I left when I ceased caring. When I no longer gave a fuck, I felt no pain or sympathy of care. I was d.o.n.e done.

That was the most wonderful feeling you could imagine.
ETA- I was also married to the town/church angel. I just no longer gave a fuck. I gave up my "friends" and the part of my family I thought cared. OK fine. I lost all caring just for self preservation and my 'give a damn' was totally broke forever.

So I left. And have never looked back.

I left 7 1/2 months ago. I got a 2 bedroom house for bs 6 yrs.old and myself. I got a new car 2 weeks ago on my own. Wasn't sure I'd get it but I did. I had to move out. It was too unbearable to keep it up. Me and dh have a bs together. He is 6. Dh has a son 15 that makes him my ss. Dh always took up for ss even when he was disrespectful to me , rude and just plain ugly to bs. Ss was jealous of me, bs and dh. I am soo happy that I left. At first I was scared. I made it though! And alot better at that. I went up instead of down. My place is quite. Me and bs are calm, mentally healthy, not afaid and we don't have to see dh and ss sick relationship ever again. Ss is "NOT" welcomed here. The pain runs deep. The only reason dh comes here is because bs is NOT aloud to be around ss. I'm afraid ss might hurt bs. Ss told bs that he was going to stick a knife in him. It was Time to go after that. Now ss has no one to blame his ugly attitude on. He cusses dh now. It wasn't me or bs after all. You raise him now dh. The problem is all yours. I tried to be ss friend. I did. I thought ss and I was doing great and bonding until I realized ss wasn't being sincere, ss was just getting what he wanted and when he wasn't getting what he wanted outta me I became a piece of shit that he, hated. Nothing That I did or said to him didn't matter to him.

It took a massive nervous breakdown to get me to face the truth - that I needed to leave my ExH, who I was married to for 24 years. For the last 10 of those he was emotionally abusive to me. I am now remarried, to a truly kind and lovely man - we have been together since 2002, and are very happy - too bad he has 2 difficult daughters! Oh well. Good luck to you in the future - I promise you once you leave, you will ask yourself why you didn't do it sooner, despite the scariness.

Got divorced 6 years ago, no kids, married 4 years. 2 weeks after we got married, he got fired from his job. So started the downward spiral of chronic unemployment. He went to the bar every night, started doing drugs and staying out all night.

That first year was pretty scary, financially wise. I got stuck with the house since he wasn't working. Got laid off from my job of 10 years. Had to take money out of my 401K. BUT, I now have a job I love, bills I can afford (mostly), and a guy that I really love, even though our relationship is kind of screwed up at the moment......I am TOTALLY independent, and I LOVE it.

I got married very young, by the time I left him I had PTSD from the constant controlling and other issues. Divorced six years ago and never looked back, got therapy, got my own place, 100% independent. I dated a couple guys, got my heart stomped on pretty good and decided I must just be better off on my own. Enter FDH, I can't begin to describe how much I love this man! We work well together, even with step drama it is the best relationship I've ever been in once you meet someone that understands you, clicks with you, it makes you wonder why you spent so much time with anyone else. Enjoy your single days, I grew so much as a person once I knew I could do it on my own.