There are so many horror dating stories that many men and women might have given up on dating altogether. In fact, according to a 2025 YouGov poll, 69% of Americans say they rarely or never go on dates anymore. However, that doesn’t mean that they don’t want to — only 30% claim they have no desire to.
Bad date experiences may be the biggest contributor to avoiding dating, but hearing horror stories from friends and acquaintances might even be a better deterrant. Bored Panda came across several online threads where people were sharing particularly terrible things their partners did — some of them so bad that they earned the title of “a psychopath.” If you want to see what real red flags in relationships look like, look no further and scroll away.
#41
When she openly cheated on me with my best friend, maxed out all her credit cards and tried to get me to max out mine and went off when I refused.
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10points
#42
First sign was when he put his arm around my neck and closed off my air supply in his sleep. Second was when I found an iPhone hidden recording everything I did. And how he seemed to know everything I did or who I spoke to or where I went. After we broke up I found my fender pulled up where I think he had a tracker hidden.
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10points
#43
When he’d punch himself in the face so many times and cry everytime he did something hurtful then yell at me with blacked out eyes the next second 😭😭.
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10points
#44
When she hid my keys and shoes when I was packing a bag to leave her, after she put hands on me. Tried to convince me that I hid the keys, and was telling me to hit her back every time she hit me. Blocking doorways with her body. I couldn't move her without hurting her, so I didn't. She was smiling the whole time. Was able to eventually get away from her long enough to call the cops.
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10points
#45
While driving her sister and me to their family home for Thanksgiving, she became convinced that a random truck in front of us was intimidating her. In an attempt to "teach them a lesson," she sped up and repeatedly cut in front of the truck, brake-checking them on an open highway. Throughout this, her sister and I pleaded with her to calm down.
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10points
#46
When he waved around the hunting knife he apparently kept on his side of the bed and made a point to tell me how sharp it was and pointed out that he locked the bedroom door every night, which I previously didn’t realize somehow.
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10points
#47
When he took our 4 month old for a drive so I could take a nap and when he texted me asking if I want to go to dinner I said no I’d rather not because he had taken zero accountability for slamming things and yelling the night before (about cleaning his own mess)
He decided then, via text, that he would not be coming home with our baby but moving back to his parents house that day. When I begged him to come home he told me I needed to stop freaking out, I could see her the day after tomorrow and “look, this is going to be a 50/50 deal whether you like it or not”.
He went to court the next day and filed a split custody position and then informed me I could not see her until I signed a legal agreement. The court date was 5 weeks away. She was still nursing every 2-3 hours. He said “she does fine with formula”. When I continued to beg him to bring her home he said I’m going to keep contact to a minimum unless there’s something you need to know before our court date. Then radio silence.
Anyway I filed an emergency petition and got her back two days later. When we tried to reconcile, I brought all of this up. I wanted to work through it and move forward. He got so angry his face was red, and told me he stood by what he did, that it was best for our baby, and he wouldn’t apologize. I showed him deep scratch marks on my wrist from when he told me via text I couldn’t see my baby for 5 weeks (I was hysterical). He simply said “you can’t put that on me.”
He did all kinds of other fun things but that’s probably the worst. Right up there with yelling at me to get my life together 9 days postpartum because I raised my voice.
He decided then, via text, that he would not be coming home with our baby but moving back to his parents house that day. When I begged him to come home he told me I needed to stop freaking out, I could see her the day after tomorrow and “look, this is going to be a 50/50 deal whether you like it or not”.
He went to court the next day and filed a split custody position and then informed me I could not see her until I signed a legal agreement. The court date was 5 weeks away. She was still nursing every 2-3 hours. He said “she does fine with formula”. When I continued to beg him to bring her home he said I’m going to keep contact to a minimum unless there’s something you need to know before our court date. Then radio silence.
Anyway I filed an emergency petition and got her back two days later. When we tried to reconcile, I brought all of this up. I wanted to work through it and move forward. He got so angry his face was red, and told me he stood by what he did, that it was best for our baby, and he wouldn’t apologize. I showed him deep scratch marks on my wrist from when he told me via text I couldn’t see my baby for 5 weeks (I was hysterical). He simply said “you can’t put that on me.”
He did all kinds of other fun things but that’s probably the worst. Right up there with yelling at me to get my life together 9 days postpartum because I raised my voice.
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10points
#48

We are sitting at a restaurant. She ordered the chicken cordon blue, and a side of fries. She barely has taken a couple bites and she slams a fry down on the plate. She pushes the whole thing away and states: "That's Not Ketchup. That's Catsup." Then proceeds to walk out the door.
