I found out my husband is having an affair. Is it crazy that I don’t care?

In a pristine suburban home, where the scent of fresh-cooked meals lingers and every surface gleams, a woman moves through her days like a shadow of devotion. At 30, she’s molded herself into the perfect wife and mother, her life orbiting around her husband’s every need. But when curiosity leads her to uncover his affair—solid proof of betrayal—she feels… nothing. No tears, no rage, just a quiet void that unsettles her more than the infidelity itself.

This Reddit confession, raw and haunting, pulls us into a marriage where love has morphed into servitude, leaving a woman questioning her sanity. Her emotional numbness challenges our expectations of heartbreak, hinting at deeper wounds beneath her polished exterior. As we unravel her story, we’re left wondering: is this resilience, dissociation, or something else entirely? Let’s step into her world and explore what’s really going on.

‘I found out my husband is having an affair. Is it crazy that I don’t care?’

I am thirty and he is thirty three, and I am a female. I think I’ve realized already that I’ve become someone that just exists for him. I live just be to his wife and the mother of his kids. I spends hours cooking everyday and I clean ritually. I stay in shape and I always do my hair and makeup.

“No” is not in my vocabulary when it comes to s**. I wait on him hand and foot when he’s home. I’m always nice to him. I don’t complain or vent about my issues to him. His peace and happiness is my priority over everything. I’m honestly low key a miserable person but being like his servant scratches a itch deep inside of me.

Pleasing him and our kids is the only thing that fills my emotional cup. I just didn’t think I was so far gone as an individual that I am ready to just forget about him literally sleeping with and spending money on other women. I’ve suspected him of cheating before of course it’s not like it popped up out of nowhere, but I never cared to go looking.

Curiosity eventually got the best of me and I went searching today while he was at work and I found solid proof. I thought it would hurt to see it right before my eyes but nope I feel fine and I don’t get it. I believed ignorance was bliss and knowing he was cheating would be a big problem for me but I don’t feel that way.

This is making me rethink my sanity. I imagine him sleeping with other women and it doesn’t make me flinch at all. I feel absolutely no different than I did before I found out. Is this normal at all? Am I insane? How do I handle this situation when I don’t even know how to feel? I have good friends and I’m close to my family but I’ve never been satisfied in life before I found him.

Why could I almost “want” to be treated like this? I kinda just want to pretend to be mad and confront him so I can fake it till I make it, I just don’t know it that would be a good choice or not. I need advice really bad. Edit: Insulting me won’t make me listen to your advice. It’s just going to make me shut down and give up wanting to change.

Discovering a spouse’s affair typically sparks fury or grief, but this woman’s indifference is a red flag of its own. Her marriage, built on her complete subservience, has stripped away her sense of self. Dr. Gabor Maté, a trauma and addiction expert, notes, “When we sacrifice our own needs to please others, we disconnect from our authentic selves, leading to emotional numbness” (Dr. Gabor Maté’s website). Her lack of reaction screams disconnection, not acceptance.

She describes a life where pleasing her husband fills an emotional void, yet leaves her “low key miserable.” His infidelity, while hurtful in theory, barely registers because her identity is tied to serving him, not mutual love. His control—expecting constant availability and perfection—suggests emotional abuse, subtly eroding her self-worth. Her apathy likely stems from years of suppressed emotions, a survival mechanism in an imbalanced dynamic.

This touches a broader issue: the mental toll of traditional gender roles. A 2020 study by the American Psychological Association found that women in highly unequal marriages report higher rates of depression and dissociation (APA). Her story echoes this, her numbness a shield against a life where she’s more servant than partner. The danger lies in normalizing this for her children, who may inherit these skewed dynamics.

Therapy is crucial here. A licensed psychologist could help her rediscover her identity and process suppressed emotions. She might start by confiding in a trusted friend or family member, breaking the silence. Resources like Psychology Today can connect her with therapists specializing in emotional abuse.

Check out how the community responded:

Reddit’s chorus of concern and empathy didn’t hold back, blending tough love with heartfelt advice. Here’s what the community had to say:

JermFace − You may be dissociating. A therapist is a great idea, but if that's not in your budget right now, it may help just to speak the words aloud to someone you trust. Are either of your parents still alive (and do you have a decent relationship with them)? Do you have friends (if you gave them up to devote your life to your husband, I'm sure they still wonder what became of you)?

