SINGAPORE: A man took to social media to share that his girlfriend goes on a “hunger strike” and refuses to eat whenever he makes her upset.
In his post, he explained that his girlfriend places a lot of emphasis on them eating together as much as possible, partly because she wants him to pay for her meals.
He then shared a story about a time when she refused to eat because he changed their plans at the last minute.
“Recently, I had told her I’d come over to her place after work. Unfortunately, when I told her that I had forgotten that I also had a family dinner,” he explained.
Recognizing his mistake, he called his girlfriend to explain the mix-up, apologize for double-booking, and ask her to come to the family dinner. Unfortunately, his girlfriend didn’t take it well and reacted angrily.
“I tried being calm and telling her I could come over after but she was very upset,” he wrote. During the family dinner, however, his girlfriend had called him 10 times and bombarded him with dozens of messages.
“When I answered the phone, she was going off on how she expected me to be there to feed her and I was neglecting her and now it’s my fault that she’s gonna starve,” he said.
He also mentioned that this wasn’t the first time something like this had happened. Whenever she’s upset or feels slighted, she tends to act this way, which leaves him feeling manipulated.
He then asked the online community, “What do I do? Am I the problem for double booking and choosing to go see my family for dinner?”
“A partner out there exists for you that doesn’t treat you this way.”
In the discussion thread, several Redditors pointed out that her “hunger strikes” are a textbook example of emotional blackmail.
They explained that using tactics like “refusing to eat” as a way to control or punish someone is a form of manipulation. And that such behaviour was unfair and unhealthy, and they believed he deserved a better, more supportive partner.
They also thought that his girlfriend would not make a great mother in the future, seeing as she still behaves ‘irrationally like a child.’
One Redditor urged him to ‘stop dating someone who is toxic for him.’ They added, “Why is she expecting you to feed her, is she incapable of making herself a sandwich? So if you get married is she never going to cook? She’s not the one.”
Another Redditor commented, “Listen, canceling plans is not abuse. She is a fully animated adult. She can feed herself if she wants to eat. She is not in a healthy enough place mentally to be in a relationship. You need to get out now.”
A third Redditor chimed in and said, “Please please put yourself first! You should also not be receiving 10 missed calls and dozens of messages for an accidental change of plans.
A partner out there exists for you that doesn’t treat you this way!! A partner that is understanding and appreciative that you even drove that far in the first place. I hope you find happiness and healing in the near future.”
Featured image by Depositphotos