A woman's older brother played a cruel April Fools' prank involving hiding her pain medication for her severe menstrual cramps.
Yeah, not funny.
Redditor "throwawayhateah" asked AITA (Am I the A**hole) for giving her brother the silent treatment after his humorless stunt.
From the start, the Original Poster (OP) established her true feelings regarding her "annoying and intruding" brother.
"I (20F) live with my parents and older brother. I'll be honest - I do not like him."
"We do not get along. He's annoying and intruding and loud and I could go on. I try to just ignore him."
"For April fools day yesterday, as a 'joke,' he decided to hide the pain medication I take to deal with my periods."
"I have horrible periods, especially the first couple days (which yesterday was) and the pain can be debilitating and make me cry if I don't have the pain meds to help (even then, I still have pain, I'm just able to function)."
"I basically couldn't find them all day yesterday then this morning he gave them to me and said 'April Fools!!'"
The brother justified his tasteless prank as if teaching a lesson.
"His prank was hiding this on me since I 'relied on them so heavily and need to see I don't need pain meds to get through the day.'"
"He said that's what I get for keeping the meds in the kitchen (which I do because they need to be taken with food and/or water)."
"I was f'king pissed. He saw me crying and wincing in pain and hid them from me?"
"I told him to f'k off and that this would be the last conversation we'd have for a while."
His behavior from the fallout did not help the situation.
"I'm ignoring him but he keeps texting me like 'come on really?' And giving ME dirty looks in the hallway like I'm the one who did something wrong."
"My parents are staying out of it as we're both adults. They say if how I want to deal with is by ignoring him then it is what it is."
"AITA? I don't think this was a joke. I think this is over the line."
Redditors refused to find the prank funny and called NTA (Not the A**hole) for the OP.
"NTA. I'm not sure why he thought watching someone be in pain all day would be funny, but it's not. He crossed a line." – ineffable_sweetness
This is a valid criteria for a successful April Fools' prank.
"A good prank should be one where both parties have a laugh. If a 'joke' causes physical or mental pain, then it's not a joke." – Lady_Seashell_Bikini
"NTA. It wasn't a joke, and it was over the line."
"NTA. Brother saw you in pain all day and still kept your medication hidden."
"Remember that the next time he asks you for a favor, because at some point in the future he will. It is not a joke when no one laughs." – wind-river7
There is something off about this family dynamic and could permanently ruin any chance of the siblings getting along.
"Your parents suck for acting like what he did was fine and needed to be worked out between you. He wants to act like a child, he should be treated like one."
"I loathe people like him who think he has the answer to everything and feels that he has the right to take action against someone's will. I wouldn't talk to him either, possibly ever again personally. If he offered a genuine and heartfelt apology I might consider it."
"I suggest finding someplace, preferably locked, that you can hide your medication since your AH brother wants to play thief and doctor." – gunnyhunty
"You don't f'k with another person's medication. Ever." – CluckeryDuckery
"Honestly pretty annoyed that your parents wouldn't intervene on what's a pretty inappropriate 'prank'... Who tf takes away someone's medication that helps them bear pain that has to be experienced regularly??? NTA."
"I'm so sorry that your brother severely lacks empathy." – KalaArtemisia
Here's the thing about medications.
"The 'you can get along without it' makes me want to beat him. Sick of pill shaming." – tooterfish80
"Agreed. The opioid panic is keeping people from medication they actually need and forcing everyday folk to turn to things like heroin. It's f'king ridiculous." – CluckeryDuckery
"I am also sick of people with depression, anxiety, and other disorders being told they can manage without pills by riding bicycles and sh*t."
"Dude you do not want to see my trying to stabilize my mood with tea and sunshine." – tooterfish80
"If someone were to come between my arthritis flare up and my pain medication... for kicks!?! That m*therf'ker would get a throat punch, or get a one way ticket out of my life."
"Seems extreme, but my pain is also extreme and I'm not spending a minute trapped in this meat suit while someone else withholds medication for a laugh? Nah dude, nah."
"I also have extremely painful cycles, and pain management is essential for chris'sakes." – Leas_Alpenglow
Redditors knew why the OP detests her brother.
He is a jerk, plain and simple.
"NTA. He's not a woman and he doesn't know what periods are like, so he has NO place claiming you can get through the day without taking pain meds."
"He did this to be cruel, and now is gaslighting you by acting like you're overreacting. You're not." – Katt_ler
The silent treatment will only go so far because the brother may never understand why his transgression was seriously wrong.
It might be time to cut ties and look at living somewhere else.
