ADVERTISEMENT

Nobody deserves being rejected. First off, the world is cruel enough. And second, there’s a fair share of karma involved in it. If you ever reject someone, the chances are the same thing will come to you as a boomerang when you least expect it. In a parallel reality, everyone would have a reciprocal “It’s a match!”

But being told ‘sorry’ by your love interest is surely much more complex than that. And the best way to take a glimpse into humanity’s hurt souls is to look at what people have to say themselves.

So when Twitter user Eden Dranger posed the question “What was your harshest rejection?” it resonated with many, amassing 4,173 retweets and 67.6K likes.

So let’s get ready for a brutal, yet sometimes funny, other times plain odd, roller coaster ride featuring the stories of rejection as told by the ones who know what they’re saying.

#2

Emberrassing-Rejection-Stories

SueZieCue Report

Add photo comments
POST
alisonedwards1012 avatar
Alison
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Wow 😳 that was a close call. Sorry to hear about the wife though being beat up. Awful to think about what happens behind closed doors

View more commentsArrow down menu

To find out more about dealing with harsh rejection, Bored Panda reached out to Kate Mansfield, an acclaimed dating and relationship coach based in London, UK. Kate told that the way rejection psychologically affects us vary from person to person. “Rejection can have a profound or a mild effect, depending on the psychological state, the past trauma, and the personality of the person,” she explained.

“At its worst, it can cause extreme feelings of worthlessness and even depression. It can cause the person to withdraw from relationships and to stay alone. Or, to feel not good enough and low self-esteem.”

Meanwhile, people with healthy self-esteem and confidence, are usually mildly affected. This is “because they have a solid sense of self-worth already,” Kate explained.

When asked about the ways to deal with being rejected, Kate suggested working on your self-esteem and understanding that it’s nothing to do with you, and usually, it’s not personal.

ADVERTISEMENT

“Try to feel grateful, because the one thing worse than being rejected is to stay in a relationship with someone who doesn't really love you. That is rejection on a daily basis, and causes extreme loneliness.”

#7

Emberrassing-Rejection-Stories

HallJaneh227 Report

Add photo comments
POST
bp_10 avatar
WilvanderHeijden
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Let's just hope that they are able to put him behind bars for his part in the siege of the capitol.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#8

Emberrassing-Rejection-Stories

clairewillett Report

Add photo comments
POST
justathought avatar
Joonscrab
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You just dodged a bullet lolll if he can't handle a person having an extra few pounds, then that's on him.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
#10

Emberrassing-Rejection-Stories

HombreVerde7 Report

Add photo comments
POST
cgainespromo avatar
Catherine
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Haha this one made me laugh! Luckily, you were overqualified and clearly meant for bigger things in life

View more commentsArrow down menu

Whatever people say, rejection hurts. Bottom line. It doesn’t matter which point of a relationship you’re at—being told "I am sorry, but" is something none of us want to hear. Emotional responses by anyone who’s experienced it are confirmed by researchers, and they range from feeling jealous to anxious and lonely.

ADVERTISEMENT

But since rejection has a lot to do with self-worth and self-image, oftentimes the pain of it is directly linked to how you validate yourself. Often people look for external and not internal forces to feel validated, which makes them vulnerable to setbacks. What if we simply haven't learned to love ourselves enough?

#14

Emberrassing-Rejection-Stories

linc0lnpark Report

Being rejected by someone you love can really turn even the strongest of us into emotional train wrecks. But in many cases, we tend to idealize both the person and the relationship, as we only remember good times and emotions.

Such behavior is usually unconscious, but it nevertheless doesn’t show the full picture of what you really feel hurt about.

ADVERTISEMENT

Interestingly, friendship rejections can often be even more painful than romantic ones. Beverly Flaxington, a life and career coach, says to remember that while a friendship’s end can be painful, it’s also normal for friends to come and go.

See Also on Bored Panda

On the other hand, if you still feel like you're missing that person and that friendship in your life, Lexington suggests “reaching out to see if the person wants to get together.” In fact, timing may be crucial as it gives a whole new perspective of the friendship and the people we surround ourselves with.

After some time has passed and if you find yourself missing that person and that friendship, Flaxington suggests reaching out to see if the person wants to get together. Timing is key here. Time can allow people to approach a friendship with a new perspective, she notes

ADVERTISEMENT
#21

Emberrassing-Rejection-Stories

MarissaFugate Report

Add photo comments
POST
wandiledludlu avatar
Sum Guy
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Sometimes you need people to be tough on you because family and friends might lie to you about how good you are

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#22

Emberrassing-Rejection-Stories

woodra Report

Add photo comments
POST
volksdroid avatar
Dan Buczynski
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Wow. Well f**k Kavanaugh and f**k your ex husband. I hope you've since found someone who appreciates a bad@$$ like you.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#25

Emberrassing-Rejection-Stories

pixelexiq1 Report

Add photo comments
POST
linhnguyen_nkl_1704 avatar
Lili
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I really don't understand people who pay for their not-even-spouse's education, house, cars, etc... Like, are you out of your mind?

erin_16 avatar
GirlFriday
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I agree 100%. I was seeing a guy for a few months and he asked me for a down payment on a car. When I said no, he broke up with me.

