Let's Talk Red Flags (Page 6)

Amber Brooks

By: Amber Brooks

Editor: Lillian Castro

Updated:

“I love spotting red flags,” said no one ever. So we want to help you spot them early in dating or relationships. That way, you won’t waste your precious time on the wrong someone.

Whether you just started texting someone, are going on a first date, or are months into a relationship that just feels off, we have the tools to help you spot the warning signs or troubling behavior you may be missing.

To be frank, red flags can be sneaky little things and hard to detect, especially if you’re really digging someone. So let us be your barometer.

Read about common red flags, such as love bombing and gaslighting, so you can understand what they are and how they appear. In no time, you’ll learn to identify toxic patterns and red flags in real time, as well as how to take action with confidence. We did the research, so you can kick bad dates to the curb.

188 Results

What Our Experts Say:

151.
How to Know You Should Break Up With Him
Nick Slade

Nick Slade

In today’s culture of talk show therapy and self-help books, looking at our relationships through the filter of dysfunction has come to be the norm. Too often, women expect their men to be broken and try to change themselves to compensate for his shortcomings. Reality Check: There IS such a thing as a healthy relationship. A man should not be a "project." Sometimes you just have to throw the bum out and start...

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152.
Are You His Rebound Girl? 4 Ways to Know
Nick Slade

Nick Slade

When your dog ripped your beloved teddy bear to shreds, Mom got you a new one, nice and fresh and soft. So you hugged it. A little. You put it on your pillow at night. For a while. But you just didn’t love it. It wasn’t the real Mr. Snuggle Beans. When a man is on the rebound from a breakup, he still wants someone warm and cuddly next to him, but he may not be ready to accept another woman as anything but a...

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153.
Dr. Wendy Walsh

Dr. Wendy Walsh

First off, I’m not talking about basketballs or footballs here. Let’s get that straight. Some people may have wondered if the size of a dude’s balls has any relevance to anything other than, well, sexual performance. In fact, as far as I know, the size of the scrotum has little to do with sexual performance or even fertility. But ball size is a giant indicator for anthropologists about the sexual behaviors of a...

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154.
How to Maintain the Upper Hand in a Relationship
Nick Slade

Nick Slade

If a man is going to be king of his castle, he has to start out by wearing the pants in a dating relationship. If you want to spend your whole life dealing with your woman the same way Congress turns every minor issue into a death match, hate-fest or stalemate, then go into politics. But if you want a smooth, happy, fulfilling life for you and yours, then take control of your relationship by being a flexible,...

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155.
7 Red Flags That Warn You She’s No Good
Nick Slade

Nick Slade

Even nature’s most perfect creation — women — can take you to the depths of hell if you latch onto a bad one. Psycho women, gold diggers and opportunists are among the devil’s disciples that men need to look out for. Fortunately, they all have their "tells" and red flags, if we can see them through their mask of beauty, charm and earthly delights. 1. She hates women. Why would a woman hate and distrust other...

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156.
He Never Takes Me Anywhere. Do I Move On?
Dr. Wendy Walsh

Dr. Wendy Walsh

Reader Question: I have been dating this man for a year and a half and he never takes me anywhere. But he is always saying he loves me. I know for myself that if a man can't take you anywhere, he doesn’t care that much about you. So do I move on, or what do I do? -Erika H. (Illinois) Dr. Wendy Walsh's Answer: Erika, you are absolutely right. Love is an action word. And his actions speak louder than words....

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157.
Movie Love Quotes: Reliable or Misleading?
Kara Pound

Kara Pound

You know that scene in "Say Anything" when John Cusack stands outside of Ione Skye’s bedroom window, holding up a boombox and blaring Peter Gabriel’s "In Your Eyes"? Well, that brief clip from the classic 1989 romantic film single-handedly ruined love for millions of people. Well, it’s probably not fair to say it "ruined" love, but it gave a lot of people highly unreachable expectations of what love really is. The...

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158.
Why Hot Women Can Make Cold Girlfriends
Dr. Wendy Walsh

Dr. Wendy Walsh

Sometimes it seems like hot girls aren’t really cut out for long-term relationships. They may be easy on the eyes, but not so easy on the heart. Pretty girls often appear to come off as bitchy, emotionally cold and distant. It’s not necessarily a "hot girl complex" but usually a result of her upbringing. Some hot women really struggle with relationships, but they’re not always the ones to blame. Here’s why: 1. As...

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159.
4 Dating Red Flags
Kara Pound

Kara Pound

You’re on a date with this guy and he just seems a little off. You can’t tell if he’s socially awkward, on drugs or a combination of the two. It’s in your nature to give people the benefit of the doubt, so you push on ahead. But when is it time to start listening to your gut and paying attention to the red flags? Here are a few warning signs that need to be heeded — no matter how many second chances you think a...

