4gotOldU-name

What do YOU think? Federal job, requiring concentration and discipline.

Would be awesome if it did.

Or, as in my case, the wife has mental issues herself. It is very difficult to discern the difference between it happening because of her illness, her alcohol intake, or just her being her. When one is a husband and father, one doesn't just bail out if there is illness. Plus, I needed to be there to protect my son too. Got divorced after 22 yrs, and son was 19. He still is recovering, IMO, as am I.

You are right, for the most part. However... 1. Though she tried to hurt me, she wasn't strong enough or quick enough to do so. I was only worried about potentially not seeing it coming (e.g. I was asleep). 2. I (wrongly) underestimated the damage that non-physical abuse could do. I figured I was strong enough to handle it. Big mistake. 3. I would have gladly risked my safety to protect my son, so I wasn't going to risk her getting custody (the courts being what they are) and chose to not take the risk. She got smart, and knew what to say to the police and doctors to get her off the hook. (She was MHA'd maybe 10 times). 4. Part of me believed it was my fault somehow, at least partially. (I know now, a "textbook mistake"). 5. Lastly, I felt I had no one to talk to about this and get "proper" advice.

In hindsight, my mistakes here now seem obvious. They just weren't back then....

If you didn't get it from my first reply....