I Live In a Sexless Marriage

It's Just The Sex....everything Else Is Fine! Is It? A Questionaire.....

By: rosedl

Written on September 24th, 2012

Okay. So, you have little to zero sex. But, everything else is fine.

Really?

Once upon a time, I thought that my spouse was a dear friend, if not a lover.

Hindsight is twenty/twenty, and I know realize that my so-called friend was a verbally abusive control freak who used me for financial security and safety. My spouse was not only not much of a friend, he was abusive. Deep down, I knew there was more going on then the lack of sex, but I was so close to the relationship and caught up in the fear of loss, I couldn't see the obvious. It is only in the past couple of months after he called me a c (insert three letters) for the third time and blamed me for not seeing my daughter because I didn't give him gas money that I realized this person was never going to be a true friend. (We have now been apart for about two years with a very brief and awful reconciliation about a year ago).

I hope that you are not in the same type of emotional and psychological abusive hell that I lived for a decade. But, here are some questions to answer HONESTLY that might help you get a clearer perspective.

1. Outside of sex, does your spouse provide physical affection, cuddling, hugs, kisses, and warm human contact?

2. Are you allowed to express your emotional and physical needs without being invalidated, dismissed, or punished?

3. Does your spouse blame you for their inability to express intimacy in the marriage (i.e. if you just did this...if you only...if you were)?

4. Does your spouse blame you for his/her own problems?

5. Does your spouse make you accountable for their emotions and thoughts instead of owning them as his/her own?

6. Does your spouse try to control you outside the bedroom (i.e. choice of friends, activities, decision making, money)?

7. Does your spouse express compassion for your struggles or show contempt?

8. Do you feel you can talk to your spouse openly without fear of repercussion?

9. Do you have real fun together?

10. Do you dream together?

11. Do you hold grudges against each other?

12. Do you (or your children) walk on eggshells around your spouse to avoid
setting him/her off?

13. Are you treated with compassion and love?

14. Can you count on your spouse to follow through on his/her word?

15. Does your spouse constantly criticize, belittle, minimize, or ignore you?

16. Do you trust your spouse? Does he or she trust you?

17. Do you feel supported in your personal decisions and choices by your spouse?

18. Do you look forward to your future?

19. Is your spouse open and willing to work to make problems better in all areas?

20. Are you the emotional caretaker of the relationship?

21. Do you feel as if you didn't mention underlying problems in the marriage, they would never be discussed?

22. Does your spouse actively work to solve problems in the marriage and make
your relationship better?

Honestly assessing your situation is the first step to being able to truly work to improve it. Good luck to all!

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By: rosedl

Age: 41-45 , Female

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59 responses

b1053mutant

Rose,
You ask some great questions.
Do you have a cut-off score for replies?
Or a formula to work out where you are exactly with a key to sets of answers?
When I answer the questions it feels like this self-test left me on the fence, but it did make me think about some new angles on my situation.
Thanks..
...and just for the record...
Do you think that everything else ever can be fine if there is little to zero sex?

Dec 1, 2012
2 likes
- rosedl
  No particular scoring system. This was a off-the-cuff questionaire. If your answers indicate a lack of support and invalidation in other areas, you have a big problem.
  "...and just for the record...
  Do you think that everything else ever can be fine if there is little to zero sex?"
  Only if both people have little to no interest in sex with each other. Otherwise, NO. If sex is a core need, and you are in a monogamous relationship with someone who doesn't want it with you.......you are denying a core part of your being to accommodate another person. This is NEVER a good idea. Resentment, hopelessness, bitterness, and all types of other negative things bubble out until the situation becomes too much to bear. Sorry.
  
  Dec 2, 2012
  1 like
- enna30
  "Do you think that everything else ever can be fine if there is little to zero sex?"
  If you read stories and forum posts here on ILIASM, b10-53, you will discover that you are deluding yourself that "everything is fine bar the sex". A partner who resolutely refuses to address an issue that s/he KNOWS is causing the other pain, is selfish and unempathic. NOT good traits in a spouse . . . .
  
