“The Knife and the Wound Both Need Each Other.”
— Sheldon Kopp, Psychoanalyst and Writer
I’ve been married to Laura for 25 years and I’ve never been able to please her. We go for a period of time with things going well between us. Then out of the blue she gets bent out of shape over some imagined worry that preoccupies her. I understand that I may not be the most sensitive husband at times but Laura goes nuts and exaggerates how bad things are between us and rants for hours. She slams doors and usually wants nothing to do with me for long periods of time. We go from peace to war for no apparent reason. If I try to make up with her she accuses me of being manipulative or hiding something like an affair with another woman. There is no calming her. I have to tiptoe around her moods. Once I wanted to visit my father in the hospital when he had a health emergency. Laura got real surly with me for missing dinner and accused me of being disloyal to her. She doesn’t like my family and wishes I wouldn’t see them very much. I sneaked over to see my dad anyway and Laura hit the roof. She won’t try counseling. She sees everything as my fault. If it weren’t for my two children and having to pay alimony I would be out of here. The best I can do is to spend more time on the road for business and volunteer at my church when I’m in town. But that’s no real solution.
For good and bad, lately I’ve seen more and more couples that don’t conform to the traditional sexual stereotype of married people. As a culture we expect husbands to be clueless and self-involved regarding family and community matters and for their wives to be self-sacrificing and overly responsible bearers of well-being for others. Traditional sitcoms and TV spoofs often run along these lines and get a lot of bang for the buck from such themes and their variations. Times have changed. Nowadays husbands may be the primary nurturers while their wives are self-absorbed. Perhaps we have reached true sexual equality when men and women can equally bear the good and evil of modern living.
Unfortunately, as witnessed in the above vignette, the suffering that used to occur in patriarchal marriages may now occur in more egalitarian families. Kind men can marry selfish wives. Two partners can get stuck in a modern version of good and evil.
Actually it’s important to realize that neither partner in the above example is truly all bad or truly faultless. The kind husband needs his self-centered wife just as much as she needs him to be overly generous. They needed each other this way prior to being married to each other. They do not make each other that way. Unlike more capable partners who co-create a dysfunctional relationship between each other and can make positive changes, some married people cannot help themselves from being trapped in a dysfunctional relationship, as the above example shows. Patterns of exploitation and masochism in a marriage are not made in the present relationship; they arise from previous unrecognized childhood damage prior to the current relationship and only get played out in the current marriage.
Oddly enough, people trapped in a hopeless patterns often desperately cling to one another, are often unaware of why they do so and cannot see what other options they have. Make no mistake. Suffering in silent resignation to the inevitable hurtful marital patterns and blaming your partner is not a viable solution. There are difficult yet positive alternatives to such misery that both married people can either choose together or choose individually aside from each other.
Why do husbands put up with self-centered wives?
Actually it’s a tribute to some men who stay committed to a self-absorbed wives. Part of this devotion is about a commendable “until death do us part” mentality, affirming that men are quite capable of being committed to their relationships. I have seen many men who have this kind of devotion. Some of them do that for the sake of their younger children whom they do want to spare them from a growing up in a divorced household. However too often partners of selfish wives typically stay for the wrong reasons. They stay not out of love but out of fear. They over focus on their selfish wives and endlessly trying to make them happy because they are way too afraid of living on their own. Too many such sacrificial husbands don’t feel they deserve real love and are quite unsure of making it on their own. The macho side of men make it nearly impossible for them to see just how scared they are of abandonment. Often they had an emotionally distant relationship with their own mothers and expect nothing more for themselves. So they suck it up and overlook how they are being treated by their wives.
The cruel irony of this situation is that such men are actually quite adept at relationships and could quite easily handle being on their own if they had to be. Their fears of not being able to live on their own are quite groundless, particularly because in relating to a selfish wife for years they have been essentially on their own anyway. Sometimes men stay irrationally committed to a selfish mate because they feel overly responsible for her welfare. Selfish wives can actually be quite helpless and such men feel trapped by their unrealistic burdens. They cannot see that their wives are actually responsible for their own lives and that they are not bad people for expecting to be so responsible for themselves. Often they fail to see that it is a lost cause to make a selfish woman happy.
