)
)
Dear Pulse,
I’m a 36-year-old man, married for five years to the love of my life, but something has been tormenting me for the past six months. I don’t know who else to talk to, so I’m writing to you anonymously with a heart full of regret and fear.
When I lost my job in 2023, things got very tough for my family. My wife supported me emotionally and even started selling clothes online to help with rent and food. I was desperate to provide and hated seeing her struggle. A friend I trust introduced me to a “spiritual helper” who promised to open doors for me financially. He said it wasn’t blood money—just a cleansing ritual that would align my destiny.
I went ahead with it. He gave me a list of items to bring: white cloth, honey, a photograph of someone I love deeply, and a pair of their slippers. I didn’t think much of it. I submitted my wife’s photo and one of her old slippers because she’s the one I love most. I genuinely thought it was a harmless process.
)
)
)
ALSO READ: Ask Pulse: 'I am getting attracted to my grandfather and I don't know what to do'
A month later, my business started booming. I began importing goods from China, and customers were buying in bulk. Money flowed, but something else started happening—my wife changed. Her health deteriorated. She lost weight rapidly, developed migraines, and fell into a deep depression. Doctors can't find anything wrong with her. I’ve spent so much money on tests and herbal remedies, but nothing is working.
Then it hit me. I remembered what that spiritualist said: “Be careful whose energy you tie to your wealth. The closer they are, the deeper the bond, the stronger the exchange.” I’ve been living with guilt ever since. I didn’t set out to harm her, but I feel like I traded her peace for my success.
READ ALSO: Ask Pulse: I slept with my pastor, now he wants to leave his wife for me -What do I do
I haven’t told her. How do you tell your wife that the man she prayed for, supported, and suffered with might be the reason her health is declining? Every day I watch her fade, and it’s killing me inside. I’m afraid if I go back to that spiritualist, things might get worse—or he might ask for more.
I’m torn. Do I confess? Do I try to reverse the ritual? Or is this just guilt playing with my mind? Pulse, please help me. I feel like I’m losing my mind—and my wife.
-Stephen
Dear Stephen,
Dear Stephen,
What you're dealing with is serious—and understandably tormenting. Whether or not the ritual caused your wife’s condition, the guilt you carry is real, and so are her symptoms. The first thing you must do is cut ties with the spiritualist. That door must remain shut. Next, it’s important to seek both medical and spiritual help—not from dubious sources, but from professionals you can trust.
ALSO READ: Ask Pulse: His sexual fetish will be the end of this relationship
You need to create a safe path toward healing for your wife, and also for yourself. As for confessing, consider doing so only if you’re truly ready to accept the fallout. She deserves the truth, but timing and approach matter. A therapist or counsellor can help guide that conversation. You didn’t mean harm, but intention doesn’t erase consequence. What you do next can either redeem the situation or deepen the damage. Be brave, take responsibility, and start doing the right thing—one step at a time.
-Pulse