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“A Very Quick Shortcut To Personal Hell”: 57 Sobering Stories Of Ruined Lives Everyone Can Learn From
Interview With Expert
Every day, we make choices. Some are tiny — like hopping on the bus instead of driving. Some are “meh,” like putting off that mountain of office work until tomorrow. But then, there are the decisions that are catastrophic in ways you couldn’t even imagine.
Speaking of which, someone online asked, “What’s the fastest way you’ve seen someone ruin their life?” The responses poured in — ranging from shocking missteps to epic bad calls that left people reeling. Sometimes it only takes one single decision to turn your life upside down, and reading these stories? Let’s just say you’ll be simultaneously horrified, laughing, and clutching your coffee.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Boban Jankovic who got frustrated at a foul in a basketball game, slammed his head into the pole, broke his neck, never walked again. You can find the video online if you want to see, but that.... was really fast.
Upstaged75 1 hour ago
I've seen the video. It's very weird. Doesn't even look like he hit that hard, but he just falls face down right afterwards.
RELATED:
#2
A friend of mine played college football and broke his leg, they gave him pain meds for it and he never quit taking the pills (started buying them off the street) dropped out of college lost about 120 pounds. Don’t know where he is now.
#3
A friend/coworker became obsessed with World of Warcraft and gradually lost interest in anything else.
She was the executive assistant to the CFO of a major broadcasting company and she stopped showering and she wore her pajamas under her work clothes on the days she managed to show up. She was fired, lost her apartment, became completely isolated, moved into her parents’ basement, and gained almost 100 pounds.
Luckily, she was able to turn her life around, but it took years. Years.
While these stories highlight the mistakes people make that ruin their lives, some stories show the power of a single choice to transform everything. This is the story of a person whose one bold decision changed his life completely. Not only did it allow him to follow his passion, but it also helped him uplift his family’s fortunes. Sometimes, all it takes is courage, persistence, and belief in yourself to turn a dream into reality.
We spoke with Akshay Samjiska, a choreographer from Mumbai, India. With nearly 250,000 followers on Instagram, you might think he’s “just” a popular dancer. But hearing his story reveals a journey filled with grit, tears, and dedication. He has literally poured his blood, sweat, and soul into his art. Behind every post, every video, and every performance lies years of struggle, practice, and determination. His story isn’t just about dancing; it’s about resilience and never giving up.
#4
A woman I know had an affair with her teenage daughter’s boyfriend. She lost absolutely everything; her husband, daughter, career, and freedom. All for some 15 year old kid.
#5
Came out to the friend group as a white supremacist. Because it came up when he was explaining why he lost his job.
Last time I saw him he still doesn't have any friends and is unemployed, living with his white supremacist parents. He's in his mid 40s. His parents are retired. I have no idea what his plan is for when they pass, but they rent, and have no assets.
Akshay recalls, “I was just three when I first saw an actor dancing on television, and I was instantly hooked. I started moving to the tune without even realizing it.” His father would often say that he lit up whenever he saw people dancing. From that moment, Akshay felt a connection with rhythm and movement, something that would guide him for the rest of his life. Even as a toddler, the joy of dance was clear — it wasn’t just a hobby; it was who he was.
#7
This one time at a Coldplay concert….
#8
Had a high school buddy who I introduced to motorcycles. I’d been riding since I was about 5 and absolutely love it! Helmets were always a very big thing in my motorcycle home. He was always made to wear one when riding at our house. He bought his first one a year out of high school. Back in the day, (no idea now) OK didn’t require helmets to ride. He decided he was far to cool for a helmet. Second week he had it someone pulled out in front of him and he hit the back of their car. It was a residential neighborhood and police confirmed the accident happened at about 15mph. His only injury was hitting his head on the handlebars and doctors released him with a goose egg. Several of us were there when he was released. Within 24 hours he was in a coma. Then his brain shut down. His parents pulled the plug 6 months later… Helmets people! Helmets!!!
Upstaged75 1 hour ago
As a horseback rider I'd have been dead several times over if I didn't always wear a helmet. Like the time my horse fell and ended up landing on top of me/stepping on my head. Not wearing one on a motorcycle is one of the dumbest things you could possibly do! Just riding a motorcycle is incredibly dangerous - why would you want to tempt fate by not protecting your head???
#9
Drunk driving with a car full of people. One person passed away when they crashed. Life for him instantly changed. Don’t drink and drive and if you do, don't have passengers.
