Elpis Esmae2 months agoI (23F) have been navigating some challenging relationship issues with my husband (25M). Recently, he opened up about a conversation he had with his younger brother, who is 22. His brother actually confronted him about how he treats me, which took me by surprise. I’ve been hesitant to leave my husband, primarily because we have a child together, but I also care for him deeply. A few months ago, my husband went through a dark phase. He said and did things that hurt me, though he never physically harmed me or acted out in front of our child. I reached a breaking point and considered leaving him, especially since he hadn’t treated me well throughout our relationship. However, when I expressed my desire to leave, he broke down and pleaded with me to stay. I decided to give it another chance, and since then, he has shown significant improvement. For the past four months, he has been consistently attending therapy, and I’ve noticed that he has started to treat me more like an equal. He’s been more open with me, sharing his feelings and experiences, and I can see that he is also warmer towards others. Recently, while we were driving, I mentioned something his brother had told me about his girlfriend. Out of the blue, my husband admitted that his brother had yelled at him for not treating me better. I was shocked; I never thought anyone would notice the dynamics of our relationship. When I asked him for more details, he seemed embarrassed and downplayed it, saying his brother just told him he doesn’t treat me like a “woman.” It struck me that my husband acknowledged his past behavior, which was a significant step. Since that conversation, he has been asking me more about my preferences and how I would like to be treated. Normally, I would brush off these questions or say, “Whatever you want, honey,” but I’m starting to feel more confident and want to engage more meaningfully. Now, I’m unsure how to respond to his efforts. Should I let him continue figuring things out on his own, or should I engage more directly? I’m still processing the realization that someone outside our relationship noticed the issues we faced, and I feel a bit lost without anyone to talk to about it.3593
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