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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU for ignoring my ex and not giving him a reason for our breakup/closure?

51 replies

traumallama07 · 04/05/2026 16:23

Sorry, this is a long one.

I (38f) had been friends with a guy (41m) since I was about 15. He was always interested in me, but the timing never seemed right. He once paid the back taxes on the house of a relative of mine that he never met just for me so she could keep her house (which happened to be the house I grew up in). He eventually got married and had 2 kids. We didn't talk for about 5 years or so, as I didn't think it was appropriate. He then got a divorce. Around the time he was divorcing, he came back into my life (we ended up reconnecting through my relative, who was selling the house and wanted to give him the money back).

Ultimately, we got together but broke up about year later. I have not explained to him my reasons for breaking up and I've been ignoring his calls and texts. Here are my reasons (basically in order of importance):

  1. I, like a responsible adult, insisted on us getting tested for STDs before continuing any unprotected activities. This was very important to me because I had a childhood friend die of AIDS, a friend's bf cheated and got HIV and almost gave it to here, and, most importantly, I was SA'd by a man who had HIV (I am clean though). I am therefore paranoid about STIs. I was celibate for like 10 years before we got together. I told him this and he's aware of my trauma. He never got tested.
  2. My mother was murdered. He made a big show about how he would be there for me and would come to the funeral but just had to check with his boss. It took 3 weeks to schedule it because it was crime and evidence needed to be collected, etc. During that time, I asked him repeatedly when he would by flying in and what his plans were (he's out of the country a lot for work). I asked him at least 4 times, to the point where I felt like I was hounding him while I'm trying to grieve. I finally got an answer the day before the funeral when he said he couldn't get off work. He didn't even send a card. 3). Never knew who my dad was. I went on AncestryDNA in 2018 to hopefully find him. Literally 2 weeks after my mother's funeral, we matched! I told him about, all excitedly. His reaction was "that's cool, I guess..." And then for the next month didn't ask me a single question about it. My father and friends and family members kept asking me what my boyfriend thought of it all, and I kept saying I didn't know. We hadn't spoken about it. I finally broke up with him when I realized that.
  3. My mother's funeral was 4 days before my birthday. He was still out of the country but never called or texted to wish me happy birthday. I initiated the contact that day and told him that it was hard to celebrate because of what happened with my mom.

Other reasons....
5) I always had to travel to wherever he was to see him (using my PTO and my money to travel). He never ONCE came to see me.
6) I have narcolepsy and struggle with daytime sleepiness. So I have a hard time staying awake for work. I asked him not to call or text me in the middle of the night and respect my sleep. He would still call and text at 2-3 am. I know he was in a different time zone, but he could have looked up what time it was where I am.
7) I also asked him not to call or text me during working hours. He still did.
8) When I told him I thought we should take a break from dating (haven't yet told him the reasons why), his first response was to attack me, saying he didn't think I was serious about him (despite me breaking my 10-yr celibacy due to trauma for him) because every time he called, I wouldn't be available or would have an attitude (see reasons #6 and 7 as to why I had an attitude - and for the record, I always called him back, but he would take days or weeks to call or text me back when he was away but then love bomb me when he was back)
9) When he called (during work hours) to discuss it, I told him I didn't want to talk about it then, but I'd be available between noon and 1 when I took my lunch. I called him twice during that hour and texted once. He never responded. Didn't hear from him again until the following week when he texted "miss u" which I ignored.
10) A week later, he accused me of ghosting him. I said that's rich coming from you. He claimed I never picked up and then he left the country, but he was back and wanted to discuss it. I told him he was in the country the day he called to talk about it originally during work hours. I called on my lunch as I said I would and he disappeared for a week. He didn't respond to that.
11) Disappeared again for another week and then texted me "u up?" at 10:00 pm. I've been ignoring him every since.
12) He would just generally claim to have called or texted whenever I accused him of being absent, but my call log or texts wouldn't show anything, so I always felt like I was being gaslit.

