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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Raging (but quietly)

113 replies

WakingUp55643 · 17/11/2020 12:54

I'm a quiet person. When I get angry about something I just try and keep it to myself to keep the peace in the house. There are many many things I could give as an example, but this is from last night.
Dh spilled half a bottle of vegetable oil on the kitchen floor (not because he was cooking, to be clear. That doesn't happen.) and immediately called for me. Why tf he couldn't just deal with it I don't know. So I went in, started mopping it up with kitchen roll, he got some newspaper, made a half hearted attempt to clear more of it, then I asked him to go to the garden and get the bucket so I could wash the floor properly. He brought the bucket in and I got all the cleaning stuff out, scrubbing brush etc, and he said, "right, I'm just going to the co-op, do you want anything?" and left me on the floor scrubbing away. When he got back and I was clearing up the bristles that had come out of the brush, also having sorted out the mad broken cupboard full of carrier bags, he said, "oh, well done." All of this made me miss University Challenge (my only telly of the bloody week!) but he had helpfully put it on pause............ AIBU to be raging??
To add to this, he sat down (after I'd caught up with UC) and put on Kate Bush - This Woman's Work on youtube on the telly (did he not see the irony?) and continued with his music while I got the kids ready for bed. Then I ended up kicking over my glass of lemonade, cleaned that up, while he sat there joking on with our youngest, oblivious to me having to run upstairs to the bathroom for a cry. I felt like my head was going to burst. Anyway, that's it. I may have made it sound a bit drama queen-y, but this is just one evening....... Would you be angry?

OP posts:
ravenmum · 17/11/2020 14:48

Depression and anxiety also get worse when someone enables them. My anxiety has got a lot better since my exh left me and I got proper professional help.

windturbines · 17/11/2020 14:51

YABU only because you did it.

You control your actions, and only you. You need to start remembering that.

Xiaoxiong · 17/11/2020 14:54

To be honest, I would have helped him clean that up as well - a bottle of veg oil on the floor is super annoying and is definitely easier with two people. I'm thinking to earlier today where I spilled a lot of milk over the floor and myself and yelled for DH to help me as I was literally dripping and would have got it all over the carpet. He brought me a towel and started cleaning the milk up while I got changed, but the difference is that I then came back and pitched in again. I didn't fuck off to the Coop leaving him to finish clearing my mess. And even if I had, I'm sure he would have said "hey, aren't you going to help me finish clearing your mess up??"

Shetoshe · 17/11/2020 14:58

I voted YABU because this is all your fault. I don't mean to be unkind but people with your disposition make me furious! My mum is the same, I know these things are mostly borne out of an emotionally abusive upbringing so I try to give grace, but ultimately you're an adult so it's up to you to learn how to assert yourself and not silently seethe like a martyr. People will only walk all over you if you let them.

Stop crying and start reading up on boundaries and assertiveness and take control of your life.

PrincessNutNut · 17/11/2020 14:58

[quote WakingUp55643]**@YukoandHiro* @ravenmum* @Aquamarine1029 Yep, you've all got it. It's way bigger than this. But I think last night's incident describes the two of us perfectly in our situation - he carries on not contributing much, relying on me, and I let him do it, while trying to cope with my own feelings due to his depression/anxiety. I do utterly feel like I am wasting my time, but me being me, I try to put up with things to make sure everyone else is alright. Totally guilty of martyrdom, and sadly I have learned that from my mam. I hate saying that, but she's like this too. I know in my mind what I want, but for circumstances I won't go into, I've never been able to put my needs or wants first, and I can't seem to let that go.[/quote]
Good God, OP.

It sounds as though you'd benefit from counselling to help you make this change, but a good starting point would be to realise that doing this doesn't bring any rewards and, crucially, doesn't make you a better person. I certainly don't mean that you're a bad person or anything like that, but I'm trying to make you see that it doesn't gain you any merit to enable shitty behaviour. It makes you passive aggressive and it doesn't sound as though you think much of your mother for it either.

"People pleasing" is a terrible term. It's not about being happy and cheerful and kind to people, it's about a fear of being disliked, enabling shit, acting in an insincere manner, and getting no benefits from it because you aren't showing your real self to anyone. So you don't attract genuine friends who like you for you, warts and all. You attract exploitative arseholes who are only with you for what you do for them. It actively keeps you from making friends and good relationships.

You only have to look at the responses you're getting here to see that most people really don't find it admirable behaviour. Do what you need to do to make a change. This is just no way to live.

Good luck with it all.

billy1966 · 17/11/2020 14:59

OP,
You need to fix yourself if things are to improve.

"When you keep quiet to keep the peace, you just create a war inside"

I honestly believe that causes people to get sick, internalising stress and annoyance like that.

