Members of a popular internet forum were left furious after one man explained why he kicked his mother out of his house just three days into a two-week visit.
In a viral Reddit post published on r/AmITheA**hole, Redditor u/throwaway-amithe (otherwise referred to as the original poster, or OP) said his wife is diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder and revealed how numerous instances of antagonistic behavior left his mother unwelcome at his home.
Titled, "[Am I the a**hole] for telling my mom to leave my house after she kept moving furniture?" the post has received more than 6,000 votes and nearly 1,000 comments since July 10.
Writing that his wife is "extremely particular" about where household items belong, especially kitchenware and the furniture in her home office, the original poster said that when his mother arrived, it was immediately apparent that her visit would prove problematic.
"Mom continues to move things around the house," OP wrote. "She moved the coffee maker...she moved the coffee table...she [rearranged] all of the plates [and] cups."
"She's putting my wife's pens, paper, notebooks, laptop...in different places so my wife has to rummage around to find them," OP continued.
After a trio of tense, triggering days, the original poster said he confronted his mother about her behavior and noted that both he and his wife were unsure how they'd cope for two entire weeks.
Then, his mother forced his hand.
"I stayed firm and told her to put it [all] back," OP wrote. "She does, but once I leave, it's back to where I told her not to put it."
"Today, mom moved my wife's office desk to the other side of the room (away from all the cabinets she has stored for her work things)," OP continued. "This was it, I profusely told her to move it back and...I told her that she's going to have to stay with my sister or find a hotel."
"She got really mad at me and my wife and told me she can't believe we are so selfish to not appreciate her help," OP added. "She left, but now I'm getting blasted from sister and brother saying I was an a**hole for kicking her out and this is just how she shows affection."
Obsessive-compulsive disorder, more commonly known simply as OCD, "features a pattern of unwanted thoughts and fears (obsessions) and lead you to do repetitive behaviors (compulsions)," according to the Mayo Clinic.
Treated with a combination of medication and cognitive behavioral therapy, the National Institute of Mental Health reports that 1.2 percent of adults in the U.S. are diagnosed with the disorder.
And while more than 50 percent of patients report severe symptoms and serious impairment, family members and friends of those dealing with OCD can play a major role in promoting progress towards easier living.
Through education, recognition and the refusal to enable further harmful behavior, the International OCD Foundation reports that a strong support system is pivotal in overcoming obsessive-compulsive disorder.
"Family intervention is an important adjunct to medication and behavioral treatment," the foundation's website reads. "A group format provides a rare opportunity for family members and individuals with OCD to feel less isolated and less estranged."
Where familial support is helpful and necessary in a majority of cases, however, family members also have the power to worsen symptoms—intentionally or not.
Throughout the comment section of the viral Reddit post, Redditors called out the original poster's mother for continually causing chaos by rearranging his wife's possessions and remained adamant that her behavior crossed numerous boundaries.
"[Not the a**hole]," Redditor u/Curious-Insantiy413 wrote in the post's top comment, which has received nearly 11,000 votes. "Even if your wife didn't have OCD it would be a dick move to do any of that."
"The fact that she's deliberately rearranging things after being explicitly told not to is a huge sign of disrespect, whether OP's wife has OCD or not," Redditor u/sugarpenchant echoed, receiving nearly 5,000 votes. "Who [the f**k] goes into [someone] else's house and moves their home office around?"
Redditor u/Suspicious_You3973, whose comment has received more than 1,300 votes, offered a similar response.
"Your mother doesn't get to decide where things belong in your home," they wrote. "The fact that your wife does have OCD and you repeatedly told your mother to stop moving things makes her 100% [the a**hole]."
"It would be one thing if she put a coffee cup in the wrong place. She moved a DESK to the other side of the room just because she could," they added. "I'd have her kicked out and banned."
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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Taylor McCloud is a Newsweek staff writer based in California. His focus is reporting on trending and viral topics. Taylor ... Read more
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