What's been your worst breakup? I've had some real heartbreakers over the years, but for me the most painful breakup stories by far are ones I've had with friends. I had two close friends — one who had been my bestie for nearly 20 years. They were friendly acquaintances, but then something happened: They planned my birthday party together and that was the beginning of the end. They started getting closer and one of the ways they would bond was to vent about me, telling each other things I had no idea they were upset about. Finally they decided to cut me off without warning, with just a cruel email saying the friendship was over. To say I was blindsided and heartbroken is an epic understatement. I had never felt so betrayed. It rocked my world and took me a really long time to recover from. But, in the end, it all worked out. I have a new bestie who is my absolute friendship soulmate now, and I have that breakup to thank for it.
The point is, breakups, whether they are with a friend or a lover, are seriously rough stuff. The one consolation is, no matter how bad yours was, someone has probably had it worse. Don't believe me? Then check out these stories from Reddit where folks shared their worst breakup stories. I'm telling you right now, you're going to need a box of tissues to get through these. Consider yourself warned!
Email that said, "Welcome to Dumpsville. Population: you." Funny on the Simpsons, less funny in real life.
I was dating a fellow for about 4 months, and we were doing pretty well (I thought). The last week he talked to me a bit less and seemed kind of strange. We were both invited to a mutual friend's party, so I figured I'd ask him what was up there. I arrived first and he came a bit later-- and introduced everyone to his new girlfriend. He ignored that I was there, but I didn't want to cause a scene at my friend's house, so I waited until the next day, bitched him out, and his response was, "Yeah.. that wasn't how I planned for that to go down." Yeah, thanks, dude.
— MzFoley
Directly after sex. While still naked beside him.
My ex dumped me the day before finals week. (we were both pre-meds) I found out later through mutual friends he was using me for sex and help on lab reports. He definitely had some insecurity issues with me because he was used to being the "smarter" one in relationships, but I can't get over the fact that he tried to sabotage me by dumping me the day before finals. I did nothing to deserve that. Jokes on him, it was a straight A semester for me.
Just abandoned. Without any words. Without any explanation. No warning. No answers. One day I'm excitedly planning a future with my husband. The next day he's just gone. Cut all contact. In my opinion, it doesn't get much worse than that.
— Catona
We had been dating for two and half years. I bought a plane ticket to Seattle for him (we lived in NY), so he could go visit his family because he hadn't seen them in a while. When he left, a week later he said he was going to stay another 2 weeks because his grandma wasn't doing well. Two weeks turned into a phone call while I was at work (taking care of a special needs girl), saying he knocked a chick up and is not coming back.
GF was studying abroad. Went to visit her after several months saving to be able to buy a planeticket. Arrived and she almost immediately told me that she has someone else. Ticket of course was non-refundable (cheapest) so I had to spend 5 days completely heartbroken in a city I didn't know filled with people whose language I didn't speak and without the means to go home. F***ing worst week of my life.
— Finniemc
My boyfriend went to see his family a state away, before he left i noticed I was very nauseous all the time and my boobs were sore. He was nervous when he left and said he'd be back soon and keep him updated. Started getting bad cramping and bad bleeding, thought it was just my period, but then the bleeding stopped after one day. Went to doctor for tests to make sure all is good down below. Turned out I was pregnant and partially miscarried,also had first stage signs of cervical cancer due to HPV he had given me that they would have to laser off. Kept him informed of what was going on. He freaked out and never returned and admitted he had been cheating on me with a girl in his hometown.
Had a baby with a girl (my fiance) in July but placed her for adoption at birth. Left for Afghanistan in August and received a Dear John email...yeah, email...telling me that she'd be hooking up with my best friend. I nearly killed myself over it and cried myself to sleep every night, mopping up the tears with our daughters hospital blanket
I met my absolute soul mate of a girlfriend Peyton and fell madly in love with her. We would see each other every day and spend hours via Skype and the phone just talking, never running out of topics. This went on for about 8 months until one cold day in January. I was getting ready for a normal day of college and I received a call from her mother that Peyton was involved in a serious car crash and was being airlifted to the hospital. I lived an hour away and that day made it in 38 minutes to find my best friend and love sitting in a upper cast. She suffered brain bleeding, broken collar bone, 3 ribs, entire right arm, wrist, hand, shoulder, and a punctured lung. But without a beat, she smiled when I came in with her favorite flowers and candy. The problem? Most of her memory was gone of our interactions and didn't know who I was. I have tried for the past two years to get her back and it's not really working. Some memories she remembers but not much overall. She was taken from me and that to me has been the biggest heartbreak in my life. If you're reading this Peyton, I will always love you.
I casually dated this guy for literally no more than a month or two before he found someone who wanted to be more serious with him. I didn't want anything serious so I wasn't upset or anything. We parted ways amicably. However, the very next day I could barely keep myself together. I don't know what happened but I felt like my entire world was crashing down. I missed him so much and I would cry for hours every day. I'd wake up crying, I'd go to bed crying. At work I would stare out the window, hoping he'd come by. This went on for 4 months. I finally reached out to him and told him how I felt. He felt the same way! We married 3 months later and are celebrating 3 years of marriage in August.
I think we all needed a happy ending after all that heartbreak, to remind us love is not completely dead. But wow, can it be brutal.
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