Upstaged75 1 hour ago (edited)
That happened to some of my classmates right before we graduated from high school. The driver ended up k!llingg his girlfriend and badly injuring the other 2 people in the car. He walked away fine - physically at least.
“Growing up, I was never the best at studies or sports,” Akshay shares. “But dancing was something I loved with all my heart. At school, dance was an optional class, and mostly girls joined. The boys went to play football or cricket, what they called ‘manly’ activities.” Even though dance was considered unconventional for boys in his environment, Akshay felt a pull toward it that he couldn’t ignore. It became his safe space and his way to express himself.
#10
In the 80's while in college I got called for Jury Duty, and was sitting by an acquaintance until they called for the potential jurors to move to the back and found out that he was the defendant (opps). Dude had always been a good citizen UNTIL he acted on "homosexual impulses"(from the local papers), became afraid he was exposed to HIV and in his panic used a gun to rob a Pizza Hut to get money to pay potential medical bills if he got AIDS. He did not wear a mask and until that happened he had in fact WORKED at that particular Pizza Hut.
The sad news is that at the time there was so much stigma and fear and no where to get help.
#11
I work at an inpatient psychiatric hospital. Fastest way to ruin your life is definitely untreated mania.
#12
One of my brother's coworkers got their 16 year old sister pregnant.
Choosing dance wasn’t easy. When Akshay told his parents, they were confused, unsure if something was wrong with him. Teachers were skeptical, and classmates teased him mercilessly, asking, “Will you dance like a girl now?” It would have been easy to give up. But for Akshay, these doubts and taunts were not barriers; they were challenges to overcome. He used every comment, every sneer, as fuel to push himself further.
#13
I was best friends with a guy years ago until I caught him cheating on his wife with my girlfriend. That didn’t destroy his life, but being insatiable did. He eventually seduced one of his 15-year-old students at a high school where he worked. He’s now probably someone else’s girlfriend in state prison.
#14
My cousin posted something online out of anger. He didn’t think it was a big deal, but screenshots spread fast. Lost their job and reputation over one emotional moment.
“I never took those insults to heart,” Akshay recalls with a smile. “Being told I danced gracefully like a girl wasn’t hurtful to me; it motivated me. Even when I was bullied for my passion, I never wavered. I knew dancing was my calling, and nothing anyone said could change that.” For him, perseverance was the key, and early mockery became part of the story that strengthened his resolve rather than weakening it.
#16
Another professor groped a grad student.
Instantly put on leave, replacement lecturer found for classes, multi year lawsuit, and fired. He did essentially the one thing that gets you fired with tenure. Last I heard he was still unemployed.
Akshay’s dance teacher played a huge role in shaping his path. “She believed in me from the start,” he says. “She would take extra classes for me, guide me, and help me refine my skills. Without her support, I might not have dared to dream so big.” Mentorship and encouragement, Akshay explains, made all the difference. It’s a reminder that having someone believe in you can open doors you never imagined.
#19
My mom's boyfriend after he attacked me because I refused to let him read my texts with my girlfriend after I was already living on my own, and I was just coming to pick up some stuff I left behind. He ended up breaking my nose and arm and gave me a concussion. Now he's going to prison for 15 years. He even tried to tell the police when they arrested him that he was justified because he felt I disrespected him.
#20
My late brother-in-law discovered opioids. It cost him his marriage, his house, and his life in about two years.
#21
A friend of mine started motorcycling when he was 19. He passed away when he was 21, nobody else was involved in the accident. Young and a bit reckless, but he was a smart and funny guy.... still think of him more than 20 years later.
In college, Akshay started participating in competitions. He won almost all of them, and each victory boosted his confidence. It was then that he realized his journey could go beyond personal achievement. He wanted to share his love for dance with others, teaching freestyle and Bollywood, inspiring students, and spreading joy through movement. Every performance and every class became a step toward building something bigger than himself.
#23
I won’t speak details but it’s really sad how quickly bipolar disorder can mess up someone’s life, going from great highs even in a material sense, to deep, deep rock bottom lows in the course of a year.
#24
Alcohol. My friend’s dad we’ll call him Jeff never drank, always scolded me and his son for doing it (we were typical young 20 somethings going to the bar and party’s on the weekends.
