His wife threatened divorce after his 4th camping trip that year, so he agreed to quit. Then he noticed a troubling pattern behind their fights
Earlier, they used to go camping together, but ever since the man realized his wife doesn't enjoy such trips, he started going alone
On September 23, 2026, a man (u/round_reply7960) turned to Reddit to express his pent-up resentment after reaching his wits' end in a marriage of over 30 years. He explained that his wife, who refuses to join him on camping trips, threatened divorce if he continues taking them without "her permission." Over the years, the man gave up on most of his hobbies, including hunting, water skiing, and snow skiing, to save his marriage, but nothing seems to have made her happy. The post has received 4,000 upvotes so far.
The camping tension
The man opened the post by describing his 30-plus years of marriage, where he and his wife spend most of their time together except when he is at work or on a camping trip. Yet, their marriage is not what it should have been, according to him. He said his wife, who hasn’t worked outside the home in the past five years, has been against him spending his weekends away on camping trips with friends. Earlier, they used to go camping together, but ever since the man realized his wife doesn't enjoy such trips, he started going alone. "She doesn't like it and refuses now. I don't pressure her or even ask now," he said. However, soon, the man saw his wife's attitude had changed for the worse.
The real issues
For instance, when he called his wife while on his 4th camping trip with his friends, she seemed pissed. Tension arose, and the discussion soon intensified into a full-blown fight. Unable to enjoy the trip any longer, he packed his bags and drove 2 hours back home. The following day, the fight continued. "She basically says she is tired of me just getting my way all the time, and she's not fighting it anymore. She wants to leave me," the man explained. He also said that his wife was angry because he wasn't asking for her permission to go on camping trips.
However, determined to save his marriage, he quietly surrendered and affirmed that he would quit camping. All the rage his wife had been displaying suddenly dissolved into calmness. The man remembered all the other hobbies he had given up to save their marriage. He said he believes the cause of his wife’s behavior probably lies in her lack of hobbies and an independent social life. "My wife doesn’t have hobbies. I try to encourage things but haven’t succeeded and basically given up trying now," he wrote.
Codependency in relationships
In terms of psychology, the man’s marriage seems to be a classic case of codependency. According to a report published in Public Health Challenges, nearly 25% to 98% of marital relationships are codependent. Nearly 92% of wives were highly codependent on their husbands, typically due to fear, shame, lack of social life, lack of a clear sense of self, and delayed identity development, as a study in the International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction also explains.
'This is messed up'
Reddit readers urged the man to encourage his wife to discover her own interests and hobbies outside of household life. Many also professed that the camping trip is not the problem; it’s poor communication. u/Feralest_baby commented, “This is messed up. You are allowed to have interests and hobbies. You two should talk through this more in a less conflict-avoidant way, with a professional, if you think that would help.” u/Remarkable-Ad-2476 said, “Sounds like you both need a life outside of your relationship. Not saying to end the marriage or anything but maybe encourage her to find her own hobbies?”
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