Given our over 20-year friendship, AIBU for ignoring him?

OP posts:
drunkelephant83 · 04/05/2026 16:45

You don’t sound compatible and of course you don’t have to give anyone a reason although I think it’s the mature thing to do. He might leave you alone if you tell him the above 😅

Cherrysoup · 04/05/2026 16:46

Just send him your OP! I’m sorry for the loss of your mum.

category12 · 04/05/2026 16:50

Sounds like an arsehole.

I'd just send "this isn't working for me" and call it a day.

If he gets persistent, c&p the above to him and block.

Lmnop22 · 04/05/2026 16:51

Is there a reason you don’t want him to know? If it will stop him bugging you, couldn’t you just text him this list?

If not, then block, delete and move on

KilkennyCats · 04/05/2026 16:53

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

JLou08 · 04/05/2026 16:54

What is the reason for not telling him?
I'd send him what you've written here and then leave it at that. It might stop him trying to contact you.

TFImBackIn · 04/05/2026 16:59

I'm so sorry you lost your mum.

This man isn't your friend. He does whatever he likes, when he likes. He doesn't give you a thought, I'm afraid.

SwanRivers · 04/05/2026 16:59

Your fingers must've been aching after typing that lot because you felt all the detail was so important to share with strangers.

But none of it is important enough to share with him? 😳

Weird.

Tel12 · 04/05/2026 17:03

Just pick one, message him. The end

traumallama07 · 04/05/2026 17:05

It's more like I feel like he doesn't deserve to know since he ignored me when I called and texted him to talk about it. I feel like he lost the opportunity and right to get an explanation.

Obviously, I can tell him all my reasons very easily. But my question was am I being unreasonable (or otherwise petty) to not do so?

OP posts:
PashaMinaMio · 04/05/2026 17:07

Cheezus! What a waste of space he is.
It’s all about him & it’s fkng hard work for you.

Block him on everything. Dump him without another thought.

You’ve run out of band width for this twat. Lifes too short.

SwanRivers · 04/05/2026 17:07

traumallama07 · 04/05/2026 17:05

It's more like I feel like he doesn't deserve to know since he ignored me when I called and texted him to talk about it. I feel like he lost the opportunity and right to get an explanation.

Obviously, I can tell him all my reasons very easily. But my question was am I being unreasonable (or otherwise petty) to not do so?

You're playing games.

If it makes you feel happy, then carry on playing I guess? 🤷‍♂️

category12 · 04/05/2026 17:13

traumallama07 · 04/05/2026 17:05

It's more like I feel like he doesn't deserve to know since he ignored me when I called and texted him to talk about it. I feel like he lost the opportunity and right to get an explanation.

Obviously, I can tell him all my reasons very easily. But my question was am I being unreasonable (or otherwise petty) to not do so?

Tbh, I don't think anyone really wants a long list of their wrongdoings when there's a break up.

I think the main reason people ask for explanations is to argue about it, and try to convince you to disregard your feelings.

Aliceinmunsnetland · 04/05/2026 17:16

SwanRivers · 04/05/2026 17:07

You're playing games.

If it makes you feel happy, then carry on playing I guess? 🤷‍♂️

Edited

Stupid games at that. Block, delete and get him out of your life.
He's nobody to you.

Charlenedickens · 04/05/2026 17:18

Feels,like you’re trying to punish him and be spiteful, which is fine if you fancy that. Personally I’d just say it’s over and I’m not feeling it or tell him why, but I don’t do punishment, deserving, spite etc

Butterme · 04/05/2026 17:55

Your number 1 reason was to get tested for STDs and he didn’t do it - but yet you still chose to be in a relationship and have sex with him.

This should have been your first red flag and it should never have progressed past it.

YABU to just end it and not explain anything. I don’t think it’s ever fair to just ghost someone.

But YANBU to not go into detail and simply explain that it’s an accumulation of all of the arguments you’ve had since starting.

