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My wife abuses me

I have been abused by my wife since I got married. I have to admit that I have made a couple of decisions in my life that my wife wasn't happy about it that has made our lifes from an economic point of view more difficult. As a result of those decisions I get abused on a daily basis. I don't know what to do anymore. I have been feeling guilty and put up with it for the longest time. We have three children and if it wasn't for them I could take some action but I don't want to risk my children. I know that if we got a divorce she would make sure my life is as misarable as it can be. We met in the USA and when I finished my degree I wanted to go back to my country but she didn't want to come. I was madly in love and I decided to stay. We got married and that's when the abuse started. I had kept a few things to myself about my past relationship's. She started a brutal interrogation that lasted for six months. Every detail, every action, everything she demanded to know and didn't stop till she got all the information through mental torture. What I mean about mental torture is that she would ask me the same questions for hours, days, weeks, months, non stop. She would argue with me till early morning hours  non stop. And the next day and the next. Finally we got through that stage and life went back to "normal". This abuse has continued for different reasons. There is always seems to be a reson for her to abuse me. She is not happy with her life and I get the blame. That's OK. But is that a normal person's behaviour? Today again from the minute i wake up she has been shouting at me. 9 hours in a row non stop. Always the same things over and over. If you had bought a house when I told you!!!!! etc... etc...
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9118730 tn?1401800652
I am so sorry to hear about your situation. I think you and your wife need to see a counselor to discuss things that are causing havoc in your marriage. This is the only way that you can save your marriage.
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Avatar universal
Im going through a similar situation.  I think its a mental problem.  My wife is an only child and watched her mom wear the pants in their household.  I am from the south and women don't even sit at the table until everyones plate is served.  My grandfather was well respected in the family and he was the disciplinarian also.  When ever i get upset or discipline my daughter my wife tries to run and save her and takes her to a room and disrespects me by telling her not to listen to me and slanders my name.  She has made my daughter not love me and hug me and call me dad.  It is sad. My wife never hugs me either.  I come from a hugging family but her mom was just not as loving as my mom was when II was a child.  We didn't have another kid for a long time because I did not think we were in a healthy relationship.  we have a 9 month old son now and he is a blessing but nothing has changed and I know I will not stick around long enough of her to disrespect me in front my son.  Its like she claimed a role as mother to me, although I am older and smarter and My mom is dead.  I don't need another one.  She has taken away me being my daughters hero.  Its almost like she is jealous if my daughter loves me. weird...
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Avatar universal
My wife is the same way.  It's not normal or standard for american women to be so angry.  I don't like it at all.
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Avatar universal
You nailed it on the head!
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Avatar universal
I checked out his forum to see if could help or support. I know I have appreciated it in the past.  

This is the first time I have read a post on a forum where I feel compelled to say the following ( I have read a lot of strange posts and interactions between people in the past).

What kind of person makes up an abusive life situation just to fill some need? Pretty sad. I feel annoyed that people (including me) who actually want to give back and support others wasted their time with someone who could care less. And I do believe you probably need support in your life (therapy) and despite your deception, I hope you get the help you need. Seek counseling and take responsibility for yourself.

