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Man “Comes Out” As Poly, Uses It As Free Pass To Date, Gets Mad When Wife Dates, She’s Struggling
Middle-aged couple holding hands in kitchen, man revealing polyamorous relationship with wife processing the news.

Man “Comes Out” As Poly, Uses It As Free Pass To Date, Gets Mad When Wife Dates, She’s Struggling

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What works for some couples might not end up being a fit for others, which is why people need to collectively figure out the rules and boundaries of their relationship. Unfortunately, in some cases, even partners who have been together for a long time might be on completely different pages, which can cause problems.

This is what happened to one woman when her husband of fifteen years suddenly demanded a polyamorous relationship and had someone lined up to date him. She still tried to make it work, but ended up feeling broken.

More info: Reddit

RELATED:

    It can be difficult to recognize red flags in a long-term relationship until one partner takes things too far

    A man in a poly relationship holding hands with his depressed wife in a kitchen with large windows and natural light.

    Image credits: Frolopiaton Palm/ Freepik (not the actual photo)

    The poster explained that she had been married to her husband for fifteen years and that he suddenly “came out” as polyamorous, and already had someone to date

    Text post titled man poly relationship depressed wife about a 43-year-old wife with a 46-year-old polyamorous husband.

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    Text excerpt describing a man in a poly relationship with his depressed wife, sharing their marriage challenges.

    Text on a white background stating a man sharing that he is polyamorous, with focus on man-poly relationship and depressed wife.

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    Worried wife coping with a man in a poly relationship while struggling with feelings of depression and uncertainty.

    Man in a poly relationship discussing feelings with his depressed wife, exploring openness and communication together.

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    Text excerpt about a man in a poly relationship discussing a potential new date with his depressed wife.

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    Woman with a stressed expression holding her temples, reflecting the challenges in a man poly relationship with a depressed wife

    Image credits: Freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)

    The poster felt blindsided by her husband’s declaration and tried to set boundaries around his dating, but she had to keep compromising as he’d throw a fit

    Text on a white background discussing feeling blindsided by a sudden date while not having processed the idea of poly or read any books.

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    Text excerpt showing a man-poly relationship with a depressed wife struggling with communication and emotional breakdowns.

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    Image credits: creativaimages / Freepik (not the actual photo)

    The poster became insecure when her husband started flirting with their neighbor and told him to delete her number, but he continued the connection in secret

    Text excerpt showing a wife describing emotional distress in a man-poly relationship with a depressed wife.

    Text excerpt discussing a man in a poly relationship worried about how his depressed wife might react.

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    Depressed wife shares feelings of emptiness and struggle, while man navigates poly relationship and household responsibilities.

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    Depressed wife struggles in man-poly relationship as husband pursues polyamory and lies about past partners.

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    Over time, the poster began feeling like her life was falling apart and that she didn’t know what to do because he kept making her feel like it was all her fault

    As the poster mentioned, she and her husband had been together for more than a decade and had two children. Nothing seemed off about their relationship, and they faced the normal ups and downs of life. That’s why she was shocked when he suddenly decided that he wanted to be polyamorous.

    According to researchers, people can’t just come out as polyamorous, especially if they are in a committed relationship. This kind of decision should be discussed multiple times between partners so that they can figure out what works best for them together, instead of just one person pulling the strings.

    It’s clear that the man had blindsided his wife with his declaration, which is why she had said that she needed some time to take in the news. Unfortunately, before she even got a chance to research and figure out the path ahead, he told her that he wanted to date their neighbor, who was eleven years younger than him.

    The OP found it odd that her husband already had someone lined up that he wanted to date, and experts explain that this kind of behavior is not what polyamory is about. It’s not a band-aid solution to wanting to cheat on one’s spouse. People can identify the red flags by seeing how collaboratively their partner approaches this kind of decision in the first place.

    Woman wrapped in a blanket looking sad on a couch, depicting emotions tied to a man poly relationship with a depressed wife.

    Image credits: DC Studio / Freepik (not the actual photo)

    The poster obviously didn’t want her husband to start dating people so soon, but after he began throwing tantrums, she didn’t know what else to do. At the same time, he also got mad when she wanted to go on dates or meet someone new, which shows how imbalanced their dynamic was.

    Eventually, the OP began to feel insecure about how much her partner was fawning over their neighbor, and she told him to delete her number. The problem is that the man still secretly kept in touch with the other woman, and his wife only noticed because of how suspiciously he was acting.

    When it comes to monogamous or polyamorous relationships, they can only work if partners are on the same page and respect each other’s boundaries. According to psychologists, if there is a mismatch in a couple’s relationship style that can’t be fixed over time, then it might signal that they’re incompatible.

