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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

My husband shouts/swears/storms out whenever something upsets me

92 replies

Losingagain · 12/01/2026 19:50

My husband is generally a good husband.

However over the years his anger has become a lot worse. When we first married I knew he had anger issues from his teen years because he told me about them, involving smashing stuff up and punching walls. He said being in the army helped him with this anger.

over The past maybe 18 months he has done stuff which I feel is just not ok to do when an issue is raised. He shouts, swears, moves to the sofa out of bed, threatens to shout louder etc. over what I think are not big issues.

some examples:

  1. i brought up the fact that he has spent most of his wages on a hobby and was left short to pay our mortgage (we pay half) - met with shouting “well I’m just a shit husband then aren’t I” / “you earn more than me, you pay it” and pulling down books from a shelf
  2. i was expected on holiday to his home country to stay up until 5am playing poker with all male friends. I didn’t want to do this. He continued to do it for the 3 weeks we were there. I said it would be nice to do a date night - met with breaking his laptop, calling me controlling, shouting at me “you really don’t want to push this, I can get much much louder”, packing up our things in a case and saying “well if you feel like you’re not safe here let’s go to hotel
  3. telling him I felt distant from him as he was spending a lot of time in the evenings on his hobby and then expecting sex - met with calling me controlling again, saying he is a free man and can do what he wants, saying I need to get out and do a hobby (which I do anyway) and shouting at me to “fuck off, always fucking talking, fuck you”
  4. i was vomiting in the bathroom one morning and he came in and asked me a question I didn’t hear. He slammed the door. A few days later he asked me why I didn’t answer and that I basically said “fuck off” to him by not replying and I was “milking” being unwell

he’s pulled the duvet cover off me when I’ve been lying down, shouting over me as I was lying down. He laughs when I ask him to stop shouting. He says I’m condescending and act like I’m an angel and he’s the devil.

it sounds awful written down, it is awful. But it’s only about 10% of the time. Which is a lot I know. When things are good he’s funny, caring and like my best friend. When things are bad I cry alone in the bathroom.

I’ve stopped mentioning anything now. I just let him get on with what he wants to do because I can’t cope with the fallout.

I need a plan on what to do and how to do it. I feel sad nearly all the time, walking on eggshells. I just feel like I’m a burden

OP posts:
Tammygirl12 · 12/01/2026 19:52

Leave leave leave and do not have kids with this man. It will get so much worse

VikaOlson · 12/01/2026 19:53

It's not just 10% abuse if you are miserable and changing your behaviour 100% of the time.

Arlanymor · 12/01/2026 19:54

Even 1% of the time is not acceptable. You are not a burden, he has an explosive temper and is treating you like absolute dirt. I don't know anyone with anger issues which were controlled/resolved by joined the armed forces - quite the opposite actually. He is not a good husband. He doesn't even sound like a good person. You need a plan to leave - which means sorting out your money (do you work?), finding somewhere to live and leaning on friends/family who can be trusted to support you. I am so sorry you are going through this, you don't deserve it, it is not acceptable and frankly he's dangerous, let alone unpleasant.

giallo · 12/01/2026 19:54

Your husband is not a good husband. I’d be asking him to leave.

Pallisers · 12/01/2026 19:56

You need to leave him. Make a plan. Talk to someone in real life. If you don't have children make sure you don't get pregnant. This won't get better.

Bobiverse · 12/01/2026 19:56

Split up. You earn more and have a mortgage so I wouldn’t move out, but split up and sort out getting the house sold so you can separate.

There isn’t any other answer. He is awful; doesn’t matter if it’s only 10% of the time because for that 10% he is seriously awful. Get out of the marriage.

Brefugee · 12/01/2026 19:56

you have to leave him. Right away.

Lovelynames123 · 12/01/2026 19:56

The only acceptable level of abuse in a relationship is none.

It will get worse. Please don't wait until he lays hands on you, or worse

Thepeopleversuswork · 12/01/2026 19:57

My husband is generally a good husband.

No he's not. He's really not. It's always a red flag when a poster feels the need to include this disclaimer, but in your case the contrast between how you describe him and how he is is glaring.

He's not a good husband. He's a volatile, abusive arsehole who cannot bear to be challenged and has no respect for his wife. #

What are you doing about leaving him?

Chasbots · 12/01/2026 19:58

Yep, you're getting trained up to behave.

Be extra careful leaving, given anger issues & Army training.