9points
#49
It really wasn't obvious. My first long term boyfriend after all and I was younger than I am today.
Started with just weird little quirks. Once he got into doing something I'd be ignored even if he had asked me around. Not psycho but weird.
Then when I had plans he'd guilt me into cancelling them and doing something with him.
Loads of isolating stuff like that, to the point that I was almost always with him and he'd be monitoring what I was doing otherwise, looking through my phone etc. My friend once kissed me on the cheek in front of him to take the mick and he laughed at the time, only to shout at me later. Different faces for different people.
But it built up so I didn't really see the point when he went from attentive boyfriend to my sole keeper.
Luckily for me, one day he just seemed to lose interest. Like a switch had been flicked. Hurt at the time to be suddenly dumped without reason but I'm glad for it in retrospect.
Idk if it's related but about half a year ago he was diagnosed as schizophrenic. Not sure of the specifics but he's on the spectrum there.
Started with just weird little quirks. Once he got into doing something I'd be ignored even if he had asked me around. Not psycho but weird.
Then when I had plans he'd guilt me into cancelling them and doing something with him.
Loads of isolating stuff like that, to the point that I was almost always with him and he'd be monitoring what I was doing otherwise, looking through my phone etc. My friend once kissed me on the cheek in front of him to take the mick and he laughed at the time, only to shout at me later. Different faces for different people.
But it built up so I didn't really see the point when he went from attentive boyfriend to my sole keeper.
Luckily for me, one day he just seemed to lose interest. Like a switch had been flicked. Hurt at the time to be suddenly dumped without reason but I'm glad for it in retrospect.
Idk if it's related but about half a year ago he was diagnosed as schizophrenic. Not sure of the specifics but he's on the spectrum there.
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9points
#50
We had a lovely beach date where I was laughing and he took photos of me. He suggested we go to Costco and I said sure!
I bought hotdogs for us. We went back to my house. He wouldn't stay over because he had a very jealous mother. (That's another story.)
The next day he flips out and tells me that he *didn't* have any fun. He said I was supposed to notice. But he was smiling?!
And then he yelled because I bought him a hotdog, and he wanted a real dinner.
I bought hotdogs for us. We went back to my house. He wouldn't stay over because he had a very jealous mother. (That's another story.)
The next day he flips out and tells me that he *didn't* have any fun. He said I was supposed to notice. But he was smiling?!
And then he yelled because I bought him a hotdog, and he wanted a real dinner.
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9points
#51
We had an argument via email about me supposedly constantly cheating on her. Little did i know whenever i sent her a humorous email from work, she would keep all email addresses in the email chain. She responded by forwarding our argument to the entire list she had gathered, half the company. I get phone calls from corporate interstate asking wth, managed to save my job by saying i didnt know she went through my home computer where i legitimately forwarded the emails to to get all the addresses. Her excuse was "I was just protecting my interests"... this is the same girl that plainly said she would have no hesitation sleeping with a man if she wanted to if he was married.
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9points
#52
He made a Facebook post saying he was thinking about breaking up with me, so I broke up with him. Then the idiot burned himself at a bonfire and when I went to visit him after he got out of the hospital he was being a jerk... Because I broke up with him 🙃.
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9points
#53
We broke up - I was upset. his only comment was “how come you can’t be happy for me?! I’m getting everything I ever wanted!”
Everything he ever wanted was to sleep with anyone and everything that wasn’t me apparently.
Everything he ever wanted was to sleep with anyone and everything that wasn’t me apparently.
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8points
#54
I was screaming in pain from a sudden injury and they got annoyed that I was blocking their path.
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8points
#55
The smile she would have on her face when I would be enduring any sort of misfortune.
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7points
#57
She was never violent but she told me once that she saw people, especially people she has dated, as puppets to play with. I’ve never heard someone say that openly on anything other than like…tv lol.
She also really seemed to struggle with empathy generally and would try and pretend it was universal.
She also really seemed to struggle with empathy generally and would try and pretend it was universal.
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7points
#58
I said I was leaving when I found out he was lying about not being in contact with his ex for “years” (it was hours), and he snatched my keys and threw them over 60ft and got them stuck in a tree so I couldn’t drive home. I didn’t leave then unfortunately and things progressed to strangulation, etc.
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6points
#59
She very seriously said "It's not my problem if I get pregnant, I just go out and get pregnant, it's the guy's fault".
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5points
#60
Went out, got hone to her knowing how much I spent as she was checking my bank account online.
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2points

