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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

DH on Nicotine and half naked women on Insta

105 replies

Poopyredpink · 29/01/2025 08:45

Been married to my DH for 5 years and we have a near 4 year old together. Before we started dating, I clearly made him aware that I hated smoking. Dont like the smell of it, don't like it in general. Period. If we were ever going to have a relationship, I wanted to let it be known that smoking is an absolute NO for me and for my future family. He understood and took that on board. We got into a relationship and eventually married and had a kid.

Fast forward to December just before Christmas, we went out shopping and whilst he went to the toilet while we were having lunch, I took his phone to browse through the photos he uploaded on insta of me and the family from yesterday. My son had my phone as he was watching Paw Patrol on it. I opened my husband's insta feed and it was 80% just pictures and reels of half naked women with big boobs. I was appalled, hurt, and disgusted. It angered me as well because it gave me reasons to think as to why my husband was always 'jokingly' refusing to give me his phone whenever I asked for it on the premise that he would be looking at gifts for me or he didn't want me to message his friends on WhatsApp. It also made me start questioning why he spends nearly 30 minutes shitting in the bathroom while I stayed with the kid. He would lock the door and outright refuse to let anyone in while he shits and look through his phone but if its me who is wanting to take my time shitting, its a different story. He would let my son go in and disturb me even when Ive only been in the toilet for 5 minutes.

On the other hand, Ive always been an open book. I would happily give him my phone with no hesitation, let him browse on it as much as he would want when his phone is dead. Same with my laptop. I know insta uses an algorithm but I also know that men with insta who 'allegedly' aren't browsing through porn content still get it. We had a big argument about it and he denies looking through anything like that. I was skeptical but I let it slide because I didn't want to ruin the Christmas holidays.

Fast forward a month later, I was doing the laundry and found a Blu vape inside my husband's trouser pocket. He was out getting some groceries and I decided to call him and ask if it was his. He denied it at first but then admitted that he got it from when he went on a stag do over a year ago when he went to Manchester. I told him I wasn't angry, just very disappointed in him and then I ended the call. He came back home and admitted to me that he was lying. He actually got the vape two weeks ago when he went to see his mum at the hospital and that he was so stressed because she was nearing the end of her life and he needed a coping mechanism. He then admitted as well that he actually smoked some cigarettes during the stag do over a year ago and didn't tell me because he knew that I would get upset.

I was heartbroken but I didn't get angry at him because I knew he was going through a lot at that time but I also told him that using smoking/vaping as a coping mechanism wasn't going to help him or our relationship and that he broke my trust that I had built up with him from the past several years. He was very sorry and he said he wont do it again and we hugged and cried. However, my trust is now broken and I am now paranoid.

On holiday and he keeps telling me he wants to go out on his own in the evening or he wants to stay in the bedroom while me and our son are downstairs having breakfast. I put my foot down and said, 'No, I want you to come down and have breakfast with us. I feel uncomfortable when you are alone with your phone.' He was annoyed by that and I replied, 'I wasn't the one who broke the trust between us. Why are you making it sound like its my fault?' He didn't reply but reluctantly came down with us.

Guys, is this a big red flag?

OP posts:
BeQuirkyBalonz · 29/01/2025 08:47

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Girliegurl · 01/02/2025 20:31

Poor guy probably just wants to have a w@nk in peace? 😅

Calochortus · 01/02/2025 20:34

You are very controlling OP. If this was a man writing this the answers would be LTB, you’re incredibly suffocating.

Strugglingforanamechange · 01/02/2025 20:34

I’ll probably get absolutely flamed here because Mumsnet thinks porn is the work of the devil but I personally think it’s fairly normal for most men to look at / use some kind of pornography and masterbate. It’s sounds like the kind of stuff he’s viewing is quite tame - not like you stumbled across an only fans account he’s spending thousands of pounds on or some really hard core stuff.
As to the nicotine, I think you’re being a bit unfair to expect him not to vape or use some kind of nicotine replacement. Smoking is an addiction that can be very difficult to overcome and it sounds like he genuinely is trying to stay off cigarettes because he knows it’s a deal breaker for you.
I'm sorry that you’re so upset by these two events but I personally think you’re making a mountain out of two molehills unless there is more to this story than you’ve let on?