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Avatar universal
Jan10 posted twice - once as a commenter, and once as though he was the original poster.  This person is switching around ids and playing games, so I'm not surprised he's posted this before.  I got the sense that to the extent any of this is true, the manipulation/control in this marriage goes both ways or is in the hands of the orignal poster (husband).
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Avatar universal
Leave your wife...get a divorce and joint custody. I do not say this lightly. I stayed married to my wife so far for 22 years for the sake of my son. She abuses me verbally but physically as well. She has stabbed me , cut me, breaks things around the house and hits me with things. She knows in the political climate of the USA if I strike her I will go to jail. I have had to call the police on her. Other times she threatened to wreck the car we were driving in (she had the wheel) driving 100 miles an hour.She gets totally out of control. But when the police come they automatically assume she called the police. Unfortunately the abuse and arguments have affected my son. He manifests the same rege and anger she does. However he at least makes an effort to control himself now.She doesn't. I hate to stereotype but she is from Latin America and acts like her behavior is perfectly normal. The emotional anguish she has caused me is far worse than the physical stuff. I am amazed I still have my job after coming to work so many mornings completely disaggregarted by the strife. I recommend you leave her. She is passing the "disease " to the children and will continue to do so as long as you take it...as long as you are the target. Counseling will not change her unless there is action on your part....some penalty she will pay if she doesn't change. Without that she will never change. She gets all her frustration and anger out on you. You are her emotional "punching bag". I am finally starting divorce procedures against my wife but I deeply regret I waited so long. I see some one posts sexist comments about you...screw them...they probably don't have kids. Women hide behind the law. If the political climate and llaw wasn't there I would have no trouble dealing with my wife and I am sure you feel the same. The sexist comments are probably from pet owners who think dogs and kids are the same thing. They are not..I like my dog deep-fried with rice.
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Avatar universal
if you are talking to jetx save your breath or whatever no man or woman takes abuse for that long i never felt sorry for him i never thought he was much of a man to start with  jo
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Avatar universal
At first I was feeling sorry for you.  You ruined her life.  Point blank!  You need to let her go back to work and you stay home and watch the kids.  It's obvious that she is better at this.   Women have better instincts when it comes to life decisions.  
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Avatar universal
Your comments are appreciate it. You might be right. I am very stubborn but I feel that I have to give it a try. Thanks.
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Avatar universal
i see that your mind is made up and i do not think anyone is going to chane it .it would appear that you do not have any self confidence, also the children are still watching mom and dad and now violence ,sometimes one can be pushed to far and then what happens i really am worried you think you can make things right but you cannot turn the clock back and if you get to mad then think what you might do i still think a seperation for now might make you both do a little thinking as long as she has the upper hand you will just keep trying then i shudder to think what might happen i do wish that i could offer you hope on  the decision you made but i dont feel  that your way is going to work and yoy seem to be so stubborn on what you are going to do  so all i can do is wish you all the best
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Avatar universal
I don't enjoy the way things are. It's difficult to explain why I haven't left. For the longest time I felt I was risponsible for the situation that i had created so I took the abuse. Now nothing much has changed. I should leave but I can't. First of all I feel it's wrong for me to go. I take the abuse and hope that one day it will stop. I feel sad for the kids because they watch every scene. Yesterday i lost controll of myself and broke quite a few things in front of their eyes and then I grabed my wife and pushed her to the floor. I had been listening to her complaining and insulting for over four hours. I should have left and go for a drive but I didn't this time. I regret that very much. it's not the first time that i loose it. It's happen before once or twice. i have never been a violent person and now she can accuse me of being abusive. She can't stop herself. My family's wife have noticed that i have changed since I first met them. I feel like i have been fighting a war for years and wars change people. I have never told anybody because I feel it would be a betrayal to my wife. At the moment I can't see any other solution. I am working to make things right again. It might take me another six months or so. Then if the situation doesn't change I will give up for everybody's sake. if I could go back in time I would change many things. I fear for my future. I have never seen my parents fighting. My children are witnessing ugly scenes. i feel sad and trapped.
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Avatar universal
Biggest mistake I made was to discourage my wife to keep her job after giving birth to our first child. My job involves irregular working hours and overnights and my wife's job is very similar. I didn't think it was going to be possible for her to continue to work.
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Avatar universal
So what were the mistakes you made?

Dove
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Avatar universal
it seems to me that you must enjoy the way things are or you would not have ans tthe first question she asked and it really does seems that you enjoy this or you would be gone pronto you can always file custody to see you children think what they have to listen to it is not just you and your wife the chilldren will grow up beleivin that as a way of life get out and both of you can have some peace also maybe the children will have some quiet              Madame
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Avatar universal
I'm so glad to hear what you said to faithfulchild.  You're on the right track!  All the best.
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82861 tn?1333453911
BOTH of you need to forget about this idea of "meeting expectations".  You are a couple.  You make decisions for your family together and live by the consequences together.  Get it?  Nobody, and no couple, can make some kind of a life plan and expect it to come true.  All you can do is deal with what you've got.  You use your own brains, your own abilities, and live the best life you can.  Your wife's job is to be a Mommy - and it's a BIG job!  If she can somehow find a way to contribute money to the household, more power to her.  If you are the only breadwinner, then you both need to figure out how to manage your money.  Marriage is a hard business - and it really is a business when you think about it.  The husband and wife are equal partners.  Your wife takes risks; you dont take risks.  Surely there is something in the middle that you can both agree on?  

