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What is going on here

589 replies

Bunkbed80 · 19/10/2026 04:36

I have been with my BF for about 9m now. Both in our 40’s. I usually stay over at his for a few days a week and recently he gave me a spare key and I brought clothes round and he cleared me a space on his wardrobe.

Generally things have been going well, supposedly in love and everyone I meet around him tells me he seems a lot happier than he used to be, and he’s said he’s happy.

It’s become a regular thing that he wants to go out drinking locally, and when we do, we often get into some kind of disagreement. This is always about something I have said or done that’s apparently embarrassed him when he says I’m drunk.

A few times I’ve apologised for whatever it is I’ve allegedly done, and a few times he’s apologised for me for being unreasonable and we have let it go.

I’ve had a few acne spots lately and when I do, he will keep asking me why I have a spot and asking me if I’ve picked the spot and will keep pointing out the spot until it goes away. I’ve explained they are hormonal and they make me feel a bit self conscious. Last weekend I picked him up from the pub (I was sober) and I had a spot on my face. He kept pressing the spot and laughing. I asked him to stop and got visibly irritated and the next day he said I was beautiful even with spots and hadn’t mentioned it again.

We had a good day together yesterday after a bit of a shit week where we have both felt unwell. He wanted to go out to the pub so we popped out for a few drinks yesterday.

He likes to go to a bit of an old man type pub, the football was on and other old men at the bar so it’s not exactly fun all the time. A guy in the pub sitting behind us had a big dog with him - I love dogs - so I got chatting to him and ended up stroking the dog. The dog wanted to play fight, it was gentle and fun, so I crouched with the dog for 5 mins or so, play fighting, dog rolled over and I tickled their belly etc, and BF turned round from the bar and said ‘ok get up now’. I got up and went back to the bar and he snatched my vape out of my hand and said ‘you vape too much’.

At this point if felt irritated but didn’t want to cause a scene so I went a bit quiet and he said look let’s not fall out and gave me a hug and a kiss.

We walk home and get food and get a bit amorous iykwim, and then later he asks me why I got irritated earlier. I said look sometimes you can pick on me a bit and sometimes it hurts my feelings.

This suddenly escalated wildly. He told me that he was going to get the CCTV from the pub as basically everyone in the pub was tutting and staring at me when I was ‘basically shagging the dog on the floor’ and it was embarrassing which is why he asked me to get up. He then did an impression of me which I can only liken to someone with cerebral palsy, and when got upset about this he called me a ‘spastic’ and Harvey Price and told me to get out of his house and our relationship was over. I wasn’t able to drive at that point so I went to the spare room.

He came to bed and slammed his door so I went in to try to talk to him and make peace, this made it all worse he asked if I was ‘bipolar’ as I had ruined his lovely day and was always ruining things, said he wasn’t coming on our planned weekend away (to meet my family for the first time) and told me to get all my stuff out. He said he had asked for space and I hadn’t given it to him and we should talk about it tomorrow.

I packed my bags with all my stuff from his room while we kind of shouted at each other, me saying I didn’t understand why he was being so mean, and him saying he didn’t tolerate ‘this kind of thing’. I said I should be able to raise an issue without getting shouted down and he said he didn’t want an embarrassing girlfriend, I said he seems to care more about everyone else but me.

I went to the spare room and I am here alone now until morning when I will get ready for work and take my stuff and leave as I don’t think I have much other choice? I’ve had a few glasses of wine so can’t drive, but I don’t believe was particularly drunk. I’ve seen him absolutely paralytic before and it wasn’t a nice sight. I’m not sure even with drink this behaviour is forgivable, and I would make myself look desperate to try to talk this through with him tomorrow.

I feel so sad it’s come to this ☹️

OP posts:
AlgaeDreams · 19/10/2026 04:40

He's an absolute abusive, gaslighting, controlling wanker.
Get out of this relationship before he destroys you.

DewDropsAndCobWebs · 19/10/2026 04:43

He has alcohol issues.
You guys should split , he will break your heart every week

MidnightScroller · 19/10/2026 04:45

Omd this is who he really is - get out - he’s only going to get worse. So sorry OP he is a wrong un, you absolutely must leave him or he will destroy you as PP said. Hes been acting till now but as you’re getting more comfortable and locked in with him he’s getting worse. Imagine if you got married or had a child with him? Who knows where it would end up. Get. Out. So sorry Flowers

MidnightScroller · 19/10/2026 04:47

DewDropsAndCobWebs · 19/10/2026 04:43

He has alcohol issues.
You guys should split , he will break your heart every week

Absolutely - but I think he’d be like this sober too, seems the alcohol is just helping show what he’s really like rather than changing his personality

Bunkbed80 · 19/10/2026 04:54

He’s never been like this to me sober. This is the first time he’s ever been this horrible to me to this degree.

Usually he is reasonable to some degree even when he’s annoyed with me and we have sorted conflict out quite well.

He seems to be furious that I ruined the lovely day, but I was 100% the reason he had a lovely day in the first place because I went out of my way to make it lovely.

In hindsight, It did not help that I kept going back to try to talk to him, I couldn’t leave it alone as I desperately wanted to resolve it, so I think he became this awful to get space from me to get me to go away. So I feel partly like some of this is my own fault?

I don’t know what to do, we have a weekend booked to travel to meet my family, it’s in his name, I don’t want to go now and we have other plans, and everything is a mess.

OP posts:
OhDuckWhatNow · 19/10/2026 05:00

He's abusive & gaslighting. He's getting into a rhythm with you where he blows up, you try and fix it and he gives you a modicum of affection to later punish you further. Even continuously asking about your spot when he's sober is his way of getting into your head and making you more & more self conscious.

