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Original poster

My DH has been brainwashed by tick tock conspiracies

399 replies

Stressymessymum · 27/02/2026 12:45

It’s a bit long but I’m unsure how to deal with this behaviour.

during lockdown my DH ( previously was never into anything like this. was very normal, works in a hospital) fell into a habit of listening to conspiracy podcasts - he thought it was interesting and I didn’t think much of it. This hobby has carried on but increased and the last 3 months his behaviour is really off.

examples

No longer wants to vaccinate our children (oldest 2 are fully vaccinated, baby has had newborn jabs but not one year yet)

wants to home educate because he believes the schools are full of paedophiles and other kids ‘shed’ vaccinations. He doesn’t actually want to do any home ed. I think it’s something called unschooling but we both work full time. I’ve asked him for a plan on how he thinks it will work and he can’t tell me.

won’t let children socialise outside of school. Has removed them from clubs (for the same reasons as above.

wont socialise with vaccinated people (included our families)

wont drink Tap water. Baths in bottled water

refusing to pay council tax as it’s a made up scam (I do pay this 😂)

believes NASA/ moon landing/ 911/ holocaust ( and a long list of other things) is made up

That’s just the tip of the iceberg really…

I’ve tried to talk to him about it but he gets really angry and starts ranting.

who on earth do i talk to about this? I know he’s allowed his own beliefs but he’s dragging our children into it and the way it’s escalated I’m a bit scared xx

OP posts:
Thread gallery
13
cestlavielife · 27/02/2026 14:18

You doing the right thing
Get away.
Inform mh professionals.
If ypu need to meet or dc desperate to see him do so in public place like a park and do not let them go off with him

Huckleberries · 27/02/2026 14:19

Frumpitydoo · 27/02/2026 13:44

Sounds like me when i was in the full throes of mental breakdown.
I hope you can get out/get some help, it must be awful to be around.

So what helped you to come out of it?

@Stressymessymum I'm so sorry this is awful. I'm glad you have a plan to get away.

Do the children understand that he's ill?

Twobigbabies · 27/02/2026 14:21

You have done the right thing. I have family who are anti-vax and conspiracy theorists but they are nothing like this. Sounds like acute mental health illness. Call the police if you are concerned for your safety.

Isekaied · 27/02/2026 14:23

Stressymessymum · 27/02/2026 14:03

I wish this was my biggest issue 😂😭

he is giving Cosco a small fortune. Rest assured the rest of us use tap water

Show quote history

Yeah

I wasn't making fun of this.

And haven't got much to add as you've been given lots of advice in thread. But the bottled water comment really shocked me.

Emi26 · 27/02/2026 14:29

ForNavyOP · 27/02/2026 13:39

I've worked in MH for years and this is increasingly common due to social media and societal shifts but doesn't necessarily meet criteria for delusions or mental illness because they are sadly, common and cultural and societal beliefs.

All you can do at this point is end the relationship and look at the contact he has with your DC and address that via CYPSS if needed.

That's scary! The stuff about vaccines shedding on people I've seen online but I thought it was a few bonkers Americans that believed that stuff, is it common here? I know anti vax sentiment is getting worse but surely refusing to go near anyone in case you catch a vaccine off them is next level and has to count as a mental health issue?

Huckleberries · 27/02/2026 14:31

I met an external contractor who was scared of vaccine shedding in 2021

That was five years ago you'd think people would have seen the facts by now

But yes, this was in the UK. He expressed it openly and everyone else was shocked. I think he was quite embarrassed. I never met him again so hopefully he got past it.

Nervousb2b · 27/02/2026 14:37

I'm somebody who likes to question things, and some would describe me as having ideas that circulate outside of mainstream norms.

With that, I thought reading this "oh, here we go... Somebody worried about a person who's probably just exercising their right to question current global narratives etc"

However - I agree with other PP's - your husband sounds like he may be verging on becoming quite unwell. It may be worth suggesting a conversation with a healthcare professional or doing some research on where the best place might be to start. I really hope this doesn't escalate.

Lots of hugs.

Sophabulous · 27/02/2026 14:45

Pleased to hear you’ve managed to take steps to stay safe, that behaviour sounds very worrying.

I can only imagine what it’s like, my former DP suffered psychotic episodes where he refused crisis team help or to even see a GP in favour of self medicating. It’s very lonely and frightening and we didn’t even have children in the mix.

Thinking of you, keep us posted.

Silverbirchleaf · 27/02/2026 14:47

How worrying for you. Glad you’re taking action to protect you and your family.

Tacohill · 27/02/2026 14:48

If a grown adult can act like this after hearing it from strangers off the internet - imagine the psychological damage it is doing to the kids.