The high drama of such relationships often occurs in a fog state where little realistic thinking occurs. It is actually quite sad to see men being over-committed to hurtful women, particularly when so many men are cold and unloving in relationships. A typical reaction to such pairing by outside observers is “Why can’t their wives see what a good deal they have?!”
Why do selfish wives expect their husbands to love them anyway?
It is painfully obvious and almost comical that a self-centered spouse expects the impossible of her mate. For instance, the woman in the above example, after fuming over her husband’s visiting his father in the hospital, got upset that her husband would not make love to her later. She literally cannot see how foolish it is to berate her husband and then in the next moment expect him to be adoring of her. This splitting of bad stuff from good stuff is characteristic of what she grew up with as a child and is a sign of major damage that gets reenacted in her current marriage. She becomes difficult not because she wants to be a bad person and hurt her spouse but because she feels she has no other choice but to demand the impossible of her mate. She is, in fact, trapped in her own internal hurtful patterns, often which she does not see.
Typically people who are continually selfish do not want to see how hurtful they really are because it would admit to an imperfection, a major threat to a fragile sense of self. Selfish people who get a glimpse of their imperfections often become severely depressed. They deflate like a hot air balloon being pricked by a needle. Selfish people often choose to remain selfish because it is just too scary for them to do otherwise, particularly when they lack adequate professional help. Selfish wives, like their sacrificial husbands, are victims of their own demons and are equally deserving of compassion and love.
How can suffering partners make positive changes?
I wish I could say there are 10 easy steps for partners to take to have a better marriage. There are no such 10 easy steps. Working on communication together will not do the trick. The pairing of selfish wives with sacrificial husbands, and vice-versa, is often doomed from the start. Read Narcissistic Lovers by Cynthia Zayn and Kevin Dibble, M.S. New York: New Horizon Press, 2007.
The only glimmer of hope for the marriage and the advisability of marital counseling is when both partners agree to honestly look at themselves and not blame each other. In such relationships it is typically better to start with the marriage and see if it can be revived in the hands of an experienced counselor. Someone trained in trauma and attachment theory would do best.
Otherwise, as difficult as it is to face, it’s advisable for each partner to pursue individual counseling. The selfish wife may need to learn how she impacts others and her husband may need to learn that he can exist on his own apart from his partner. Both may benefit from developing a stronger sense of self, which will last them a lifetime.
When they look back on things, after years of personal struggle, they will often be glad they took the time to work more on the “me’ part of themselves and less on the “us” part. It is a journey of courage. Indeed, it’s impossible to be an “us” before we can be a “me.”
John H. Driggs, L.I.C.S.W., is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in private practice in St. Paul and co-author of Intimacy Between Men (Penguin Books, 1990). He can be reached at 651-699-4573.
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Last Updated on July 29, 2024
I came home from a 12 hr day in 100 degree heat, and the 80 year old widow lady next door asked me to have a look at her back door because some water was leaking in. My narcissistic selfish wife says, ” your selfish, you can help a stranger but not your own wife.” I told her you can help your f**kin self, she cant. What a piece of s**t !
I don’t really know why I’m upset. From the day I met my wife I knew she had selfish tendencies but she way always very well to attach a reasonable excuse to them, so I opted for believing in her and not the actions. Perhaps I’m more upset with myself. Deep down I feel as though I knew perfectly well who my wife is but I didn’t want to believe it, so in turn it was my own selfishness that got me in my present predicament. Let me start from the beginning.
When my wife and I first met, she was a college professor and I was an older student returning to school to finish my degree. She was married at the time so even though I thought she was a peppy and handsome young woman, I certainly never expected anything to happen between us aside from playful banter during a study session (it was pretty hilarious how the younger generation had no idea what flirting was even when it was being done right in front of them).
There were times throughout the semester when it would be only her and I in the study session and during that time we were able to let our guard down and get to know one another. She told me about her marriage and her child. I told her about my military experience and my past tribulations which led me back to school. Oddly enough, I’m 2 months older than her. In time, we got to know each other on a more personal level. It came to a point where she confessed her feelings for me, feelings that I reciprocated. From everything she had told me about her husband I gathered he was not a nice man, not a good father, and definitely not a good husband. I had reserves about establishing a more personal relationship with her but like I said, I’m not innocent of being selfish and I truly had feelings for her.
