AIBU to worry as my husband thinks zombies are coming?

[ByKookyPombear]

DH can at times go a bit funny , though he normally snaps out of it.
This current episode has stuck around for longer than usual and as a family we are getting concerned.

It started off with him locking the doors as soon as the sun had set just incase, that then escalated into the garden gate have padlocks fitted and the doors locked at all times, DH had also set dug the ring camera and doorbell out of the cupboard to monitor activity.

Yesterday I had a hospital appointment, whilst i was having my procedure done he waited outside in the car park, there were two incidents that took place.
The first it was a warm day, he kept the kids in the car with the windows up “just in case”.

Then the youngest really needed the toilet so he put the 14 year old in the drivers seat , with the engine running and told her to “be prepared”

Is this normal, he appears to be his normal self but is scared of zombies coming

Come here for advice , not to have the piss taken out of me

No, paranoid delusions aren’t normal. Has he been to the GP?

Sometimes a partner can be caught up in this delusional thinking and then they can fuel each other

@ByKookyPombear you need to try to get him urgent help, and protect your children

That was both a criminal offence and dangerous behaviour

If they pay the bills i will lay out a welcome mat written with an an American accent like all good fictional creatures should have

Is he spending a lot of time on ChatGPT? Talking to LLMs can make paranoia and delusions worse.

take this seriously. Talk to the GP.

Well - asking if your husband preparing for a zombie apocalypse is normal is kind of inviting a bit of piss taking ….

if you’re being serious (which I don’t believe you are) then obviously it’s not normal 🙄

You are as bonkers as he is!

Right ok he needs serious help with his mental health, probably needs to be sectioned. Get him to the GP on Monday morning, if he escalates over the weekend call an ambulance or go to A&E.

In the meantime ideally move out or at least move your kids out and FGS do not leave your kids with him unattended. The thing with the car was downright dangerous on many levels.

I could understand this if it wasn’t such a ridiculous topic. Starting to believe a partners paranoia about WW3 - understandable

Zombies? Nah

Well it's a crazy idea.

I don’t understand why you haven’t tried to get him some help? I realise this is difficult at the moment and will involve long waits etc…but this hasn’t appeared overnight.

But you seem in denial about this and it’s quite worrying. It should be blatantly obvious that someone who thinks zombies are coming is not well. Its so far outside normal that its odd you have to ask.

I would be quite frightened to live like this.

Is there anywhere you can go and take your kids to get away him for a while? And you need to get him urgent medical attention, if its not obvious.

hubofhope.co.uk/need-help-now

No this isn't normal, he needed a doctor long before this by the sounds of it, so please don't wait until after easter, call 111 and tell them what's going on.

He needs serious help. As others have said, contact his GP as a matter of urgency.
In the meantime do not leave your children with him. He’s not a safe adult and shouldn’t be in a position of responsibility and caring for children.

I think you should get him sectioned ASAP he's very unwell mentally.

This is not just Conspiracy Theory - he's acting on it and involving your children. He could put them in danger through his delusions.

Please don't just sit on this and wait for him to snap out of it.

Yeah he is not well, is he not freaking the children out?!

You both need professional help. Him for believing this and you for even having to ask if this is normal.

I would guess (if not a wind up) that the whole thing has built up so gradually that OP has been caught in a variety of the 'boiling frog' situation - what starts as minor anxieties can escalate slowly to a level where you sit and think 'hang on, that's not right, surely?'

He needs help, OP. His paranoia is going to keep escalating until your life becomes untenable. Does he have friends? Work? Have family? Because I don't think it will be possible to talk him out of this mindset, he needs medication and he probably won't go to the doctor on your say so, but he might listen if enough people tell him to see his GP.

Clearly this isn’t normal OP, but I think you know this already. My aunt had delusions like this, but it was witches in her case, she was schizophrenic. Your DH needs urgent medical help.

Oh OP I'm sorry you're feeling like people are laughing at you. You need to speak to someone medically qualified urgently. Either your GP if they're open today or A&E if not.

You and your kids could be in serious danger if your poor DHs mental health deteriorates further (which can happen quickly). Please don't take that chance. Even if he never gets worse, what he did to your 14 year old yesterday and his delusions being seen as in any way "normal" is deeply traumatising for your children.

A child can sit in the drivers seat as long as the engine is off and the handbrake is on. Why do you think it’s not legal for a child to sit in the drivers seat at all? I’m sure many parents have occupied their toddlers by letting them pretend to “drive” the car whilst you sit and wait somewhere….

They are use to him now and just say he is silly

Of course zombies have brains, the only way to kill them is to destroy the brain. BTW, you've got red on you.

He sounds psychotic, no it's not normal

It’s a well known phenomenon in psychiatry, used to be called folie à deux