Is it mental abuse if a husband refuses to go out with his wife?

It depends on the situation. If most wives waited for their husbands to be motivated enough to entertain others or even go out then we'd be very lonely women. If he is using this to "get even" with you this is another story. If this is the case go out without him! Don't let ANYONE control your social life. It would be a good idea to communicate with your husband. Perhaps he works shift-work and is just plain tired. If so, come to some agreement that one night a week you both do something together or with friends and the other times when you need to get out of the house you could go out with girlfriends. Many of us rely on our girlfriends for some entertainment. Good luck Marcy My ex, would insist that he pays for the date always (even if he literally took the money from my purse to pay for it) and he insisted that he should be the "man" and ask me out. And not the other way around. I would be severely criticized if I asked. So needless to say as he went out to Basketball, hockey games, a monthly night out with this guy, and weekly drinks with the guys, and then of course, he worked hard so he was entitled to go for a drink....I waited alot. We went out 1 in the last year we were together, 3 times the year before and only 4 times the year before. Everyone else came before me. He didn't even take me out during these three past years, to celebrate any of the 3 kids we had, the house that we bought together or even when we got engaged. (ALthough he was entitled to go out and celebrate with his buddies). So if you end up feeling like you're on an never-ending to-do list then yes it is.