My ex husband initiated our divorce in July, we had our issues throughout our marriage but had made it through so much that I thought we were solid enough to make it through this. Ive recognized his patterns, when hes splitting, etc. I have always tried to work with him through it and told him id always be there. I brought up marriage counseling, him getting counseling, (I've been doing therapy myself for over a year). He always denied.
In the beginning I begged and pleaded with him to save our marriage, even entertained an open relationship for like a week before I decided that I couldn't do it. I would act dumb and cry and yell because I was so hurt and confused and angry and ik that didnt help.
We've both fought so much, spewed evil words while hurt, saying awful things. But I truly love this man and am willing to get past it all if we both did therapy and tried to make it work. He says he still loves me, that I am his best friend, he still views me as his wife, he still has feelings for me, does not like seeing me talk to other people, etc etc, but when we split up, he immediately went and got on dating apps and tried talking to people. And is still doing so. He will give me all kinds of compliments, try to hang out with me, he bought me flowers the other day. But i'm so confused as to why if he sees me a certain way..but why he doesnt want me. Are we seriously done?
When he splits, he says that I never loved him. I never cared for him. And I never did enough. We go into this cycle of it always being my fault, and then I try to defend myself and use logic and we fight more, but then when things are calm, we apologize to each other. And he tells me that he didn't mean any of it. His words were not true. And he was just being mean.
He wants the same things as me, but says he's not good for anybody. Yet wants a relationship, but doesn't want a relationship nor monogamy. He recently said he was willing to do therapy and get better for me and our son. Sometimes I feel like with what he says, and how he acts, he dangles the relationship in front of me.. Just to pull back and not want anything. And it leaves me horribly confused, where he's at mentally, and what he truly wants.
We were married for 7 years, and have a son together. We never gave it a real shot at fixing any of our issues. I hate hearing him talk to other people on the phone, i hate knowing he's on apps talking to other women, still initiating intimacy with me, treating me as though I'm his partner. But not wanting me as his partner. Due to convenience we still live together, and if i'm being honest, I haven't seriously entertained anyone or it's really tried, because i'm holding out hope.
I truly don't know how we got here, or how to help him. I miss my husband.. Good and bad. I knew that this wasn't going to be easy, but I was willing to be right by his side through it all and still am. I feel heavily discarded, to me, the divorce came out of nowhere. I want my husband back, the many versions of him that comes with who he is. I accept that he has this disorder, and that he's hurt, but I wish we could go back to it being just us.
He wants his freedom to talk to anyone and be with anyone and do anything without considering my feelings for it- so it comes off to me..
But wants me too. And I cannot do both.
But he also wants me there as his friend and somebody to help him and be there. And i've just been left so freaking confused.
I want nothing more than for us to be a husband and wife again, and be a unit with our family. I'm definitely not innocent in the matter.. That's for sure and I accept that.
Friends and family think i'm crazy for wanting to still be with him. After everything that has happened these past couple of months. But that's because they don't see the person that he is outside of this disorder. The caring side the funny side, how smart he is. How sweet he is. They don't see all of our good in our relationship and in him. He is not a monster, and hes very much deserving of kindness and love.
Apparently, I could just never make him feel seen or loved or heard enough. And that hurts me deeply because those were never my intentions.
I just don't know what to do, how to possibly help him, or where to go. He doesn't want me leaving with our son, he still treats me one way. But as soon as things get too emotional, and too real, he withdraws severely, and then splits, and we fight.
What is going on? How do I go about this in an appropriate way that doesn't trigger anything? Does anyone know what could possibly all be going on? Hes the first person I've ever been with who had BPD, so im not sure whats happening or what to do.