We began a secret relationship together.
During our relationship she divulged details of how her husband was manipulative, deceitful, selfish, angry, violent. I began to despise this person more and more without ever even meeting him.
Before I go any further I would only ask that you do not judge me for my stupidity. I am very well aware of my ignorance, I only hope that there’s a light I may be able to find here.
Continuing – while we were “dating” I had asked her if she had ever done anything like this before, go behind her husbands back. She confided in me and told me everything about her life. During her marriage, a year after the birth of her son she began a physical relationship with a coworker that lasted a period of years on and off. She also told me if a one night stand she had with a man a few months prior to meeting me.
I respected the fact that she was able to be completely open and honest with me and it wasn’t easy for her to do so, but I couldn’t help but to be somewhat hurt. I wasn’t hurt because her actions offended me but because I had already fallen in love with her and yet here I stood not even truly knowing who she is. It broke my heart. I explained to her how her actions hurt me and she listened. She understood completely and explained thoroughly that her actions were due to fear of leaving her husband and him retaliating.
The story continues with a lot more detail and many more twists so I will spare the details for now and skip ahead.
She went through a very difficult divorce in order for us to be together. Her husband spent over a hundred thousand dollars on his divorce lawyers. She was constantly followed by private detective, every computer she owned was confiscated and analyzed, every member of her family was deposed, it was a fiasco. All of these actions confirmed to me that he was just as bad as she had described, if not worse. Eventually though, the divorce was finalized and we were able to be together.
We dated for over a year before deciding to get married. During that period, I got to deal first hand with this man who refuses to let things go. Email after email was sent with directions and orders and little snide comments that make your skin crawl and your fist ball up. It drove me crazy and all the while my girl would get emotionally distraught every time she saw one. Almost like she was 5 years old, terrified of ghosts and told she had to go through a haunted house. I finally got fed up with it and told him that if he refused to stop sending pointless emails then I would guide my girl to the police station.
The police comment worked and for over a month she heard no word from him via email. Any legitimate communication was done via text message and we were making progress into a more cordial relationship between ex’s. Out of blue one day I see he’s sending more emails, and when I say emails I mean something along the length of this comment. They were books. I told her “let go to the police.” I had previously spoke to the police myself, she was with me, and they informed us that as long as we don’t respond then we can file harassment charges. When I went to print out the emails from her ex I found an email she had sent to him a week prior. It was a short little email about their sons day at school but it was the opening he needed.
I explained to her that by emailing him after a month of silence, it opened a dialogue so the work we invested was out the window. Just as I was beginning to enjoy a little peace.
Skipping a lot of detail
The emails continued for over a year, trying to establish a healthy relationship between co-parents, while overlooking the constant belittling.
After a lot of time spent together and a lot of confusion between what she did in her last and who she is as a person, we decided to get married. We had a beautiful baby boy together and for the most part we are very happy together. The emails continued throughout our marriage and we eventually went to the police. Immediately afterwards the emails stopped.
My wife and I made a pact to never use email again. We had already been through too much and now that we were beyond that point we didn’t want to step backwards
For 5 glorious months I did not have to read an email from him. It was truly bliss. During that time we did have some concerns with my step son so I opened a dialogue via phone between him and I. It turned out that after he had some time to calm down he was actually a pretty nice person. We had lunch together multiple times, spoke on the phone often, he even came over for dinner. We had moved beyond the emails and into a more personal and friendly environment.
Lately I haven’t heard much from him. I assumed it was because of work and it’s not as if I look forward to any texts or calls from him, but it seemed odd that he would go a month without contacting me for some odd reason. He eventually did text and the text was a partial clip referring to some information he expected me to have. I could only gather that an email rests in our spam box that I hadn’t uncovered and sure enough there were multiple emails. My jaw couldn’t help but drop. After months of trying establish a more personal line of communication he now reverted back to emails. I began to look through the emails and sure enough, a month ago my wife (using our email account) forwarded a birthday invitation from another boy at school.