Around age 50 Jeff lost his job, then lost his dad. Really seemed to be as simple as him having a drink at the funeral and something flipped. He went from basically never drinking in his 50 years of existence to drinking a 1.75 of vodka a day. He quickly withered away and dropped down to 100lbs. He had many episodes, going on multi day benders of waking up, drinking until blacking out, pass out and repeat for days on end.
He ended up in jail multiple times for dUI and domestics, lived with my roommate and I for a while, we got him into treatment 5 times all of which failed. He ended up passing away of alcohol related complications at age 57.
Akshay worked tirelessly, taking odd jobs, offering online classes, dancing as a background performer, and pushing through every obstacle. Eventually, he saved enough to open his own dance studio. “From that point, it’s been an upward journey,” he says proudly. “I’ve given my blood, sweat, and tears to my art, and it has given me everything back.” Today, his studio is more than a workplace; it’s a space of passion, creativity, and inspiration for the next generation of dancers.
#25
A guy I know skipped a simple gall bladder surgery, his health snowballed pretty quick. He is gone now.
#27
A former friend was a 15 year state police veteran. Pulled a women over on the interstate for speeding, said she needed to pay some sort of extra fee, and followed her to the ATM and got $300 from her. She contacted the state two months later because she was expecting a summons.
Added: The sad thing is that he definitely wasn’t struggling economically. I talked to him in 2001, and he said he was getting as much OT as he wanted, and that he was on track to make $80k-$90k that year. In 2001.
“The biggest lesson I’ve learned,” Akshay points out, “is to never give up hope and never let others dictate your path. Breaking stereotypes isn’t easy — my father, coming from a small village, was hesitant at first. But now, he proudly tells everyone about my journey. That’s how far belief, dedication, and a single choice can take you.” His story reminds us that following your heart can transform not only your life but the lives of everyone around you.
And while good decisions can completely transform your life for the better, bad ones can sometimes turn everything upside down. From tiny choices to life-altering moves, each decision shapes our journey in ways we often don’t realize. That’s why it’s so important to pause, reflect, and think about the impact of what we do. We’d love to hear your thoughts — what’s the craziest or most unforgettable choice you’ve seen someone make? Share your stories in the comments below!
#28
In December 2013, Justine Sacco, a PR professional, made international headlines after posting a racist tweet just before boarding an 11-hour flight to South Africa. By the time her flight landed, she had been fired, and the hashtag #HasJustineLandedYet was trending worldwide.
Upstaged75 1 hour ago
I remember that. She made a joke about AIDS. 😮🙄 Moron. She deserved everything that happened to her.
#29
I worked with a guy whose wife passed away and he got an 800k settlement for it. After getting the money he quit his job because he’s “independently wealthy.” I know after he quit he bought a small local car rental company. About a year and a half after he quit I saw him on the off ramp of the high way begging for money.
#31
I guy I knew real well was a January 6er. I can't say too much or you'll be able to identify him, but let's just say he was this super solid fella, well respected, etc. Then he went into the capital on that fateful day, did some bad stuff, got caught (lots of video evidence) & went to prison. He's out, but his former life is completely over.
Liz Rutherford 58 minutes ago
There's a 6'er here that "wanted to end it" (this is what he told the cops), got into a car chase w/the cops, drove the wrong way down the interstate and plowed into a car, ki**ing the passenger. He got 12-15 years.
#32
Pulling a knife on a cop wasn't a smart move.
thispartyrules:
I knew a guy who got caught stealing beer and made this much much worse by pulling out a knife. He was still arrested, but went to prison for a while and was now a felon.
#33
Seen 2 guys fighting a bit outside a bar nothing serious just grabbing and pushing, one guy walked away and the other guy picked up a chair and threw it at him, he fell in the road got hit by a car and passed away. 2 lives gone in like 5 seconds.
#34
Friend.
Started partying a lot and missing work. He lost his job at Meta. We got to know but he pretended he was still working. He cashed out his 401k to keep up with his lifestyle. He was sharing a house with his sister she moved out and he was struggling with rent. Got some guys to move in to pay rent but he was pocketing the money.
The guys eventually moved out. He now got some random girl who he’s always fighting with, even got arrested recently for DV coz they were fighting on the side of the road.
We hardly see him anymore, and when we do, he’s drunk.
#35
I worked at a day care in a rural, poor town. One of the other employees, who wasn't in the room I normally worked in, lived literally across the street. There were 3 employers in this town, they all rarely hired as locals tended to hold on those jobs tightly, as the next closest employer was a half hour drive away. These locals were all people who couldn't drive for one reason or another, including my coworker.
