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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to be a bit annoyed at my partner for behaviour whilst drunk

184 replies

zenhamster · 16/02/2020 13:48

My boyfriend who is usually wonderful ... was going out for a few drinks for his friend's birthday in town around 3pm to meet everyone, I drove him into town and he was planning to get get a taxi back at 8pm or 9pm.
I was staying at his house because we live an hour's drive away from each other, because of the storm, and we had planned to do stuff together on Sunday (today) as well.

He sent me a pic and we had a few banter-y messages .... then from 9pm onwards I didn't hear anything for a few hours.. around 10pm I started getting tired but was a bit on edge, as I knew he might come in and wake me up & I had no idea if he was coming back imminently or perhaps... much later eg. 2am..

I was just getting into bed at 11.30pm and he called me, but he could hardly speak... lots of long silences... said he's waiting for his taxi.. I gently suggested perhaps it's easier if he stays in town at his friend's house (who he was with) if he's really drunk..and I'll come get him tomorrow..

When he then came in at midnight he was paraletic drunk... falling everywhere, slurring, could hardly speak, eyes rolling in head, I was worried as he was bashing into everything, worried he was going to fall down stairs. He came and sat next to me on the bed and as he was trying to talk to me he lurched towards me/fell and headbutted me on my cheekbone by accident, I sort of had to hold him up, he was trying to talk to me but was slurring and eyes rolling, kept nearly passing out mid sentence.
He made it into bed and he passed out unconscious right in middle, with heavy arms over on my side/head nearly all on my pillow.. not enough room really for me lie comfortably..
I tried to move him over... he was breathing really heavily and the storm was raging and my adrenaline was going because it wasn't nice to see him like that. So I couldn't fall asleep until 2am.

Just as I was falling asleep he then sat bolt upright and stumbled downstairs again... crashing around and sounded like he was being sick... then he turned all upstairs lights on again in bedroom as he came back in.
I was a bit cross at this point as it was torture being woken up just as I was falling asleep after nearly 2 hours me lying there trying to sleep. So I turned the lights off and he had a go at me saying he can't make it to other side of bed without the overhead lights on.. so he sat down on the floor by the bed and was just being a bit belligerent and rude...
Again this made my adrenaline go because I previously had an abusive relationship so my tolerance for raised voices/harsh words is very low.
I also have a 5 year old (at her Dad's this weekend) who has been keeping me up at night so I really couldn't cope with him keeping me up too... felt like I'd rather just be at home but couldn't leave with storm.

This morning he immediately felt poorly when we woke up... and said "Sorry. I love you. Was I bad?". I had just woken up so I just kind of rolled my eyes and groaned a bit.
Because of this micro-reaction from me he went on the defensive being quite angry, obnoxious... almost being a bit nasty with me ... he said like a teenager "Sorry I'm just sulking now because I don't like being told off". I said "When did I tell you off?" (I was very kind and benign when he did returned home and didn't tell him off at all despite being annoyed). He said I told him off with my disappointed face, the way I was looking at him.
He went downstairs to make tea and toast, still drunk and feeling awful I imagine, crashing around .. kind of trying to pretend he was ok.. I said thank you for toast but just felt like I had to stay out of his way and didn't really like this version of him.

I wanted to just go home & see him again when we're both had some sleep, and I wanted to avoid a row so I decided I was going to go home as I'd rather be in my own space... I was trying to honour what I needed... and just remove myself because I felt uncomfortable, exhausted and a bit cross/upset still.

I kindly/calmly relayed this to him and said we'll speak later when we're both feeling better, he got angry and dramatic and was oscillating between "I'm sorry, I love you" to then in the next sentence "Well this isn't going to work is it when we live together if this happens every time I go out, or if you just leave every time there's a problem, I know I got too drunk and I didn't plan it but it's just one night" etc etc.

The thing is he knows I don't really drink.. maybe the odd one or two very occasionally.. and I find it hard being around people who are VERY drunk - obviously he's a grown man and he can do what he wants but I'd rather not be around it, and was genuinely worried about him hurting himself ... his Dad is an alcoholic and he has relayed to me how scary he found it when he was younger when his Dad came home paraletic and lurching around the house falling on the floor and being rude to his Mum etc, so I thought he'd understand how I felt being the sober one who had someone come home like that.