I can understand the first time you make a mistake via email, and open up Pandora’s box, but I cannot understand why you would take that route again and ultimately hinder a relationship being built.
Story time is over and perhaps one day I will write a book about our taboo love story but for right now, I’m going to vent.
This is not the first time my wife was clueless to my efforts and destroyed everything and I can’t help but wonder how selfish of a woman she truly is. This is not my ex, I don’t have to be friends with him, she wanted to ignore him and that only created horrible problems for my step son (whom I love). I took him out to eat, invited him over, establish somewhat of a friendship with this man so that she could be happy and my boys could have a healthy youth. Moments when she is completely oblivious to the months of effort and time and calls and stress that I invest for her sake make me wonder who she truly is.
She was perfectly capable of leaving her one year old at a day care while she had an affair. She was perfectly capable of leaving her son with his father while she had a one night stand with someone else. She claims her endeavors were because of her ex but I’ve been nothing but good to her and yet she doesn’t have the decency to consult with me before uprooting the established form of communication between me and her ex and throwing me and my newborn back into a realm of misery and hopelessness.
From the day I met my wife she has always been a “cryer.” She will cry every time something in life doesn’t work out. When I explained how her past choices were not good choices at all, she cried and apologized (Not that I was looking for an apology). When I explained how this email she sent has set us back time and effort she cried and apologized. She apologized the first time, the second time, and she will cry the third time I’m sure, and yet I’m the one stuck awake in the middle of the night writing a long note to some website about how I’m terrified right now because I don’t know if I truly know my wife while she’s sound asleep snoring like a baby next to me.
If this were the only reason I feel this way then I would be an idiot, not that I’m not one. But, there have been countless times where she is oblivious to my actions and goes in the opposite direction. If we can’t see eye to eye on the basic ideas then how can I expect her to see eye to eye with me on the more important ideas. How can I trust her? Can I trust her or should I simply shut my eyes and hope for the best, never knowing when the roads going to be pulled out from under me.
Brother, thanks for your long note. I’m leaving the country for a few months and was considering whether it was worth being with my selfish girlfriend (and even marry her) – I will be leaving. Won’t be marrying her. I’m 30 and seriously considering MGTOW
I frankly don’t know why husbands stick with selfish wives in their marriages. A good man is so hard to find in this world. My brother who is a nice guy, is facing a divorce from his selfish bi**h of a wife who from day one, made the marriage all about what she wanted, and decided one day the marriage was holding her back from pursuing the benefits of a singleton’s lifestyle (traveling everywhere, hot career, staying with friends all the time, etc) Why the hell did she marry my brother, use him up, and then discard him? I wish there was a way she could be sued for that. It has brought a lot of pain to our parents, and it has put my brother in a precarious financial and emotional state. I also know a couple at church where this husband has stayed married for 12 years of hell to Sarah. Sarah lied about her desire to have kids with him at the beginning of the marriage and stonewalled him for years because again, it was ALL about her precious career goals. This devout Christian guy by golly will not divorce her even though she has not been a Christian wife ever. I think it’s pathetic and a tragedy. I’m shocked he hasn’t cheated on her or at least thoyght about it. She badmouths him behind his back, and delights in being a brat. “I’m a pain in the neck, but he can’t do anything about it!” (She has often said that, BTW) It pisses me off that more men and women don’t divorce their selfish af spouses. If you have a selfish spouse and you have tried to fix the marriage, ( notice I said that) at some point, you need to move on. Life is too short to waste it on a selfish spouse who tortures you and sucks the life out of you.
Hi, Jan. Then men that you mentioned seem very honorable, and I hope to live up to that. They lived up to it because of the calling of Christ. Fortunately, we do not have one life to live. This time is very short, and those that can see past this moment are wise. I personally am on this journey; I am hoping to run the race well and do what is right in the sight of the Lord. It’s hard because my wife calls good evil, and she tests my faith daily with darkness that spews out of her heart. Please pray for me.
