Did anybody else have a mental breakdown when the separation happened? To give some background, my marriage was already on rocky grounds ever since my ex’s infidelities came to light. Instead of leaving, I offered to do couple’s counseling. We fought for years but I still kept showing up for the relationship.

Everything ended when my ex physically assaulted me and then flipped the script and told the police I had assaulted her. I believed her that I was the one in the wrong (I know, my self-esteem was not in a good place). She also convinced me that, if I moved out of the family home, she would work on our family. I foolishly believed this and moved out.

She blocked me on everything and told everybody I was a horrible monster of a person to where I can’t even go to my son’s school without getting looks from people. The cops believed her, with no evidence, that I had assaulted her and labeled me a defendant and her a victim.

To make matters worse, I live in a country where I barely speak the language so the isolation has been real. I struggle some days with believing her that I am a monster. I don’t know why. I am literally completely starting over at almost 37 years while living paycheck to paycheck (divorce is expensive).

When the separation started and my ex lied to the police, I literally had a mental breakdown and was forced to be hospitalized. It was such a betrayal and my mind just could not keep up with it. I gave everything to try to make the relationship work and I lost myself. I’m still trying to find myself.