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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Was I wrong in this argument?

132 replies

Robin42 · 15/03/2020 12:34

OH and I have just had a massive argument and I am really upset and crying. He thinks I am wrong. I think he is being horrible.

I have been suffering with my mental health badly for the past few years. I feel really low about my appearance and how I look and feel quite ugly most days. My partner does compliment me and say nice things but not daily or anything like that. Yesterday I wore makeup for the first time in ages and he said a few times how pretty I looked. Perhaps I should have taken this as a compliment, but it just made me sad because it made me feel like "why don't you compliment me without makeup? I'm not good enough without makeup". I said to him is it because I've got make up on? Is that why I look nice? And he said i dunno...yeah. this really hurt my feelings because it makes me feel like well i obviously need make up to look attractive :( I said this to him and he said well why do you wear make up, because you like the way it looks, so why cant I?

All I wanted was some reassurance that I am just as pretty without makeup :(

I felt really upset and I went quiet and I needed some time to ground my emotions. He got annoyed at me for being upset so I said I was going to get ready for bed. I didnt want a confrontation. I just wanted it all to go away.

I went to bed and straight away in the morning he jumps down my throat how I am rude for going to bed and not saying goodnight and for fuck sake all I did was say you were pretty. I just sit there on the sofa with tears rolling down my face and he says that there I go again playing the victim, and that the way I treat him is unacceptable and he isnt having it and that he deserves an apology. I feel so bullied and attacked that I feel too scared to even say what my feelings and emotions are because he is so angry that I feel he would use anything against me. I feel powerless and defeated. I say sorry and he says I dont mean it. I'm really upset and I just feel he doesnt understand me at all. All I wanted was some reassurance and I felt his compliment was a little back handed. We have just moved in together and now I feel like I have made a huge mistake.

I had to go to my old house today to clean it ready for handing the keys back and take some furniture to the skip. He promised to help me but refused to come because I didnt apologise and because I wasmt talking. But I coyldnt talk to him because he was being so hostile. :(

I have messaged him asking him to come and help because I cant carry the furniture on my ow and he said I should have thought about that before being so rude and that he isnt helping. I've asked friends but noone is free at such last minute. I'm sat here crying in my empty old house and with old bookcases and stuff upstairs that I cant carry down :(

OP posts:
IceColdCat · 15/03/2020 12:37

Oh OP. This sounds like a silly fight that has been blown massively out of proportion by both of you. Maybe you shouldn't move in together until you've got better at resolving conflicts.

MuddyPuddlesAndPrettyBubbles · 15/03/2020 12:37

I can totally see his point of view. He complimented you and as a result you gave him the silent treatment and stropped off to bed but still expect him to rock up to do heavy lifting.

MooPointCowsOpinion · 15/03/2020 12:38

You are both unreasonable in this one. Your anxiety is doing all the talking for you, he told you that you look pretty and you set him up with an impossible question. There is no way to answer ‘so I’m only pretty with make up on’ other than to say no you daft bugger, you just look nice today. Please get your anxiety under control, it makes you impossible to have rational conversations with and I’m speaking as someone who has it too.

His reaction since has been an overreaction, but I don’t know how long you have been torturing him with these impossible scenarios. My husband is very understanding of my anxiety, and has tolerated years of nonsense from me but I have always made sure I am taking steps to recover, and apologise when I realise I’ve not been rational.

ChewChewIsMySpiritAnimal · 15/03/2020 12:39

Mental health or not, you've behaved badly. He's angry with you and doesn't want to be around you.

dontdisturbmenow · 15/03/2020 12:40

Sorry OP, mental health issues do mess up with your ability to rationally think things through, but I do feel sorry for your OH because it seems that he is finding himself in a place where whatever he does, he will be in the wrong.

Expecting compliments daily is not normal, being upset to be told you look nice is not normal. The problem is with you and your issues about your confidence. You need to work on this, but try not to take it out on him, it's really hard to be around someone constantly having to walk on egg shells because whatever you try to help ends up being the wrong thing to do or say.

copycopypaste · 15/03/2020 12:41

I'm afraid I can also see his point of view. He's damned if he does and damned if he doesn't. He compliments you when you wear make up, but I presume you'd have been cross if he hadn't complimented you on it. Plus you've already said he compliments you, so this must include when you don't wear makeup too.

I think you probably need to talk to someone about your mh and issues around your appearance as they seem to be clouding your reaction to him.

I'd also think about not moving in with him.
You both need to find a way of resolving disagreements without all the over reaction and silent treatment

Ginfilledcats · 15/03/2020 12:41

Why did you put make up on if not to "enhance you're looks" that's what it's for.

I'm certain you are beautiful without makeup. Makeup literally just enhances your already existing beauty (when done correctly).

I understand you're feeling low about yourself, and that's awful. We've all been there, or go back there occasionally. But if you're relying on external validation of your beauty then you need to work on your own acceptance first.

Your husband was in a catch 22 (unintentionally by you ) would you rather him say nothing?

Focus on other elements of your personality that make you beautiful not just "subjective looks" and you'll be far happier. Don't compare yourself to magazines and celebs. Work on your own validation. Men are daft and not good at this sort of thing. My husband is definitely trained to give the "right" answer.

Be kind to yourself, and him.

n00bMaster69 · 15/03/2020 12:42

He gave you a compliment and in return you made him feel shit.