[Reddit User] − Hello you remind me of my mom. For the sake of the children I hope you find the fire in your life again. My mom found it after my parents separated. It’s not fair to them to have a husk as a mother.. Take care of yourself you deserve so much better. Edit: as children we want our mom to enjoy her life as an individual too. We don’t want her to exist just for the family. I am sure your kids would want only the best life for you too and they want you to be happy.

Midnight_Journey − You don't care because the nature of your marriage, is abnormal, dysfunctional and has brought you down as a person. You do not value yourself as he is the 'master' which is BS. You ARE valuable and you do not deserve a 'Master/Servant' type of relationship. This has completely messed with your mind.

I see a lot of suppressing emotions too which is extremely unhealthy and damaging to a person's self esteem. It's no wonder you are emotionally numb to what is going on now. If you marriage was healthy and balanced, I'd say you may just have a type of 'fetish' almost but your marriage is not, which leads me to think you being OK with this behavior, is a sign more of a emotional issue that is deeply rooted due to the nature of your marriage.

procrastinator3000v2 − Do you not care because you're apathetic about it?. Or are you just not jealous when you expected to be?. Apathy needs a therapist, the other one maybe needs to have you look at ethical non-monogamy.

Mars1922 − Therapy. If you feel nothing, think of your kids having a loveless marriage as their example, and boys growing up to treat women like slaves and girls grow up thinking it’s ok to be treated like a slave. Surely you must feel something for your kids,

enough to want to keep them from growing up like this? No one wants their son to grow up to treat women like this and no one wants their daughter to live like this.. Free therapy for abuse victims and this could easily fall under emotional abuse.

hamburger666666 − girl you need some help immediately like yesterday

sparkybigglesworth − Uhhhh don't listen to everyone telling you to enter into BDSM dynamic. S** is not therapy and not a solution to feelings of inadequacy or disassociation. Kink is absolutely not an element you should be adding to an already broken relationship.

I think you should see a licensed psychologist and start to discuss your issues revolving intimacy and your role as a wife and a mother. If you've lost yourself in your relationship its likely because a) your husband is abusive to you and makes you feel like you don't exist except to be subservient to him, or b) you have preexisting issues surrounding intimacy and your own conceptualization of yourself, or a combination of the two.

What were you like before you were together? Would you ever have described yourself as an independent person? How were you in your previous relationships (if you have had any)? Regardless, you are not insane and I feel the utmost empathy for you OP!

See a therapist and try to rediscover yourself outside of your marriage. Also maybe you don't 'feel anything' because you already knew he was cheating and you have emotionally prepared yourself for the evidence for a while.. Be safe and I wish you the best!

[Reddit User] − This sounds like some Stockholm syndrome s**t, and you are not to blame. I highly suggest you talk to a friend/family/someone you trust, and ask for some help. The reason you don't care is because your self-esteem has been driven into the ground by your husband. If you can do it for yourself, do it for your kids. Kids know more/are more aware than you think - the longer you stay in a loveless marriage, the more your kids suffer.

ash_kyra − All i can say is u needddd to see a therapist. Mentally you are not okay

joint_wild − Can I ask about your background? I married a girl from a Muslim country and she is almost exactly like you. She was raised with the belief that husband is everything. Despite being together for well over 10 years she has never said no to s**. Ever. For the record I want to say I have never cheated, never will, have never forced her to do anything and never will. In the beginning, I encouraged her to look for work but she refused because she said she wants look after me.

These Redditors see warning signs, from dissociation to emotional abuse, but are they right? Is therapy the key, or is there more to her numbness than meets the eye?

This woman’s story is a quiet cry for help, her numbness a mirror reflecting a marriage that’s cost her her spark. Whether it’s dissociation, emotional exhaustion, or something deeper, one thing’s clear: she deserves to rediscover herself. What would you do if you woke up numb to your partner’s betrayal? Have you ever lost yourself in a relationship? Share your thoughts and experiences below—let’s spark a conversation to light her way.

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