  Dec 2, 2012
  1 like
mejj

Good that you parted ways with the bitter half !!!
Apt queries to stay away from dilemmas.
CHEERS!

Oct 1, 2012
1 like
wowable

wow, great questions

Sep 30, 2012
1 like
JEDIIMIND

SEX IS 50% IN MY OPINION

Sep 30, 2012
1 like
positiveenergy73

It's so hard to see the picture clearly when you're in it. There's something about being removed from it that clears things up. I suffered an abusive marriage as well. I am so glad to free from that now. However, I find it difficult to engage in a committed relationship now. I'm soooooo protective of my space and my atmosphere. I refuse to allow anyone else to disturb by peace! In an attempt to not end up an old cat lady.......I hope to overcome issue at some point. Right now.....it would take a pretty amazing, calm, soft-spoken sweet heart to break my walls down!

Sep 30, 2012
1 like
monadbornslippy

i am just posting something to see if i get 15 points for reply:)!

Sep 30, 2012
1 like
Perksplayhot

good post.

Sep 30, 2012
1 like
mazou

What u r raising here is true,I just came out of a marriage that I think I was not suppose to be in,u know sometimes u get married 4 the wrong resin,which I ended up chitting on my husband bcz he was not suppotive the way he shud've been,he ddnt even want me 2 go to school 2 further my studies,I've been with him almost 10 yrs,up until this year June when he found out that I'm cheating on him,I was scared to leave him bcz I thought I won't be able to lice without him,which that's how he made me feel

Sep 29, 2012
2 likes
- IrishGuy74
  That is pretty typical for men who want to control their wives. Men who are secure in their marriages want their wives to be happy and will support them in all they do. After all a man also wants his wife to support him when he wants to pursue his dreams.
  
  Sep 29, 2012
  1 like
exstranger

You bring up very good points in the above questions. Most are very familiar if not spot-on.

Sep 29, 2012
1 like
accomplice

Thanks for your story. My spouse/marriage failed each and every one of the questions you pose, and that is why she is an ex-wife now.
I wish I had seen your list and realized all this years ago -- it would've saved me many years of suffering.
These questions also reaffirm my feeling that my new relationship is everything a relationship should be. The difference is day and night.

Sep 29, 2012
2 likes
IrishGuy74

Sex in a marriage is important, hands down. If there is no sex then that opens up the possibility for outside influences. And there are all kinds of outside influences that can ruin a marriage. Marriage is not going to be sunshine and rainbows all the time but its also not supposed to be sexless either. If it is sexless there is something else going on.
My marriage of 19 years recently had a set back on this very same subject. I considered having an affair with someone that I knew would satisfy my need at the moment. Then I realized that I had not told my wife what I was feeling or what I wanted in our marriage. So I laid it out for her and decided that if she didn't want to change things then I would consider moving on but I would not give up with out at least trying. Today our issues are working themselves out and we are moving forward together. Just done give up until you have figured out that you really have exhausted all your options.

Sep 28, 2012
4 likes
- TheFullMoon
  In your case you have the same priority... You don't have this sort of frustration the most people here go through... So you are basically blessed.... Unfortunately it does not help anybody in this group...
  
  Sep 30, 2012
  1 like
dkrn18

GREAT questions. I found most were negative, which affirms my belief that my relationship will have to at some point come to an end. we get along ok enough, I guess, but every time I bring up the topic of sex (i.e., why we don't have any...for years!!, can we work on this?) I get the blame for having been depressed 15 years ago and his job takes it all out of him, etc. and we end up in a huge argument (with no makeup sex, haha).
Thank you so much for your insightful post.

Sep 28, 2012
2 likes
fivezero

Mmmmh! I counted 19/21 in the negative! Do you think I should be re-evaluating? Ha! Actually, you have to laugh at the 'irony' in the end. Thank you. Thought provoking and well thought out questions.

