Reddit Stories - UNRAVELING the ENIGMATIC_ A Spouse's SUSPICION of a Covert Reality Scheme_

Episode Date: October 25, 2025

#redditstories #askreddit #aita #relationships #marriage #trustissues #deception #conspiracySummary:A spouse suspects a covert reality scheme, leading to unraveling mysteries and trust issues in their marriage. Secrets unfold, and suspicion grows as hidden truths come to light, challenging the foundation of their relationship.Tags:redditstories, askreddit, reddit, aita, tifu, relationships, marriage, trust issues, deception, conspiracy, mystery, secrets, suspicion, hidden truths, unraveling, covert, reality scheme, marriage problems, communication, honestyBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/reddit-stories--6237355/support.

I hope you enjoy this story. Spouse began to think he was part of a covert reality program, believed I was engaging in clandestine conversations regarding him, and then warned of taking action against me in the presence of our children. So I got him arrested. My 30F, Spouse, 35M, has been experiencing behavior that has only become increasingly concerning. In the past two months now, he has been talking about things that he claims are happening, but he's never mentioned before.

As some background info, when his behavior first starting getting concerning, I managed to convince him to go the hospital to get checked out for his mental health. He wasn't even seen by a doctor and he was told he just needs to take a certain medicine to help him sleep. The issue is he also smokes weed so this medicine does not mix well with that. He won't quit smoking. We also have two very young kids. Back to the weird recent behavior, he claims he had an old email with an inheritance that got hacked and he needs access to it. I tried helping him get on it, but he hasn't used it in literally the 12 years we've been together. I only knew of its existence previously when I helped him switch his Facebook login and that was an email attached. Another example is that he believes everyone is

talking about him to me and everyone else. I mean literally everyone else. He thinks there's some sort big thing planned to hurt him or do something horrible to him soon and that we're all on it. On a few other separate occasions he's asked about a show that we're on and asked how much money I'm being paid to keep a secret. He also thinks I'm having secret phone calls and that I've apparently left the room to accept these calls, which then results in me coming back crying about something I've apparently discussed on the phone. Whenever I try to explain to him that none of this is happening, he fights back saying that I'm just lying to him and to tell him the truth. That I need to tell him the truth or something bad is going to happen. It's gotten so bad, he ended up getting fired from his job because he was barely showing up.

He kept going to the cop station to make a report instead of going to work. After he got fired, there was some sort of tense situation where they ended up calling a wellness check for him, because they were afraid he's going to come back and hurt someone. The cops showed up while I was also home and he said he wouldn't hurt someone. He only acts in defense. In the recent weeks, he's gone from screaming at me demanding answers to just not talking to me at all. At this point I'd rather he just not interact with me. The reason I'm writing this is because of what happened today. It was a nice day out and I asked if he would come

with me for a walk with our kids, to which he agreed to. He barely spoke a word to me or the kids on this walk. And when we came across a playground, I asked if we should take the kids there for a few minutes of play. He then got upset at me for suggesting it and said I always control everything and I'm the queen of the decisions. I didn't even tell him we were doing that, I just asked. When I mentioned this, he just said do whatever you want, like always, so I figured why not. So I played with the kids at the playground and he did his own thing. Someone left a couple various balls there and he was throwing them around. He then picked up the football and threw it in my direction. It flew past me a couple feet from me.

I asked why he did that and he said, Why are you upset? It didn't hit you to which I responded well, what if it did? He then said if I wanted it to hit you in the head I would have thrown it that way. Then he started on a rant about how he's going through the same thing with everyone lying to him. After which he sat down in the corner of the park and was doing literally nothing. I was getting upset, so I packed up the kids and started walking to leave the park. I said to him we're going home and started walking away. Apparently he tried to yell out to us but ended up taking a different way home than we did.

He told me this when he met me on the street when we were almost home, saying that next time I want to be an idiot and walk away maybe stop and listen for him calling out. I didn't hear him but honestly he could have easily caught up to us. I was getting more and more upset and said I wanted to go for a drive to get coffee and he said fine. I said I wanted to take the kids and he asked why. Then I said fine, you stay home with them and he said no. they can go with you and started putting them in the car. I got in the car, and he got in the passenger seat, to which I asked him if he's coming with. He said yes and to drive. I told him I didn't

