I’m (26F) going to see my mother for her birthday in a week and my husband (31M) is not happy about it. In fact, he’s so upset, he’s barely spoken to me except when absolutely necessary for the whole month of May.

My husband is good at emotional manipulation when he gets upset because I don’t do something he wants me to, and it usually causes me to cave in to make peace. I asked him if he didn’t want me to go because our anniversary is in the middle of the trip and he said “I don’t have anything planned for our anniversary” so I kept the trip because I haven’t seen my mom since 2014. I asked him if he wanted to celebrate before I left, and he wasn’t keen on it.

His overall selfishness, emotional manipulation, and insecurity and just lack of care for me in general has me fed up. My mom and friends are supporting me in my mission to leave because he doesn’t make me happy at all. I can’t make someone love me or want to put effort in and I cannot force him to change. I’m just exhausted with all this and it’s emotionally draining.

Thank you for listening to me vent.