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160.
Why Women Lie
Kara Pound

Kara Pound

Has your girlfriend or wife ever lied to you? What was it about? Was it something silly like her age or weight? Or did it bear more serious implications of a break of trust such as adultery or a spending habit? When a woman lies to you, she is not only being dishonest. She is also indicating that she doesn’t respect you enough to tell you the truth. Telling a "little white lie" is another story. People tell...

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161.
I Know He Has a Busy Job. Why Does He Never Contact Me?
Dr. Wendy Walsh

Dr. Wendy Walsh

Reader Question: My boyfriend and I have been together four years. When we were together, my best guy friend, who I have been in love with forever, tells me he loves me and wants to marry me. I agreed to end my relationship with my boyfriend for him, but things didn't work out as planned. After my boyfriend and I broke up, my best friend said he still wanted me to marry him. After that, I got a text that said...

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162.
How to Know Your Lesbian Girlfriend is Cheating
Kara Pound

Kara Pound

There’s this great, unattributed quote that goes, "Cheating is not an accident. Falling off a bike is an accident. You don’t just trip and fall into a vagina." In any relationship, having your girlfriend cheat on you is one of the scariest things to think about. It’s not just about her sharing intimacy with another woman. It’s about her breaking the bond of trust that you’ve spent your entire relationship...

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163.
Why Does My Date Excessively Text?
Nick Slade

Nick Slade

We all get addicted to our cell phones from time to time, and smart phones only compound the digital dilemma. There are dozens of innocent as well as nefarious reasons for texting overload, so it’s hard to speculate about the reason your boyfriend is infected with digital fever. In this modern 3G, 4G and Wi-Fi world, there is not only texting to consider, but also the host of social networks we have to keep up...

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164.
I Don’t Want to Break Up with Him. What Should I Do?
Dr. Wendy Walsh

Dr. Wendy Walsh

Reader Question: I'm 19 years old and I've been dating this guy for a year and a half. At first, we were totally in love with each other. With time, he started criticizing everything I do, he didn't want me to talk to my guy friends, and he pushed my away from my girlfriends, too. We don't meet as often, we don't have sex, and we kind of don't care about each other as we did before. I didn't want to break up with...

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165.
My Boyfriend Keeps Leaving Me. Is He Leaning Toward a Breakup?
Dr. Wendy Walsh

Dr. Wendy Walsh

Reader Question: My boyfriend is 21 and I am 19. We met through work and continue to work together. When we are together, our relationship is great. We were busy with work and our lives but made plans that we would hang out. He ran into a friend and left me hanging. I left him a message stating that I didn't appreciate him leaving midconversation. I don't like being the nagging the girlfriend, but this is not...

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166.
My Boyfriend Supports His Ex. Is it Wrong to Feel Like I’m Being Used?
Dr. Wendy Walsh

Dr. Wendy Walsh

Reader Question: My boyfriend still supports his ex financially and now he's constantly surfing porn. Is it wrong to feel like I'm just being used because he can't get what he really wants? -Julie S. Silverdale (Washington) Dr. Wendy Walsh's Answer: You’ve asked two separate questions here. As for him supporting his ex financially, I don’t know if there are children involved, a divorce decree, or if this is...

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167.
Why Do Women Stay in Abusive Relationships?
Dr. Wendy Walsh

Dr. Wendy Walsh

We’ve all known them. Women who put up with verbal abuse and sometimes even physical abuse. We wonder why they don’t respect themselves more. And with every new barb that we witness, we wonder why they don’t leave. Abusive relationships are very complicated, to say the least. Women often enter them because in some crazy way, they feel comfortable. For instance, some women interpret jealousy as "caring." If he is...

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168.
This Guy I Slept with is Sending Me Sexual Texts. What Should I Do?
Dr. Wendy Walsh

Dr. Wendy Walsh

Reader Question: I met this guy recently, we went on a date, and it went very well. We then decided to just take it to the next level that night. However, it was him who initiated it. After sex, he was still surprisingly engaged. The thing is that he has also been sending me very demeaning, sexual texts, and it’s very confusing and somewhat offensive. It’s like on the one hand, he's interested in me as a person....

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169.
10 Dating Safety Tips for Senior Women
Nick Slade

Nick Slade

You know a lot about the ways of the world, and you are fully able to take care of yourself. But safety always has to be your first concern when you are venturing back into the dating scene, where an atmosphere of implied trust can put a woman at her most vulnerable. A little common sense can help ensure that the good times will roll on and on. 1. Never let a stranger pick you up at home. If you’re going to date...

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170.
5 Reasons Your Friends Don’t Like Your Boyfriend
Kara Pound

Kara Pound

There is nothing worse than finding out your friends don’t like your boyfriend. Why? Well, chances are your friends know you better than anyone in the world. If they don’t like him, that’s a big, fat red flag — one you need to pay attention to. Let’s take a look at some of the reasons your friends might not like your new boyfriend and decide if the angst is justified or just petty. 1. He dresses like a...

