28 Types Of People Folks Have Dated That Felt Like Walking Through A Red Flag Factory

When it comes to dating, everyone has their deal-breakers. But sometimes, it takes a truly disastrous relationship to realize which types of people are a hard "never again." A viral Reddit thread asked users to share the type of person they’ll never date again, and the responses range from hilarious to downright terrifying.

The interesting thing is that you can tell a lot about a potential partner right from the first date. In her article for Business Insider, Lindsay Dodgson lists several red flags to look out for on a first date that could suggest someone isn’t right for you—or could even be toxic.

According to Dodgson, things to look out for include them being late but not telling you, wanting to meet somewhere that makes you uncomfortable, being rude to the waiter, aggressively romantic gestures, a lack of respect for your boundaries, and any behavior suggesting control issues.

"People tend to present their best self initially so if any of these behaviors or traits manifest early on, it is important to pay attention," says relationship coach Susan Trotter. "It is likely that these issues won't change and in fact, will likely worsen and become toxic over time," adds Trotter.

In her article for Psychology Today, Theresa DiDonato writes that having a "type" suggests we sort through available potential partners, prioritizing some over others in a way that shows some consistency. It also suggests that the kinds of people who are willing to date us might be a group of people with shared characteristics. 

According to DiDonato, in some ways, a familiar-but-different person as a dating partner could foster a feeling of comfort and closeness. It might take less time to feel like you know the person. You also might already have ways of managing a certain personality pattern, having worked out the quirks in a previous relationship.

Some people don’t just swear off a type, they turn their backs on dating altogether. In his article for Forbes, Mark Travers writes that societal standards sometimes leave singles feeling like social pariahs, but the truth is that there are many people for whom singlehood is a conscious choice. It works better for them, just as marriage and parenting work better for others.

Research suggests the preference for singlehood is more common than we might think. According to some estimates, approximately half of adults find it difficult to be in long-term intimate relationships, so they spend considerable amounts of time being single. One study even shows that having a job is, in fact, more important to our life satisfaction than being in a relationship or married. Who knew?

Well, hopefully by now you have a better idea of the walking red flags you should try to skip the next time you venture out into the wild world of dating. Who knows? It might help you dodge a bullet and save yourself a world of hurt.

So, do you have a type you’ve sworn off dating ever again? Or one that even put you off dating for good? Have a look through the cases in this list, upvote your worst, and don’t forget to leave a comment if you can relate!