People are complete just by themselves, so we shouldn’t think that we have to be with someone to be happy or fulfilled. It is especially important to keep in mind when the relationship isn’t making you happy or you feel like it’s always bringing you down instead of lifting you up.
The signs of a relationship ending with no way of making it better will be different for every couple, so it’s best to trust your instinct. Regardless, humans are curious, so Redditor Nonchalant_Calypso asked, “What was the moment you knew your relationship was over?” and people opened up about their heartbreaks.
More info: Reddit
#1
When you feel alone and they’re right next to you.

Image source: AuryLamby, Nathalie
#2
She poisoned my cat Mr Noodle
RIP
Thanks everybody for the support, and if you’re asking: yeah I got the police involved

Image source: GrumpaSpaceGoat, pxhere
#3
The day my mom passed away (the coroner hadn’t even come for her body yet) with zero consideration on how I felt and what I was going through my ex-fiancé thought it was great idea and a good time to tell me he has been cheating on me for the last 6 years, and how sorry he was for it.
He wasn’t sorry he did it, but he sorry because the other woman had lied to him about who she really was and he wanted me to comfort him because he felt betrayed by her….
When I promptly broke up with him, he asked “wait is this really goodbye?” how could you do this to me now?

Image source: OpenRepair4390, Shannon
#4
I was at my best friend’s wedding. When he saw his bride walking down the aisle, he had a grin so big it looked like it could have exploded right off of his face. He was so happy to be marrying this person. And when I thought about my, now-ex, gf I realized that I just didn’t feel that way about her.
I will say, when I married my wife, I was grinning like an idiot.

Image source: kitskill, Elliot Harmon
#5
When I was going through a miscarriage and he couldn’t take me to the ER because he was in fantasy leagues and football was on.

Image source: amadileirbeer, Dennis Jarvis
#6
Married for 21 years. The last ten were devoid of any love, warmth, or caring. I (M53) did not want to get divorced and figured this was just the way the rest of my life would be.
We were taking our third shot at marriage counseling and after a few months, my wife says she has to quit counseling because she wants to attend a meditation class at the same time. She had something better to do than work on our marriage.
That’s when it hit me that she didn’t GAF at all about our marriage and I decided that I did not want that to be the rest of my life.
We’re currently 2 1/2 years into divorce. It’s painful and expensive. But personally I’ve never been happier. I am leading my best life. So so glad I decided to move on.

Image source: FroggyB, Amy Truter
#7
When after 7 years, a particularly cold conversation, and with tears in my eyes I said, “I just want you to love me” and she said
“Well I dont, and dont you feel pathetic for having to ask?”
Edit: This was 5 years ago now and I am doing so much better. The best love is self love.

Image source: FunMath2, Cristian Ungureanu
#8
My ex & I were not living together, but he had the key to my place. I told him that I was gonna go see my parents for the weekend, but then changed my mind last minute because I started feeling sick. I forgot to tell him & just went home after work & went to bed. I woke up around 10pm to get a glass of water & while I was in the kitchen I heard someone fumbling at the door with the lock. I freaked out because I lived on the 17th floor, so if it was a break in, I was f****d. All of a sudden he walks in….. dragging a tipsy girl in behind him.
I just stood there while he tried to make up some sort of excuse as to WHY he was there. The girl was pretty shocked too.

Image source: UrszulaG, Brent Johnston
#9
When you dread her name coming up on caller ID because you knew it was an argument about nothing. Don’t settle for an angry life.

Image source: sexychocolatethunder, Susanne Nilsson
#10
3 weeks before we broke up she described the kind of guy she would date if we broke up. She described her coworker and I honestly thought they had hooked up by this point. To my delight, he was a good noodle and never wanted to be more than work friends with her. When he found out she left me to be with him he reached out and told me he was sorry for everything even though it wasn’t his fault. I told him I’m not holding anything against him, but thanked him for being a good person

Image source: JuanTheNumber, PEO ACWA
#11
She had picked on me for months. Constantly criticizing everything. I couldn’t do anything right. I tried. I kissed her a*s and apologized for every single perceived wrongdoing.
After months one day I told her, calmly, you’re mean to me.
She blew up. Veins came out and she did that weird growl/yelling thing and told me she’d cut my throat and burn down my house.
I left with my kids to my parents house. Came back the next day she was gone. Haven’t seen her since. And strangely, my anxiety is all but gone

Image source: suburbanoutrage, laurawashere95
#12
The moment he “accidentally” sent me a text that was supposedly meant for someone else, making plans to hook up at his house. My only response to that was “OK, be safe”.
I added quotes because I suspected that he did this on purpose to try and get me to break up with him, expecting some sort of angry response from me. He didn’t get that, although I did get an earful from him a couple weeks down the line about how he “never found me attractive physically or romantically”. To which I responded, “OK” and never talked to him again.
To this day, I will never understand why some people choose to play games rather than just be upfront. No matter, I’m now happily married to an amazing person!