One day the coteacher in her room had to leave early, and so I was asked to step in. The kids had just woken up from nap and were sitting down for snack. Coworker is sitting at the table with them as I'm passing out extras to kids who had finished and refilling water cups. One girl hadn't eaten or drank anything, and for some reason this was making coworker mad.
So she grabbed this two year old girl's chin, tipped her head back, and poured water into her mouth at a fast enough rate it poured back out and spilled down her face. The girl choked and my coworker let her go, saying "Why can't you just eat, you brat?"
1. I take my job as a mandated reporter *seriously.*
2. There was a camera in the room.
Immediately, she's out of a job. She can't drive, and there are no jobs in town. I was let go shortly after (she and the owner were good friends, so there was some retaliation but I got a better, higher paying job in 24 hours so I wasn't upset,) so I don't know exactly when her landlord told her to move on, but her place was listed six months later when I checked.
She also lost the ability to ever work with a vulnerable population again. There wasn't anything criminally done, the DA didn't want to pursue it.
#36
Buddy of mine met his soulmate; this woman was going to do anything for him, he told her he wanted to be poly, she left him, years on and he never found anyone else.
#37
Decided to quit uni in their last year, has no work experience (will now have the debt) and has trouble finding minimum wage jobs as they aren’t the most socially-active person.
#38
Pregnancy before education.
Liz Rutherford 43 minutes ago (edited)
My brother's kid. She'd dumb as a post. She failed her junior year of high school 2 times and the 2nd time, my mom and my sister did 90% of her homework. They asked me to help, but I said no. Senior year comes and...she pregnant with baby #1. She had it with some random guy (think friend of a friend). He doesn't want anything to do with her or the kid. When the kid was about 10 months old, she gets with Baby Daddy #2 and.......she gets pregnant very early in the relationship. Her and BD #2 are together, but they fight like crazy, often getting my parents involved. My dad put his foot down late last year and told her that it's her problem, not theirs and they will not get involved again. She's 23, has two kids by different dudes, works at, or close to, minimum wage and complains how she "can't go party with" her friends. Oh well.
#39
Posting their “honest opinion” online and then realizing the internet is also honest back.
It’s always funny watching someone go from
“People need to hear the truth”
to
“I can’t believe people are attacking me like this.”
Freedom of speech exists. Freedom from consequences does not.
#42
Got divorced, messed up job and claimed falsely for mental health when was denied. Burnt all savings after divorce in 1 year and left country to go to India.
Now she is somewhere in India living in those so called religious yoga houses.
Totally messed up her life in less than 2 years.
#43
Buddy had his own construction company, brought in a dude we went to high school with as a ‘helper’. Rest of us were very leery of this guy and got the “I’ll tell you whatever you want to hear” vibe from him. My buddy didn’t just make him a partner within a year, he GAVE him 50% ownership of the business he had built up. Didn’t even hold on to a controlling stake. Literally the dumbest thing I think I’ve seen any business owner (I personally knew) do. Year and a half later. They had to shut it down, totally mismanaged and ended up owning customers close to 100K in money for deposits they took for projects that weren’t started. Bankrupted him, had 2 young kids and a wife that won’t get a normal paying job. He has been on hard times since.
#44
Have I got the tale for you...
My dad and his siblings were close friends with another family of 5 boys. These 5 went into business together and made an absolute fortune. They had 8 kids who all were shipped off to residential school when they were less than 10.
One Christmas break, 7 of the kids decided to surprise the parents by driving overnight through mountain passes while it was snowing heavily. They were in an SUV that skidded off the road and went down into a deep valley and all didn't survive. The surviving kid had a mental breakdown and is a shadow of his former self.
#45
A guy I knew tried to hook up with a minor. Parents found out and told his parents. Got kicked out. Haven’t heard about him since.
#46
Back when my cousin was still in college, he joined a frat. It was supposed to be fun. But someone got hazed, and there was nothing to prove my cousin's innocence. He took a plea deal. Eventually, evidence came forward, and his charges got dropped. But he lost several job opportunities for something he did not do. I guess, sometimes honestly really is the best policy.
