With the convergence of factors like online dating, social media, COVID, and hookup culture, dating in the 2020s has become an extreme sport. While the search for love in today’s modern world can be discouraging, we can all find solace knowing that at the very least, the dating game can result in some pretty epic horror stories to be told around the brunch table – or on TikTok.
We Salute the Brave Souls Sharing Their Dating Horror Stories
TikTok is a hotbed of dating stories that run the gamut from hilarious to cringeworthy to just plain horrifying. The phrase “do it for the plot” has taken on new meaning in the age of social media, and we salute these brave souls for being open and honest enough to share their dating stories online for all the world to see.
Must-Watch Dating Horror Stories on TikTok
Without further ado, here are five dating horror stories on TikTok that will make you laugh, cry, or both simultaneously:
1. A Strange Excuse
Having a date bail on your plans together is never a good feeling. But for the friend of this TikTok user Bren, who goes by the username @its.me.brenn, the situation was compounded by the ominous excuse her date came up with: “I found someone.” As Bren points out in her video, the meaning of this message is unclear. Has he found a romantic love interest? A dead body? We’ll never know.
2. An Extreme Ghost Story
If you’ve ever been ghosted, you’ll know how terrible it can feel, but this TikTok dating horror story shared by @KathrynVerb should make you feel better about your situation because it can’t get much worse than this. Kathryn had been dating a man for two years before he disappeared without a trace as soon as the pandemic hit. After speaking to the police, Kathryn discovered that the man she had been dating never actually existed, and that he had constructed a fake identity.
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3. An Uninvited Guest
In a monogamous relationship, cheating is just about the worst offence you can commit against your partner. It’s one thing to find out your partner has been cheating behind your back, but for TikTok user @GiulsandGemma, it happened right under her nose — in the same bed where she was already sleeping.
4. A Secret Admirer
The dating game is full of highs and lows, and sometimes, you can experience both extremes in one night, as TikTok user @TheReallyRealSavannah discovered. While out for dinner with her friend, the server informed them that the bill for Savannah had already been covered by a mysterious admirer. After running through the options of who this secret admirer could be, Savannah realized the admirer wasn’t admiring her at all — the bill had been covered by her friend’s boyfriend. The reservation just happened to be under Savannah’s name, which is why the server used Savannah’s name.
5. A Strongly Worded Voicemail (or Six)
When going on a first date with someone new, you never know what kind of absurdity you’re going to come across. In this dating horror story, TikTok user Mason, who goes by the username @MasonOnTheMic, was baffled by her date’s behavior after he stood her up and lied about his father being in the hospital to save face. He then promptly turned the tables on Mason, leaving several angry voicemails to lambaste her for not responding to his messages — and this is all before the pair had even met in person. The gaslighting is real.
Lead image by oatawa/Adobe Stock.
