Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to be Feeling Really Upset and Unsettled ?

85 replies

NewUserName1000 · 22/02/2026 11:34

I could really use some support right now. I'll just be transparent I have been struggling with addiction for the past six months.

The past few days I have been getting high at night and messaging this guy online. Strictly platonic on my side, but he kept pushing my boundary. I am still traumatized by my abusive ex. I kept asking him to stop, he would agree but then he kept doing it. I sort of just laughed it off but he was starting to make me feel uncomfortable. Thing is, it as confusing to me because we did click really well, so it wasn't that hard at the time to give him a bit of slack.

He said he was having a bath. Told me I could get in it with him. I told him to stop it. He did. Then started it up again. He sent me several pictures of his bath bubbles. Remember, I was high, and didn't see that red flag like I would if it happened now when I am sober. To be more precise, I still don't know where the line is I guess I'm trying to say maybe I don't understand the rules of boundaries or perhaps what mine actually are. I sort of was just acting like this was normal as we were "new friends"... a short time later, as I was having a discussion with him, another male messaged me in response to a post I wrote. So I was juggling two friendly conversations.

The first guy continued to send me pictures of my bath bubbles saying get in the bath i'll wear a swimsuit, etc. I sort of was mentally backing away at this point and talking to this new guy, said straight up to him I'm not interested in flirting or anything and he said that was fine and just wanted a conversation about my post. I ended up saying to the second guy look il be honest I'm talking to someone else at the same time as you and it's hard to follow and juggle the two so I'll cut the other conversation short because I wanted to talk to him properly about my post, and that, besides, the other guy kept flirting with me even though I had kept asking him to stop. I even said to the bubble bath guy, stop it, you have a partner. I told him I was tired I'm going to bed, good night we said bye.

So I spent a few hours talking to guy number 2. We clicked very well and I was enjoying the conversation. I found him very intriguing. He was very highly intelligent and as we know this can be quite rare. We were talking about my drug problem for the most part. But then, I felt like he was beginning to act weird.

First off, he made a comment about women on drugs being hot, which I called him out on. He said I didn't call you hot, it's just a turn of phrase. I said fine. Moved on. An hour or two later, he started talking about.... he didn't like some types of women. He didn't like "fatties, single mothers and whores," I asked him if that comment was directed at me he said no. We had a bit of a tussle over it then moved on but as you can imagine I began to feel uncomfortable....

He then started saying things like, society is turning women I to whores to undermine men or some shit like that, that women hated guys like him or something just for telling the truth. I kept asking him was this personal against me I kept saying you seem really angry. Remember, I'm high on drugs and I just was feeling really confused with this argument that we started to have. At the time it felt very personal I felt like he was saying these things about me basically even though we didn't know each other which he denied also as you can imagine I just didn't lie to listen to this shit ? About women general or otherwise.

He was messaging very fast just going on about this sort of tone for a bit and I was just getting this really weird vibe that he was really a guy and I started to grow unsettled and sort of disturbed. He was talking about someone, I don't know which sex, anymore; "loving abortions"... And in between all this he was talking very fast and changing the subject and I kept pulling him up on the things he was saying and taking it personally. My sense of being unsettled deep in my stomach was compounded by the fact this man was very, very intelligent, like when a man is saying these things to you and asking why are you upset about this...

Then he began to say like, sort of, there is a massive psy- op, women are degrade men they repress and undermine me n and then we call them "incells" and the argument got heated and more and more heated I was very upset and confused.

And then eventually he said "I don't care if women are whores, I can respect a whore but I can't respect a liar" and he kept saying this,

While gaslighting me that these were valid things for him to be saying to me and I ended up freaking out at him, asking if he has mental issues, asking him why he was so angry with me which he kept denying and saying he was just talking in a general sense but I FELT his utter rage towards me and I was so upset and freaked out and confused. And then I said I think you are a psychopath and then he said I won't be insulted and he completely just stopped speaking to me at that point.

I the sent him several messages saying how insulted I felt, and how dare he be saying these things to me, how I felt like he was setting with rage towards me and then gaslighting me that I was imagining things and I felt scared of him he has scared me and is he happy now.

I had told this man I have a 17 year old son. I told him the city I live in.

It's just etched in my mind, repeated comments of I have no respect for liars, over and over again.

