flower211
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What is your sexual orientation: Straight
Posts: 31
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« on: December 01, 2016, 12:27:58 AM » |
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We've been married for 16 years. The first 7 years of our marriage, I couldn't sleep without him. Literally, could not fall asleep until his head hit the pillow next to mine. Fast fwd to a huge move from OR to Phoenix, AZ. I didn't want to move, he did (it was for his career). We moved in with his parents (BPD mom and NPD dad- aka: NIGHTMARE) Because of all the stress, I was having massive troubles sleeping. Every little thing would wake me up, my husband would be snoring, then he would wake up cuz I was up and half the time he would be cussing me out for waking him up. I ended up choosing to sleep on a daybed in another room. We bought a house, moved in, and I kept finding myself in the other room, in another bed. I felt safer? more secure? sleeping by myself than sleeping next to him. I left him for a few times because of verbal and physical abuse during that time, as well. Fast Forward to now. We've been married for 16 years, but I still sleep in another room, in my own bed. We have 3 children together, whom we love very much. We got in a fight this week, and divorce was a threat on the table (always comes up) and my husband says my not sleeping next to him at night is a "deal breaker". He needs the softness of a woman sleeping next to him. But here's my deal: After all these years of constant ups and downs with him, his temper, and my own abandonment issues by my father, I have been diagnosed with PTSD (on top of having Mixed Connective Tissue Disease, an autoimmune disease) I have chronic hyperviligence and when I try to sleep with him (I have tried, many times) I literally lie awake half the night, stiff as a board, waiting for something to happen. Now I'm being guilt tripped, that he is deprived of touch and love, and obligated, because I am his wife, and in fear because of the subtle threats to leave/divorce if I don't. I don't know how to handle this. I need my sleep. I have an autoimmune disease and if I don't rest, I get sick. Like, REALLY sick. And in pain. I get that he needs comfort and closeness. It's just that I need my sleep more... .is that selfish? I don't know what to do. If I just say, sure, sleep with me, I will suffer and not rest for god-knows-how-long, will end up resentful and very angry. If I don't sleep with him, HE ends up resentful and bitter. It's a no-win. Any help here? Anyone else unable to sleep next to their uBPD/NPD spouse? I love him, I do. I want it to work. I just don't know how to get past this. It's been conditioned in me to be afraid of sleeping with him.
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