He's going to continue to humiliate you and ruin you if you keep putting up with this. He's shown you exactly what he is and what he does, so leave and don't look back.

DewDropsAndCobWebs · 19/10/2026 05:01

No trip
Go home in the morning
He is an ass, the alcohol makes it worse, you can't fix him, you shouldn't have to.
Cut your losses
Focus on self care

SparkleHorse82 · 19/10/2026 05:03

Oh my goodness OP. Please read that back. And end the relationship immediately. Send a polite text. Post the key through his letterbox when he’s not in, get your own locks changed and block him on everything. Then go away for a few days if you can so you won’t be home if he calls round. He’s an awful, awful man and he’s warming you up from some seriously dangerously abusive behaviour down the line.

SparkleHorse82 · 19/10/2026 05:05

Whatever he says in the morning, nod along and get out. Just get out of that house.

If you are over enough to leave now and lock the door behind you, do it.

HoppingPavlova · 19/10/2026 05:06

Nope. Cut your losses immediately and run. Don’t look back.

WillYouDoTheFandango · 19/10/2026 05:10

He’s trying to make you small. He’s picking at your appearance and behaviour, you’re apologising for doing nothing wrong and he’s still not happy. Now you’re starting to doubt and blame yourself.

Don’t try to fix him, don’t try to reason with him, be glad you’ve seen the real him this early and get out. You’ll end up a shell, desperate to avoid pissing him off just by existing.

Bunkbed80 · 19/10/2026 05:10

SparkleHorse82 · 19/10/2026 05:05

Whatever he says in the morning, nod along and get out. Just get out of that house.

If you are over enough to leave now and lock the door behind you, do it.

I assume from last night he will double down anyway. I’m up now and will get try to get dressed before he gets up and leave but I do think I’m over the limit at the moment so I don’t want to risk driving now. Then I’m conflicted as will leaving just make me look passive aggressive, do I look him in the face, I don’t know. I’m not even upset right now I’m in shock.

OP posts:
tensionheadacheagain · 19/10/2026 05:12

Please leave him. He will only escalate. I’ve been there. I stupidly had a dd with him. It’s a psychological hell having to deal with him.

Bunkbed80 · 19/10/2026 05:12

@WillYouDoTheFandango I had already started to feel like this (small) so I brought it up. I’m convinced this is exactly what his ex said to him and why it’s hit such a raw explosive nerve. I know they broke up a million times but he always said it was her. Clearly not

OP posts:
WillYouDoTheFandango · 19/10/2026 05:14

Bunkbed80 · 19/10/2026 05:12

@WillYouDoTheFandango I had already started to feel like this (small) so I brought it up. I’m convinced this is exactly what his ex said to him and why it’s hit such a raw explosive nerve. I know they broke up a million times but he always said it was her. Clearly not

It’s hard because 9 months feels like a long time to just cut your losses but it’s not. Imagine doing this for the rest of your life.

Bunkbed80 · 19/10/2026 05:15

I’m not perfect here, I did follow him to try to talk to him and he asked for space and I didn’t give it to him plus I also said he cared more about looking at Facebook than spending time with me

I’ve not got a big ego but I know I’m attractive, and a good person, he can’t take that confidence away from me which is why I think I fought back.

OP posts:
Giraffehaver · 19/10/2026 05:15

He pushes your spots? He accuses you of practically shagging a dog? He does horrible ablist impersonations of you?
He's a childish nasty abusive twat and it will get worse. Please please leave as soon as you can and don't go back. You deserve better

Bunkbed80 · 19/10/2026 05:17

The spot thing really pushed a nerve with me. I get hormonal acne and I can’t do anything about it and sometimes they are cysts and cysts sometimes pop, so they look horrible until they heal. I had a really bad one a few months ago and he even brought that up and said it was just because he loved me didn’t want me to pick my spots. I’ve explained sometimes the spot patches make it look worse before it gets better as it draws out the inside so they get a bit scabby

OP posts:
Twiglets1 · 19/10/2026 05:22

He sounds a horrible person, I would be leaving and then finishing with him.

He's nasty and has an alcohol problem. You are worth more!

begone25 · 19/10/2026 05:23

He’s shown you who he is (multiple times) believe him 🚩🚩🚩 You deserve better!

Bunkbed80 · 19/10/2026 05:27

I am going to leave. I don’t want to make someone be with me who clearly doesn’t want to be, or even respect me I have more dignity than that. I just feel really sad and disappointed

OP posts:
lifeonourplanet · 19/10/2026 05:31

Run for the hills! This isn't a loving relationship. You're making excuses for him, yet he's the one gaslighting you.

mafiacat · 19/10/2026 05:32

You're doing the right thing by leaving.

His behaviour is despicable. He is purposely making you insecure and trying to humiliate you by drawing attention to spots and that comment about you fussing over the dog is a reflection of his own disgusting, perverted mind.

This is not someone who is emotionally safe for you to be around and he does not love you. I'm sorry. Please don't waste any more of your precious time on this man. You deserve so much better than this.

theearthsayshello · 19/10/2026 05:35

What the fuck have i just read?

Bin. Immediately.

GarlicEverything · 19/10/2026 05:35

Of course you feel disappointed, @Bunkbed80. You thought you had an easy, mutually enjoyable relationship with a nice boyfriend. You were a nice, enjoyable girlfriend and naturally expected him to reciprocate. Then it turned out he can't keep that up for long, because he's actually a mean-minded bully whose life revolves around getting pissed in a boring pub with boring old men.

You OBVIOUSLY deserve much better! Lick your wounds and be lovely to yourself. Talk to your friends about what he's really like. Cancel the family weekend.

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