Load More Replies...
mintyminameow avatar
Mewton’s Third Paw
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

How is that even a rejection? For someone who is making this TWITTER THREAD into a competition like some loserly dork, hers is the worst example of rejection this far. He broke up with you. Not every relationship works out. That’s not the same as the kind of rejection being told in this thread. It’s a normal breakup. He’s not required to stay with you just because you used your money.

jackson_gohn avatar
Jackson Gohn
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

But does he owe you $60,000? Did you lend it to him or did you just pay for it and then your relationship didn't work out? There is a big difference.

adamserot avatar
Frankenfrog
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

But why? Why the hell would you invest that kind of money in someone you're not even married to

thedartguy avatar
Todd Hunter
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I know a guy that did something similar, his ex sued him and won.

zanoni608 avatar
Patti Vance
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

not to me but my niece. she had a full ride scholarship for college but, due to being 'in love' w/a guy, decided to quit school to work & support him until he graduated. the plan was for her to do this, then get married, return to school. he graduated, dumped her. everyone could see this was going to happen but knew saying anything wouldn't do any good as she cut ppl out that did. good news: she did return to school, met a great guy, got married & is very happy. but, it was hard to watch it unfold.

craigthrice avatar
Gyro Pilot
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Where did this happen? In some countries this situation allows the jilted/used party to sue for support.

mjw0sysascend_com avatar
lara
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Could have been worse he could have married you and you put him through medical school and THEN he divorces you.

musicmad67 avatar
Kerry Alderson
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Money doesn't make the pain hurt more ..lucky you had 60k to spend on a loser

dhermanre avatar
Diane Phillips-Herman
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Happened to my girlfriend helping her husband through dental school. He divorced her when he graduated.

serialkitten avatar
Jocelyn
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

do you really need to dismiss or minimize someone else's experience to bolster your own? maybe your one-upmanship was too much for future-doc to handle and he got out before it was too late. not even a rejection, he just broke up with you and i don't blame him. both unclear on the the basic concept of a pretty easy to understand thread AND has to s**t on other people? pass.

katie-trondsen avatar
KT
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's on you girl. Never invest in someone who isn't your family

andreavilarmelego avatar
Ozacoter
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Wow people arent a family if they arent married? Good way to be a jerk.

Load More Replies...
sonjahackel avatar
sturmwesen
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

No way would i invest that kind of money in another person. And the tale of spouses putting the other through med school or similar and getting left after is not new.

johnc_1 avatar
John C
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I still carry guilt for staying with my girlfriend during my last year of rotations and then breaking up with her after I graduated. I wasn't intentionally using her, but the timing was just awful. I was young, dumb and selfish. Sorry Amy. You were so incredible, I wish I hadn't been so stupid. Hope you're happy these days.

kha_duong_1 avatar
K.
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I understand that you did what you felt like you had to do, and I appreciate the heads up for my own future. Sometimes, the supportive person gives up a lot more than they let on. The PTSD from relationships, while not the same as those suffered by veterans and survivors of dictatorial regimes/abuse/trafficking, are very real. I hope you put out a lot of positive energy into the world.

Load More Replies...
stephenhutchison avatar
Stephen Hutchison
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Actually that's someone who should be seeing a lawyer about recovering the bulk of that 60K

renaeweidman avatar
Renae Weidman
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

A similar thing happened to my mom's best friend in high school. Her friend married just after high school graduation. She put her college on hold and worked two, sometimes three jobs so he could go to med school unencumbered by having to work. The day he graduated he handed her divorce papers and said "Thanks!".

sbaucom avatar
S Baucom
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Did you sue him? I have so many questions. Who paid rent, groceries etc.

heathervance avatar
AzKhaleesi
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'd take him to court if you're not married there's no "common law" f**k that.

sjvmi87 avatar
David Retsler
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So, you were dumb enough to support this guy- not your husband- and now you're mad he dumped you? Yeah, it was a crappy thing for him to do but, he couldn't have done it if you were so dumb as to do it. He's a crappy person. You're an ignorant person.

kimlanlau avatar
Kimlan Lau
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Wow! I don't ever encourage women to do this. No woman I know that has helped men out financially or helped them pay for school has ever had the relationship turn out great. You are a financial source for them, nothing more.

anneking68 avatar
StrawberryParfait
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is why we don't build with men. He will take all the emotional labor, resources and comfort on offer while he's levelling up, then dump that woman and go for the woman he couldn't get while he was still on a lower rung of the ladder. Once he feels he's levelled up, he looks at the woman he was with and feels he can do better. Tale as old as time, really.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu

According to Lori Gottlieb, M.F.T., psychotherapist, "When somebody rejects us, there's a very primal piece to it, which is that it goes against everything we feel like we need for survival."

But beyond the evolutionary standpoint, our responses to rejection vary greatly as they really depend on the models in which we develop our relationships with people. Those with insecure attachment styles in contrast to secure ones are likely to experience much greater pain from rejection.

See Also on Bored Panda
#27

Emberrassing-Rejection-Stories

FistfulOfGrace Report

Add photo comments
POST
vikrant-talponkar avatar
Vic
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's not a rejection, that's cheating! He was not your boyfriend, and she definitely was not your best friend.

View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#29

Emberrassing-Rejection-Stories

sarahthemoose Report

Add photo comments
POST
twostroketerror avatar
Pungent Sauce
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Stripping is sex work, and a lot of guys have difficulty separating the fantasy woman from the actual human being. Not excusing this jackass in any way, but as in most any job it’s best to not date the customers/clientele.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#30

Emberrassing-Rejection-Stories

Kakegurui_mash Report

Note: this post originally had 90 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.