Sep 27, 2012
1 like
rosedl

Wow, I just logged back on and I forgot I wrote this....
Glad it was helpful!

Sep 27, 2012
1 like
- smithy8015
  wow i have so many negatively associated answers. this is definitely a good list by which to evaluate.
  
  Sep 28, 2012
  1 like
oldodo

Thank you for posting this great questionaire. It helped me to understand that I married a perfect girl.
At the same time I did realize there is a (small) room for my own improvement :)
If I will ever need a family consellor, I hope to find someone like you.

Sep 27, 2012
1 like
tgtraveler

Very well written. After evaluating my marriage, based on these questions, I see that we fall right in the middle. I guess the thing to do now is to decide if we really want this marriage to work.

Sep 27, 2012
1 like
amale9

a great writing, but then I understand that people become scholars out of experience - there is no better college than experience.

Sep 27, 2012
3 likes
- rosedl
  Yep....lots and lots and lots of experience.
  
  Sep 27, 2012
  1 like
MisterGrey

That pretty much sums up my mum and dad's marriage!!! She got out of it too though before it destroyed her courage to do so.

Sep 27, 2012
1 like
serious143

i need sex

Sep 27, 2012
1 like
DONDONEIT

FIRST NIGHT ON EP AND REALITY SLAPS ME IN MY FACE

Sep 27, 2012
2 likes
hillbillycrone

Smart Cookie! :) Great Questions, wonderful post.

Sep 26, 2012
1 like
Galadriela

This made me cry, you articulated many of the things that dont feel right in my relationship but I guess I was too close to see. Thank you

Sep 26, 2012
2 likes
PilgrimmeSoul

wow ..this is great insight at what to look at.

Sep 26, 2012
1 like
stillholidngmybreathe

I feel your pain. A great book I suggest is: "Stop walking on eggshells" 2nd edition by Paul T. Mason, MS Randikereger. It's an easy read, but I suggest you read it slowly and let it digest. It has helped me so much in understanding my partner, and how I got to where I am and feeling the same as you. Let me know if you check it out.

Sep 26, 2012
2 likes
- rosedl
  Verbal Abusers Speak Out is also a fantastic book.
  I am out of the relationship for good now, but thanks for the referral!
  
  Sep 27, 2012
  1 like
Fool4Waiting

Is there a scorecard?
Pass/fail?
;0

Sep 26, 2012
1 like
movingonnow

Thank you for this, not all of it was "my case" but enough was to make me realize I made the right choice to leave.

Sep 25, 2012
1 like
leannsland

wow, this is fantastic and like blaring some light on my marriage. It has really bothered me that my spouse does not initiate or even think about sex anymore. Then I realized I really didn't want him anymore either. I really need to take some time to untangle this mess we've created. Thanks for posting!

Sep 25, 2012
1 like
nyartgal

This is fantastic!! Thank you for posting, should be required reading day one for anyone on ILIASM.

Sep 25, 2012
3 likes
vectorking23

Sex is never the problem, but the symptom of something bigger or more sinister.
This is a great set of questions. Most of which I don't like my answers, although true. It's just kind of sad to think that something born out of great hope for a happy-ever-after (marriage) can turn into something no one saw until it was way too late. Hence, most of us staying for way too long.
BTW - my answer to question 15 is the only thing I need to see to know I'm doomed.

Sep 25, 2012
2 likes
jlewis3555

These are excellent questions, in my own relationship there are some that I can answer yes and some I can answer no. I agree with what MVCMVC said. These questions sometimes fail to consider an older younger relationship as in my case. The things I deal with daily with my wife do Alzheimer's I think goes beyond the realm of these questions.

Sep 25, 2012
1 like

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I Live In a Sexless Marriage

It's Just The Sex....everything Else Is Fine! Is It? A Questionaire.....

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