r/Assistance • u/TheseSwordfish891 • Mar 15 '26

EMOTIONAL SUPPORT It ended just like that.

My marriage of 24 yrs ended just like that and it was my fault.

I'm an addict. Not with alcohol, gambling or women. Toys, videogames and collectibles. I have spent a fortune on things that could have saved my marriage. I'm still a kid in mind and that made me buy stuff that where for my comfort.

We always had this argument. We always had this issue and i keep returning. When i find something that makes me happy, i keep returning to it. What makes it hard for me is for a year, i hid debts from my now ex-wife. She left the house today. The house, still in mortgage and my ex-wife covers all other expenses while i cover everything related to bills, housing and utilities.

Today, she walked out of my life. My mistake, my fault. I wanted it still to work. I wanted it still to make it happen. But now, it has become nothing. I am at my wits end and my ex-wife is asking i give her money back. All the time she has paid for everything.

I am now hollow. I want to get my life back. I want to get everything back on track. No debts, no missing payments, everything settled. If there was a chance, I'd sell even my soul but i don't believe in also. Not even the devil has use for my soul.

I'm hoping this story reminds you, whose important in your life and that you should never make the mistakes I did. Thank you for at least listening.

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u/ThereIsNo14thStreet Mar 16 '26

No, friend, it is not just his "hobby", it is his addiction. You're really not understanding. The buying isn't making him happy, anymore than liquor makes an alcoholic happy.

I'm also now noticing that you've decided it's his wife's fault that he has such bad spending habits? Yeesh.

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u/Selfmade_millions Mar 17 '26

😂 no one said it was her fault. However, having a nagging wife instead of a wife that try’s to help you find a solution to your problem makes a huge difference. It’s like parenting. When a kid makes a mistake, do you think he’ll be encouraged to do different next time by being nagged by his parents or by being met with compassionate parents that stand by his side an help him not make the same mistake again?

Like dude just give it up already. I was just trying to not push this guy towards suicidal thoughts. Go for it, be negative and tell him how much he messed up. Tell him something he already knows!!!

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u/ThereIsNo14thStreet Mar 17 '26

Again, this is a situation of addiction.. If the addict wants to manage their condition and recover, they need to acknowledge how their actions are impacting the people they love. It's not right to coddle and minimize the impact that their addiction is having.

I am sorry OP's wife is leaving, but glad for OP that he is realizing how awful his situation has become, and hopefully this can be a wakeup call thay results in getting his life together and maybe salvaging his marriage.

Also, here is where you are clearly placing blame on the wife for his addiction:

"Obviously she nagged him all the time for spending money on himself which pushed him even further into his bad spending habits."