This man has taken way too much of your time and energy and so I can completely see why you don’t want to communicate with him - however, it is still taking your energy and so I would probably send him the list you sent us and ask him to not contact you again.

traumallama07 · 04/05/2026 17:57

category12 · 04/05/2026 17:13

Tbh, I don't think anyone really wants a long list of their wrongdoings when there's a break up.

I think the main reason people ask for explanations is to argue about it, and try to convince you to disregard your feelings.

That's one of the things I'm worried about. That he'll try to argue every one of my reasons and suck me back in. Normally, I wouldn't "ghost" someone, and I'm very much a person that tends to explain everything, even over-explain sometimes (hence the long post) because I always want people to understand where I'm coming from even if they disagree. But I don't want to be gaslit, and I don't want my feelings to be minimized either to the point where I'm talked into accepting this and sign myself up for more treatment like this in the future.

OP posts:
TeaPot496 · 04/05/2026 18:02

I got up to no.3 before voting YANBU. However, I'd text a short "No thank you dear." and then block.

category12 · 04/05/2026 18:36

traumallama07 · 04/05/2026 17:57

That's one of the things I'm worried about. That he'll try to argue every one of my reasons and suck me back in. Normally, I wouldn't "ghost" someone, and I'm very much a person that tends to explain everything, even over-explain sometimes (hence the long post) because I always want people to understand where I'm coming from even if they disagree. But I don't want to be gaslit, and I don't want my feelings to be minimized either to the point where I'm talked into accepting this and sign myself up for more treatment like this in the future.

Yes, just send a quick "we're through" so he knows he's dumped and then ignore/mute/block.

ThePaleDreamer · 04/05/2026 18:38

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Yeah its not relevant to us, and the only person who wants to know isn't being told

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 04/05/2026 18:43

Cherrysoup · 04/05/2026 16:46

Just send him your OP! I’m sorry for the loss of your mum.

This. It explains things clearly.

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 04/05/2026 18:45

He’s been a complete idiot too and has ballsed up a 20 year friendship with his actions. Concentrate on yourself now.

Delici · 04/05/2026 18:53

traumallama07 · 04/05/2026 17:05

It's more like I feel like he doesn't deserve to know since he ignored me when I called and texted him to talk about it. I feel like he lost the opportunity and right to get an explanation.

Obviously, I can tell him all my reasons very easily. But my question was am I being unreasonable (or otherwise petty) to not do so?

Ignoring the fact that you are just not compatible then yes yabu.

You can just say that it’s not working. It’s not what you imagined. It’s hard to communicate in different time zones etc. pick a reason and move on.

Butterme · 04/05/2026 19:01

traumallama07 · 04/05/2026 17:57

That's one of the things I'm worried about. That he'll try to argue every one of my reasons and suck me back in. Normally, I wouldn't "ghost" someone, and I'm very much a person that tends to explain everything, even over-explain sometimes (hence the long post) because I always want people to understand where I'm coming from even if they disagree. But I don't want to be gaslit, and I don't want my feelings to be minimized either to the point where I'm talked into accepting this and sign myself up for more treatment like this in the future.

But you don’t need to discuss it with him.

Tell him it’s for multiple reasons and include a couple of examples and tell him that you don’t want to go over it all again and so you won’t be responding.

Then if he replies don’t respond.

Brightbluesomething · 04/05/2026 19:07

I would usually give someone a reason as I’d expect the same in return. Ghosting can be so cruel. It could be a ‘sorry I’m not feeling a spark’ if I don’t know them, but it was more detailed the last time I exited a relationship. I’d invested years of time and effort so I told him why his behaviour hurt me. It made no difference and he didn’t even apologise. I wasn’t looking for a way back, only to explain where I was at. He didn’t care. I wasted my time yet again.
So given this man has treated you really badly, you don’t want him back, and he isn’t likely to change, you could tell him you don’t want to be with him then block. A prolonged explanation will open the door and that won’t help you.