want him coming with because he's being mean and he said he could be a lot meaner. As I started driving away he kept going off on the usual BS he's been talking about lately and I told him I don't want to hear it. He started screaming at me to keep driving and shut the fuck up. I stopped the car and told him to get out and he made a motion like he was going to punch me but punched his hand in front of my face. At this point I started crying and yelling at him to get out and he yelled back no, just drive. I then said I should just drive him to the police station for that and he said he would choke me unconscious before we even got there. I was crying even more at this point and said I don't want to be with him anymore and I want him out, he said no. He continued to be a dick

for the rest of the car ride, where I pleaded with him to not treat me this way, especially in front of our children. It's not fair to them, or to me. He said to not bring them into this. I said how couldn't I, they are literally in the car. Anyway, after I drove us home, he asked how long I've been waiting to break up with him and who I'm replacing him with. I told him I haven't been and there's no one else, which of course he doesn't believe. When he got inside, he even taunted me saying I should take you to the cop station in a girly voice. He's outside smoking and I'm inside with the kids writing this. Of course I'm shook up currently, but I don't know what to do. We only have the one vehicle which is in both our names. The place we rent is actually my mom's so

we don't have a lease, but we both have our addresses attached to this place on our licenses. He wasn't always like this, literally only the past couple months his behavior has been this bad. I missed the person he used to be, I missed that he would spend time with me, with the kids, but he spends all his time by himself now. I don't know if he's going through some sort of manic episode or what's triggering this change in behavior, but I really don't know what to do. Is there something differently I can do to help him?

Every time he talks to me about whatever situation he doesn't accept any answer I say and also won't accept if I say nothing. Edit, I just wanted to update and let you all know we are safe. I'm sorry for not saying anything sooner. I'm a bit overwhelmed with how popular this post. got and will give an actual update later. Thank you for the advice and comments as well. I will mention a couple things, we are not in the U.S., where we are, marijuana is legal, so my spouse does get it from government-run dispensaries. I don't think there's a chance his stuff gets

laced aside from the fact he mixes cigarettes with it. A lot of people mention meth. There is just no way. He doesn't go anywhere random, he doesn't talk to people outside of our household, aside from the few times he would go to the police station. I have his location on his phone so I can see where he goes when he leaves. Update 1, hello, first of all thank you all for the comments, messages, etc. on my previous post. Obviously it got a bit too much to keep up with responding, but I just want to say I really appreciate the help. To give an update, I left the house the night I made the post, but went back home the following day. I wanted to be able to collect some sort of evidence I could use, because my spouse has been really good at downplaying his symptoms to any

authority figure. I want to mention that I had been present at most doctor and hospital visits prior, so I know what they did recommend for him. I felt at the time that they did not give him enough help for the crisis he was obviously going through. Anyway, continuing on, the couple days after the Sunday post, he did not really engage in much conversation with me or our children. Every time he entered the room, I set my phone to record. I did not get anything until Thursday, when he finally started talking to me again. He was questioning who I had been talking to about him and who has been trying to sabotage his life. Obviously I denied everything, because there is no one talking to me about him, aside from this Reddit post, which he didn't know about.

This started to anger him, which included him yelling at me and saying if anyone is talking to me about him, to bring him to the house, he can take care of them himself. I tried to not to engage anymore. This made him more upset, as he was continuing to demand answers from me. He would then say, oh, I want to hit you or don't make me slap you when I was either not answering or just saying I didn't know what he was talking about. I got this on recording. After he ended up walking away and leaving the room, I took the kids to bed, locked us in our room and tried to sleep. The following morning, he insisted on driving me to work. I told him I wanted the car, to which he disagreed with me and said he needed it.

After dropping out kids off, he started going off on me about how I am stupidity, dumb, a bitch, etc. for keeping his inheritance. Again something he is clearly having delusions about, from him. I tried to disengage completely, keeping myself to far side of the passenger seat, which caused him to grab me by the back of my neck and pull me closer to him, where he told me to listen to him. I obviously reacted to this and was super upset, telling him to please focus on driving and not touch me again. After he drove me to work, the last thing I said to him as he was still going off on me with the car window open was you desperately need help.