Finally I found a article that describes my pain of a selfish wife. I am Head chef at 5star hotel. It’s very hard to make friends as I am constantly working, only friend I have is selfish wife. She is a stay at home wife and we have 3 boy’s elders boys is not my biological son, but I loved him from day one. She has drove me to cheat on her and left house twice, I have also hit her and she put in me jail once. I hate the things I did and I am seeing one, but she is jealous yet she flirts with other guys. Little time we have she can cancel to go out with her friends at anytime. I am Constantly buys her things that she wants. Around where we stay she has the best lifestyle and constantly wants to be around people who envie her. She screams and cannot handle any pressure. She drinks and smokes and doesn’t want to move up in life no ambition She is paranoid and negative. I love her but I cnt handle it anymore, I want out but I dnt know how to.
From south africa
Er Wesley, I think you may be part of the problem here. Hitting her isn’t right end of. Maybe that’s the frustration. You already know it’s time to leave and move on, so do it.
Ummm sir. I don’t think cheating on your wife or hitting her (for any reason 🚩) fits anyone’s description of a “good-hearted man”. So you have your work cut out for you…..on yourself, first.
At last! an article that depics my marriage life, it’s been really hard over the last 4 years since we’ve first met. Hard to say but shes always been so very selfish at every aspects, from our conversations, type of foods and type of wants we like.
She really just likes to talk about everything that is about her life, without bothering would be a big problem hence I get chased like a ragged doll after so much hard work in running the house.
Couldn’t let go due to my two kids who are precious enough for me not to leave them.
I think we need to understand that there’s no justification for selfishness in marriage. So I wouldn’t justify the woman’s selfishness. Its just plain wrong.
Agreed.
a selfish person is an inconsiderate person. such a person is ignoranent by virtue of them being super stupid. because you consider them, they continue to be self until you become hopeless and say f@##@!K it..
it is really struck to the point, and so sad to see there is no solution for this
Only when I am with the other woman I can overcome this
Yes, I did not talk to my mother for a long time and will never see her again
And it all clicks from one piece carefully worded to actually explain both sides instead of saying of she must be a narcissist or something no she’s not selfish maybe but I see the error of my own ways in these words and it only took 45yrs maybe I could have avoided a lot of heart ache seems working on me is the only way to get what I truly desire a functional relationship I’ve known a long time me and my father had almost no relationship but I didn’t see the damage that needing that in my life an apparently seeking it has caused off to read the next link and learn about changing it thanks for this
Most of these women nowadays are very selfish, greedy, spoiled, picky, narcissists, and very money hungry as well. And these type of very pathetic women will only want the very best of all, and will never ever settle for less. Been there.
No one needs to be put through that kind of s***. No one!! It doesn’t matter how needy or if someone’s trauma is there. No one needs that kind of treatment. The self-centered person needs help so they can move on and be a better person. That just creates anger and resentment.
I don’t know what to do. My wife is not a completely selfish person and had many good traits….I love her and I want to make our marriage works so bad. The biggest issue is her total lack of being able to take my perspective in any argument. She’s always right and will hurl extremely hurtful and untrue accusations about me. She constantly leaves or locks herself in her room and regularly claims she wants to separate. At first I thought if I show her love, patience and forgiveness then she would eventually see how unfair to me she is being but 2yrs later and it hasn’t changed. We are struggling to make ends meet and have multiple debts and things we have to pay for but whenever I try to be responsible with our money I get accused of being stingy. I help support her parents and I stopped getting myself stuff along time ago and have also sold most of my stuff in the past just so we could get by. It’s not like she buys extravagant things, it’s just everyday she gets bored and then gets mad at me if I don’t keep her entertained. She also indirectly refuses to go to counseling. I know I’m not perfect especially when it comes to comunication but I go out of my way everyday to make my marriage work and it just seems that for every 3 steps forward we take 2 steps back. Improvement has been made…mainly by me adjusting myself to her but it just so aggravating that the person you love can’t just take a 1 sec honest look in the mirror like you do everyday.
I had to separate from my wife. The best thing I ever did. I went through depression and stop
eating. When she quit claim me off the mortgage, I determined in my mine that it was enough for me to separate and live without her. Oh, she’s a religious women at that and sends
me stuff about the bible, but in my opinion, does not follow what she preaches.