He needs to move out until he gets better.

Unfortunately, this type of this is not uncommon.

EstherGreenwood63 · 27/02/2026 14:48

Oh God OP you poor thing. You are doing the right thing in removing yourself and the dc. He is toxic and it will damage them. Good luck with it all... 💐

pictoosh · 27/02/2026 14:48

NotMeAtAll · 27/02/2026 13:19

I know some people like this. I think it's their way of showing how much smarter they are than everyone else. It also gives them some level of control over their world. They believe what they would like to be true, and then find an echo chamber to tell them they're right.

A lot of truth in this.

Original poster
Stressymessymum · 27/02/2026 14:50

Crisis team said this doesn’t actually fall under them as he’s allowed his own points of view

I’ve informed the school. He can still pick them up as he has parental responsibility. He has never actually collected them or dropped them off due to his working hours so I hope this isn’t an issue.

ive arrived at my mums and my mum has collected the children a little early.

I’ve rung the gp and social services for advice. No update on that yet.

I’ll ring DH later to inform him we’re not home and why

anything else I can do?

OP posts:
deadpan · 27/02/2026 14:54

Stressymessymum · 27/02/2026 12:45

It’s a bit long but I’m unsure how to deal with this behaviour.

during lockdown my DH ( previously was never into anything like this. was very normal, works in a hospital) fell into a habit of listening to conspiracy podcasts - he thought it was interesting and I didn’t think much of it. This hobby has carried on but increased and the last 3 months his behaviour is really off.

examples

No longer wants to vaccinate our children (oldest 2 are fully vaccinated, baby has had newborn jabs but not one year yet)

wants to home educate because he believes the schools are full of paedophiles and other kids ‘shed’ vaccinations. He doesn’t actually want to do any home ed. I think it’s something called unschooling but we both work full time. I’ve asked him for a plan on how he thinks it will work and he can’t tell me.

won’t let children socialise outside of school. Has removed them from clubs (for the same reasons as above.

wont socialise with vaccinated people (included our families)

wont drink Tap water. Baths in bottled water

refusing to pay council tax as it’s a made up scam (I do pay this 😂)

believes NASA/ moon landing/ 911/ holocaust ( and a long list of other things) is made up

That’s just the tip of the iceberg really…

I’ve tried to talk to him about it but he gets really angry and starts ranting.

who on earth do i talk to about this? I know he’s allowed his own beliefs but he’s dragging our children into it and the way it’s escalated I’m a bit scared xx

Can I ask why he has managed to remove your kids from clubs that presumably the kids like and you like them going? Couldn't that be a road in to try and reason with him, that he's depriving them of something they enjoy.
Apart from that, all the other tin hat stuff will be harder to crack through. You could try the amused approach and try and laugh off what he says. Ask the kids what they think of their dad's theories, they hopefully aren't getting sucked in and might be able to talk him round

oneoneone · 27/02/2026 14:54

MissMoneyFairy · 27/02/2026 13:26

Covid has had lasting mental health issues for many people, especially those affected or in the emergwncy services, he works in a hospital so would have seen the awful,effects. Plus there is evidence now that vaccines do have lasting effects. He is not rational, bathing in bottled water, that's his choice but how does he heat the water plus the expense. It's affecting your children, that can't continue. Does he have access to occupational health at work, would he speak to them or his GP. If not then you have to leave with the children, what he's doing is very damaging.

Plus there is evidence now that vaccines do have lasting effects.

While I'm not discounting vaccine injuries, this is untrue for the vast, vast, vast majority of the population. In fact, all the latest research is the opposite.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12679329/

OP, I agree. It sounds like he's spiralled into a mental health crisis.

COVID-19 mRNA Vaccination and 4-Year All-Cause Mortality Among Adults Aged 18 to 59 Years in France - PMC

Are COVID-19 mRNA vaccines associated with the long-term risk of all-cause mortality? In this cohort study including 22.7 million vaccinated individuals and 5.9 million unvaccinated individuals, vaccinated individuals had a 74% lower risk of death ...

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12679329/

Kerrik · 27/02/2026 14:55

I mean this respectfully, but does he smoke weed? A lot of my husband’s friends who smoke weed have gone this way. It’s bizarre! One of the guys even thinks that we all have been implanted with a microchip since having the Covid vaccine! 🙄

PrettyPickle · 27/02/2026 14:56

Kerrik · 27/02/2026 14:55

I mean this respectfully, but does he smoke weed? A lot of my husband’s friends who smoke weed have gone this way. It’s bizarre! One of the guys even thinks that we all have been implanted with a microchip since having the Covid vaccine! 🙄

Fair Point! I hadn't thought about that and it can result in paranoia!

