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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Partner mad at me for not going up to bed with him

97 replies

Meetthenewmans · 16/07/2026 20:01

Last night, my boyfriend and I were in the living room, I was watching TV and he was on his laptop at the table. He got up and said “I’m going for a lie down, I don’t feel great again” and I said okay no problem. He does have anxiety so when he says he isn’t feeling great I know he will be feeling dizzy as he gets vertigo with it and needs to go and lie down in a dark room. About 45 minutes or so later, he came downstairs clearly in a mood. I had to repeatedly ask what was wrong with him before he told me that he was upset that I didn’t come upstairs to comfort him or make sure he was okay. I just left him to go to bed knowing he didn’t feel great. I told him that I thought that’s what he would want, to go and have a lie down by himself and wait for the dizziness to pass. I didn’t do it out of not caring, I just thought that me going with him wouldn’t be helpful. This isn’t the first time he’s dealt with this, if it was the first time then I’d be more concerned and have gone up to check on him and ask what he needs. But we know that it’s anxiety, it’s happened many times before. So I thought he was just going upstairs to sleep it off or wait for it to pass. He is calling me cold and saying i don’t care, but I didn’t know that that’s what he wanted from me. If he was unwell or had a virus or something, I would have been more attentive, but I used to have anxiety in the past and know that in that situation I would’ve wanted to be left alone. How was I supposed to know that he wanted me to go with him?

I am now feeling guilty and questioning myself. Am I in the wrong? Whenever he has anxiety, I always do my best and try to get him to calm him down or get him anything he needs like water etc. but he chose to take himself away so I assumed he wanted to be alone!

OP posts:
IntoTheRoseGarden · 18/07/2026 08:05

When I was his age, I had a teddy bear to comfort me.

jeaux90 · 18/07/2026 08:07

You are not his mum or his support human.

Beerpink · 18/07/2026 08:07

Meetthenewmans · 16/07/2026 20:13

Once I had tonsillitis and he asked for a hand job. But usually I just stay in bed when I’m ill, I don’t really need him to come and get into bed with me. He will fetch me things if I ask

Urgh. Dump him

YourOliveBalonz · 18/07/2026 08:08

He’s a big baby, he cant communicate what he would actually like, and he can’t have been as ill as he made out if he can get out of bed 45 minutes later to make a fuss over this.

HellsBells13 · 18/07/2026 08:10

Urgh, what a wet selfish man baby. Does he not give you the ick?

xino · 18/07/2026 08:12

Bin. Then raise your expectations of what a healthy relationship should look like.

AllTheTreesOfTheField · 18/07/2026 08:14

HE feels unwell. YOU are supposed to pander to him.

YOU feel unwell. HE asks YOU to wank him off. Again YOU are supposed to pander to HIM.

He is training you up to centre his wants above all else, isn't he.

Frumpitydoo · 18/07/2026 08:15

What an absolute Frank Spencer. Massive irrepairable ick inducing behaviour.

Franjipanl8r · 18/07/2026 08:22

It’s completely possible to have anxiety AND be a selfish arsehole. Just because he has anxiety, doesn’t mean he gets to treat you like his servant.

Gemilo · 18/07/2026 08:24

Meetthenewmans · 16/07/2026 21:17

Thank you, I was sure I wasn’t being unreasonable but then I started second guessing myself and feeling guilty

He sounds needy and selfish. I would get rid.

Gwenna · 18/07/2026 08:26

BauhausOfEliott · 16/07/2026 20:16

He’s a manipulative, controlling cunt.

⬆️ What @BauhausOfEliott said. Does he really have “anxiety”, or is he misdiagnosed personality disordered because he seems more like that! I’m getting narc vibes, OP…

PinkyFlamingo · 18/07/2026 08:30

This isn't normal. Life is too short to put up with crap like this so why are you? I bet he's not doing anything to overcome his "anxiety" either.

Mindtheagp · 18/07/2026 08:32

Ask him for a hand job, that’ll even things out

Slightyamusedandsilly · 18/07/2026 08:35

Another man-child who just wants a bang maid.

Thank fuck I don't have to deal with that anymore.

It's not you @Meetthenewmans, it's him. He's an adult. Not a five year old. However, even my 5 year old just lays down, fuss-free, to sleep off illness.

CruCru · 18/07/2026 08:40

Ineffable23 · 18/07/2026 08:04

I also don't think fussing about anxiety will even be helpful in the long run will it?

I was going to say this. Realistically if he learns that going for a lie down means he has the OP fussing over him (even subconsciously) then he’ll do this all the time.

But if he isn’t all that great then it’s probably time to end things. It should be easy and fun with a boyfriend.

AngelinaFibres · 18/07/2026 08:48

Meetthenewmans · 16/07/2026 20:13

Once I had tonsillitis and he asked for a hand job. But usually I just stay in bed when I’m ill, I don’t really need him to come and get into bed with me. He will fetch me things if I ask

Well I guess at least this prince among men didn't ask for a blow job. He's your boyfriend. Get rid. There are far better options out there.

SecretSquid · 18/07/2026 08:52

FGS don't get pregnant. However selfish he is now, it gets so much worse when children are involved, and so much harder to get away.
Please don't make the mistake of thinking he'll grow out of it. He won't. This is him.

Sereine · 18/07/2026 08:57

Vertigo is a bit of an odd symptom of anxiety. Is your partner getting any treatment?

Backpain2026 · 18/07/2026 09:00

Why are there so many shit men, and why do so many women second guess themselves when dealing with the shit men?

Honestly, he sounds useless and vile. Do you really want him in your life?

Svelty · 18/07/2026 09:06

You have quite reasonably thought he needed time to himself in a darkened room when what was actually happening was him seeking attention. It’s very unfair of him to expect that you magically know this. If he can’t communicate to you what he needs emotionally without passive aggression it’s going to be an unhappy relationship and you should consider leaving.

Svelty · 18/07/2026 09:09

Sereine · 18/07/2026 08:57

Vertigo is a bit of an odd symptom of anxiety. Is your partner getting any treatment?

Yes I thought this too. He needs to go to the doctor with that if he hasn’t already.

CorvusNoir · 18/07/2026 09:13

This sounds like a parent-child relationship. He's putting you in the 'mummy' role whether you want to be or not. Does he do this in other ways ?

ERthree · 18/07/2026 09:19

God lord, life is too short to live with that kind of crap.

Rooroobear · 18/07/2026 09:19

God, I could not put up with such childish behaviour from an adult. What a baby. And I’d have told him so too. What do we tell children? Use. Their. Words!! He could have opened his mouth however, it’s a bit of an ick isn’t it. You’re not his mummy

Justanopinionnothingmore · 18/07/2026 09:26

Meetthenewmans · 16/07/2026 20:13

Once I had tonsillitis and he asked for a hand job. But usually I just stay in bed when I’m ill, I don’t really need him to come and get into bed with me. He will fetch me things if I ask

Please read that back and ask why yourself, why you are with him. 🤯🤯🤯🤯