Same with my marriage. I reflect on everything I do to her and our kid, but seems like she can never put her self in my shoes. Her life and her family’s life (her parents and sibling) are always more important than all the fucking sacrifices that I’ve made to provide her and our kid a comfortable life. I make more money which means more stress at work but I even do more house work and take care of our kid. I enjoy the housework and time spent with my kid but she never seems to want to sacrifice anything to help me even when I have health issues. It just kills me on the inside when thinking about my kid having such a selfish mother. Our relationship is not bad but mainly because of me adjusting to her demand, making me have lots of health issues.
My ex sold me a bill of goods about how good marrying her would be. That all literally came to an end at the wedding. We went on our honeymoon, which more correctly should have been called “Gotcha, Suckah!” Upon return, I was told how things were going to be – completely different from what I was led to believe.
I should have left her, but wasn’t strong enough to do so. I’ve regretted remaining ever since.
The moral to this tale is that many women fool men into trapping themselves into marriage. The honesty only begins when the power of the state to make a man’s life miserable is at her fingertips.
Forget about counseling. It’s just one more weapon a woman can use against a man.
Holy moly! You hit the nail on it’s head!!
The last sentence is so true!!! Personally I’am so at the bottom of my mental health right now due to her insecurities and mood swings … all I think of at the moment is to buy the Harley spend the money and f…..k off drive away as far as I can to breathe and look at the stars. But hearing her saying can you ( in me) give me a cuddle after a fight…. sucking me straight back into her beautiful eyes, body and smell plus the epic food she makes and prevents me from getting back on track.
Grow a pair. She’s manipulating you. Effeminacy is the inability to let go of pleasure for the sake of the good. Endure some pain, man, or you will be a cuck for life. No woman respects a man she can manipulate or who is a slave to pleasure. They respect virtuous men who can lead them for their own good. That’s what women, especially wives, need: a man she can trust and surrender to and whom they can serve as a wife. Women are childlike for a reason: they are midway between children and men because they must take care of children in their early years. Later, men are responsible for preparing children for the public sphere and eventually kick their children out of the nest. You wife is not your partner. She’s is your subordinate. She is not your mother. Don’t take marriage to be something to heal your wounds and massage your ego. That’s self-indulgent. Get over yourself. This isn’t your final destination. Marriage is about bringing children into the world and raising them to be mature adults. It is how you conquer self and your path to your final destination. All marriages end at death.
And I disagree with the article with its modern acquiescence to patriarchy hating and gender fluidity. Women are nurturing and run the household, men are the heads of the household and oriented toward the public sphere to secure the good of the domestic, and if possible, the good of the public sphere. A selfish wife is derelict in her duties as wife. Don’t be derelict in yours. Your award awaits you. Her selfishness is her burden ultimately.
Very well- said. Thank you. I’d be very grateful if you could share more. This, or any other subject you wish you talk about, I’d appreciate and attend. I really connect with your comments. Email?
Rick
What’s this final destination you speak of?
They do it because they’re narcissists and because the courts usually are all to ready to receive them as a “victim” even when they are the abuser.
Ding ding ding ding ding! We have a winner.
My heart goes out to all the men who have had to deal with their selfish and devilish wives. Been there, experienced that, and everything that’s been said is true. I have been with a domestic partner for the last 8 years or so. We have two boys, and for the last couple of years, she has been doing what her counterparts do best – berating me, insulting me, picking fights on any and everything. Nothing I do satisfies her. And she never appreciates any sacrifice I make. Early this year, we moved into our new farmhouse. I denied myself so much just to build the house. She never contributed even a penny. When the job was done, I didn’t want to involve myself with any other project that’s capital intensive. But being the know-it-all that she is, my wife forced me to buy a portion of land from my immediate neighbor, who was in a bad shape financially. Right up to this point, I was at my lowest financially. But she never cared or wanted to hear anything other than I was going to purchase the land. I have paid off 50% of the land, so I still have some considerable payments to make. It’s been really a tough few months and money is tight.
What really pains me is she hates all my friends and speaks negatively about them. She’s never kind to my friends any more than she’s to my siblings. Everything is about her and her in-laws. She also badmouths me to my family and my in-laws. I am not sure how long I can put up with her. Sometimes, I feel like walking out of this domestic partnership. I am sick and tired of her, and that she’s put me through.
