AITAH for "joining in" when my roommate and his girlfriend have s*x?
The original poster (OP) works a job with a late shift, often returning home around 3 AM, while their roommate works a standard 9-to-5 schedule. Due to these differing schedules, the OP typically only interacts with the roommate and his girlfriend briefly in the morning before leaving for work.
The core issue arose because the roommate frequently has his girlfriend over, and they often engage in s*xual activity while the OP is trying to sleep between 3 AM and noon. After an initial attempt to discuss this disrupting his sleep failed, the OP began retaliating by engaging in loud, explicit self-care activities in their room to make noise while the couple was having s*x, leading to conflict and the roommate seeking new living arrangements.
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As noted by relationship expert Terri Cole, LCSW, author of 'Boundary Boss,' a clear definition of boundaries is necessary for healthy relationships: 'A boundary is a statement about what is acceptable or unacceptable to you.' In this scenario, the OP clearly communicated an unacceptable action—loud sexual activity during their primary sleep hours—but the roommate dismissed this need, effectively refusing to respect the necessary boundary for the OP’s well-being.
The OP's initial recourse was direct communication, which was reportedly ignored or minimized by the roommate. This failure in cohabitation accountability likely drove the OP to adopt an extreme, retaliatory strategy. By overtly 'joining in' with loud activities, the OP escalated the disruption, turning a passive annoyance into an active, mutual conflict. This suggests the OP prioritized immediate, aggressive rebalancing of power over seeking a mediated solution, resulting in the breakdown of the living arrangement.
While the roommate’s initial behavior was inconsiderate and violated basic cohabitation norms regarding quiet hours, the OP's response was highly inappropriate and destructive to the living situation. A more effective approach would have involved escalating the dispute through formal channels if available, or issuing a final, clear ultimatum about seeking mediation or moving out, rather than engaging in behavior designed explicitly to shock or anger the other party.
THIS STORY SHOOK THE INTERNET – AND REDDITORS DIDN’T HOLD BACK.:
Support, sarcasm, and strong words — the replies covered it all. This one definitely got people talking.
The OP is facing a situation where their need for undisturbed sleep was repeatedly ignored by their roommate, prompting them to resort to provocative and disruptive counter-behavior. The central conflict revolves around whether the OP's extreme reaction—intentionally creating a disruptive sonic environment—was a justifiable response to the initial boundary violation concerning quiet hours, or an inappropriate escalation.
The question remains whether the OP's retaliatory actions were warranted as a drastic measure to enforce a necessary boundary, or if they were an immature way to handle a legitimate domestic disagreement. How should one respond when direct communication about noise disturbance during rest hours is dismissed by a cohabitant?