looking for a ray of hope

hi all I'm a 37 ur old wife and mother. I have a 10 year old son diagnosed as high functioning autistic with challenging behaviour! he lashes out daily and can be violent and run out the house up the street. he has low self esteem and always thinks negative of himself. I have a 38 year old husband. we have been together for 16 and half years and married for 14 years.  he is just going through diognosis of high functioning autism.

the long and short of it my family is falling apart! several times during our relationship I have caught Gareth out chatting inappropriately to women online, some we know and know us as a couple. he's even lied about.being late home from work but been in the pub with another woman until I found out through his massive phone bill. we have no loving relationship at all! and haven't all our relationship! it's got worse and worse the longer were together. we don't even have anything nice to say to each other anymore! he's shut down. to top it off his health has declined to the point he has poor lung function and his airway has partly shut down! he's been retired from work and is now on long term disability.  I've had to give up work to care for him. apart from I don't want to anymore. I'm struggling feeling emotionally  crushed. the latest time I've found him online was the 8th February this year. I wanted him gone but he agreed he needed help and called relate he's. been going to several sessions but as of the last one I've stopped going! he's not working at anything our councilor is trying to help with. he's also started cbt and that's not helping either! I just don't know what to do? I've had a hard childhood. abused by a family frienday, pushed away from hugs and cuddles by my parents ! bullied for being fat all my life. no self esteem even tried to take my life at 19! I thought I had found a man who.loved.me! we had gone to secondary school together but never looked or talked to each other.  a friend told me at 18 he liked me and had done for years. we become quite good friends! he was caring! understanding! he was affectionate! many times held me while I cried over trying to deal with my life. as soon as he moved in he pulled away and has done ever since! at first I thought it was because  we were young and needed to grow together and become a bit less shy but he's not even able to be in the same room with me with out being on his phone or asleep. or son is in bits! trying to deal with them both and my long term depression is overwhelming! I'm just so.lost! all I see is the.only way is divorce!! he just doesn't budge to find away!? won't work with me! he growls at me! gets cross and angry. I have no one to talk to as friends don't want to know anymore they don't understand why I'm still fighting.  all he wants to do is play on the playstation computer or on his phone! ask him to put it down he gets aggressive.  I don't know how much longer I can hold all this mess together? but can't bring myself to walk and break my heart and my sons

Parents
  • You are telling me my story.so so painful. I have been separate from my husband and going through Divorce for 10 years. I did not know what was at the bottom of  our relationship problems until my son now 27 was diagnosed with Aspergers nearly 3 years ago. Going through that process with my son and then discussing things with my husband He agreed that he recognised himself. He is in his early sixties and really struggles with life but we are better friends without being married partners .l have found myself again or maybe for the first time .we were married and living together for 25 years . It's not easy being effectively a single parent but I manage better in myself. It has been a long and often very painful journey which I would not wish on anyone but I have survived and am now happy and content with my lot. I was attacked by him eventually, that was when he left . Our children were relieved those times were over but we have always put the children at the centre of the relationship we have now. The initial couple of years after our split were confusing and I was so sad ,I felt such a failure but with a lot of councelling I have turned things around . Believe in yourself and take all the help you can get. Most of all give yourself time, and love yourself . Best wishes x

Reply
  • You are telling me my story.so so painful. I have been separate from my husband and going through Divorce for 10 years. I did not know what was at the bottom of  our relationship problems until my son now 27 was diagnosed with Aspergers nearly 3 years ago. Going through that process with my son and then discussing things with my husband He agreed that he recognised himself. He is in his early sixties and really struggles with life but we are better friends without being married partners .l have found myself again or maybe for the first time .we were married and living together for 25 years . It's not easy being effectively a single parent but I manage better in myself. It has been a long and often very painful journey which I would not wish on anyone but I have survived and am now happy and content with my lot. I was attacked by him eventually, that was when he left . Our children were relieved those times were over but we have always put the children at the centre of the relationship we have now. The initial couple of years after our split were confusing and I was so sad ,I felt such a failure but with a lot of councelling I have turned things around . Believe in yourself and take all the help you can get. Most of all give yourself time, and love yourself . Best wishes x

Children