Charles,
I identify with you and your own experience. It’s over a year now, maybe you overcame your ordeal.
It’s been a reality reality in my personal life for well over 10 years that I have finally decided to leave the relationship with my 2 kids.
Nowadays most women are very mentally disturbed as it is since they just don’t have any manners and personality at all when it comes to many of us single guys looking to meet a halfway decent normal woman to have a very serious relationship with, and there will be times when they will even Curse at us too. What is that all about anyway? Many of us single guys are just too good for these pathetic fools to begin with anyway. And talk about how very selfish they really are nowadays since most of these women are real narcissists as well.
I must be “the man” in the relationship because based on the men’s reactions apart from “Wesley,” I find myself in a similar position as a woman.
Sometimes we stay not because we don’t deserve better, but we do, however there is a big thing called “life circumstances” that as individuals we all experience uniquely and why there are factors at play which get in the way of just running away, when at times that is precisely want you want to do.
Thanks for the reminder Guys that after hearing about your own wives is validation that my own “self love” is justified after all who is going to appreciate me if I don’t.
Hubby doesn’t mind about my pretentious personality, he zed it is The thing that he fell in love with me Guess I am the lucky one, married well. Age is just a number in our relationship
I searched this bevause my dad’s relationship with his wife reminds me of this dynamic. Although to be fair, I don’t know him that well to know how he takes it but it seems it doesn’t hurt him much if at all. Myself I also suffer with being a me before being a we even though I am currently single. I get very lonely and I am a loner so that doesn’t help. Not by choice but unless I go to a camp for example it’s hard to be social and I dont have close friends either. sometimes I feel mad that my dad’s wife gets him all to herself and so much and gets her way in everything – the man lost all his freedom. My mom was very sacrificial on the other hand. And he just took advantage. Oh how the cards changed.
Neither of these. Ways is the healthy way. Read Gottman..
Please. You know it’s still mostly men who are selfish in relationships. This stinks of man-o-sphere nonsense. There are so many great women out there doing multiple jobs inside and outside of the home just to have their contributions minimized or expected as a duty, their emotional needs neglected. Research the statistics, women are overfunctioning in the majority of straight relationships. If your relationship is that bad, either you have failed to respond to her and be a true help mate or you are with someone who. Is mentally ill.
Wow, talk about a completely irrational post. So whenever a woman does something wrong it’s the man’s fault? Guess you’re throwing away over a century of feminism’s quest for an egalitarian society. People are responsible for their own reactions to situations, and not everyone who is female and belligerent towards their husband is mentally ill. Byeeee
My wife of 33 years is a self centered, selfish, little girl too. Everything has to be centered on her, provisions, emotions, attention, etc. and when she does herself up, she expects that I notice her and adore her, but in her response she let’s me know she knows she looks good and has a bad day and feels miserable if other men don’t take notice of her. And when I dress up, get a haircut, trim my beard, and ask how I look and her immature little girl response is she notices, but wont say anything for fear it’ll go to my head. I am fed up with her little girl, childish ways and about to throw in the towel.
You have such a harsh take on this matter that it appears you write out of grievance rather than objectivity. I hope for your sake that you are generally in good spirits.
You simply need to investigate deeper, online or personally, to understand that the experiences of either gender as to poor treatment by the other are tending to equate in number in the present day. Yes, there are a great many selfish men out there, but there’s a substantial amount of entitled and disgruntled women too. Neither are good or healthy, but my point is that there are very few reasonable forums for men to seek an accurate expression of their experiences on, but many more for women, and often their starting premise is an unfair assumption that the balance of fault obviously lies with men. I doubt you see or believe this, otherwise you would respond more reasonably on this forum.
I have a dear friend going through this right now. Literally the kindest person I know! The “Why can’t she see what a good deal she has?” rings so true – Multiple people in our circle have made that comment. My friend occasionally expresses their frustrations to me and I try my best to refrain from commenting as to not make a bad situation worse. But I really don’t think the wife is capable of any real self -reflection or change. I have advised my friend to seek individual therapy