Losingagain · 12/01/2026 19:58

I do work, full time. I earn more than him. I do have friends I could turn too but all busy with their own families and I don’t want to burden them. My mum and dad are too sensitive to deal with all this, I wouldn’t ask them to.

If I go to a solicitors without him knowing I could see what would happen with the house. I put a large deposit down and he’s paid half the mortgage (but it’s in my name). I’m so sad I would never have married had I know this, I never expected it.

I thought at the start maybe it was me being controlling but deep down know it’s not

OP posts:
loislovesstewie · 12/01/2026 20:00

Leave. Before you know it, the relationship will be 90% abuse. And you will be psychologically broken.

thenightsky · 12/01/2026 20:01

Chasbots · 12/01/2026 19:58

Yep, you're getting trained up to behave.

Be extra careful leaving, given anger issues & Army training.

Exactly this. Get out asap.

Bigcat25 · 12/01/2026 20:01

Dump. He'll drag you down even more. He's very abusive and it won't get better. You can never have a rational conversation with him and that's no way to live. He's very cruel.

Imlyingandthatsthetruth · 12/01/2026 20:01

Why are you kidding yourself that any of this is defendable or acceptable? This man is a disaster and you need to get away. 10% of the time? I doubt it. This will get worse.

Butterflywings84 · 12/01/2026 20:02

I don’t often post to say LTB but in this case I definitely would especially if you don’t have children together. Can you really imagine the rest of your life like this? It’s only going to get worse not better and it’s probably only a matter of time before it turns properly violent. Get out while you can.

lollypop42 · 12/01/2026 20:02

he sounds horrible

cadburyegg · 12/01/2026 20:02

LTB

Arlanymor · 12/01/2026 20:02

Losingagain · 12/01/2026 19:58

I do work, full time. I earn more than him. I do have friends I could turn too but all busy with their own families and I don’t want to burden them. My mum and dad are too sensitive to deal with all this, I wouldn’t ask them to.

If I go to a solicitors without him knowing I could see what would happen with the house. I put a large deposit down and he’s paid half the mortgage (but it’s in my name). I’m so sad I would never have married had I know this, I never expected it.

I thought at the start maybe it was me being controlling but deep down know it’s not

Sorry yes you did say you worked - I was a bit on autopilot when I asked that question as so many women feel trapped, don't work and have children. You've been trained to think you are a burden but you're not - if you were my friend and felt you couldn't turn to me I would feel horribly upset that you would struggle alone rather than confide and let me shoulder some of the pain. Please talk to at least one good friend and make an appointment with a solicitor to find out where you stand - nothing will happen until you want it to happen, but you'll be in a much better position to make decisions armed with knowledge. Please contact just one close friend - I bet you they will be so relieved you reached out to them.

EsmeArcher · 12/01/2026 20:03

Imagine you have a daughter, and she shares this with you in 20 years time. What would you tell her to do?

PeopleLikeColdplayYouCantTrustPeopleJez · 12/01/2026 20:03

He’s abusive. And the thing about abuse is, even if it’s “only 10% of the time” you’re constantly on edge waiting for him to turn nasty at any moment. He knows that. So he keeps at it. So basically he’s abusive 100% of the time by that logic.

Seriously, you need to get out. Dont talk to him about it, it’s not safe, he is far too volatile. Women’s aid can help you come up
with a safety plan to leave him while minimising the risks. They can also help with other things.

Barney16 · 12/01/2026 20:04

He's aggressive and he can't control his temper. He feels it's ok to behave badly then justifies that behaviour by blaming you. You should leave him or as it's your house ask him to leave. But be careful, he's a bloke, he's an angry person and he's been in the military. I may sound dramatic but it's always a good idea to have a plan just in case. Nothing he does is acceptable and it's not your fault. Keep that at the forefront of your mind.

NinaGeiger · 12/01/2026 20:05

This is very concerning. I was in an abusive relationship and I learnt that it doesn't matter how good it is when it's good - what matters is how bad it is when it's bad.

User5612347 · 12/01/2026 20:06

Something I learned after the breakup of my own marriage that you might find useful is that very few men actually have genuine anger issues. Is he being angry at work colleagues and his poker friends and his relations? If so, the he might have genuine anger issues. If he's only taking his anger out on you then it's a control thing.
A counsellor also told me that throwing things and breaking things is usually the last step before the physical abuse starts.

UninitendedShark · 12/01/2026 20:06

Chasbots · 12/01/2026 19:58

Yep, you're getting trained up to behave.

Be extra careful leaving, given anger issues & Army training.

agree 100%

Please make plans to leave, it may well escalate.