Is there something wrong with him or is he taking the mick?

[Worried79]

Firstly, apologies for name change but I have a friend who uses mn who knows my usual username.

I'm posting about my husband, he has started acting strange and I'm not sure if there is something wrong or if he's just trying to wind me up.

About a month ago he started becoming obsessed with windows and doors being closed. His excuse would always be that he didn't want flies coming in but he's never been like that before.

Then there was loads of other wierd behaviour like him getting up in the middle of the night and sneaking around the house. I actually started to think he was having an affair.

The he started celotaping money to things, like 2p would be celotaped to the computer desk or £1 would be celotaped to the wooden floor. Everytime I asked what was going on he just laughed and made out he was trying to wind me up.

Then last week we were sat watching TV and he asked if I ever watched "The Borrowers" when I was a child. I told him I didn't and he said "oh, I was just going to ask what you'd think if you saw loads of little people running around the house". I just laughed and said I'd catch them and sell them on ebay and he laughed really awkwardly and said "its ok, she didn't mean it" at this point I told him to stop acting stupid and he said sorry but then said "no really, how would you react? would you be scared?". I told him to stop going on about stupid stuff and that was that.

About an hour later he said he was coming upstairs to check his email. I followed him up about 5 minutes later with some of DDs clothes to put away and heard DH whispering in our room saying stuff like "I don't know what she'd do, I don't think it's safe yet". So I went in and said "for gods sake, don't you think you're taking it a bit far?" and he jumped up and looked around him quickly and then said "thank god for that" under his breathe as if something had hidden before I went in.

I told him I no longer found the joke funny and that it was freaking me out and I wanted him to stop it. He hasn't mentioned it since but has continued with the windows and doors and celotaping stuff and wandering around the house at night.

I'm actually really worried that there is something wrong with him. He's 37, not stressed as far as I know, no history of acting strange. Is he simply taking the piss?

He is either taking the piss or starting to exhibit some psychotic symptoms. What is your gut feeling ?

or schizophrenia

Sounds like psychosis could be a possibility. The only way to know is to get him assessed by a mental health team. This could prove difficult,but it would lead to treatment with anti psychotic medication if necessary.

Is there any family history of psychosis? What is his relationship like with his mother and father?

I really don't want to be all scaremongery but whilst possible psychosis remains untreated I think you need to think carefully about safeguarding you and any DC. It may be that he views you as a threat when he is experiencing (maybe) pyschotic episodes and that is concerning given what you have quoted.

any history of drug abuse?

Poor chap- is he under a lot of stress atm?

My brothers schizophrenic and has displayed similar oddness
Next time he trys to talk to you about it, listen and dont make him change the subject.
You need to gently steer him to the doctors.
My mum is also heading in similar way

I would be quite worried if he's doing it when you're not around, and he's not expecting you to walk in on him, as he would be if it were a joke.

Can you try setting up a monitor and listening when he definately thinks you're not around??? Just to see if he's joking???

Ooooooooor, are you having a joke and winding us up?????

Was your relationship ok before? Sounds like a very complex wind-up. Could he have been on a phone or something when you heard him whispering?
Does sound a bit worrying - do you know if he's ok at work or if anyone else has noticed the behaviour?

I don't mean it is a wind up, I mean it would be a lot of effort to go to for the sake of a wind up. Sorry - tired.

he wouldn't spend a MONTH of his time to just take the piss...would he?

My uncle would see people that wasnt there. Not just in his house, but other peoples homes too. I remember once he came to see us and he greeted my mum, me and non-existing lady next to my mum. He saw 2nd world war soldiers a lot. He said it was strange how they were in black and white.

He was then diagnosed as being in the early stages of Parkinsons.

You need to get him to the doctors rather urgently I suspect.

Worried79

Assuming it isn't YOU winding US up, and he really is doing this, I wouldn't say it's necessarily dangerous psychosis, but it does sound like the start of some kind of mental changes, possibly early stage dementia.

I'd seek medical advice yourself (talk to your GP about what's happening), asking how you can support yourself/kids while he's going thru this.
Altho' they won't discuss dh with you, they can give you general guidance on where to go next, and how to get him in for attention.

Is he on any meds at all.