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AIBU?

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Anxiety filled day out

166 replies

Becomingabookworm · 17/09/2024 16:26

My partner is often making me feel anxious. He has told me I am defensive and blowing situations out of proportion when I bring them up but the reaction I feel in terms of anxiety is out of my control. There's a lot of examples where I feel I have to manage my behaviour to avoid situations but can think of recent minor issues on a day out that made me wonder if he's actually causing my anxiety.

Partner suggested a day trip with the dog to somewhere neither of us has been but would be a 4 hour round trip. I suggested another scenic area which was 2 hour round trip and involved a nice woodland walk that I have done before, we went here.

  1. we went for lunch and I sat with my elbow on the table afterwards as I felt quite full and he snapped at me to sit up straight and stop slouching. I felt it was totally un called for but he said I was embarrassing him and he wouldn't have to tell me off if I didn't behave like a child. I had an elbow on the table propping my head up while we waited for the bill, not slouching over.

  2. the walk that I had suggested, I'd been here before but before owning a dog. It turns out there was a bit of a drop on one side and he spent the whole walk huffing that the dog couldn't run around so we turned back early and continued on that we should have went to the location he suggested. There were lots of other dog owners and we just had to make sure our dog was under control. He gave me the silent treatment for much of the rest of the day and complained a lot about where I'd suggested for the day out.

  3. there were roadworks on way home and the sensor at lights didn't pick up the car in front. The car in front turned around and he told me to get out of the car and go and wave at the sensor. I did this and then turned round to check he was happy with it and walk back to the car but I could see him gesturing aggressively and frantically for me to get back in the car. When I did he asked if I was stupid as when the lights change I needed to be in the car - I was out of the car for 10 seconds to do what he had asked and the light was red.

From what should have been a nice day out, I came home feeling anxious and wondering why I'd fucked the day up. I think it all seems minor but made me feel very self conscious and anxious.

AIBU for feeling anxious about these incidents? Wondering if I need some counselling about the anxiety and taking things personally or if his behaviour is also problematic.

OP posts:
Becomingabookworm · 17/09/2024 17:31

Honestly been thinking I'm crazy for feeling so anxious about it all when it's been such stupid things so I'm glad I posted this. I think it has built up over time to the point I'm just anxious waiting for the next thing I've done wrong and it so exhausting

OP posts:
ChoccieCornflake · 17/09/2024 17:29

He's a complete areshole and well over into abusive territory. Bin him off and watch your anxiety suddenly disappear!

Jjiillkkf · 17/09/2024 17:29

I'm so sorry you feel that this behaviour towards you is in any way acceptable. It isn't by 1000 miles. He sounds dreadful.

blitzen · 17/09/2024 17:25

He's an abusive a-hole. Great that you can afford your own place. Get out ASAP and don't look back. Disgusting behaviour towards you. You deserve much better. Good luck xx

greencheetah · 17/09/2024 17:19

He’s a nasty abusive dickhead.

Can you leave? 💐

QuestionableMouse · 17/09/2024 17:18

He sounds absolutely awful. The sooner you bin him, the sooner your anxiety will magically disappear. You deserve so much better!

Purplebunnie · 17/09/2024 17:17

I'm not normally one for giving advice in these situations but I would be looking at my finances, doing a bit of saving and making an exit plan.

Please whatever you do, do not have a child with this man

Mummyoflittledragon · 17/09/2024 17:13

He sounds horrible. I would leave. You don’t deserve to be treated do badly.

Uricon2 · 17/09/2024 17:12

The last person who told me to stop slouching was my Victorian grandmother.

That aside, he's undermining you. Days out shouldn't be full of anxiety waiting to be admonished and relationships shouldn't exist with either party on eggshells and nervous of the next thing to be criticised. He's also not going to improve OP, whatever he tells you. This is him.

RaspberryBeretxx · 17/09/2024 17:08

What a horrible man. Who made him king of the world and judge and knower of all?? Leave him and chop the veg unevenly, put your elbows on the table all of the time, text people when you see fit and just generally live the life you want without a horrible controlling arse trying to make you feel shit.

AllTheWatersTurnedToClouds · 17/09/2024 17:04

Christ he sounds unsufferable.

Becomingabookworm · 17/09/2024 17:02

ZeroFucksGivenToday · 17/09/2024 16:54

My ex was like this, but in different ways. I'm not an anxious person, but the levels of stress I felt trying to manage him not kicking off was mental, I felt like I was balancing on a tightrope juggling plates. Equally like you, it wasn't the big stuff, but all the small things added up. The phrase death by a thousand cuts is so apt here.

What's your housing situation. Could you leave?

