Toxic relationships usually don’t seem that way in the beginning.

This is why a lot of people only realize they’re in one when it’s too late.

In this man’s case, he just started to have this realization after his girlfriend wouldn’t let him go to the pharmacy to buy face wash and demanded he stay home, just because she had a common viral infection.

Now he’s wondering if he’s going crazy.

Let’s read the story and analyze the situation.

AITA for wanting to go out and buy some face wash while my girlfriend is sick?

So I’ve been washing my face with a regular bar of hand soap for a while, and this morning my skin got super irritated.

I did some reading (yes, finally), and apparently you’re not supposed to do that.

My girlfriend even told me a while ago, but didn’t really press the issue.

Anyway, I looked up what I needed, found it at a nearby pharmacy, and figured I could make a round trip in 30 minutes to an hour, tops.

A quick trip to the pharmacy. But she wouldn’t “allow” him to go.

Now, context: My girlfriend is sick. Went to the doctor. Viral infection.

Doctor said nothing serious.

So I thought: okay, going out for an hour shouldn’t be a problem.

But the first thing she said was just “no.”

And yes, I do need “permission” to go out.

We’re both ~30 years old.

That’s odd. They argued.

From there it turned into a full campaign to get me not to go:

“I have something at home that’s just as good” (It isn’t.)

“It’s cheaper online” (But not faster, and I need it now.)

Locking herself in the bedroom for hours because I said, admittedly rudely, that she’d probably give me cat’s **** if it meant I wouldn’t leave the house.

(I apologized, yeah. But still.)

She is sick, but he’s starting to think she’s exaggerating a bit.

Now she’s lying in bed, having taken a cough syrup (one she was previously afraid to take), and acting like me going to the pharmacy is abandoning her in some kind of life-threatening condition.

To be fair, she tends to panic about symptoms:

Shoulder pain = heart attack

Phlegm = throat might close

New cough syrup = panic about anaphylactic shock.

He feels something is off about the whole ordeal.

But I just… I don’t know.

Am I actually in the wrong for trying to take care of myself?

I feel like I’m losing my grip on what’s normal here.

It’s face wash. I just wanted to buy face wash.

But somehow it turned into a guilt spiral, a health scare, and a complete emotional shutdown, and I don’t even know how I got here.

He’s clearly in a toxic relationship.

I feel like I need permission to take care of myself, and even when I ask for it gently, I still get hit with guilt or drama.

It’s like every time I want something that’s just mine, I have to emotionally negotiate for it like a child.

This is just my perspective, obviously, and I’m sure I’m showing myself in a better light than I deserve.

I’m really trying to be honest. But something just feels so off about all of this.

She is very controlling. Things can improve, but it would take a lot of work on her part to change her toxic behavior.

Let’s see if Reddit has any insight into this situation.

Off topic.

A reader shares their thoughts.

Someone offers him solid advice.

Asking the right questions is key.

Another reader chimes in.

Exhausting is the right word here.

He’s clearly in a toxic relationship.

Things such as going to the pharmacy should never spark drama.

If you liked that post, check out this story about a guy who was forced to sleep on the couch at his wife’s family’s house, so he went to a hotel instead.