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171.
Is Your Boyfriend a Financial Cheater?
Dr. Wendy Walsh

Dr. Wendy Walsh

We all know what a cheater is — a guy who steals your heart and betrays your trust through sexual infidelity. But fewer women know what a financial cheater is. And in these trying financial times with women rising in financial power, financial cheaters are running rampant. This is a guy who steals your wallet (by getting you to open it) and betrays your trust through financial infidelity. The obvious serial...

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172.
Am I Wasting My Time, or Should I Stick it Out and See What Happens?
Dr. Wendy Walsh

Dr. Wendy Walsh

Reader Question: I met this girl a month ago and we’ve been talking and going out as much as we can. The catch is that she still has a boyfriend. She has told me she doesn't want to be with him and he doesn’t treat her the right way. She has told me she wants to be with me. Currently, she lives at his house, and I currently live with my parents. If she leaves him, then she won't have anywhere to stay. I just...

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173.
My Parents Don’t Like Who I Date. How Do I Get Them to Like Him?
Kara Pound

Kara Pound

This really depends on if you care what your parents think. If you have a close relationship with mom and dad, respect them immensely and consider them friends as well as parents, then you should absolutely care what they think. If your parents are completely out of touch with reality and don’t like the new beau because of something superficial like tattoos, piercings or the fact that he’s not a doctor or lawyer,...

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174.
7 Excuses Men Use to Stay in a Relationship
Nick Slade

Nick Slade

There are a lot of things that hold a relationship together. Love and commitment are usually at the top of the list but not always. Men have a whole host of excuses for staying in a relationship with you — mostly lies and rationalizations they tell themselves but don’t share with you. As a result, a lot of dead-end relationships are never pronounced dead until they’ve been on life support for way too long. If your...

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175.
5 Signs Your Relationship is in Jeopardy
Kara Pound

Kara Pound

Everything seems to be going great and then “wham!” you get dumped. It came out of nowhere. Literally, you had no clue your relationship was on the rocks until that fateful dinner date where he left you sitting in the middle of the restaurant crying your eyes out. Instead of being “that girl,” wouldn’t you rather be familiar with the signs that your relationship is in jeopardy? Here are five to help you get...

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176.
What a Guy’s Pet Says About Him
Bethany Heinesh

Bethany Heinesh

When was the last time you remember reading an answer to this simple question on a dating site, “How do you feel about man’s best friend?” Believe it or not, a man’s relationship toward animals is very telling of his value system, his perception of the world and his own moral character. Almost everything you need to know about a guy is found in the answer to one question: How does he treat his pets and other...

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177.
3 Signs He is Cheating on You
Sam Stieler

Sam Stieler

No one wants to consider the possibility their man may be cheating on them, but at one point or another, with one partner or the next, every woman has experienced the creeping dread brought upon by suspected unfaithfulness. And, unfortunately, these suspicions are occasionally true. There are very few ways to know beyond all doubt whether your man has cheated, but the following cues provide grounds for pressing...

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178.
What is Wrong with Dating the Mom of Your Daughter’s Boyfriend?
Kara Pound

Kara Pound

Reader Question: What is wrong with a soon-to-be-divorced dad dating a divorced woman who happens to be his daughter’s boyfriend’s mom? -Donnie C. (Pennsylvania) Expert's Answer: Hello Donnie, I’m assuming you are the “soon-to-be-divorced dad”? Let’s say you are. There are a few huge red flags when it comes to dating your daughter’s boyfriend’s mom. Let’s start with the fact that you’re not even divorced...

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179.
5 Relationship Deal-Breakers
Kara Pound

Kara Pound

When it comes to relationships, what’s considered a deal-breaker depends on the individual. For some women, a man who smokes is an absolute deal-breaker. For others, a man with a lack of religious belief will send them running in the opposite direction. A deal-breaker depends on morals, ethics and individual personality. Men, listen up and take a look at the top five common relationship deal-breakers. 1....

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180.
How to Know You’re a Rebound
Bethany Heinesh

Bethany Heinesh

At first glance, a rebound relationship is an alluring alternative to heartbreak. Blinded by the pain of rejection, women around the world are guilty of latching onto the first male passer-by in a feeble attempt to validate her self-worth. Albeit unconscious, a wounded woman will seek a rebound relationship for the sole purpose of appeasing her own discomfort. Trust me when I say women become willing to take...

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Amber Brooks

By: Amber Brooks

Editor-in-Chief

Amber Brooks is the Editor-in-Chief at DatingAdvice.com. When she was growing up, her family teased her for being "boy crazy," but she preferred to think of herself as a budding dating and relationship expert. As an English major at the University of Florida, Amber honed her communication skills to write clearly, knowledgeably, and passionately about a variety of subjects. Now with over 1,800 lifestyle articles to her name, Amber brings her tireless wit and relatable experiences to DatingAdvice.com. She has been quoted by the Washington Times, Cosmopolitan, The New York Post, and AskMen, among others.

See Amber's full bio »

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