What should you do if your friend fights with her hubby in front of you?
By dismalgrin
@dismalgrin (2604)
United States
March 2, 2009 7:22pm CST
I have this friend that is always fighting with her husband. It really is driving me nuts! When I'm talking to her on the phone she will suddenly go off on him and call him all sorts of nasty names while I'm on the phone. Sometimes it's so loud I have to hold the phone away from my ear! When I'm at her house and he is there she will call him mean names for the stupidest reasons. Nothing he ever does pleases her and she just goes off on him. I'm feeling kind of sorry for him because of it, but she is the one that is my friend and I so I can't really side with him or anything. She claims that he beats her, but I've seen no evidence of this and she usually says that the bruises have healed by the time I see her. I don't know what to do about this anymore. In most ways she is a good friend, she is really my only friend right now so I can't cut off ties over something like this, but I don't know how to deal. She picks fights over the trash not being taken out, over the children's diapers needing to be changed, over weather he got me a drink or not. It's rediculious! And she is often taking off her wedding ring and throwing it across the room at him and insulting his intelligence all the time.
What would you do if this was going on around you? Would you step up and say something, even though your opinion wasn't asked for? Would you try to keep the peace a bit?
1 person likes this
7 responses
@Lore2009 (7378)
• United States
3 Mar 09
Wow, that is too much drama to deal with! I would let her know that it's bothering me if she was a meaningful friend for me. I don't think I would be able to handle that either and as a friend you shouldn't need to. Please tell her your feelings and ask her what you can do to help... maybe there are real problems there that she doesn't even realize.
1 person likes this
@dismalgrin (2604)
• United States
3 Mar 09
Yeah, that is what I'm thinking. Problems. Like I know his family disowned him for marrying her and I'm thinking he kind of feels resentful for that. And her family forced her to marry him when she was 17, because they had a baby together. So, she of course feels a little resentful over that. But, now they have 2 kids together, so you would think that maybe they liked eachother a little for that to happen. It's like they can't get over their past sometimes, though I've never seen him so much as raise his voice to her, all I ever see or hear is her making a big deal. Akkk!
@Canellita (12029)
• United States
3 Mar 09
This is probably the answer to why she fights with him. I know someone who had a problem with her mother-in-law and in this case she felt the husband put his mother first and she made him suffer for it for forty years!
@praveenkumar06 (4076)
• Hyderabad, India
3 Mar 09
i keep my head down and move away from that place to find some peace in the garden.
1 person likes this
@rsa101 (40976)
• Philippines
3 Mar 09
Well since she is your friend maybe you could express to her how you feel about it. I think you have the right to air your concern about her. Tell her that if she can avoid those words when you two are conversing or when you are around her house. You do have the right to tell her that because for all you know she is not really conscious about what is happening when you are around.
1 person likes this
@imgrandma12 (677)
• United States
21 Jun 09
I would tell her how much you care for her and suggest they seek counseling if she values your friend ship and then your advice to her will matter for the sake of her children who have to live this way suggest that to her good luck
@dismalgrin (2604)
• United States
21 Jun 09
Yes, I have suggested counseling to her, she claims that he won't do it, but I imagine he just doesn't want a counselor to see how she gets towards him. I would be so embarrassed to have anyone see me verbally abused. In fact, my siblings verbally abuse me all the time, and I really often feel rotten when they have friends over and proceed to degrade me in front of their friends. And then their friends join in because they think this behavior is okay. Often my friend has other friends that join in on degrading her husband and I totally hate it!
@clorissa123 (4926)
• United States
3 Mar 09
Definitely avoid the situation like this. It is her household business, her personal life. Her business needed to be deal with her husband. If you were trying to interfere, you are the one would be make a fool of yourself in front of her. Don't do it. Best advise. When your friend calm down, tell her to see a therapist about their marriage. It won't last long like this.
@virtualmirage (494)
• United States
21 Jun 09
Awkward !!!
How totally uncomfortable, but that relationship sounds really really bad. Kinda like a on and Kate where the man is getting treated like dirt. I think couples should keep their fighting in private. How afwul and embarassing for him to have that happen in front of people.
I would probably just tell her that you feel uncomfortable seeing that and hearing it. Maybe she can calm down bit in front of you. And the kids....no good. This shouldnt happen where there is babies.
@dismalgrin (2604)
• United States
21 Jun 09
Tell me about it. Do you know that she is obsessed with that show! She used to always tell me how much she loved it and how she idealized Kate. I was just like 'whatever' when she told me because I don't really like to watch reality shows. They don't really seem like 'reality' to me. Just really poor photography, and back acting! Haha. But, then I started hearing this stuff about the show all over the net and reading about it in magazines and it became this, WHAT! She admires Kate? Here parents have a really great relationship with eachother too. I don't know why she can't follow her mom's example.
@Canellita (12029)
• United States
3 Mar 09
Your friend's relationship with her husband is not healthy. Your relationship with your friend may not be that healthy either. It is not your place to keep the peace between your husband and her friend. You are not their therapist and if they ever got physical while you were present you could be hurt. Chances are she wouldn't want your advice.
Your friend is obviously very unhappy and is picking fights to lash out at her husband for some hurt or injury in the past. This thing she is carrying in her heart may not even have anything to do with her husband but he is the chosen target for her aggression because she doesn't know how to resolve this old hurt she still carries.
If it is true that he abuses her she should seek help. No matter what the reason women stay in abusive relationships the fact is they are not healthy situations and staying makes you unhealthy. The chances are though from your description that she is the one abusing him. If he were the abuser you would see signs even in the absence of bruises.
Adults address their problem with maturity and TALK about their feelings in respectful ways. No matter what you say to your friend it will seem you are not on her side and this will create problems for you. Your friend and her husband need marriage counseling to get to the root of their problems and until they decide there is a problem it won't get fixed.
As far as her being your only friend this is something you need to fix. It is relatively easy to make friends and you seem to be a nice and caring person so you only need to show that to others and you will have more friends than you can handle.
It is important for you to have other friends because one person can not meet all of the needs you have for companionship. You should have friends who share your different interests, who can be there for you and vice versa and not bring endless drama to your life. You need to surround yourself with people who are healthy who will enrich your life and support and encourage you as you move forward in yours.
Good luck.








