I (36F) lost custody of my children to my husband (34M) because I am/was addicted to my phone and social media. My therapist suggested writing about this might help me heal and work through what is going on with my life.
We were married almost 11 years. He first started saying something about my phone usage about 3 years ago. That led to a fight where I basically voiced all of my insecurities and blamed my phone usage on my husband.
I told him that he didn’t spend enough time with me. I told him that I knew he didn’t find me attractive. I told him that I knew he settled. And it was his fault I used my phone because he didn’t give me enough attention.
That only made the problem worse because he was quick to point out all the times that we were supposed to be spending time together while I was actually just staring at my phone. So he started pausing movies and TV shows when I was looking at my phone. I would go upstairs to the bedroom and ask him to change the TV to something that I wanted to watch and then I would immediately just stare at my phone. So he started staying downstairs until I was asleep.
Each time I would get up to use the restroom at night, I would spend at least 10 minutes in the bathroom on my phone and then I would get back into bed and look at it for another few minutes. I couldn't unload the dishwasher without looking at my phone more than a few times. My phone was the biggest thing in my life.
This would become a big fight every 3-4 months until the last time when I said some things that I will regret forever. I told him I knew he didn’t love me. I told him that he never took photographs of me because he didn’t find me pretty. He never took photos of me and our children because he didn’t like me and he was ashamed of me. That was basically the end.
He went and got his tablet and showed me hundred of pictures that he took. There was me and the children and the dogs and some with me and the children and my aunt’s horses. And in every single one of the pictures I was there in the background with my neck bent starting at my phone. Whether it was outside or in our home I always had that phone in my face.
Then he showed me the videos and I couldn’t stop crying. Videos of my youngest daughter saying “mommy” or “I have to potty” over and over again while I was laying on the couch with my phone. All right there on a little SD card in our living room.
And all this time he has been the primary caregiver and domestic caretaker. He gets the kids up, feeds them, and takes them to school. I pick them up in the afternoons while he cooks dinner and cleans. He bathes them and got them ready for bed. I went in each time and spent a few minutes with them and said “I love you.”
After the pictures and videos incident, things were calm for less than a month before we finally split. I called from work and asked him to make a specific dish for dinner. He said that he already had another dish planned and meat thawed. But I insisted and he budged. He went to Fred Meyer’s and got the groceries and made the meal. It was ready 5 minutes after I walked in the door with the kids. And then I sat on the toilet for 45 minutes with my phone and when I came out him and the kids were gone. The meal was on the stove cold.
He didn’t answer my call. He texted and said they would be at the library until it was time for bath. I got the papers 2 days later.
Not going to go into all the details but I’m sad. I see the children whenever I want as I moved less than .5 mile away. He doesn’t want to keep the children away from me, but he said that if he’s not going to let them be neglected. I cry every day. I’m not sure what benefit I will receive from sharing this but I hope this helps someone else who might be experiencing the same thing. My therapist says social media addiction is real and triggers dopamine just like any other addiction. I’m afraid one of my coworkers is making the same mistakes, but I am too afraid and ashamed to say anything to her.
Only my mom knows the real reason we split. I don’t know what to tell everyone else.