Once I got in, I called my boss and let her know what happened. She came in, cancelled her appointments for the day, and took me to the police station. We made a report, although the sergeant we initially spoke to seem to be against us making a report, he kept saying he will be homeless if I report him, like he's the victim in this scenario. I told him my safety and the kid's safety should be more important, and he brought in a different officer to make the statement with me. Once I completed that statement, they let me know to stay away from the house as they were going to arrest him, and will call once he's out of the house. About five hours later, he was arrested. Apparently he was very compliant, and with all the information I provided, they actually took him to the hospital, and he is currently

on a 30-day psychiatric hold. He will be going to court at some point for uttering threats and assault, but seeing how he doesn't have a criminal record, I'm sure it will just end up being a slap on the wrist. So as of now, I am home, safe with the children, and we are getting our locks changed. I will also most likely get a protection order, but in an ideal world, he gets better and that's not necessary. I guess we will see in the future. I want to again, thank everyone for their comments and assistance. A lot of you made some excellent points, and although I know some of my decisions probably seemed like dumb ones, I was trying to figure out the best solution logistically for us. Any other future updates will be on my profile. Update 2, it's been a while since I

updated. I still get messages asking how I am and to update again. I apologize. I apologize. in the delay. Anyway, onto the actual update, my spouse is doing a lot better. He received the treatment he needed in the psych ward of the hospital, gets a shot every so often instead of taking pills, and only smoke cigarettes now. He's back to his normal self, engages in conversation with myself and our children like he did before this crazy shit happened, has a job, and honestly, is being a better partner overall. It took a lot of time for me to feel like I could trust him again, but we've taken a lot of time to work on things and get back to how we should be. I know a lot of people wanted me to leave and never look back.

But you have to realize how he acted in my initial post was nothing like how he is as a person. Obviously he had some sort of weird psychosis happening, which could have been a result of a high intake of marijuana, plus a couple added stressors. I don't want to go into too many details because it will give away where we are, but basically something traumatic happened under 10 years ago that happened again a month before he started acting strange. It was one of those types of events that forces you out of your home for undetermined amount of time. Anyway, that's all the detail I want to go into obviously he was affected by it more than I thought, because when this event happened, I was the one

having a difficult time and he was my rock. But after we were able to go back home and have some normalcy, that's when things started changing for him. It started with him randomly needing to gain access into an old email, to thinking he was being recorded all the time, like he was on the Truman show or something, to thinking that everyone, including me, was out to get him. This is when the threats of violence started happening. I was obviously in disbelief because in the entire time we've been together, nothing like this has ever happened. I never once felt like I was unsafe. I never felt scared until the threats continue to come, and he started to escalate. After he made excellent progress in the hospital and I had many reassuring conversations with the

psychiatrist, I allowed him to come home when he was discharged. It was so hard not having him around, I cried all the time, our kids really missed their dad, and he really missed us. He needed to get help, and I'm so thankful I was able to find an effective solution. This will most likely be my last update. I don't really think I'll need to add any other details, but again, I just want to thank everyone for their messages and comments, even the ones who called me an idiot, LOL. Next story, X used the power of attorney I forgot about to sell my house, empty my bank account, and sell all my belongings while I was getting medical treatment abroad. I have gone from terrified to white-hot anger to just cold in my stomach and all sorts of other

feelings and it is taking me some time to write this so I apologize for anything which is unclear. Background, I was just out of the country for over two months while I was being treated by specialists for medical problems I have. During that time I had my personal. I had my personal valuables kept at a storage company which was supposed to be good for security since I don't have close family and didn't want to leave things like my computer sitting around in my apartment for that long. I also have some payments I get which I made sure would automatically go to an account because I have renters in my old house and want to make sure certain bills get paid without me having to think about it. I thought it was all set up good enough that I could be

out of the country and focus on what I needed to focus on then come back to everything as I left it. A while ago when I was in a lot of pain and on a lot of medication I had a lawyer help me make sure my now, ex could make decisions for me if I was incapacitated. Honestly, I had totally forgotten about this because at the time I was very foggy, I barely remember anything about it. The night before my flight my ex told me they could not be with me anymore because of my health problems, saying I was going to die and they did not want to be with me for that. My issues are pretty bad and yes my life will maybe not be as long as it might have been but I really

could not deal with that at the time mentally so just said okay and went on my trip. We had been together for 16 months but not strictly living together. Now, I came back to learn somehow my ex has started taking and maybe selling everything. They have paperwork saying I was incapacitated plus the power of attorney I granted them. I was not incapacitated at any time during my treatment. I don't know what doctor could have signed such a thing. During the time I was gone, my ex has used this to check my belongings out of storage and I have no idea where my things are.

I am worried it has all been sold. Stuff has also been taken out of my apartment. The tenants in my house were told by my ex that I was bedridden and they would have to move so my house could be sold. They are month to month and took this at face value and already moved out before I got back. They informed me that a realtor had been showing the house to people. I managed to get in touch with the realtor and when I got him to understand the situation he freaked out.

