going insane.  PTSD happens when something basically punctures your normal experience of the world and completely rocks your existence and belief system.  it is when an event happens from nowhere with no warning and leaves you reeling.

When you feel like screaming, scream. When you feel like hitting something kick the sh*t out of a pile of pillows.  I felt dead inside to.  I still do a lot of the time.  i felt like he had sucked out all the bright sparkly bits of me and left me with nothing.  But guess what....  He hasn't left you  a permanent shell, he can't have what is intrinsically yours, and as you begin to realise what has happened, as painful as it is, you will start to find yourself again,.  And without doubt you will be stronger...

You are doing the right thing posting here.  You will get as much support we can give.  Also therapy has been an absolute Godsend for me as i start to unravel events and pick out what was mine and what most definately belongs with him.  I have an N mother too....  That is why I was so comfortable with this man.  That is why I chose to blindspot a lot of stuff that I perhaps should have seen a lot earlier.  i remember Selkie said to me on here a few months ago.  We go rushing in to these things just knowing that this person is going to be the one who will be different.  We are going to fast that the red warning flags on the way in are nothing but a blur.  But it sure is a long walk out of there and on the way back we see every single flag in all it's painful glory.

Remember also.  he cannot buy your daughters love.  What is a bike in comparison to a mum who is there through thick and thin with love and compassion in her heart.  typical N to think that things are all that counts.  Laugh at his pathetic actions,. love your children and go easy on yourself.  Read as much as you can about this stuff and keep posting.  We will always be here to support you..

Spyralle x

Chicken

  • Guest
Re: I have lost myself somewhere....
« Reply #5 on: December 19, 2005, 06:49:43 AM »
Hi Tina,
your kids are going to be alright.  You are making things right.  They can see and understand this and it is an excellent lesson for them.     
Plucky

Hi Tina,
Welcome to the board.  You have come to the right place if you are looking for support and understanding.  I am really sorry for you to be experiencing such heartache.  I am glad Spyralle found your post as she has been somewhere very very similar to you.  It might help you to read her original post "desperately needing help after relationship break up"- (Hi Spy, hope you get well soon x)

I just want to echo what Plucky said above.  Don't worry about your kids if you are doing the right thing.  They learn by example.  If you chose to stay in an abusive relationship, they would see that too. 

I saw my Mother in a very unfulfilling relationship with my Dad.  Basically he did whatever he wanted and she never got a look in, he neglected her and she was afraid of a relationship break up so she remained submissive and unassertive.  I have found myself in similar relationships only because that is what I see as normal.  I wish she left him, I wish she stood up to him, because these are valuable lessons I need to learn.  I was never shown this growing up. 

You are giving your kids valuable lessons right now.  That is priceless.  Well done, you are a courageous, strong Mother.

lovedafraud

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 16
Re: I have lost myself somewhere....
« Reply #6 on: December 19, 2005, 10:28:38 PM »
   Thank Heavens for this support group!! I so appreciate all of you and your words of advice and encouragement. I never would have believed that this NPD could be such a devastating illness with such horrid effects. To think, if I had not stumbled across those text messages of him and my "friend" a couple months ago, the girls and I would still be smack in the middle of it all. I would still be trying to make myself more acceptable to him, the girls would still be tip-toeing around and he would still have the ball in his court. It seems so  real some days and totally unbelieveable the next. He is very good at mind-games. I am glad he is not part of us any longer, and will be glad when the memories of him begin to lose their intensity as well.
   Tina

Healing&Hopeful

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 645
Re: I have lost myself somewhere....
« Reply #7 on: December 20, 2005, 06:22:10 AM »
Hi Tina
 
Congratulations for finding out when you did and doing something about it.  It takes a lot of strength and courage to do what you are currently doing.  The only time I will find out exactly what the doctors have told my bio dad is when he dies.  The lies, the doubting yourself... you know that something's not right, that things don't add up, but you can't put your finger on exactly what it is.
 
Give yourself time... although you will go through alot of anger and grief, there is a light at the end of the tunnel, and that light is there because you have begun divorce proceedings.  Throughout all of this, keep your eye on that light and watch it get closer.
 
Take care
 
H&H xx
Here's a little hug for u
To make you smilie while ur feeling blue
To make u happy if you're sad
To let u know, life ain't so bad
Now I've given a hug to u
Somehow, I feel better too!
Hugs r better when u share
So pass one on & show u care

Sallying Forth

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 523
  • No longer a venture off the beaten path ...
Re: I have lost myself somewhere....
« Reply #8 on: December 23, 2005, 02:05:05 PM »
Hello Tina,
Welcome to the board.

Sorry you are going through so much grief and turmoil. Glad you have severed the ties with this nut case!


Quote
He is just a total psycho, and the signs were always there, getting stronger all the time, and I ignored it. I ignored his lies, infidelity,self-centeredness, and control issues.