Frugalgal · 27/02/2026 14:57

OctopusFriend · 27/02/2026 14:13

If he believes that the Holocaust is a lie, then he's engaging with some extremist groups or individuals, which is alarming in itself.
It does sound like paranoia, and I hope you can get support for him, otherwise it'll harm your children.

Not necessarily. My brother is all the way down the rabbit hole. It started with 9/11 being an inside job and went from there. COVID really allowed the conspiracy mindset to be weaponised to the degree that there are millions of people who now believe these mad, mad things.

Once you believe one conspiracy you will eventually believe them all. Sadly I can't be in contact with my brother because he also believes the Holocaust was exaggerated/a hoax/ instigated by Jews in collaboration with the Nazis for...reasons... He also believes Zelenskiiy is a Nazi despite being Jewish and that Putin's invasion is him simply trying to rid Ukraine of Nazis.

All crazy extremist views but very prominent on social media without any need for interaction with extremist groups.

Unlike the OPs husband my brother is able to live a fully functional life, although I pity his long suffering wife. He has simply been fed a diet of mad conspiracies over the years by algorithms. If you met him and spoke to him in real life you'd never know. Not until he started coming out with this stuff.

I agree the OPs DH is probably mentally ill.

Welshmonster · 27/02/2026 14:57

Has he had a brain scan. Could the change in personality maybe be a tumour pressing on somewhere? Maybe find a video that tells everyone to have a brain scan because Bill Gates gave us microchips during lockdown and the only way to check is with an MRI etc.

he might get a lot worse now he’s alone. Yes he has parental responsibility but you must make it clear to the school that if he tries to collect the children in middle of the day then nothing good will happen.

I think you are doing the right thing, taking your kids out of this situation.

Original poster
Stressymessymum · 27/02/2026 14:58

Kerrik · 27/02/2026 14:55

I mean this respectfully, but does he smoke weed? A lot of my husband’s friends who smoke weed have gone this way. It’s bizarre! One of the guys even thinks that we all have been implanted with a microchip since having the Covid vaccine! 🙄

Yes!!!! He’s recently started ( about 12 months ago) not at home but with friends.

I know nothing about weed but could this be a big issue?! He claims it’s a tiny amount

OP posts:
PrettyPickle · 27/02/2026 14:58

@Stressymessymum Are your husbands parents/siblings around - what do they think of his behaviour? Can they help?

Silverbirchleaf · 27/02/2026 14:59

Kerrik · 27/02/2026 14:55

I mean this respectfully, but does he smoke weed? A lot of my husband’s friends who smoke weed have gone this way. It’s bizarre! One of the guys even thinks that we all have been implanted with a microchip since having the Covid vaccine! 🙄

The microchip idea was a common conspiracy idea at the time. Ie. That when they were giving you the vaccine , they were actually implanting you with a microchip.

Original poster
Stressymessymum · 27/02/2026 15:00

deadpan · 27/02/2026 14:54

Can I ask why he has managed to remove your kids from clubs that presumably the kids like and you like them going? Couldn't that be a road in to try and reason with him, that he's depriving them of something they enjoy.
Apart from that, all the other tin hat stuff will be harder to crack through. You could try the amused approach and try and laugh off what he says. Ask the kids what they think of their dad's theories, they hopefully aren't getting sucked in and might be able to talk him round

Show quote history

They haven’t actually been removed but he thinks they have. He’s never taken them and isn’t home when they go (still at work) so he thinks I’ve stopped them going due to his requests. I haven’t, they love going

they’re too little to really understands. The oldest is 7 and finds it amusing he won’t touch tap water.

OP posts:
Original poster
Stressymessymum · 27/02/2026 15:02

PrettyPickle · 27/02/2026 14:58

@Stressymessymum Are your husbands parents/siblings around - what do they think of his behaviour? Can they help?

They think he’s crackers and are really upset with him about his views

they are very supportive though! Always happy to help and are very glad I’ve left this afternoon

OP posts:
Frugalgal · 27/02/2026 15:02

MissMoneyFairy · 27/02/2026 13:26

Covid has had lasting mental health issues for many people, especially those affected or in the emergwncy services, he works in a hospital so would have seen the awful,effects. Plus there is evidence now that vaccines do have lasting effects. He is not rational, bathing in bottled water, that's his choice but how does he heat the water plus the expense. It's affecting your children, that can't continue. Does he have access to occupational health at work, would he speak to them or his GP. If not then you have to leave with the children, what he's doing is very damaging.

Yes, the lasting effects of vaccines is immunity from disease.