I think the two men are the same person. I "lied" about going to bed. I was really in fact talking to "another man" can you see where I'm coming from ? I feel sick. I sent him a last message and just said I'm sorry for calling you a psychopath that was too far but that it was in response to him pushing my boundaries and scaring me.

I had a panic attack I was imagining him finding me and murdering me.

This is the major wake up call of my life. I need to get clean right now. What the hell am I doing with my life. This is dangerous. I feel so ashamed of myself. I have left myself with £50 per week for groceries for the next month (my son has his own money) (he is not aware that I have been using drugs)

I am also having g this sudden insight that I do not think it is safe to talk to strangers I line at all. It's become so normalised but this isn't normal at all. We shouldn't talk to strangers, it is not safe. I was imagining him finding me and harming me or my son. I feel completely freaked out. I don't know how to process or deal with this. I swear, I am never taking drugs again. What the hell do I think I am doing. This is insane.

I need to change and I am going to change right now. I will go to meetings if I have to. How could I put myself in such a vulnerable situation. I feel scared and paranoid and unsettled and sick.

I know fine we'll some of you will just me harshly, and I deserve it but please, I am feeling so vulnerable right now that I do not think I can handle any hate

OP posts:
EvangelineTheNightStar · 22/02/2026 11:38

Have you given them your address? Doesn’t sound like you’ve met in real life?
just delete the app you’re speaking to these men on!

NewUserName1000 · 22/02/2026 11:44

EvangelineTheNightStar · 22/02/2026 11:38

Have you given them your address? Doesn’t sound like you’ve met in real life?
just delete the app you’re speaking to these men on!

I'm imagining him tracking me down through my IP address or something iI know this is crazy but crazy things can happen in life can't they ? I don't know how to not understate that I think he is one of the smartest people I have ever spoken to. I feel so confused and upset. I feel sick. Why are men so scary

OP posts:
Trevordidit · 22/02/2026 11:44

You need support, not hate.

Who do you have around you that you trust?

You can get better. You have some great self awareness starting to emerge and that shows real strength.

NewUserName1000 · 22/02/2026 11:49

Trevordidit · 22/02/2026 11:44

You need support, not hate.

Who do you have around you that you trust?

You can get better. You have some great self awareness starting to emerge and that shows real strength.

I think I've truly hit my rock bottom. I am a total failure

OP posts:
Ponoka7 · 22/02/2026 11:49

Get off the drugs and start being responsible for who you have in your life, what you accept and when to call a stop to things. You aren't going to find a man online who just wants to chat, they are on there for sex. The drugs have disordered your thinking, now you are in a state of fear. You can sort and change your life. Do you have local services?

NewUserName1000 · 22/02/2026 11:51

Ponoka7 · 22/02/2026 11:49

Get off the drugs and start being responsible for who you have in your life, what you accept and when to call a stop to things. You aren't going to find a man online who just wants to chat, they are on there for sex. The drugs have disordered your thinking, now you are in a state of fear. You can sort and change your life. Do you have local services?

I don't know. I'm willing to go to meetings.

OP posts:
Alpacajigsaw · 22/02/2026 11:51

Are you doing all this with your son around?

If you haven’t told him any more than the city you live in it’s unlikely he would track you down surely but I’m not sure if the police could advise?

I hope you can get some support for your drug habit.

NewUserName1000 · 22/02/2026 11:52

This is so hard. It's going to be so hard.. how on earth did I get here, so fast

OP posts:
Random321 · 22/02/2026 11:56

Your main priority right now should be addressing in the addiction and avoiding all relationships with men, until you habe fully recovered.

Until then it's going to be a life of chaos which provides you zero benefits.

OriginalSkang · 22/02/2026 11:56

When you tell someone that you're a drug addict, you're telling them you're vulnerable. You don't know know these people. I'm surw nothing will come from this, but you need to put up much better boundaries and protect yourself

If sounds like you need to reach out to support services and get yourself clean and get some therapy. Best to leave talking to men until you're in a better place x

NewUserName1000 · 22/02/2026 11:57

Trevordidit · 22/02/2026 11:44

You need support, not hate.

Who do you have around you that you trust?

You can get better. You have some great self awareness starting to emerge and that shows real strength.

