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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

My boyfriend 38M is very sensitive and easily offended

119 replies

inspectorg · 01/11/2023 03:40

Hi, I've been with my boyfriend for almost 2 years . I'm a 39F. We live together and for the most part spend most of our free time watching tv. Ever since he moved in I've been realizing that I offend him a lot . Today we got into a huge argument, without sharing too many personal details, he walked in on me in the bathroom practically with my pants down and I slowly closed the door on him, I wasn't upset just embarrassed and he quickly apologized with a tone and said he thought I was brushing my teeth, after I finished with the bathroom and walk to the kitchen I said "now you can use the bathroom", This comment took him over the rail he said it was not necessary and it was unkind. I explained that it was said in a playful sarcastic way but he was upset enough to deny my sexual advances by stating he wasn't in the mood any longer. I became irate because we had already had an argument earlier and had managed to move past it and now here we were less than 12 hrs later in another pile of it. We got into an argument earlier because I was standing behind him while he was doing dishes, I saw he was doing his last dish and thought I'll wait until he's done to use the garbage pale under the sink so I don't have to inconvenience him by asking him to move, but the fact that I was standing there for about 20 seconds confused him he claimed, with an annoyed voice he said, "why are you standing over me". I walked away and said I wanted to use the garbage and I don't see what the problem is in waiting for you to finish with the dishes, I was standing there not a problem for me why is it a problem for you. He said it wasn't unkind that I mocked him. He insinuated he wanted an apology, I said no, not gonna apologize, not only had I NOT mocked him, I was simply stating my intentions, all I said was I can stand there if I want to, and I'm unsure why me standing there is a problem.
Long story short, these types of things always happen, almost daily. He demands an apology for things that I don't believe merits an apology, he says I'm unkind for these types of behavior but I don't see how I'm unkind. Apologizing for my personality is basically what he's asking of me. I've asked him if he even likes me. With how often I offend him it feels odd he'd still want to stick around. He claims he love everything about me. It's confusing. He's yet to make any of my family outings since we moved in together because everytime we get invited to one we're fighting, we're fighting 80% of the times.
I'm beyond my wits, I don't know what to do. I'm here because I'm running out of options. I love him a lot, but these constant run-ins are bringing me down. We've yet to go a whole week without fighting and it's been this way for a year. When we've gone on vacation together it's even worse. He becomes irritable at things that may be more on the spontaneous side. Or when he tries something new and isn't good at it. Or if he's running late, or if I ask him to take a picture with me after we already took one that day. I love being spontaneous I also love doing new things, but every time he heads to my business to help me with some small updates it turns into a fight. I don't want to end things but I also don't want to live this way. I should also mention that he smokes weed daily.

OP posts:
Saschka · 01/11/2023 08:23

Look, at best you two rub each other up the wrong way and are poorly matched. At worst he’s an arsehole permanently looking to be offended over nothing to keep you on your toes.

Either way, split up.

ImWally6 · 01/11/2023 08:40

My ex was like this. Constantly scared to upset him, he was a moron. Cried one time because he lost a pound at a toll booth for a bridge and I laughed.

I eventually ended it as couldn't take it any longer. The constant tweaking of my behaviour.

Get rid sorry to say this, it won't get any better just worse.

AutumnFroglets · 01/11/2023 08:52

We've yet to go a whole week without fighting and it's been this way for a year.

You are simply not compatible. Or he's a drug addict. Or he's a controlling abusive man. Or all three. None of which is anything YOU can change so it's time to walk away if you want any happiness in your life. Choose you.

Orangeandgold · 01/11/2023 08:57

Had an ex that smoked weed and I knew him as a friend years prior before he was on it - he denied that weed changed him, it made him more paranoid (temporarily happy I guess) but he was very irrational and he would pick up something I said and blow it out of proportion to the point where we would have horrible arguments.

If you are going to spend a lifetime (or a long time) with someone, I find things like sense of humour and being able to have a decent conversation very important.

I would leave. He sounds so annoying.

3WildOnes · 01/11/2023 08:58

You say 'it feels odd he'd still want to stick around'. No, what is odder is that you stay with him despite him treating you like this, on what you say is a daily basis.
Do you have low self esteem? Why do you allow someone to treat you like this? Leave him and have therapy so you can work out why you put up with this shit. Don't get into another relationship until you have worked this out.

Jifmicroliquid · 01/11/2023 09:25

Weed can do strange things to people. Why would you want to be with a man child like this?

muddlingthrou · 01/11/2023 09:31

Life is too short to tiptoe around someone this unreasonable. Get rid and enjoy your freedom!

Chalkdowns · 01/11/2023 09:31

I could not live with this. It really is not the way to be happy, to be having fights and feel like you are constantly walking on eggshells. I would get out!

Rosiem2808 · 01/11/2023 09:35

He sounds like a nightmare but so do you OP. Standing behind someone like that especially when you know the effect it will have on him is pure goading.

clopper · 01/11/2023 09:45

What a fun sponge he sounds. Sounds like an ordeal not a relationship. 🚮 bin him for your own sanity.

GoldDuster · 01/11/2023 09:47

You moved the wrong man into your house, now move him out again.

