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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to feel upset after my husband liked a hurtful reel?

125 replies

cantumblershavestems · 01/08/2026 11:41

Another weekend another morning crying.

I caught my husband messaging a woman from his past recently. It wasn’t explicitly sexual or flirty, but it was over familiar. It shook us massively and I was very close to leaving him.

He denied any attraction to her, denied any significant history with her and said he thought of her as a “little sister”. Off his own back he blocked her.

We’ve had conversations since where he’s said the messages “crossed the line” and he understood I feel betrayed. I was so close to leaving him.

For the last few weeks he’s been moping saying he’s failed me, that I should know I’m beautiful but his actions have made me doubt it. It’s been exhausting

This morning whilst scrolling on instagram I see he’s liked a reel. The reel said “when they don’t notice you’re sad but notice you’ve liked a video of a latina hottie”

I said that’s a bit weird and hurtful don’t you think? He said I’ve never seen that reel, it must’ve been an accident that I I liked it, why would I like it after everything that’s gone on?

Things were already fragile and now this just feels like he’s mocking me. I’ve told him I need the day to myself and he’s pissed off. Aibu?

OP posts:
FaceEatingLeopard · 01/08/2026 12:36

He sounds like a needy 13 year old whiner and you sound like a woman who's realised she made a terrible mistake.
This is going to be your life for the next 50 years unless you do something about it.

KimTheresPeopleThatAreDying · 01/08/2026 12:37

I couldn’t live with someone who policed my conversations and spent a weekend crying because I’d liked something on social media. It doesn’t sound as though this relationship is good for either of you.

Balloonhearts · 01/08/2026 12:38

Oh fgs, just get rid of him, this shit is exhausting. Tell him it's over because you no longer feel you can trust him.

FredBares · 01/08/2026 12:38

Honestly it sounds like a load of immature crap. Why are you bothering with it?!

gamerchick · 01/08/2026 12:38

OP, why do you want to stay with this person? Life is never going to go back to/the way you want it.

amylou8 · 01/08/2026 12:41

You both sound like hardwork to be honest. I wouldn't want to live with all this drama.

Catpuss66 · 01/08/2026 12:41

cantumblershavestems · 01/08/2026 12:31

Because the reel is about getting caught liking reels of “Latina hotties”?

Sorry still none the wiser. Surely it would be about liking porn rather than the ethnicity of the people in the porn. Do think you both need an open conversation probably with the help of a mediator or counsellor, so that you don’t get worked up about things that are not relevant.

Kokonimater · 01/08/2026 12:45

You need couple counselling. It can help you to resolve issues or help you to let go.

Plankingponyclub · 01/08/2026 12:46

MzHz · 01/08/2026 12:12

Oh come on! This guy is sleazing on instagram babes, perving over “hotties” exchanging messages and @cantumblershavestems is the problem?

give your head a whack fgs.

@cantumblershavestems bin him. Seriously!!tell him he’s free to go and be happy somewhere else so that you too can wake up on a weekend and NOT be in tears because your husband has been drooling and perving over young women.

he’s grim. You are worth more than this and you know it.

Nope. The way the OP examines her husband’s social media usage is not healthy and absolutely controlling. If the roles were reversed everyone here would be telling her to leave her controlling partner. The hypocrisy is rife as always.

cantumblershavestems · 01/08/2026 12:49

Plankingponyclub · 01/08/2026 12:46

Nope. The way the OP examines her husband’s social media usage is not healthy and absolutely controlling. If the roles were reversed everyone here would be telling her to leave her controlling partner. The hypocrisy is rife as always.

Have you purposely chosen to ignore the fact I’ve written HOW I saw the reel? Do you understand how Instagram works?

I did not go on his phone or “police” his account. The reel came up on my feed this morning. Instagram shows you in a bubble who’s liked it (without you even wanting to know). I’ve not policed him and checked his account.

OP posts:
Jollyhockeystickss · 01/08/2026 12:58

Flip this, my husband is controlling he watches my every move and checks my social media and looks to see what pages i like, i have no privacy, im actually quite sad but my husband doesnt hear me , i just get accused of talking to other men, i feel so controlled i cant breath

JLou08 · 01/08/2026 12:59

Why can't he message other women if it's not flirty? How was he 'caught'? This sounds like a very unhealthy and controlling relationship.

FlorenceLawrence · 01/08/2026 12:59

cantumblershavestems · 01/08/2026 12:08

Since I found out about the messages, he’s basically been moping around, saying he’s “the devil”, and saying he’s got so much shit in his head that he’ll never say. Which is obviously fine, but it came at a time when I was saying how I was struggling to trust him.

He’s been inappropriate with friends in the past, when we first started dating he slept with his friend (who he said was a lesbian)

Sorry OP but this sounds like he has never been faithful to you, right from the start.

I'm wondering why you are even with him??

He's looking up and chatting to "hotties" on Insta, and when found out turns into the doom & gloom martyr and you're crying your eyes out.

Start afresh.

