Committing to a relationship with someone means you're putting your heart into their hands and letting them decide what to do with it. If you're lucky, they will nurture it and the two of you will form a connection like no other. But they might break it, too. Which is why the people we love the most are the ones that can make us the maddest, too.
A breakup or divorce can be one of the most stressful and emotional experiences in our lives. The (abrupt) end of a relationship can turn our whole world upside down and trigger all sorts of painful and unsettling emotions. Like a burning desire for revenge.
We at Bored Panda compiled a list of vivid examples to show you what things lovers are capable of if their (ex) partners hurt them badly enough. They may not guarantee a path toward a healthy recovery, but everyone has their own way of coping.
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Let's Review
To get a better understanding of these actions and the feelings that caused them, we contacted psychotherapist, writer, and consultant, Kaytee Gillis.
"Stories of people getting revenge for feeling betrayed or wronged in relationships fill movie scripts, and the behaviors are even encouraged and laughed at in many social groups," Gillis, who has a deep passion for helping survivors of traumatic relationships — whether familial or romantic — told Bored Panda.
"One famous song even boasts lyrics about smashing headlights and slicing someone's tires for cheating. Although music is an expressive art form [and it is] most likely not a true story, it shines a light on behaviors that many excuse. And while it might be normal to want to get revenge over being wronged, actually taking action to do that can quickly turn into unhealthy behaviors, or even abuse."
This Break Up Letter
Grandma Put A Magazine Cut Out Of Leonardo Dicaprio Over Her Late (Not So Nice) Husband's Face. The 80-Year-Old's Version Of Photoshop
Savage Evil Genius Revenge On Cheating Ex
Gillis, the author of It's Not "High Conflict" It's Post-Separation Abuse, thinks that being hurt after the ending of a relationship is normal.
"If the person wronged you somehow, such as breaking your heart, ghosting you or cheating, it can [even] feel devastating," she said.
"But when pain and anger turn into behaviors that put another person's safety or livelihood at risk, this is abusive and is never a good way to cope with the pain of a breakup."
Ex-Girlfriend Gets Revenge
Tattoo Revenge
Alpha Male Stumps Cheating Ex And Her Lover
The psychotherapist said that destroying property, spreading rumors as an attempt to harm or discredit someone, keeping the children away from them, or boasting about getting them fired from their job are all common ways that people try to get revenge on an ex.
"However, this form of revenge is what mental health clinicians refer to as post-separation abuse, or abuse that takes place after a relationship ends. Revenge is abusive, and putting someone's safety at risk is never okay, and it is never funny," Gillis emphasized.
This Soon-To-Be-Ex Wife Went Big
Angry Girl At My School Posted These All Around Campus, I Spotted 11 On My Walk To The Library This Morning
Came Across A 10-Year-Old Photo That Had My Brother's Ex-Wife In It And My Ex In It. Instead Of Deleting It I “Fixed” It
Found Out My Girlfriend Is Cheating On Me. Giving Her This Card Tonight At My Birthday Dinner
Knowing how to break up could possibly remedy some of the emotions that lead to the extreme lengths that Gillis has mentioned. And while it's not easy for anyone to be good at it, teens are particularly bad at ending things, and growing up online has made it worse.
Though most teens think the best way to break up is in person, 37 percent of them consider a text breakup at least moderately acceptable and 1 in 4 thinks it's okay to do the job by simply changing your social media status to "single."
That's according to a Pew Research Center report that came out in 2015, five years before the pandemic sent everyone's social lives, and so much else, even further into cyberspace.
Educated Ex
Woman Confesses To Facebook Her Successful Plan Of Catching Her Husband Cheating On Her With Her Best Friend
You Know How Mad You Got To Be To Carry A Refrigerator
Most refrigerators are not light. I need to know more about how he is lifting this
Best Wishes To You, Her And Your Baby. Love, Your Wife
So the toledo bend area(Texas) has a 409 area code. I think that's funny cause toledo (ohio) has 419
^ this is way more interesting than the suppposed "revenge"
Load More Replies..."If you feel you must get revenge, it is important to take time and self-reflect on why this is," Gillis said. "Is it to 'get back at' someone who wronged you?"
"Recognize that these feelings themselves are not abnormal, and have compassion for the part of you that feels wronged, but do not take action."
Guy Gets Cheated On By His Long-Time Girlfriend And Decides To Revenge
Spotted This Sign Driving Past. Handled It Well
I Bet There’s A Dude Sitting With Just Salt And Pepper In His Cubbard Right Now Wishing He Had That Old Bay I Snatched Back
Revenge On Ex
"It is okay, and even encouraged, to vent about that person to your friends, family, and support system. Write about them in your journal. But do not post publicly on social media, as this will make you look immature and vindictive."
"And, as always, remember that any acts of violence or abuse are illegal, and could result in fines, imprisonment, and will obviously make you look vindictive and abusive. Instead, seek mental health support to help you through this time if you feel that you are going to take action to harm someone out of revenge," the psychotherapist said.