    In this case, though, the woman still wanted to hold onto her marriage despite her husband’s red-flag behavior. Apart from this, she was also managing the finances of their family, and clearly, having to face all this on her own was taking a toll on her mental health, which is why she asked folks online for advice.

    What do you think the woman should do about her husband’s behavior, and do you think she should stay in the marriage or leave him? We’d love to hear your thoughts on this situation.

    Folks sided with the woman and told her that her husband was just using polyamory as an excuse to cheat on her

    Reddit user discussing a man in a poly relationship with a depressed wife expressing emotional struggle and perspective shift.

    Comment conversation about seeking therapy for emotional struggles in a man poly relationship with a depressed wife.

    Screenshot of a Reddit conversation discussing challenges in a man poly relationship with a depressed wife.

    Comment discussing man-poly relationship issues with emphasis on trust, boundaries, and a depressed wife's emotional safety.

    Man in a polyamorous relationship struggling with trust and a depressed wife, facing challenges of honesty and acceptance.

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    Text post showing a user discussing a man in a poly relationship and his depressed wife expressing feelings of betrayal.

    Alt text: Text discussion about a man in a poly relationship and challenges with a depressed wife and relationship boundaries.

    Man in poly relationship looking concerned while his wife appears depressed and distant on the couch.

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    Beverly Noronha

    Beverly Noronha

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    Beverly Noronha

    Writer, BoredPanda staff

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    Rūta Zumbrickaitė

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    Rūta Zumbrickaitė

    Rūta Zumbrickaitė

    Author, BoredPanda staff

    Hi! Here at Panda's I'm responsible for Photo Editing and all of the things surrounding it. I love finding great, moody or even dramatic photos to fit the story. Besides that, I'm a proud owner of 3 cats with the silliest names and a bazillion plants<3You can find me at a makeup counter with headphones swatching all of the sparkly eyeshadows

    What do you think ?
    AlithenewMC
    Community Member
    9 hours ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    She also makes most of the money and does all the cooking and cleaning? This is either fake or she's got literally no self esteem. The man brings absolutely nothing to the table. Toss him.

    Becca not Becky
    Community Member
    2 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I think it's real. Judging by the writing, it seems the OP has very low self-esteem and doesn't recognize just how deeply wrong all of this is. She blames herself. Manipulative people like her husband thrive on this dynamic. He has a home, food, and most everything provided for, so why would he get a divorce when he can just continue with the stability AND have fun? Sounds like he has been manipulating her for a very long time.

    Load More Replies...
    CP
    Community Member
    6 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    There is no "coming out" as poly and you can't spring this on a partner like that. This guy seems like trash and it has nothing to do with being poly.

    Binky Melnik
    Community Member
    4 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It doesn’t sound as if he’s poly at all but rather just a sleazy jerk. He wants to bang someone at the bustop but his wife isn’t allowed the same freedom. I laughed when she said he “came out” as poly. 😆

    Load More Replies...
    Trillian
    Community Member
    7 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    He's not poly he just wants to eff around.

    CP
    Community Member
    6 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Those two groups are not mutually exclusive. You can be poly because you want eff around. What is wrong with that?

    Load More Replies...
    Load More Comments
    AlithenewMC
    Community Member
    9 hours ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    She also makes most of the money and does all the cooking and cleaning? This is either fake or she's got literally no self esteem. The man brings absolutely nothing to the table. Toss him.

    Becca not Becky
    Community Member
    2 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I think it's real. Judging by the writing, it seems the OP has very low self-esteem and doesn't recognize just how deeply wrong all of this is. She blames herself. Manipulative people like her husband thrive on this dynamic. He has a home, food, and most everything provided for, so why would he get a divorce when he can just continue with the stability AND have fun? Sounds like he has been manipulating her for a very long time.

    Load More Replies...
    CP
    Community Member
    6 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    There is no "coming out" as poly and you can't spring this on a partner like that. This guy seems like trash and it has nothing to do with being poly.

    Binky Melnik
    Community Member
    4 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It doesn’t sound as if he’s poly at all but rather just a sleazy jerk. He wants to bang someone at the bustop but his wife isn’t allowed the same freedom. I laughed when she said he “came out” as poly. 😆

    Load More Replies...
    Trillian
    Community Member
    7 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    He's not poly he just wants to eff around.

    CP
    Community Member
    6 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Those two groups are not mutually exclusive. You can be poly because you want eff around. What is wrong with that?

    Load More Replies...
    Load More Comments
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