He sounds like he is more than a N. You might want to read The Batterer, A Psychological Profile by Donald G. Dutton, Ph.D., Why Does He Do That? by Lundy Bancroft and Ditch That Jerk, Dealing with Men Who Control and Hurt Women by Pamela Jayne, M.A.. Both have descriptions of psychopaths/sociopaths which your stbxh sounds like from what you have described.

All psychopaths/sociopaths are Ns.   Not all N's are psychopaths/sociopaths.

Pamela Jayne describes a sociopath in this way:
  1.  Methodical about abuse.
  2.  Generally violent
  3.  Charming and manipulative
  4.  Lacks feelings
  5.  Uses and exploits people
  6.  A long history of violence
  7.  Abuses animals
  8.  Sees women as objects
  9.  Extremely dishonest
10.  Craves power and control
11.  Often claims to have become enlightened or to have "gotten religion."

Lundy Bancroft describes a psychopath/sociopath this way:
1.  Started getting into illegal behavior when he was still a teenager
2.  Dishonest or aggressive behavior involves situations unrelated to his partner, rather than being restricted to her
3.  Periodically gets into trouble at workplaces or in other contexts for stealing, threatening, or refusing to follow instructions
4.  Likely to have a considerable criminal record by about age thirty, though the offenses may be minor ones
5.  Severely and chronically irresponsible in a way that disrupts the lives of others or creates danger
6.  Tends to cheat on women a lot, turn them against each other, and maintain shallow relationships with them
The truth is in me.[/color]

I'm Sallying Forth on a new adventure! :D :D :D

Sela

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1273
Re: I have lost myself somewhere....
« Reply #9 on: December 23, 2005, 04:10:06 PM »
Dear Tina:

Ditto what the others have said.  So very sorry for all you're going through and have been through.

You will find yourself again.  It will take time but you will get there.  A little at a time.

Please take care of you too now.  Find stuff you enjoy to distract yourself, a little now and then.  Nice walks.  A bubble bath.  A good book to read.  Your favorite tv show.  These are terrible shocking discoveries you've made and it will take time to recover from it all.  Little breaks inbetween suffering might help??

(((((((((((((Tina))))))))))))))

I'm with Sally.  His behaviour seems more than N.  He's a pro.   Lot's of people would/are/have been conned by him. I bet there will be others.  I'm glad you're away from him now!!

It's not your fault when someone else violates you.  The violator has the problem.

Sela

lovedafraud

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 16
Re: I have lost myself somewhere....
« Reply #10 on: December 25, 2005, 03:08:51 AM »
   Sally and Sela,
   Yes, I agree. My Psychology instructor labeled him a sociopath, while my social worker friend felt he is also borderline pd. The more I learn about his deception, (and boy is it dropping by the bucketfull), the more I believe he has definite socio/psycho disorders. I have also been reading information about emotional abuse and it fits. Now it's like the lights suddenly came on, but why did I remain in the dark for those eight years? Because I chose to? Because I blamed myself? I keep questioning myself over and over. It's so clear now, I had to have been blind not to see it then. He is a helluva con artist, though. My family and friends are all stunned. He had everyone snowed. He is very intelligent when it comes to theses type of situations, playing people, using them. Too bad he couldn't have turned all that ability into something positive. He tells some people he was only with me out of love for my daughters, yet he began failing miserably as a father. He tells other people he still loves me, others I am a psycho, others he felt sorry for the girls and me due to our limited finances. Yeah, lilke he was so generous with the money! He kept all his finances seperate from me and if he ever extended money to me it was in the form of a loan and always had to be paid back by a designated time. We split the monthly bills, I did all the household chores and provided for the girls. He quit getting me b-day and x-mas gifts a couple years ago, (always promising me things but never following through), yet I found he had sent a large, expensive bouquet of flowers to someone and charged it to his credit card. He is very, very sick. I was in denial, I guess.
   lovedafraud

Hopalong

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 13616
Re: I have lost myself somewhere....
« Reply #11 on: December 25, 2005, 02:58:28 PM »
Once the shock waves calm a bit, I hope you'll see how you help him abuse you NOW by blaming yourself, kicking yourself for "being blind" etc.

Hon, join the club of decent human beings who were blinded by a slick clever "path".

You did not deserve it, you did not cause it, and there is never any perfect timetable for waking up.

What matters is you DID wake up, the lights ARE on now...
and your future has more hope and healing in it than you can imagine.

With someone like him, you really hit hit bottom.

Think of it this way...the rest of your life, now that you've come awake...you're heading UP.

Be kind to yourself. Don't add to the abuse by blaming yourself, your timing, your not realizing until you realized.

We only know what we know when we know it, and you do know.
That's something to be glad about.

Hold your head high, Tina...there is no shame whatsoever having been fooled by someone without a conscience.

Your new year belongs to YOU, at last!

Hugs,
Hopalong
"That'll do, pig, that'll do."