You absolutely are playing the victim- "I was sat with tears down my face" .
Grow up and treat your partner with respect, he doesn't deserve what happened just because he complimented you.

DonnaDarko · 15/03/2020 12:43

Are you getting support for your mental health and self esteem?

I'm sorry but I think it caused you to overreact. I hardly every wear makeup, but if I'm all dressed up and DP says I look nice, I am happy to accept the compliment.

I feel like you have an over reliance on him complimenting you. What's more important is how you feel about yourself.

In regards to the move, this feels like awful timing. Is it too late to stay put?

Quartz2208 · 15/03/2020 12:43

the whole point is that make up DOES make you look better, its why its a multi million pound industry its designed to do so. I dont often wear make up but when I do and my DH comments on it its fine because I have made an effort to make myself look better and he is agreeing with that. Its not to say I dont look good before but a made up smartly dressed me just does look better than the one with no make up and wearing an 8 year old dressing down

Josette77 · 15/03/2020 12:44

I think you shouldn't be moving in together. You need to focus on your mental health, your OP can't walk on eggshells all the time.

Shoxfordian · 15/03/2020 12:44

Yeah you're unreasonable
Give him a call and apologise and he might come help you

Tatty101 · 15/03/2020 12:46

Could you maybe focus on building your resilience a little?

And maybe communicating with you OH a little more? It comes across in the post that you want him to compliment you more often - does he know that?

Batqueen · 15/03/2020 12:46

Sorry, you were in the wrong as others have said.

However, even if you were unreasonable it’s not ok that he’s now abandoned you when he promised to help. Your partner is supposed to have your back, even when you have had a stupid fight, they shouldn’t leave you in the lurch like that if they expect the relationship to continue.

n00bMaster69 · 15/03/2020 12:51

However, even if you were unreasonable it’s not ok that he’s now abandoned you when he promised to help. Your partner is supposed to have your back, even when you have had a stupid fight, they shouldn’t leave you in the lurch like that if they expect the relationship to continue

You'd want to help a person who caused an argument because you gave them a compliment?
This has probably happened many times, the op is the type to expect the world to revolve around her and her emotions, it's obvious gives no fuck about the impact she's had on her partner.

How about the OP shouldn't behave the way is is doing and expect the relationship to continue?

HavenDilemma · 15/03/2020 12:52

Sounds like you were looking for something to complain to him about. Look at it from his point of view
"I complimented my wife and she had a go at me, sulked then stomped off to bed in a strop without saying goodnight. Now I'm expected to do her a favour and if I don't then I'm in the wrong again"

Doesn't sound good does it? If it was the other way around then he would be classed as abusive. You'd be getting LTB

positivity123 · 15/03/2020 12:52

I think YABU. You'd obviously made an effort by putting on make up and he complemented you and you took it the wrong way then overreacted.
When my DH is scruffy and not making an effort I don't say he looks nice but I complement him when he's shaved and in clean clothes.

He has taken it too far but I still think he is in the right for not wanting to make up until you apologize because in all honesty the way you acted was not ok.

Hope you are ok and getting help.

Chloemol · 15/03/2020 12:54

I think, mental health or not, you have been extremely childish. Make up makes anyone look better, he was trying to compliment you. Seems he can’t win either way

Biancadelrioisback · 15/03/2020 12:54

I'd be really, really hurt if I were him. You behaved badly when he paid you a compliment, backed him into a corner and then punished him all night and morning, yet expected him to jump through hoops for you.

helpme7 · 15/03/2020 12:55

I do think you were in the wrong here, I'm sorry. Often when struggling with MH and low self esteem it's hard to see outside of our own feelings and how it affects others.

If make up didn't make people look better it wouldn't be a booming industry. He also wouldn't be attracted to you full stop if it was only when you wear makeup and you've gone along time without it.

Try not to let your own problems become his problems, there's more than one victim of MH - in this case both you and DP.

I'd apologise and I would try to explain how you feel and that you understand it's a you problem not a he problem.

MissBax · 15/03/2020 12:56

I feel awful for you because you're obviously not in a great place and feeling very attacked and sensitive (been there!), but I empathise with you partner too.
Maybe just a mature conversation to be had and apologies to be made to clear things up.

UsernameUnknownn · 15/03/2020 12:56

I think YABU. He complimented you but because you sound insecure you twisted the compliment and made a massive issue over nothing.
He didn't need to still bring it up today though.

AnotherDingle · 15/03/2020 13:00

He refused to help you because you didn’t apologise? But you did apologise...

If you’re always too scared to say how you feel and always feel attacked rather than just on this occasion I would advise not to go ahead with the move.

How long have you been together?

Elieza · 15/03/2020 13:02

If I put on makeup and get compliments, I like that. I feel good.

I wear it sometimes, to enhance my features. I dont expect compliments every day, no matter whether I have makeup on or not.

If you feel horrible about yourself it could be helpful to get counselling or something. It’s not nice to be so unhappy.

Remember that beauty is only skin deep. A persons real beauty is in their heart and soul, the type of person they are. Not how pretty their makeup or indeed their natural face is. You can have a pretty face, nice clothes, a £1000 handbag - and still be a horrible individual that nobody likes. It’s the inner person that the beauty lies within.

Horehound · 15/03/2020 13:03

You out makeup on probably to make yourself feel better. He probably saw that you felt better in yourself and the fact we know make up makes people more attractive...that's the point!

YABU and really silly!