When I actually did leave after he saw me putting my shoes on and was panicking that I was leaving he said "fine ! go !" and I said "ok now you are shouting at me and telling me to go ...." and he said "I'm not shouting ! I'm not angry at you.. " and I said "well you have been angry and shouting this morning and I don't like it" and he said "I've not been angry, I made you tea and toast!" (still drunk kind of... but starting to see how he's upset me).....
He hugged me and said "Your heart is beating really fast.. I'm sorry...." and I said "I just need to go home now and do what's right for me and what I need right now" and he then switched again to "Well fine maybe I'll start doing more of what's right for me!" like a teenager having a tantrum.

He did then text me saying "regardless of any anger or upset please let me know the second you get home. no game playing. so I know you're safe x" which I did.

I just feel so many doubts about this relationship now and whether we're right for each other... I love him and he's not a bad person but maybe I can't be around someone who drinks like this, perhaps it's just too triggering for me ?

OP posts:
Aquamarine1029 · 16/02/2020 13:54

I would be out the door and out of his life. Red flags are absolutely everywhere. Stop wasting your time.

WorraLiberty · 16/02/2020 13:56

I only managed to read half of that but 'triggering' or not, I wouldn't want to be with a binge drinker either.

Lots of people have a bit too much to drink now and then but that sort of drinking is dangerous, immature and ridiculous.

YANBU

Aquamarine1029 · 16/02/2020 13:56

Also, is this the kind of man you want in your child's life? He's horrible.

VettiyaIruken · 16/02/2020 14:00

Run.
In vino veritas.

In hangover Veritas too, apparently.

NewNameGuy · 16/02/2020 14:02

Going out and getting shit faced by accident isn't the end of the world.
But all his other actions make him sound like hard work at best

zenhamster · 16/02/2020 14:04

Good points re: binge drinking - this is exactly what I am questioning ....
He did dry January and was amazing.... but when he goes "out out" with his friends... he goes over the top it seems. I've not seen him like that before, only "fun drunk" at a party and he was responsible and stopped drinking and came to bed at a reasonable point.

A few points to give some reference of his entire characted for why I am not just immediately leaving:

He is amazing with my daughter and has never been drunk around her and never would be.
He has taken my preferences re: smoking into consideration and given up smoking, showed he can do Dry January etc and shows interest in being a healthy person and is generally self aware and kind
Before I dropped him off in town he went into M&S and got me a really nice meal and fruit, treats etc to eat back at his house whilst he was out and made sure I knew how to manage woodburner etc, checked on me to see if I was ok with it all early evening (before he would have been significantly drunk)
He got me the most thoughtful Valentine's gift , treated me to a spa weekend for my birthday, and has made lots of decisions to change his life in ways that puts me and my daughter first, he works really hard but the other day spent his lunch break ordering a mini chefs hat and apron and having my daughter's name printed on it for her as she's really into being a shopkeeper in her role-play right now and he wanted to cheer her up as she had been getting bullied at school, he bought me two new tyres for my car and sorted it all out for me to be safe, he is very attentive and thoughtful and wonderful in all other ways... a very kind and self-less man. But when he was drunk like this it was like jekyll and hyde, didn't bring out a nice side in him, but then again everyone can be badly behaved when drunk.... why I stopped drinking ! Didn't bring out the best in me. Doesn't really bring out the best in anyone.

OP posts:
YouTheCat · 16/02/2020 14:09

Getting shitfaced is one thing. Trying to make you feel guilty for not just accepting it is not on. I'd get rid.

PrinnyPree · 16/02/2020 14:10

The getting smashed is a bit annoying but wouldn't be the end of the world for me if it was a one off, his behaviour and defensiveness in the morning however is not on whatsoever though!

WorraLiberty · 16/02/2020 14:12

How long have you been together? Sorry if you've said and I missed it.

KundaliniRising · 16/02/2020 14:13

Thing is op, alcohol lowers ones inhibitions, it is like a mask coming off.

Behind his mask is a deeply unpleasent person.

Continue with this relationship at your own peril.

Do not get hooked into the sunken cost fallacy and watch out for hoovering, promising the world and all other manipulations.

