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Am I being silly? (long post)

PainedAndConfused February 24th, 2020

I am not sure if I am just being silly so I wanted to ask people's opinions.

I am disabled and spend all my time at home, I get very bored doing not much all day as my chronic illnesses prevent me doing much. My husband works full time and leaves early morning and gets home between 6-6.30pm. We have been married a long time.
He will come home and start playing his games which I am fine with as he will need to relax after work so I understand. The thing is I seem to be a last thought now.
He will come home, play until around 8pm when I get some time where we will watch a movie for around 1h30 although he will be on his iPad on facebook or reddit a lot of the time. We used to chat a bit more and laugh or whatever at the movies. Now it is a lot of silence and him on his iPad anything from 10 mins on a rare day, to more likely half of the movie or longer.
When the movie is over he will go on his iPad so I now just go upstairs as otherwise I am sitting there in silence. We then watch one tv ep in bed whenever he comes up, usually an hour or so later and he will go to sleep.

Often while he is gaming when he just comes home I will say what happened in the day if something happened (we have had floods here so I have been trying to sort that), or any form of chat, and he will not listen to me and literally pull a face like I am disturbing him. I just end up saying "nevermind" or "doesn't matter" as I waste my breath. I can even talk for a while thinking he is listening and he isn't and again acts like I was disturbing him.

On a weekend he will get up about 8.30-9 (I sleep in due to my bad health) and game until around 5 although sometimes earlier but never before 3pm. We then watch some movies (movies and tv is what we both love) while he looks at is iPad most of the time as usual.

Am I doing something wrong? This seems not normal and it never used to be this bad. I let him have gaming time as he gets stressed sometimes at work so I want him to be happy and relax, but now it seems that is more important. Or I am just being stupid and should forget it?

I have brought it up before ages ago (it has been going on a while) and he snaps a lot of I bring up things he doesn't like so I don't mention it much now as I don't want to get semi shouted at. He generally snaps at things like that. that is his new personality so I try not to trigger him.

I am very lonely as I am stuck in all day everyday due to disability etc so I look forward to him coming home but I feel he might as well not be here.
I used to game a lot years and years ago to kill the boredom froming being at home all day but he told me be didn't like it I stoppped as it was too much I guess.

He plays and/or looks at his ipad more than talks to me and honestly we can barely speak as he doesn't talk much now and as I said before if I talk I seem to be distracting him.

Am I just being silly due to my low mood and lonliness?