StrikeAlways · 01/02/2025 20:36

I agree with the previous posters. Give your husband some personal space.

sunflower85 · 01/02/2025 20:38

I think you’re being a bit OTT to be honest. He’s a fully functioning adult and if he wants to smoke/vape in his own time when he’s away from the family then he can do it, he’s not doing anything illegal.

We are all aware of the associated health risks, and you’re fully within your rights to forbid it himself from doing it in your house/car and in front of you or your son, but it’s a bit controlling to give him a hard time for doing it occasionally when he was on a trip where you weren’t present and again at a time when he was facing bereavement.

Again, controlling to demand he can’t have some alone time on holiday and demand he’s with you every minute. I’d be running for the hills if my husband did that to me.

I don’t have an issue with viewing porn per se, but it is a bit strange that that’s all he follows on insta, so I’ll be honest I would be a bit concerned and upset on that front.

AnotherDunromin · 01/02/2025 20:40

You are allowed to have whatever boundaries you want in your life. If smoking and half naked women on insta violate your boundaries (and it sounds like you made that clear before marriage) that's your prerogative. The question is, what are you going to do about it?

Ganthanga · 01/02/2025 20:42

The red flag is your controlling behaviour. Just because you don't like what somebody does, doesn't mean that they shouldn't do it. It's hardly cocaine and sex workers. I don't want anyone coming into the toilet when I'm in there either! And what this obsession that couples have with checking eachothers phones! Just leave it alone and stop trying to act like his mother.

SallyWD · 01/02/2025 20:44

You're being controlling OP. Everyone deserves some personal space. You don't own him. If my DH told me I wasn't allowed to spend time alone on my phone, that would be the end of our relationship.
As for Instagram, you can look at just one image, and your page is flooded with similar images. I looked at a particular type of monkey on Instagram once, and now my page is full of these bloody monkeys.
Back off OP. I'm feeling sorry for him.

ForestFox44 · 01/02/2025 20:46

😬 you sound very suffocating, give the man a break!

pikkumyy77 · 01/02/2025 20:47

AnotherDunromin · 01/02/2025 20:40

You are allowed to have whatever boundaries you want in your life. If smoking and half naked women on insta violate your boundaries (and it sounds like you made that clear before marriage) that's your prerogative. The question is, what are you going to do about it?

This. You can’t prove some kind of point here, with us. You either decide to stay married to a man who won’t even let you poo in peace and who insists you nanny the child on holiday so he can sleep late and party all night or you tell him to get lost. Those are your only choices. He won’t change. So you have to decide what you will tolerate.

Fastingandhungry · 01/02/2025 20:47

Im not angry, just disappointed, that’s the sort of line a parent uses on a child when caught doing something they shouldn’t be.

Shmee1988 · 01/02/2025 20:49

Youre allowed to feel the way that you feel. But I second a PP in the sense that the big red flag here is you. Sorry OP. If my DP said he didn't trust me to be alone with my phone and demanded I came everywhere with him, I'd be out the door. Give him some personal space to make his choices. If the choices he makes are deal breakers for you and he's aware of that, what you do next is up to you. If he wants to look at half naked women and smoke the odd cigarette, he is going to find a way to do it.

5475878237NC · 01/02/2025 20:52

Bar anything illegal it doesn't matter whatsoever what your boundaries are. He agreed to them and has lied to your face about it all when he felt differently/changed his mind/it all became real etc. I also think choosing to jump to vaping as a first coping mechanism shows him to have a rather immature mindset and poor resilience.