There is already a buyer because my house was listed very far under market value. Stuff was already signed, some money has already been paid, the buyers are already getting ready to move in. I told him to cancel everything and that this was not authorized in any way. He said the paperwork my ex had was legit and he needs to figure out. how to handle this. I am waiting for more details. The account I set up before I left is cleaned out down to pennies I missed an important payment because of this. The bank says yes my ex accessed my account and everything was in order because I was incapacitated. My ex knew I was setting this account

up and what it was for. They probably got details about it from my apartment. I have talked to my ex and the police. My ex barely responds but when I stood at their door and screamed they finally told me that I was in a coma, not true, so they had to sell my things for me. I think I heard them saying you won't need it anyway through the door. The police are telling me a few things. I tried to report my ex for theft for stealing my things from storage and was told it is a civil issue. I told them the rest of the story and it's like they don't even know how to respond to me. Sitting at the police station seems to just be wasting my time because no one there seems to be able to do anything. They say come back tomorrow when say,

someone else will be there. Supposedly officers went to my ex's place and were shown the paperwork. Tomorrow I am going to see a lawyer who advertises help with elder abuse power of attorney fraud, which is the closest thing I could find. If they can't help me then, where do I go next? Is there some key thing I can say to the police to get them to arrest my ex right this second and stop this? I have to believe this will all be fixed eventually, but how screwed am I? comments where op has replied, deleted, did you ever actually give a P-O-A? You need to revoke that ASAP. Oop, it is possible.

I signed documents giving them the ability to use my money for me to pay bills and do other things a while ago because I was unable to leave the hospital. I will be able to take care of that with the lawyer tomorrow, I hope. And I know I seem like an idiot. I did not really understand what I was doing at the time. I was in a lot of pain and did not have an exact diagnosis yet and I must have thought it was the right thing to do but I don't even remember exactly when it happened because parts of that time are all a blur. Update, I was being a bit paranoid when making my original post because I did

not want to get condescending responses. I'm a woman in my early 30s and my ex is a man around the same age. It has been a strange few days. I met with my lawyer Monday morning and she was very supportive. Even though she usually deals with elder abuse, she said my situation was very much within her expertise and seemed excited to have me as a client. She was also very angry. After last Saturday, I have not had a lot of emotional energy, so it was nice to see someone be like that on my behalf. I spent a while in my lawyer's office and later in the day my ex called me, but my lawyer had told me not to talk to him for now, so I did not answer. We listened to a message together, though, and my ex said he was selling things for

for my benefit and was investing it for me to help with any bills I have to pay. My ex also said they were interested in getting back together since I came back safely from my trip. My lawyer laughed and it was a very surreal moment. After just a day my lawyer found out that my ex had done something like this before. He had been with a person who was very sick for a while then took off with the contents of a joint account and their car right before they died. The person's estate got into a legal battle with my ex and got the car back but not the

in the end. She thinks this is basically what my ex was doing to me and that they probably did it other times too but was not always sued over it or it was in other states. The whole relationship we had was just fake, I guess, and he misread the situation when I was leaving to go see specialists thinking I was probably not coming back. That also explains why he never had a job if he just makes money off people like me. My lawyer sent a lot of letters out to lots of places on Monday, including One to My Ex. They were all about revoking the power of attorney I had granted and the one to my ex had a bunch of demands in it telling him to produce my money and belongings as well as copies of the power of attorney and the other documents my ex had about me.

She spoke with the realtor and some other people about my house and the unfortunate reality is I should probably let the sale happen and take the money. That is not really what I wanted to hear, but it's not the end of the world. She also had me get someone to change the locks on my apartment. Wednesday was a weird day because my ex showed up at my lawyer's office with some of my stuff. I wasn't there so I don't know exactly what that was like, but I do have my computer back. My ex also produced the access codes for online investments made with my money, which seems to have pissed off my lawyer because it's going to be a headache making sure I get all my money back. She has dealt with this before and is going to help me recover as much of it as possible.

She also says we will almost definitely be going after my ex for money because there are a lot of problems with what he did and the power of attorney itself is very suspect. But she needs to talk to the hospital and some other people first. My lawyer says it's a big deal that the paperwork my ex was using to say I was incapacitated is from when I was hospitalized around the time the power of attorney actually happened. To sum it all up, now I have my computers back, but my money is in online investments and it may be difficult to get the full value back. It is also likely that the rest of the money from the sale of my house is coming directly to me. My lawyer is super awesome and she is spending a lot of time devoted to this for me which feels really good. I just saw my local doctor and he doesn't like that I am under so much stress right after I came

home, so I'm going to try and relax.