The closest person I could confide in is the person I've been taking drugs with sometimes. I know I need to stop seeing her for a while and that's going to be hard too

OP posts:
OriginalSkang · 22/02/2026 11:58

What kind of drugs are we talking about?

NewUserName1000 · 22/02/2026 11:59

OriginalSkang · 22/02/2026 11:56

When you tell someone that you're a drug addict, you're telling them you're vulnerable. You don't know know these people. I'm surw nothing will come from this, but you need to put up much better boundaries and protect yourself

If sounds like you need to reach out to support services and get yourself clean and get some therapy. Best to leave talking to men until you're in a better place x

Do you think he targeted me like picked me out ? I don't understand what happened I'm so freaked out and
confused. I've never been spoken to like this before I don't think

OP posts:
CharlotteCollinsneeLucas · 22/02/2026 11:59

Try to change your thinking:

"it's going to be hard but so worthwhile"

"I've reached my rock bottom - this is what I needed to address my addiction"

Get info on the meetings and get yourself a reliable support network. Plan for how you can avoid these situations again - like deleting the app as a pp suggested

PrizedPickledPopcorn · 22/02/2026 12:03

Tell the GP. It will help to tell someone real and they may be able to signpost you to resources that will support you.

It’s time. Stop panicking about the past. Start planning a different future.

OriginalSkang · 22/02/2026 12:07

NewUserName1000 · 22/02/2026 11:59

Do you think he targeted me like picked me out ? I don't understand what happened I'm so freaked out and
confused. I've never been spoken to like this before I don't think

No, I think from what you say it went downhill after you speaking about the drugs. He felt more comfortable being unpleasant after that

I'd really try to put him out of your mind though and think about yourself

Trevordidit · 22/02/2026 12:14

NewUserName1000 · 22/02/2026 11:59

Do you think he targeted me like picked me out ? I don't understand what happened I'm so freaked out and
confused. I've never been spoken to like this before I don't think

Honestly the why/what/how doesn't matter at all - these men just don't matter in the slightest.

Keeping yourself safe snd getting the help you need is the only priority.

Do you feel able to make an appointment with your GP?

BlueJuniper94 · 22/02/2026 12:14

Why do you entertain these men for so long when it's not even real life?

BlueJuniper94 · 22/02/2026 12:14

Is this reddit?

Cookingupmyfirstbornson · 22/02/2026 12:18

What drug?

NewUserName1000 · 22/02/2026 12:19

Trevordidit · 22/02/2026 12:14

Honestly the why/what/how doesn't matter at all - these men just don't matter in the slightest.

Keeping yourself safe snd getting the help you need is the only priority.

Do you feel able to make an appointment with your GP?

No I really don't think I can do that. Not that way. Not through the NHS. I thought last night about finding meetings... I don't know how I'm going to cope. Well I've none left, and no money, anyway, for the next several weeks. I just spiralled down so fast... I just feel so weird like I'm not myself anymore. I don't know how I can cope. I wish I could afford to speak to a private therapist. Ive just been hit with this stark realization that the reason I'm acting like this is because I am mentally ill and I am trying to cope

OP posts:
CharlotteCollinsneeLucas · 22/02/2026 12:23

Take one day at a time. Finding out if there are meetings you can attend would be a great first step.

NewUserName1000 · 22/02/2026 12:25

CharlotteCollinsneeLucas · 22/02/2026 12:23

Take one day at a time. Finding out if there are meetings you can attend would be a great first step.

Yes I think it would be a hard thing to make myself do but I want to talk to someone who understands. I feel irrationally scared of this guy though and I just feel like my life is really weird right now and bizarre

OP posts:
ReturnOfTheToad · 22/02/2026 12:26

Do you think the come down is adding to your paranoia here? My husband works in the Internet/communications world and says there is no way for someone to track you down to your home address using your IP address if that lessens your fears somewhat.

CharlotteCollinsneeLucas · 22/02/2026 12:31

NewUserName1000 · 22/02/2026 12:25

Yes I think it would be a hard thing to make myself do but I want to talk to someone who understands. I feel irrationally scared of this guy though and I just feel like my life is really weird right now and bizarre

Talking to someone who understands would be great - a step towards finding people who can support your recovery. Sounds like you have nobody in that category at present?

Swipe left for the next trending thread