Stranger Proposes To Get Back At Cheating Ex
The New Cold War
They always say it's the kids who suffer the most, nobody thinks about the innocent dads.
Best Use For Ex-Wife's Wedding Dress. Snow Camo
When Love Is Over
If you guys ever wondered what I look like( clue) it’s one of these pics
My Friend Decided To Cover Up The Tattoo Of His Ex Wife
Emotional Ex Eviscerates Estate With Eyeshadow
While Preparing For My Garage Sale, I Found A Pendant My Ex Gave Me... I Decided To Be A Little Creative With Selling It
There's an expression about taking poison and hoping the other person dies.
My Friend's Girlfriend Moved Out And Took Everything, Including The Drawer Handles
Taken This Morning In My Hometown In Washington
A Japanese Woman Discovered Her Boyfriend Was Cheating, So She Gathered All His Apple Devices And Dumped Them Into A Tub Full Of Water
My Ex Sent Me A Postcard
Dave Is Genius
The Bride Continues With The Whole Wedding And Just Happens To Have Photos Of The Groom Cheating To Expose Him At The End With
Slow Burn
I’m Sure The Band Was Thrilled To Help A Random Woman “Destroy” Her Ex
Well Deserved Revenge
He looks like a mix between the guy from Bee Movie and the human version of Shrek
A Girl I Know From High School Got Cheated On By Her Husband And Had To Move, So Naturally
Subtle But Genius
Cheat On Me? I'll Destroy Your Relationship With Your Mother
This says more about the gf and mom than anything else... Good parents don't let a 'lifelong rift' happen just because their stupid young kid cheated.
Damn Ex Wifes
Cheating Husband
You Won't Believe How This Girl Breaks Up With Her Scumbag 6th-Grade Boyfriend
6th grade with grinding and boyfriends/ girlfriends, what the heck? They're just kids
In Your Face, Cheating Ex-Boyfriend
Look how proud she is! I really hope he sees this and feels ashamed. Don't cheat guys!
Ex Fiancé And Ex Best Man Are Now Dating. He Left His Wii At My Place. I Made Sure To Get It Back To Him
I Went To A Party Where My Ex-Girlfriend Was Present With Her New Boyfriend. This Was What I Was Wearing
Five More Tasks To Complete
My Friend Caught Her Husband Cheating On Her. She Cleaned All Of Her Belongings Out Of The House While He Was At Work And Left The Shirt He Wore To His Bachelor Party
Afraid Santa Won’t Be Coming This Year
When Your Ex Can Still Control Your Thermostat
Revenge On Cheating Ex-Boyfriend That Will Take About 17 Years
Caught Wife Cheating, Free Corvette
Maybe Next Time He'll Think Before He Cheats
Cause I dug my key into the side of his pretty little souped up four wheel drive...
My Ex Loves Hot Sauce And I Finally Found The Perfect One For Her While Traveling In Korea
still hot sauce ill accept that happily. honestly though cholula is the best hot sauce i dont like tabasco
Crazy Ex
Man Conveniently Sits Directly Behind His Ex On The Bus Without Her Knowing. Concocts The Perfect Plan
After More Than Half A Year Of Cheating, This Husband Finally Gets What He Deserves
Sold The Ring I Used To Propose To My Ex-Fiancé, And Bought Myself Something Nice With All The Cash
My Neighbor Caught Her Husband Cheating
Poor neighbor. Also btw: I know she was probably angry at the time but I also feel bad for the other people who lived in the complex who had to deal with the mess. I hope the lady or her ex ends up cleaning it up.
Girl Sabotages Cheating Boyfriend's Drug Test
Made My Ex A Valentine Cookie. Nailed It
Ex-Girlfriend Drama Outside My House
So My Friend Was Caught Cheating
Honestly, cheating is horrible. I understand why someone would do this after getting cheated on, but (I know nothing about law but I'm pretty sure) breaking the car could get you in a lot of legal trouble.
This Punishment
My Ex-Boyfriend Encrypted My External Hard Drive To Get Revenge On Me
Tiktok User Gets Revenge On Ex By Signing Him Up To Email Newsletters. "I Sign Mine Up For Home Visits From Jehovah's Witnesses," Someone Else Admitted. "It's Been 3 Years"
Downvote that shīt! THREE years?! Move on with your life already! You two probably weren't even together for that long. Time to stop wasting all that time and energy on an ex from THREE YEARS AGO and invest that into a good therapist.
Guy Gets Revenge On Cheating Ex By Sending Her Pics Of Topless Trio In His Bathroom
Of all the things that never happened this never happened the most
Guy Goes Full Savage Mode And Proceeds To Bang All Of His Ex's Close Female Friends
Yeah, sure this happened. Three girls who are very close to your ex just let you bang them.
Cheated On Girl Gets Pro Revenge
The Five Dislikes Are His Ex-Wife's Last Few Hairs
Anon Gets A Divorce
"Dream job if you are a f.." I hate him for using that slur. Censoring that word, doesn't make it allright to post this, Bored Panda.
