48, you are young still, you have many living years left to be sitting around doing nothing. Keep yuo mind occupied, go to a gym, and while at the gym or other activty think about your life, maybe school??? i am sure thins will get his attention, it would get my attention if my wife started doing things out of the ordinary. you still have time, just dont sit around.
Is this abuse, or two people who don't get along? He may not love you, or at least he doesn't act as if he does. If you threaten to leave him, you will know his true feelings.
He has his own business, so if you divorce him he will have to pay you alimony. If he doesn't turn around that may be the best solutions. You are still young enough to make your own life.
Its hard sometimes to know what to do isn't it, it does sound as if hes not going to change ,have you told him how you feel ,how you dont like him putting you down. You do have the rest of your life to think of, so it may be a good idea to see if you both can work it out, perhaps with some therapy, if not, well leaving will be better than what you have .,he has to pay you your share of the house it will help you get started . I know you feel bad but sometimes that old American saying 'when the going gets tough, the tough get going 'can work .Take a full time job and save , get some independance going...good luck
I don't know that you're being "abused" as much as you really don't have a marriage.
What is keeping you from building a life for yourself? 48 is YOUNG to be living the life of a shut-in.
Since he's never there anyway, I don't see much immediate need for you to "leave". It seems like all day long and well into the night you have all the choices in the world for what to do, where to go, who to befriend, etc.
It seems you are absolutely stuck in being unable/unwilling to take risks and get out there in life, and it doesn't really seem very fair to blame your husband. This is what YOU are doing.
Have you considered that you may be depressed and that anti-depressants may help you get started again?
What are you getting from this marriage?
What's keeping you in the relationship?
What are you protecting by staying?
What would you be protecting if you leave?
...just some questions for you to ask yourself. I understand to a certain degree what you're going through.
I should add that I this is my second marriage, and my first husband was physically and mentally abusive and I swore I would never let that happen to me again.....