Image source: CraigFL, Jason Weaver
#13
She told me that I had a choice. Either I completely cut ties with ALL of my family and ALL of my friends. Or I cut ties with her. That was when I decided that her psycho had crossed a line that I wouldn’t break. Very glad I dodged a bullet, very sad I lost close to 4 years of my life before I realized she was psycho.

Image source: imunclebubba, Wyatt Fisher
#14
You can see it in their eyes when they don’t love you anymore.
I’ll never forget that feeling.

Image source: escape_of_da_keets, Renam Lima
#15
When she came up on caller id and my first thought was “Ugh.”.

Image source: LiterallyOuttoLunch, miniyo73
#16
When she said “ you don’t look like you are going anywhere with your life “
I was 18 in the middle of college where the hell was I suppose to be at that point

Image source: Vamip89, Wyatt Fisher
#17
When I had fertility tests done after 2 years of trying to fall pregnant.
He left me the same day I found out I was infertile.

Image source: LuckyCaticorn, Daniel Lobo
#18
I was going through a cancer scare. She didn’t come with me to any appointments because she didn’t want to miss class. She was my best friend and the only person in the city who I told about what was happening. She, however, told several of her friends and classmates and let the news spread through our program (I think she liked the second-hand sympathy). She minimized everything, told me I was overreacting when I went to her for support, and told me I’d feel better if I just stopped touching the mass. When it came time to decide what to do when our lease ended, I chose to move home to be with my family. We broke it off, she moved out, and two days later I was diagnosed with cancer.
I know it sounds bad, but I’m better for having gone through it. I’ll always hold that cancer was one of the best things to happen to me.

Image source: jakelth, GastroyPolitica By FB
#19
When he proposed to me in front of a crowd of over 3,000 people, at a job we BOTH worked at, just two weeks after we had gotten into one of the worst fights we had ever had. What was the topic of the fight? He had joked about proposing and I told him I didn’t feel ready to be married.
The relationship lasted for about 6 months after that, but the ring never felt like anything more than a shackle.

Image source: Kenrenkins, Michelangelo Carrieri
#20
Found nude pictures of her and some other dude on the family camera and they were taken on our couch in our living room in our house.

Image source: ChyCheck, Roban Kramer
#21
He had a can of drink, asked if anyone wanted any (we were in a group)..I said yes please so he poured it in the bin.
Sounds minor, but this was the last thing after alot of s**t.

Image source: Limp2myLoom, Nenad Stojkovic
#22
I would always be the one to initiate talking and taking part in activities together. I realized I was the only one putting effort in.

Image source: ilovemydogpeanut, amir appel
#23
When I realized I dreaded Fridays, our standard date night, and saw it as something I needed to get past before I could start enjoying the weekend.

Image source: Always_Trying01, Kate Ter Haar
#24
We used to get in some real bad arguments. These arguments would often end in her hitting me. Once in a while, she’d really go to town on me. I can take a hit, but she could throw a punch. Girl had a hell of right hook. Years of that, off and on.
Anyway, one evening, one such argument turns into her just wailing on me. And I finally snapped. I pushed her up against the wall and was ready to hit her back. Just for a moment.
I didn’t. I walked away. The fight didn’t end there, and the relationship didn’t end that night. But I walked away for good not long after.

Image source: N_Who, My United States of Whatever
#25
When her Dad, who i had just met, told her to stop being a b***h or she would lose me. (looking back at it, she was being a total b***h, but it was her dad saying it that opened my eyes.) We broke up after her parents left.

Image source: Trogdoryn, Quinn Dombrowski
#26
I got into a car accident and called him and he didn’t care

Image source: Jello_Such, Morgan
#27
He stopped talking to me 3 days into a 3 week holiday, I made the best of it, once home the silent treatment continued for another 3 weeks. He rolls over in bed one morning and starts talking like nothing happened. I should have ended it long before, but THAT was the moment I knew it was over.

Image source: everybody-meow-now, Gareth Williams
#28
I hadn’t slept in our bed for 18 months and asked “Don’t you even miss me in here?”
“No”
Edit: I offered to sleep in the guest room due to my snoring (weight gain, stress of working several jobs, and general stress of life/marriage). We never slept in the same bed again.
I now know after therapy I was immensely depressed and am much better at taking care of myself both physically and mentally.
While the marriage didn’t recover, we have 2 amazing kids and my headspace is much more free.

Image source: Ok-Juggernaut-5920, Presidio of Monterey
#29
When we were arguing for the umpteenth time and I lost the will to continue. I usually begged her to stay but I just told her to go

Image source: PM_ME_SOME_LUV, Don DeBold
#30
When I saw how she completely changed when her boss was around. She became much more pleasant, flirty, and amenable. That’s when I realized the only reason she was dating me was in hopes it would make her boss jealous enough to leave his wife for her.

Image source: anon, Bart Everson
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