I’m 31M and the past three people I’ve dated (19M when I was 19, 21M when I was 21, and most recently a woman who is also my age), all started the relationship being kind and encouraging and supportive of me. Within just a couple years all of them started putting me down all the time, calling me stupid, idiot, etc. claiming I can’t do anything right or well enough. I got criticized for my ability to tidy up, even though I was the one doing most of not all of the tidying. They go on about how I probably couldn’t do something as well as they can. Even regarding topics that I objectively know more about, they would shut me down saying I don’t know what I’m talking about. Any put down you can think of related to my intelligence and skills.
I don’t claim to be a genius or perfect, but I think I’m at least average! I have ADHD which makes me pretty forgetful but medication helps. I didn’t finish college but that’s not that unusual. I just don’t understand how people who start out being decent and kind all end up looking down on me so much. Is it because I get emotional? Has anyone else encountered this repeatedly in relationships?