6
PaulShipmanSmith March 14th, 2020

You certainly have every reason to be concerned about your husband's gaming habit. He is spending a lot of quality time on those games and ignoring you as a person.
He takes it for granted you will always be there when he comes home from work.
There does appear to be a time when you both sat down together at the end of the day and chatted to each other over a good movie or TV show at night. Can you both get back to doing just that?
Although your husband doesn't seem to care, you know that something needs to be done in order to save your marriage.
Understandably, there is your disability to consider here. However. This cycle needs to be broken. Your post indicates that you both follow a fixed, home-based routine.
Explain to your husband that you understand how important it is for him to relax - with his games - after a hard days work. There's going to be no benefit to either of you if you tell him to stop.
Your husband appears to have some quiet control over you in this marriage. From reading your posts, he seems to be content with how things are with you. Does he want you to be more independent?....Does he want you to be leading a more full life?....Someone in your situation could do with some more help from her life partner....Encouraging you to be more active.
Considering your disability of course - which in itself is giving you personal challenges. Would it be possible to try some new hobbies for yourself? Is it possible for you to leave your home during the day and join a social group?
There are organisations that will accommodate for patrons with disabilities such as arranging transport to take you on outings or to the venue. There are charities that can provide 'lifts' for people who are limited in their mobility.
Admittedly. Your disability is your main disadvantage and - understandably - this is what is holding you to your limitations in life. Your husband doesn't seem to be helping you with regard to leading an independent life and is only holding you back. You are simply just 'there' and that appears to be enough for him.
It's going to be a challenge. However. You need to start making a life for yourself that doesn't involve your husband.
You don't mention your condition. Can you take steps to manage the pain and tiredness that you are experiencing? There may be help available and further treatments for you to try if you can discuss these with your local doctor or health centre.
Your husband doesn't appear to offer any help on this? Is he just content with how things are between you? Does he not want you to be free from pain ( or at least manage it)? Does he want you to be more active?
You may want to consider counselling in order to build your own self-confidence if one is local enough for you to go to....Or even ask about home visits.
Counselling may be able to open your mind to the possibility of coping with your pain and exhaustion caused by the disability you experience. Although the pain and exhaustion will be from the physical aspects of your condition, depression can make matters worse.
Due to being alone in the house all day and being lonely, there is a high chance that you are suffering some form of depression. Depression will cause further exhaustion and will make even the smallest physical tasks immensely stressful and tiring. How does your husband feel about this?
Counselling may help you feel more positive when attempting to do physical tasks and this may help you towards some small active goals.
Somehow - and understandably a challenge - you need to work out a way of moving forward for yourself and away from the monotony of staying in the house all day, awaiting your husband.
He seems content with the fact that you are restricted to the house all day and are on your own. In a way, your husband seems to have an element of control and satisfaction because of your situation. When he comes home each night, you are simply, quietly just there - waiting for him.
Your husband has become very accustomed to this behaviour and there is the likelihood that he becomes 'snappy' because he feels challenged when you mention this.
You are in a very difficult situation because of your mobility issues. However. You do have one advantage being that he is not there during a large part of the day. This provides for some opportunity to take small, slow steps toward your own independence.
You are already bored and lonely so - in many ways - have nothing to lose in making a start right now.
You've mentioned that you are limited in mobility and that you find yourself unable to do many things. It's trying to find out what you can actually do.
Can you leave the house for at least a very short period? One thing is for certain. Staying in the house will not make things easier for you because - with you constantly feeling low - you are in a vicious circle. Both your body and mind are totally used to being in home and it is a cycle that will become ever harder to break.
Depending on your disability, you may be able to get help for mobility aids such as electric wheelchairs or scooters, walking aids and so on. You could get someone to visit from social services to assess your needs. This will hopefully provide you with some assistance in getting about.
What can your husband do to help you? He says you are sad and lonely because you don't get out of the house. Point taken. Is there anyway he can help? Rather than just stating the obvious? More help from him would be welcome.
Does your husband feel afraid at the thought of you being a little more independent?
Working on your crafts could be another hobby that you could attempt in very small stages - due to you being exhausted. Admittedly - on the subject of employment - working from home will require you to work to certain deadlines, meaning considerable pressure.
If you are on certain state benefits, they could be affected if you get a job - even working from home. This is an area where you will need to seek advice from your local job centre/department for work and pensions/social services.
You could look into home study (flexible times to suit you) as an option for you to develop some further skills and occupy your mind.
Both your husband and yourself may find that attending couples counselling may help you to both explore your feelings for each other and find ways to help him to help you. Men can find it hard at times to express their feelings and emotions for others.
There could also be the issue of your husband feeling frightened at the thought of you becoming independent. You may find that his mannerisms and communication toward you are indicating this.
He may even be frightened of of you actually leaving him.
Your husband is so used to you just being there and may find it challenging for you to be 'out and about' or doing 'your own thing'.
Again worth mentioning. The main problem here could be that your husband may be afraid of you finding new independence.
Rather than tell you that you are sad and lonely because you don't leave the house, he ought to be encouraging you to leave the house with him as a couple. Encouragement is better than a 'put down'.
However. The 'put down' is used to discourage you from going out.
Maybe your husband feels he has more to lose than you believe.....He may even be more afraid of being alone than you. Underneath, he may be afraid to lose you.
Even in a very good, strong relationship, a little possesiveness can always be involved. Your husband appears to harbour some of this, so may be afraid of you becoming independent.
He could learn about building your relationship through some marriage guidance counselling. This will help you to both deal with these feelings such as him feeling anxious about your independence and you wanting him to understand how you feel during the day.
You are in a very difficult situation and suffering a lot of pain. Your husband must at least - somewhere along the line - have some understanding.
If 'going it alone' is not an option for you, you can at find some independence during the day when he is at work. It may even help you to re-build your relationship as a couple and develop further interests together.