Below we publish a message from our reader. We encourage you to share your opinion and stories on: [email protected]. Selected emails will be published on the Woman Onet website.
“I thought he had a mistress, but unfortunately he didn’t.” The phone has changed their lives
My husband and I were really happy, but five years ago everything started to change. We started getting more money, I got a good-paying job, and the kids were old enough for Andre and I to start earning money. We did it, redeemed ourselves, moved out of his mother’s house, and finally lived on our own with two kids: 10 and 12 years old.
As more and more money started showing up in our joint account in 2017, we allowed ourselves more than before — better shoes for the kids, an all-inclusive vacation to Egypt, my husband and I finally buying a big, high-end TV, and high-end phones be damned. I have to admit it was nice to use cool tools, but only for a moment. My husband has become so involved in this topic that since that unforgettable year, he has been changing his phone every 12 months, with a watch (a smartwatch, of course) in his hand.
At that time, it started to make me sad – I saw time slipping through my fingers, the children growing up and before we knew it, they would be gone forever. I wanted to be with them in the here and now, not sitting with my nose in my phone, looking at sales flyers from different stores, wondering how to save 20 cents on a box of dishwasher bags.
I was so focused on managing the home, work, and teenage kids that I didn’t notice how far I was drifting away from my husband, or perhaps how distant he was from me and from us. The result is that my husband lives exclusively on his phone.
I didn’t notice this until two or three years later! I’m ashamed that it didn’t happen until after such a long time, but the moment I realized that my husband had a serious problem, and therefore our entire family had a problem, changed the next few months of my life. The frustration has grown to the point where I’m seriously considering breaking up.
Breaking up due to mobile phone addiction seems immature, but it leads to more problems: I feel like I don’t have a partner and my kids don’t have a father. I fear for his safety behind the wheel and when crossing the street. I am afraid for his health, but above all… I am afraid for my children who, when they look at their father, will say that such a sight is normal.
At first I thought he had a mistress that he was constantly messaging, but unfortunately that was not the case. Why unfortunately? Because at this point I would like this to be the end of the marriage, at least I can explain it to my family and friends. How can you say it’s over because your husband is just staring at the phone?
I don’t know if our family is the only one affected by a small screen in someone else’s hand. But I wouldn’t wish such a scenario on my worst enemies. I still hope that he will agree to treatment and wake up from this slumber.
Alice
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We encourage you to share your opinion and stories on: [email protected]. Selected emails will be published on the Woman Onet website.
Echo Richards embodies a personality that is a delightful contradiction: a humble musicaholic who never brags about her expansive knowledge of both classic and contemporary tunes. Infuriatingly modest, one would never know from a mere conversation how deeply entrenched she is in the world of music. This passion seamlessly translates into her problem-solving skills, with Echo often drawing inspiration from melodies and rhythms. A voracious reader, she dives deep into literature, using stories to influence her own hardcore writing. Her spirited advocacy for alcohol isn’t about mere indulgence, but about celebrating life’s poignant moments.
