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Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

Bad tempered brother

15 replies

Lucyscoat · 21/07/2020 22:08

Have NC for this post.

My brother and I are both in our 50s. We have been good friends. However, he is prone to outbursts of anger that although are verbal, not physical, are very aggressive. He loses his temper at the drop of a hat at perceived slights.

He came to visit me last week and parked on the drive used to make deliveries to a small business next to where I live. The manager asked him not to park there and my brother completely lost it, shouting and swearing at him. He came to visit a couple of days later and he started shouting and swearing again outside the door of the business when he saw the manager inside. It was horrible, loud foul language and I found it very upsetting. It's made me worried about leaving the house.

Then on Saturday I was subjected to the same kind of tirade by text. My stepdad recently died and my mum has gone to live with my sister and her family. My brother and sister fell out years ago and don't speak, and my brother is angry that my mum has gone to live there even though it was my mum's choice and my brother doesn't have the space or lifestyle to take care of her. I filled in a redirect mail form to get mum's mail sent to my sister's and when my brother found out he had a meltdown, accusing me of undermining him (he's Executor to step dad's Will) and said that he's finished with having anything to do with the Will or the family.

He slammed the phone down on my mum, when she told him she was too ill to go to stepdad's funeral and that my sister had organised for it to be shown via internet. He told her that "he washed his hands of all of us".

I don't want to fall out with him. Three years ago my mum went to stay with him for a few days and he had a strop and ended up throwing her out (she's in her 80s). I had to leave work to go find her, she was wandering round, crying in the pouring rain. I phoned him to try and find out what had happened and I had a foul mouthed tirade culminating in "phone me or come round here and I'll call the police on you" . We had no contact for a year. During that time it upset me so much it made me ill - I had a mental breakdown that ended up with me referred to a psychiatrist and I left my job as a teacher as I couldn't cope. I haven't worked properly since.

I can't put it all into perspective. My sister says "disengage" and that I'm making excuses for him when I say this is a stressful time. I feel so upset about what's happened, I don't want to lose a friend, I don't want it to make me ill again although it's already affecting my sleep, I'm worried about what will happen about the Will because it's money to go to mum, I don't like to think that my brother is cutting himself off from people who care about him.

OP posts:
DartmoorChef · 21/07/2020 22:10

It's sounds awful. Your sister is correct. Disengage and go low or no contact.

Bunnymumy · 21/07/2020 22:16

What's the use caring about someone who doesnt care about you?

He is abusive and volatile and a threat to you. Take your sisters advice and consider taking a step back.

To quote, roughly, bankroft 'he is not abusive because he is angry, he is angry because he is abusive'.

Lovelynaughtycat · 21/07/2020 22:35

Bad tempered really is an understatement, he's extremely unhinged.
You need to disengage or go extremely low contact.
He treats you/everyone with utter contempt and he keeps doing it because you let him get away with it.

Dollyrocket · 21/07/2020 22:41

Stop enabling and pandering to this horrible, angry excuse for a man.

Elieza · 21/07/2020 23:16

I’d write to him and put all my feelings in there and everything.

Ball in his court.

If he came back to me and apologised that’s fine. If he found the truth in the letter too much and stropped off so be it. Fuck him ive said my bit.

He sounds like a right arse, pissed off about stuff and using others as whipping boys.
Who puts their 80 year old mother out ffs.

EKGEMS · 22/07/2020 00:00

He's a human landmine waiting to be stepped on and needs intense psychotherapy. Stay away-he's no friend

7yo7yo · 22/07/2020 08:17

Stop enabling him and cut him of.

Iggly · 22/07/2020 08:20

I don’t see the dilemma here.

You have a wanker of a brother who’s behaviour is unacceptable. Completely unacceptable.

No reason to keep in touch. You owe him nothing.

Destroyedpeople · 22/07/2020 08:24

Just cut him off cut him out.
Good grief I barely talk to my siblings and there's been nothing that bad.
Why do men think they can act like this? Imagine if it were you or your sister. ...what you would be called..how you would be described.
Cut him off like dead wood.

EnjoyingTheSilence · 22/07/2020 08:24

Doesn’t sound like much of a friend to me. He sounds like an arsehole who tantrums when he doesn’t get his own way. Totally agree with your sister. Leave him to it.

sammylady37 · 22/07/2020 08:24

You say you ‘don’t want to lose a friend’ but the reality is he’s no friend of yours.

sammylady37 · 22/07/2020 08:26

(Posted too soon)

You don’t have to tolerate this because he’s your brother- if he was a partner people would be telling you he was abusive and to leave him, and the same applies here. This is abusive behaviour. Being your sibling doesn’t matter, you can still disengage and refuse to tolerate this. You’re not responsible for him cutting himself off from everyone- he’s the one doing that. He’s an adult, he can deal with the consequences of his own behaviour.

Alexandernevermind · 22/07/2020 08:26

I think you will find your mental health improves significantly if you cut him off. Sorry OP, I know he is your brother and you love him, but he will end up causing serious issues for you with everyone around you. Pop around to your neighbour and make sure he knows you were unhappy with your brother's behaviour.

cantarina · 26/07/2020 19:56

I had a bad tempered brother. There was a family falling out. He rang up and was abusive over the phone and sent abusive texts. I learnt to put the phone down. I cut him out of my life for a couple of years. People who behave like that make the choice for you - you are not obliged to stay in touch with him or to support him if he behaves like this. After a while he made contact and was contrite so we are now reconciled. He knows that it he creates any antics in future I will walk.

I know you struggled without him in your life. But it really would be better for you without him bringing you down.

Shizzlestix · 26/07/2020 20:19

I’d get in touch with the solicitor your stepdad used and tell them as executor he has said he’s not having anything more to do with the will, for a start. After that, I would disengage.

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