Either that or spend 80% of the rest of your life bickering with someone you live with. You can dig into the why but there's no point, it's a waste of energy. This is not a healthy functioning romantic relationship. It's not even functioning on a friends level, put it out if it's misery.

rickyrickygrimes · 01/11/2023 09:47

LunaNorth · 01/11/2023 03:44

Why don’t you want to end things?

He sounds unbearable in every conceivable way. I’d rather live alone on a desert island for five hundred years than spend a day with that prick.

One of the best responses I’ve read on here. 😂😂😂

GonnaGetGoingReturns · 01/11/2023 09:53

If you fight a lot (I had an ex where we did this and were together a while) that’s not good, and shows you’re both incompatible. His weed use would concern me too - the same ex did this but I think weekends rather than after work.

And changing someone never works.

arethereanyleftatall · 01/11/2023 10:24

And once again on these daily, hourly kind of posts, the op hasn't returned.

'Let's post a rant about my boyfriend whom I don't like and who doesn't like me, in the hope that people will tell me it's normal, and relationships are supposed to be miserable, because I couldn't possibly leave him and not have a boyfriend, because that would be far worse than being miserable.'

QueenBitch666 · 01/11/2023 11:32

Chuck him out. Life's too short for this crap

Yalta · 01/11/2023 11:36

The bathroom argument stems from you trying to be sarcastic and standing behind someone in silence whilst they are doing something even for just 20 seconds is just weird

The other stuff might be blamed on your dp and or his smoking habits but having tried to help someone who regularly asked for my help and it always ended in an argument (genuinely wanted to help her out, didn’t want to cause an argument and I definitely don’t smoke weed) I now don’t help if she asks.
We are still friends but I keep her at a distance.

I would say even if it isn’t the weed or him being controlling or you trying to be

funny or not communicating, this relationship is between 2 people who irritate the hell out of each other
You can still be friends but living together is not working.

The fact you argue more on holiday when you are in each other’s company for longer says it all.

End it and stop wasting your time and move on.

Is the reason you don’t want to end it is because you want children and feel your time is running out.

Given your situation I would end it and go for a sperm donor and be a single parent. Being a single parent is hard work but being a parent whilst living with someone you don’t get on with is even harder and will eventually affect your child negatively

Basilton · 01/11/2023 11:55

RedCoffeeCup · 01/11/2023 07:29

Not 20 minutes - 20 seconds! She was just waiting for him to finish the last plate.

I can see that thank you..

Don't you think standing behind somebody silently for twenty seconds is weird?

Her behaviour about the bathroom incident was pretty odd too.

Tinkerbyebye · 01/11/2023 12:09

Living together is not working if he moved in with you at yours he needs to live out again

GameOverBoys · 01/11/2023 12:26

He sounds extremely irritable. Most people can be a bit touchy and snap about something small occasionally but everyday sounds exhausting. If you stay with him you will have a horrible life of arguing and bad atmospheres. Things will get worse if you have kids too.

RedCoffeeCup · 01/11/2023 14:34

@Basilton the post you quoted said 20 minutes.

Pinkbonbon · 01/11/2023 15:12

Sounds like low level abuse. Some guys get their kicks from starting these arguments 24/7 and basically leaving you frazzled. It's a sort of 'energy vampire' type thing.

They'll also do things like ruin holidays (trips and occasions like your birthday), make you too worried to take them to visit family (incase they do something embarrassing or behave like a jerk), potentially slag off your friends or throw huffs or pull drama when you have gone to see them, put down your achievements (eg: making out your new job is shit).

All manner of petty, spiteful bullshit.

Amd I'm sorry but that's who he is. A nasty, spiteful person who doesn't like you and means you harm. Because that's what feeds him. Like a bully punching his victim on the playground.

Get away from him.

Gymnopedie · 01/11/2023 15:34

So let me guess. He's 'sensitive' and 'easily offended' but he has no problems at all with criticising you or putting you down or offending you.

PPs are right, he's a spiteful, nasty user and the more you put up with it the worse it will get. So even if you love him now you won't then. Get rid now and don't spend the next [x] years being ground down by him.

billy1966 · 01/11/2023 15:39

You are in an abusive relationship with an arsehole.

Focus on yourself.

What is going on with you that you would love someone who is only happy when he is offended and abusing you.

Start looking at you.

Any women with self respect would have kicked him out, but you are apologising.

Do you really want a miserable life?

You must do, because you are still with him.

For god sake don't inflict him on a child.

You have moved in a head messing loser.

Get into counselling quicknto figure out why you want such strife and drama every day.

This is NOT normal, remember that.

Dump him.

Do not try and fix and unfixable arsehole.

Bobbotgegrinch · 01/11/2023 16:05

Why on earth don't you want to end things? He sounds draining as fuck!

inspectorg · 01/11/2023 16:48

Thank you to everyone who took the time to advice me and share an anecdotal incident. I also appreciate some of the people who saw this from the eyes of my so bc I can see how being irritated by these happenings isn’t as odd as I thought. He’s hypersensitive yes but with the ugly also comes a lot of beauty. And while they’re heavily outweighed by our negative interactions i know that it isn’t enough to stick around. I’m not perfect, one of the things he dislikes about me is my overly easy going nature and how i let a lot slide. And it’s definitely opened me up to accept negative behavior for too long. I am going to try couples therapy bc I want to ensure that i do my very best to give us a chance.

OP posts:
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