Flowers
CharityDingle · 17/11/2020 14:59

Honestly, OP, it's no way to live. In this situation, YABU, leave him to clean it up. Don't martyr yourself about your one programme on tv. Own your feelings, speak out.

I know there is more, than just this one incident, from what you and others have said. This is not a good relationship.

Arthersleep · 17/11/2020 15:05

The phrase, 'you make a rod for your own back' springs to mind.

PrincessNutNut · 17/11/2020 15:05

Oof...I just did a bit of googling about people pleasing, and I'm not going to share the links because having seen them, I know that would be unkind... but suffice to say, OP...it really isn't a good way to live. There's no reward for it and people don't like you for it. At best, they see what they can get out of you for it.

It really is the most awful, misleading term. The alternative isn't being a completely self-obsessed, selfish arse. It's actually being a more honest and sincere person.

LovePoppy · 17/11/2020 15:12

You need to use your words

I’m sorry, that sounds like a tough evening

JuliaJohnston · 17/11/2020 15:16

You did it, you have no actual cause to be raging Confused

Aquamarine1029 · 17/11/2020 15:21

You can change if you want to, op. In your head you think you're just making an easy life for everyone by accepting your current circumstances. You are so very wrong. You are teaching your children the same lessons your mother taught you. Is that what you really want?

AwaAnBileYerHeid · 17/11/2020 15:30

He sounds like a self centred shit. But at the same time, as someone else has said, you are enabling this behaviour.

Fouroclockonamarblemorning · 17/11/2020 15:34

More fool you for putting up with it. What’s the point in quietly seething. You’ve taken over and let him slide off. Instead of crying in the bathroom you’d have been better explaining what the issue was.

vanillandhoney · 17/11/2020 15:35

Stop being so passive and stop enabling him.

If he asks for help, by all means go and grab the mop and bucket for him but otherwise, let him get on with it. If you weren't home, he wouldn't just leave vegetable oil all over the floor, would he?

GarlicSoup · 17/11/2020 15:41

@IHaveAGreyLamp

OP you are a classic enabler. Your DH was not going to clean up his mess because he knew you were going to do it, probably from years of prior experience. Am I right? Next time your feckless husband makes a mess, I would calmly point to the cleaning cupboard and explain everything he needs is in there, and then walk off to watch UC!
^ This with bells on.
Jroseforever · 17/11/2020 15:42

I thought your name rang a bell and so I searched.

You are very unhappy. No sex in a decade, posting on threads about separating, how sad you feel, one thread about being in a loveless marriage.

Op - this is drop in the ocean. I feel for you.

Coffeeoverload · 17/11/2020 15:43

Rather than admonish you OP, I thought I’d recommend this book which you might find helpful
www.amazon.co.uk/Boundaries-Draw-Line-Your-Heart/dp/0008240825/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=miller+lambert+boundaries&sprefix=miller+lambert&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1605627667&sr=8-1
We all have long standing patterns that can be hard to break. This stuff can be difficult, but you can learn more about your natural responses (you sound like a rescuer) and start to shift the dynamic. Good luck x

Kokosrieksts · 17/11/2020 15:45

Why did you end up cleaning it? You should have left him to deal with the mess.

Lsquiggles · 17/11/2020 15:48

You have a voice, time to use it! There's a difference between being a people pleaser and being a doormat

pastandpresent · 17/11/2020 15:53

Wow, how can you let him get away with that? If it was me, I would just tell him what to do if he was clueless to clean up his mess. No point of raging inside, you need to let him know you are not his mum.

PrincessNutNut · 17/11/2020 15:54

@Lsquiggles

You have a voice, time to use it! There's a difference between being a people pleaser and being a doormat
Is there?
DryRoastPeanut · 17/11/2020 15:55

I voted YABU simply because you allowed him to walk away from his mess.

I’d have told him where the mop was and told him what products will clean oil. You acted like his slave, don’t act submissive then grumble about it!

Fwiw, I’d have helped my DH because he doesn’t take the piss and treat me like his skivvy. Your ‘h’ does.

Whydidimarryhim · 17/11/2020 16:04

Hi OP maybe have a look at CODA - people who are co-dependent - it may or may not be helpful to you.
Best wishes

VintageTeaRose · 17/11/2020 16:10

Practice being more assertive. Just say "Oh" if he tells you that he's done something similar ie spilled something, made a mess etc. Don't say "And the bucket's in there and the cloth's in there and you'll need kitchen towel" etc because it shows you are doing his thinking for him and you will get sucked in.

If he asks you where the cleaning things are or how to do it then tell him (in basic detail, not the full chapter and verse).

If he asks why you're not doing it for him, say "I'm watching UC right now". That's all. Don't get drawn into the why's and wherefores of what you are doing, how long it takes, why you aren't helping, why you can't record UC and watch it later etc etc etc. because you will still be missing UC when this nonsense conversation is going on.