I can tell you, walking downstairs in my own home. DD upstairs asleep, and me having a coffee in my hand and just looking at the garden saying to myself no one would make me feel like that again was worth every second of the stress of separating.

I live in his house and pay half the bills but could afford somewhere alone. Sounds similar and it really is just minor stuff that makes you think am I mad for feeling so anxious or stressed off the back of it? I think he is really good at convincing me why my behaviour is the cause in the first place so if I just didn't do X then we'd be good but the goal posts are constantly moving. I'll change my behviour on one thing and another will become a problem. Like the traffic light thing was just total madness.

OP posts:
GabriellaMontez · 17/09/2024 17:01

Wow he's a bell end. No wonder you're feeling on edge. What are your options for leaving?

Itiswhysofew · 17/09/2024 17:00

We all think his behaviour is appalling, so be assured that it's not you who's to blame. He's a controlling, bully of a man and you don't need him.

Imagine your life without him...

hurlyburlywhirly · 17/09/2024 17:00

I've been in a similar position and told him straight it was joyless and miserable to be with someone so negative and I was leaving immediately if it didn't stop.

It did stop and I'm so glad I was as clear and direct as that. I only wish I'd done it sooner.

MyCharger56 · 17/09/2024 16:56

A sentence that leaps out for me is 'when we discussed it it was all about my behaviour '. He's never going to change.

Pomegranatecarnage · 17/09/2024 16:56

YANBU. Your partner is a bully. He will destroy your mental health-no wonder you’re anxious. That sounds like a horribly stressful day out.

TwinklyAmberOrca · 17/09/2024 16:55

Becomingabookworm · 17/09/2024 16:51

I've been with him for 5 years. He's always made small comments about how to do things or if I chopped the veg unevenly for example, he'd take the knife off me and do it himself while giving me a lesson on it. Also remembering after our last holiday we had a long haul flight home (12 hrs) and he didn't speak to me the entire flight as i'd been sat on my phone texting, even though we had been together for 3 weeks. When we discussed it afterwards it was all about my behaviour. I don't know why I've never really thought it was unreasonable but he always justifies it and I feel that I'm wrong.
I think it was the back to back succession this day out and it made me think wtf is going on. It all seems like tiny things but amount to me being so anxious.

Your partner sounds almost like a narcissist!

I'd have awful anxiety issues if I was treated like that. You're meant to be an equal, not have him controlling your behaviour.

I'd be asking him for some time out and see how you manage away from him for a couple of weeks.

FOJN · 17/09/2024 16:55

Becomingabookworm · 17/09/2024 16:33

Seriously? I actually felt stupid writing this post thinking everyone would say just to grow up or something or that I'm being unreasonable for slouching or having my elbows on the table!

He is vile but you think his behaviour is normal and you are the one in the wrong.

His behaviour screams narcissist to me, yes I know it's over used but essentially he spent the day punishing you for not agreeing to his original suggestion.

He will never change, no one who can be reasoned with behaves so consistently unreasonably, so don't waste your time trying. Free yourself from this awful man.

MyCharger56 · 17/09/2024 16:54

Run, don't walk. You don't have anxiety, you have an abuser. Women's Aid would tell you the same thing x

ZeroFucksGivenToday · 17/09/2024 16:54

My ex was like this, but in different ways. I'm not an anxious person, but the levels of stress I felt trying to manage him not kicking off was mental, I felt like I was balancing on a tightrope juggling plates. Equally like you, it wasn't the big stuff, but all the small things added up. The phrase death by a thousand cuts is so apt here.

What's your housing situation. Could you leave?

I can tell you, walking downstairs in my own home. DD upstairs asleep, and me having a coffee in my hand and just looking at the garden saying to myself no one would make me feel like that again was worth every second of the stress of separating.

Shoxfordian · 17/09/2024 16:52

Did you grow up with a really critical parent? You could be repeating the pattern with this overly critical nasty man. I expect all your anxiety issues would vanish if you broke up with him

Becomingabookworm · 17/09/2024 16:51

I've been with him for 5 years. He's always made small comments about how to do things or if I chopped the veg unevenly for example, he'd take the knife off me and do it himself while giving me a lesson on it. Also remembering after our last holiday we had a long haul flight home (12 hrs) and he didn't speak to me the entire flight as i'd been sat on my phone texting, even though we had been together for 3 weeks. When we discussed it afterwards it was all about my behaviour. I don't know why I've never really thought it was unreasonable but he always justifies it and I feel that I'm wrong.
I think it was the back to back succession this day out and it made me think wtf is going on. It all seems like tiny things but amount to me being so anxious.

OP posts:
GrannyAchingsShepherdsHut · 17/09/2024 16:50

Who the fuck does he think he is?!

He sounds foul OP, and completely inadequate. Just get rid of him.

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