Wouldn't be attractive to me at all. I don't like liars. I also don't like men who use their time on the toilet to opt out of family life every day but don't allow their female partner the same opportunities. In terms of the Instagram details, I would find that repulsive!

pimplebum · 01/02/2025 20:56

I occasionally smoke despite my wife hating it. I also love a bit of porn
neither make me a monster

he not getting bjs of teens and injecting heroin

whst constraints did he impose on you ? Have you broken them

Poppyfun1 · 01/02/2025 21:01

Wow! Im more concerned for your husband that for you. Have u any idea how controlling you sound?

mashingwachine · 01/02/2025 21:06

Of smoking is a dealbreaker for you then it's a dealbreaker. You can't control what another adult does, merely how you react to it.

CaptainBeanThief · 01/02/2025 21:11

Good god,
I cant really agree with much of what you're saying because it's over the top.
You are going to drive him away, he can't even spend time on his phone?
Wow

Adropintheocean1 · 01/02/2025 21:13

Yeah sorry op but I have to agree with previous posters, he hasn’t actually done anything. Even if he is looking at women on insta, I totally understand your discomfort but it’s not cheating. Regarding the smoking he is an adult and I think being heartbroken over it is OTT and makes me think you potentially over react about other seemingly trivial things too. Of course you can leave him if you want, but you can’t micromanage him.

VLT84 · 01/02/2025 21:13

He was vaping while his mother was dying - personally, I don’t think that’s unreasonable in those circumstances. Which was 2 weeks ago, sounds like he needs your support not scolding at the moment. Might be better to address your concerns another time.

spacepies · 01/02/2025 21:15

Op you are coming across abusive your his wife not his mum hes a adult not a child.
Sorry if the truth hurts but if this was a man saying it the thread would go wild on him.
Im with a few others on here you are to controlling.
You make it sound like hes on class a drugs and meeting escorts.
You will push him away and i hope he goes tbh not even allowed on his own phone wow.
Do you not see that what your doing is abusive.
But then again you will most likely name change and start a new thread but word it different because you are not getting the responses you thought you would get.
You are the red flag op not him.

CosyLemur · 01/02/2025 21:18

FFS you should insufferable! You're the red flag he needs to leave you immediately and take your child with him before you can control him anymore!

Yes Instagram does do a algorithm where men are shown scantily clad women - set up a profile yourself and say you're male see what you're shown!

He's a grown man it's up to him if he wants to smoke or not and I can't believe you were so patronising to say "I'm not angry I'm just disappointed" that's what parents say to their young children not what wives say to their husband!

Ppzd · 01/02/2025 21:19

pimplebum · 01/02/2025 20:56

I occasionally smoke despite my wife hating it. I also love a bit of porn
neither make me a monster

he not getting bjs of teens and injecting heroin

whst constraints did he impose on you ? Have you broken them

he not getting bjs of teens and injecting heroin

Wow, you put the bar very low so you can feel well above it, well done!

He broke your boundaries and lied to you, repeatedly. He may thinks they are little white lies, but they clearly aren't for you. I'd seek couple counselling to see how you can come to a compromise where he doesn't feel controlled, and where you are not lied to or betrayed.
Also, he needs to fucking step up parenting wise and not hide in the shitter like a pathetic coward.

CosyLemur · 01/02/2025 21:20

5475878237NC · 01/02/2025 20:52

Bar anything illegal it doesn't matter whatsoever what your boundaries are. He agreed to them and has lied to your face about it all when he felt differently/changed his mind/it all became real etc. I also think choosing to jump to vaping as a first coping mechanism shows him to have a rather immature mindset and poor resilience.

Wouldn't be attractive to me at all. I don't like liars. I also don't like men who use their time on the toilet to opt out of family life every day but don't allow their female partner the same opportunities. In terms of the Instagram details, I would find that repulsive!

I see the OP has made a second account because no one else is agreeing with her 🤣🤣

Adropintheocean1 · 01/02/2025 21:21

@CosyLemur Calm down 😂