KundaliniRising · 16/02/2020 14:15

I would hazzard a guess that he is still under the influence, it wont have all been processed by his body. So this is him stripped bare.

zenhamster · 16/02/2020 14:15

@Kundalinirising - what's sunken cost fallacy ? hoovering... ?
I've been in a relationship with a malignant narcissist before... and I really don't think this is guy is.... he's so empathic... he is a very sensitive and intuitive person so I don't think you can be empathic, caring and a narc as well ?? eek.

OP posts:
zenhamster · 16/02/2020 14:18

@KundaliniRising I myself have been annoying myself and jealous / dramatic when I've been drunk in the past many years ago....... but it doesn't mean that was the mask slipping and showing me at my core essence....
More that I believe alcohol and being under the influence causes one to be in a very low vibration and sometimes low vibe entities take advantage and take over.... if that makes sense... the fact you have Kundalini in your name means you might get what I'm saying? Grin

OP posts:
lazylinguist · 16/02/2020 14:19

Getting that drunk regularly would be a serious red flag. But almost worse is the way he swung between faux apologies and anger in an attempt to get you off his back (when you weren't even having a go at him). He was just trying to manipulate your response any way he could, to deflect any blame from himself. That's not a good sign.

zenhamster · 16/02/2020 14:19

@worraliberty - 4 months we have been together.. known each other for 5 months

OP posts:
BlackForestCake · 16/02/2020 14:20

Sunk cost fallacy is when you realise what you're doing is doomed, but you still keep going because if you stop, everything you've put into it will be wasted.

Staysexyanddontgetmurdered · 16/02/2020 14:20

It's really easy to spend money on lovely presents and spa days etc. It's much harder to be kind and considerate all the time to someone because you love them and you want to be safe.
Based on his behaviour, and the fact that you have a little girl to show a good example to, I would end the relationship. You sound lovely, much too nice to put up with this.

zenhamster · 16/02/2020 14:22

@lazylinguist - I agree ... but from a psychology standpoint I know he is codependent - growing up with an alcoholic father.. and he has a lot of unprocessed anger around that... he doesn't deal well with the feeling of shame and he is terrified of abandonment... so perhaps feeling I was dissaproving of him and that ashamed with himself for letting me down... coming home too late, too drunk, he couldn't handle these feelings and so is pre-empting me leaving and pushing me away/testing me to see if I'll leave as it's safer than him feeling out of control that I might be the one to decide to leave him. So his defense mechanism is kicking in... as attack.. to deflect... This is not good or healthy. But does it mean he is a bad person? Or can it be worked on... he is very self aware of his other patterns and changes he is making in his life with regards to not being co-dependent and practising mindfulness etc he is very open to..

OP posts:
lazylinguist · 16/02/2020 14:24

Seems to me that things like 'low vibe' and 'empathic' are labels to excuse either a person's lack of self-control or their tendency to use their emotional state to manipulate everyone around them.

DDiva · 16/02/2020 14:24

It sounds like you are incompatable......

Aquamarine1029 · 16/02/2020 14:26

You say he would never be drunk around your child? How can you possibly know this? You've only been dating him 4 months and you don't really know him at all. This is the honeymoon period and he's been love bombing you with all of his gifts and the Mr. Wonderful act. Last night the mask just began to slip. You've been warned.

zenhamster · 16/02/2020 14:26

I agree he has shown massive lack of self control around alcohol on this occasion.. and maybe other times since we've been together.. despite saying he hardly wants to drink anymore and wants to be really mindful etc..... but I have just not seen this as I've been at my house/not been with him that night.
When we're out together as a couple he's great... he takes my cue if I say I'd like to leave the party/not have any more drinks.... Always puts me first.

OP posts:
WorraLiberty · 16/02/2020 14:26

Woaahh! 4 months and He is amazing with my daughter and has never been drunk around her and never would be.

How on earth do you know he'd never be drunk around her? And what does 'amazing' with your daughter mean?

I think you need to slow right down with this OP, regardless of his binge drinking.

WorraLiberty · 16/02/2020 14:27

I honestly thought you were going to say over a year or something.

Lllot5 · 16/02/2020 14:27

Let the dust settle and talk to him. Really talk to him.
He sounds like a decent bloke and if it’s a one off then maybe put it behind you. But be careful, I wouldn’t want this happening too often if at all.
Still early days only been four months so maybe this is him.