#47
This is only one part of the story but . . . my wife got a speeding ticket ticket and had expired tags - didn’t pay ticket - keep ignoring letters from court - drivers license expires and not allowed to renew due to ignoring court notices - health insurance her dad was paying for was canceled by the insurers due to license status - ran out of meds - got on tinder - swiped right 300 plus times in less than a month - drunk 24/7 - has unprotected relations with something like 20 guys in a month - starts disappearing for days spending sometimes thousands of dollars a day on shopping, drinking , personal training , cabanas at health club etc - staying at hotels and buying clothes everyday day at lulu lemon instead of doing laundry - buys 4 louis vitton purses in a few weeks - steals kids college fund to go to hawaii because a guy on tinder might be going there - texts me from hawaii saying she’s almost out of money - sends pictures of her on the roof of high rise threatening to jump - somehow makes it back to our home airport - i check her in to psych ward - BAC is over .30 after a 6 hour flight - - 4 days in psych ward - she goes to rehab for 3 months - comes home - maintains sobriety for about a week - struggles for 2 years with sobriety and shame cycles - drinks self to death at 42 leaving 12 and 9 year girls without a mother - leaves me with 120k credit card debt - this all happened in about 2.5 years - extreme weight loss , bi polar and BPD were all factors - the kids and i are doing pretty well almost 7 years later - felt like living in an episode of Intervention as her crazy loved way faster than i could ever hope to react to it.
#48
Me going back to my cheating ex three times.
#49
Ayahuasca. Girl was normal, beautiful, model / sugar babe living in Manhattan. Used Ayahuasca now she thinks she is Jesus. For real. She started a witch coven turned into a cult, was deported, is in jail for human trafficking, still believes she is the Queen Of The Earth. Beauty is gone, she looks like a crazy person. Her name is Kat Torres, Google her.
Same substance made another guy crazy, he stopped eating, lost his mind and drowned in a river, just like that he's gone.
No matter what they tell you, never try Ayahuasca.
Upstaged75 53 minutes ago
I had to look up ayahuasca - it's a psychedelic drink which traditionally is made in South America by shaman.
#50
Divorce their husband who was well off financially with a great career in aviation (30+ years) that he still has...
Do it without a lawyer when he had one, because you thought you could do it yourself..
End up getting minimum child support payments. (Don't worry, the kiddos got everything they needed from their father directly.)
Can't hold minimum wage jobs, no skills for better paying jobs.
Take your VA service connected Rx prescribed Hydrocodone (Schedule II controlled substance) for migraines and sell it on two separate occasions to undercover Narc agents.
Spend 3 years in prison (Should have been 6, 3 per count, but whatever).
Get out with nowhere to go.,
Marry the guy you cheated with when you were married to you husband.
And to this day, live in a halfway house while your new husband works at a bowling ally...
Does that count?
PS. My adult kids and I are doing great in life!!!
#52
A guy at my old job got caught padding his expense reports. Instead of admitting it, he kept doubling down in meetings like he could talk his way out of it. By the end of the day, security was walking him out with a box.
Wild how one stubborn hour can undo years of work.
#53
Cracking her spine by wrecking her motorbike while trying to show off to us.
No paralysis, thank god. but it'll be a long road before Mel can even walk again, and she'll probably never race bikes again, which was her passion.
#55
I feel like I’m ruining my life because I’m constantly unemployed and depressed no matter what I do to fix it. I’m at the point where I’m getting tired to care because it’s hurting me too much. I’m tired of dealing with this.
#56
High school government teacher. He always bragged about his wife and kids, loved talking about himself and his life, would debate kids and send them to the office if he was losing. He was also pretty homophobic and bigoted in general. I remember how easy it was to waste a period just asking him questions about his life.
He ended up leaving his wife (who was actually a really sweet person) and kids for a guy. Soon after, his young son suddenly passed away. I visited the cemetery where his son is buried. Only the boy's mom's name is included on the tombstone (she didn't die, she just didn't add the teacher's name)
Mr. Paré, if you're reading this, you're still a jerk.
#57
Didn't ruin her whole life but:
- EX-friend (women) cheated on her husband of less than 1 year
-they had some of the cheating recorded
-women couldn't tell her husband that she wanted to leave on him so she instead shared the video with close friends, hoping it would get back to the husband somehow
- "friends" that supported her cheating ended up getting broken up with their S/O over the support and lack of accountability. Leaving at least one person without a place to live.
- about 2 weeks later, the male cheater proposed to his GF (who has terminal cancer). Word had gotten around and they told the girl the truth.
- the husband is a cuck and is still with the cheating wife.
- the cheating wife lost close friends, respect from some family members, and expedited an already unhealthy relationship with alcohol.
This all happened within a month or so.
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