Dear Massi, Please help me.  My wife dictates my life.

She won't let me go out unless it's to her family's house or if there has been a death in the community.

I have started pretending non existent people who are supposedly related to my friends have died, just so I can go out undisturbed for a few hours. That gives me at least a couple of days of freedom in the evenings.

She is making me miserable.

My only escape is talking to my friends on WhatsApp, but even then she makes me turn off my data when I am home as she doesn't like my attention to be elsewhere.

What can I do?

Massi says, It is important for you to communicate these concerns clearly to your wife.

You should not have to resort to lying just to be able to spend a few hours with your friends.

Explain to your wife that your time with her is important to you and that you should both dedicate a certain period of time to spend alone together every week.

Compromise is an important part of any marriage.