Marriage is work.  It isn't all just love and sex and having babies, as you already know.  You and your wife seem to be polar opposites in many things, so both of you are going to have to compromise in certain areas to make your marriage work.
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Avatar universal
Your comments are of great help. It's true that I have made decisions without taking her opinion into consideration. My primary responsability as a husband and a father of three is to take care of my family financially. I know my limitations as a person and as a professional and sometimes I can't accept her suggestions when I believe it will but put our future at risk. I have been unemployed before and I dread being in that situation again. But you are absolutely right. I should let her know more often how important her contribution to the family is and let her make more decisions even if I disagree with them. My wife likes to take risks and doesn't worry about a negative outcome. I am the opposite way. Making decisions together will change our marriage and our lives. It's true. I just hope that it's not to late. She expects her life to be the way that she thought it would have been if she had made the decisions but even if I try my best there is no guarantee that I can meet her expectations. And if I don't ... Should there be such a fine line between success and failure? I wish there wasn't.
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319399 tn?1254531681
STOP TRYING TO FIX THINGS BY YOURSELF ASK HER TO HELP YOU. TELL HER THAT SHE WAS RIGHT AND YOU REALY WOULD APPRECIATE HER HELP IN HANDLING THE CONSEQUENCES.
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319399 tn?1254531681
After listening to you i really have to commend you for hanging in there. I think though that you need another strategy plan for your situation. So far you have been trying to "fix" things and playing the blame game. Obviously that is not working! Your wife complains about her not having a job, be near her family and that you have been making unwise decisions, you need to read between the lines. What she is actually trying to say is that so far she has sacrificed her family, independence and copmromised herself for you. She does not believe that you appreciates her decisions and therefore at the end of the day whatever she says does not matter to you. She gets mad and cals you name because its the only way she knows to get your attention. You need to be supportive by being a little more trusting on her part. Ask her opinions on things and do not just ask her and then go with your plan. Give her the chance to make decisions and demonstrate her independence once in a while, and even when it is a stupid choice that she makes you have to let her know that she has your support anyway.

She is obviously unhappy about the roles that she is playing in the family. She feels that she is not doing enough and therefore she is not cotributing enough. What about her girlfriends are they working? Does she even have a social life? What about the children's future are they secure? these are all things that can be driving her crazy.

One of the hardest lesson i had to learn was to sit by and let my husband take care of me when we had our daughter. I had a C-Section so i had to lay off the work for a while.  I felt helpless, weak and humiliated at first because it was all new to me and i hated feeling helpless. In my reliogion it is stressed that a man should be head of the family and should therefore take the leading role. But all my life i have been taking care of me so i found it completely hard to let someone take care of me. At times it makes me really angry and although i do not call him names i make it completely clear that i am furious none the less.

Tell her that you appreciate what she is doing  and get her to understand that the role that she is playing in the family is an invaluable one. You need to help her to understand that you and the rest of the family needs her.

I really hope this helped
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Avatar universal
Jan, did you change ids?  Please don't be hasty judge the depression and bipolar for yourself.  I've seen it in people who would swear that wasn't going on.  In your wife's case it really might be the whole problem and a little pill could fix it all, especially since you say her anger has always been the same style.  I'm not talking about depression from circumstances...I'm talking about the chemical version that just happens.  Your description, "a lot of anger for long periods of time" is a classic sign.  It's a simple enough rock to overturn/check out.  It's your choices of course, but that's my experiences.  

Giving your wife back what "you took from her" won't fix things.  Those words are part of the same pattern you are in and have been in.  Changing the dynamics so that you both take responsiblity together, truly listen to each other, and most importantly work to make decisions together...that's what will change your marriage and your lives.  Can you look for some counseling or support group to help you get started?  As you said it's a complicated situation.  So, you deserve some help to sort it out, with outside and experienced perspectives.

Good success.  Let us know how it goes.
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Avatar universal
I really appreciate a lot for your inputs and your interest. It's a rather complicated situation which I created and it will take a lot of changes ta make it right. I don't think either of us is depressed. My wife's reaction to adverse situations has always been the same. A lot of anger for long periods of time. Things that i or somebody else said let's say ten years ago come up all the time as if it had happened yesterday. I on the contrary forget and forgive very quickly. I love my wife and I just hope that if I can giver back what i took from her she will change. Thanks once again to everybody for listening and expressing concern about my situation.
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Avatar universal
Your situation sounds rather complicated. Ofcourse it is hard to judge a situation from just one side of a story. Your wife sounds like she has a lot of frustrations. Women who are full time mothers find it to be a very hard and challenging job and it is not uncommon to have a wife that is not too happy. Maybe she feels she has no control of her life and the decisions that you had made for you both. Unfortunately, in todays world its just too easy to walk out when the going gets tough. If you still love her, make future decions with her, do things to correct the situation, take the initiative to calm the situation down. Your kids will be watching and learning from your reaction as well. Good luck to you!
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Avatar universal
okay
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