TheBroonOneAndTheWhiteOne · 01/08/2026 13:00

Jollyhockeystickss · 01/08/2026 12:58

Flip this, my husband is controlling he watches my every move and checks my social media and looks to see what pages i like, i have no privacy, im actually quite sad but my husband doesnt hear me , i just get accused of talking to other men, i feel so controlled i cant breath

I'm so sorry.
Maybe you could start a thread of your own to get some support.
Do you know how to do that?

YoullWorkitOut · 01/08/2026 13:01

It doesn't sound like you've done anything wrong, from what you've said you're not controlling.
He on the other hand has terrible boundaries, no wonder you're upset, especially taking into consideration his behaviour with other women and then to top it all off he hasn't taken responsibility for his behaviour and has tried to make it all about him.
I think he showed you who is is with his "lesbian" friend and he hasn't changed since then and never will.
Is this how you want to spend the rest of your life?

Jerrybalanitis · 01/08/2026 13:04

He is saying he isn't happy. You don't sound very happy either. Why bother? You cannot completely control another person's thoughts. One of you needs to walk away.

BreadInCaptivity · 01/08/2026 13:04

Why are you choosing to live like this?

Crying all weekend, checking your husband’s social media, just waiting for the next thing he will do to make you even more unhappy.

Do you actually enjoy being this bloody miserable?

Do you think he’s going to stop doing what he’s doing to placate a wife that’s given him chance after chance and never suffered any consequences other than turning you into a crying mess all the time (which in his head he probably sees as justification for escaping your ongoing misery via his online escapades)?

In your own way you sound as toxic and drama prone as each other.

If you want your life to change then you will have stop crying about the crap relationship you are in and actually do something to move your life in a different direction.

cantumblershavestems · 01/08/2026 13:05

Jollyhockeystickss · 01/08/2026 12:58

Flip this, my husband is controlling he watches my every move and checks my social media and looks to see what pages i like, i have no privacy, im actually quite sad but my husband doesnt hear me , i just get accused of talking to other men, i feel so controlled i cant breath

Or you could just read the thread. from my husbands perspective

I slept with my friend in the early stages of dating my wife, but assured her she was a lesbian and just a friend. Recently I started messaging a woman who added my wife on social media. My wife asked me who she was and I said she was some acquaintance from my past. I was actually messaging her and supporting her through a break up of her own marriage. My wife was upset when those messages came up on our shared iPad. I told her she was just an acquaintance but actually we lived next door together as teenagers. I told the woman she was amazing and would find someone really easily. I failed to mention I was married, but that’s ok, because this woman could just scroll down and see I was married from a post 3 years ago. I said I’d build up my wife’s trust. I liked a reel about people not realising I was sad but noticing I’d like videos of attractive women. I don’t get why my wife would be upset about this, even though our marriage nearly broke up over messages I sent to an attractive woman

OP posts:
Jerrybalanitis · 01/08/2026 13:10

Are you staying because you don't want him to be free? You can't keep someone just through jealousy. Hes wet as fuck for putting up with it and you are sounding a bit silly for putting up with him. Normal adults say fuck this and walk away from drama.

shhblackbag · 01/08/2026 13:14

Sounds utterly miserable for both of you. Why put each other through that?

Zippidydoodah · 01/08/2026 13:15

Jesus. How dramatic! This relationship sounds like hard work!

MrTiddlesTheCat · 01/08/2026 13:16

The OP is not being controlling, she's being hypervigilant because he's blown the trust she had in him. He's hurt her and this is the consequence. He's moping around trying to paint himself as the victim and trying to manipulate the OP into focusing on his sadness at being caught rather than hers at being betrayed.

Zippidydoodah · 01/08/2026 13:16

cantumblershavestems · 01/08/2026 13:05

Or you could just read the thread. from my husbands perspective

I slept with my friend in the early stages of dating my wife, but assured her she was a lesbian and just a friend. Recently I started messaging a woman who added my wife on social media. My wife asked me who she was and I said she was some acquaintance from my past. I was actually messaging her and supporting her through a break up of her own marriage. My wife was upset when those messages came up on our shared iPad. I told her she was just an acquaintance but actually we lived next door together as teenagers. I told the woman she was amazing and would find someone really easily. I failed to mention I was married, but that’s ok, because this woman could just scroll down and see I was married from a post 3 years ago. I said I’d build up my wife’s trust. I liked a reel about people not realising I was sad but noticing I’d like videos of attractive women. I don’t get why my wife would be upset about this, even though our marriage nearly broke up over messages I sent to an attractive woman

Omg I’ve just seen this 🤦🏻‍♀️😆

I have no other words!

MsPrufrockk · 01/08/2026 13:18

cantumblershavestems · 01/08/2026 12:08

Since I found out about the messages, he’s basically been moping around, saying he’s “the devil”, and saying he’s got so much shit in his head that he’ll never say. Which is obviously fine, but it came at a time when I was saying how I was struggling to trust him.

He’s been inappropriate with friends in the past, when we first started dating he slept with his friend (who he said was a lesbian)

This is why you don't stay if they cheat...

cantumblershavestems · 01/08/2026 13:19

Zippidydoodah · 01/08/2026 13:16

Omg I’ve just seen this 🤦🏻‍♀️😆

I have no other words!

I don’t understand what’s funny?

OP posts:
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