Has Intimate Relationships With Ex’s Family As Revenge
Title should read: "70 total jerks wreaking petty revenge on their exes". Grow up, people.
Cheating is one of the most psychologically, emotionally, financially destructive, hateful acts a partner can do -- and it is also poses danger to the cheated on partner, even physical. So while I don't advocate anything that puts the cheated on partner in any legal danger; I say do what you need to to A. Teach the cheater a lesson and B. Enable you to feel some sort of release -- and obtain closure. In conclusion, I disagree with all the self-righteous moralizing demonizing "petty revenge" here. DO WHAT YOU NEED TO. If you're okay with walking away without taking any action; that's on you. It's not for you to judge anyone else. I've never cheated.
Load More Replies...My ex husband stayed out all night snorting coke twice while I sat at home all night with our kid terrified something horrible had happened to him. Then when I confronted him about it and he admitted to using cocaine both times he blamed ME because he said he was so depressed about the fact we didnt have enough sex. So you know what I did? I moved out, sent him money for half the bills of the last month I lived there and told him that when he gets his act together and gets in a good place mentally that I'll make sure he can see his son as much as he wants and that Im rooting for him to find peace. Because I'm not an emotionally stunted psychopath who thinks the world revolves around me.
I don't believe in these petty acts of revenge. Living well without them is the best revenge. Walk away, maintain your dignity and behave like an adult.
Same! To see so many people applauding this behavior is disturbing.
Load More Replies...I had the best revenge on my ex-husband. I ignored him and went on to live a happy life.
I left my abusive ex. I had to have the police present to pick up my belongings that my ex packed up and left outside in the rain. I actually laughed out loud when I saw he used the single ads as wrapping in the boxes. I hope he and his mother had a beautiful life together.
No I didn't like this post either I don't believe in revenge so childish.
this was a horrible post. If your SO cheats, just move the eff on. My god, such petty jerks.
these so called revenge stories are just that, just stories. they want likes and uplifting comments wher ein actuality its all fake b******t
Load More Replies...A friend of mine’s husband cheated on her. She found out when she was being interviewed by the local paper at work and the photographer, an attractive young woman, was gushing over her boyfriend and showed my friend a picture of her husband. My friend kind of lost her mind, threw him out and set fire to his stuff. Her husband moved back in with his mother. But her real revenge was when she called his mother and ratted him out. His mother threw him out too and brought over some of his stuff for another bonfire.
Every time l've been cheated on l've just walked away, but if l were to take revenge l'd make sure to not leave fingerprints. Too many of these can backfire spectacularly
Happily married now, but I've never cheated, EVER; I've been cheated on-- but, never dumped. I always trusted my intuition and didn't need to "prove" anything. However, things revealed themselves to me and I walked away. Left, and... In most cases, I took no revenge, petty or otherwise; I didn't need to; I'm f*****g marvelous and it's your loss... Only in one case, did I take petty revenge, and I don't remember why. (It's always justified.) A partner's cheating poses danger - physically, financially - and in other ways. I support anyone taking revenge if it doesn't backfire on you. If it helps you get closure and teaches the cheater a lesson, DO IT. Anyone who imagines that all petty revenge is "wrong" -- Blah. Blah. Blah. -- is f*****g self-righteous and a bore.
This post reminds me of teachers saying you should not harm a bully in any way, no matter what they did to you, because then you'd be "just as bad as them"
Load More Replies...Most of these should have negative scores. Not just 1 out of 70
Title should read: "70 total jerks wreaking petty revenge on their exes". Grow up, people.
Cheating is one of the most psychologically, emotionally, financially destructive, hateful acts a partner can do -- and it is also poses danger to the cheated on partner, even physical. So while I don't advocate anything that puts the cheated on partner in any legal danger; I say do what you need to to A. Teach the cheater a lesson and B. Enable you to feel some sort of release -- and obtain closure. In conclusion, I disagree with all the self-righteous moralizing demonizing "petty revenge" here. DO WHAT YOU NEED TO. If you're okay with walking away without taking any action; that's on you. It's not for you to judge anyone else. I've never cheated.
Load More Replies...My ex husband stayed out all night snorting coke twice while I sat at home all night with our kid terrified something horrible had happened to him. Then when I confronted him about it and he admitted to using cocaine both times he blamed ME because he said he was so depressed about the fact we didnt have enough sex. So you know what I did? I moved out, sent him money for half the bills of the last month I lived there and told him that when he gets his act together and gets in a good place mentally that I'll make sure he can see his son as much as he wants and that Im rooting for him to find peace. Because I'm not an emotionally stunted psychopath who thinks the world revolves around me.
I don't believe in these petty acts of revenge. Living well without them is the best revenge. Walk away, maintain your dignity and behave like an adult.
Same! To see so many people applauding this behavior is disturbing.
Load More Replies...I had the best revenge on my ex-husband. I ignored him and went on to live a happy life.
I left my abusive ex. I had to have the police present to pick up my belongings that my ex packed up and left outside in the rain. I actually laughed out loud when I saw he used the single ads as wrapping in the boxes. I hope he and his mother had a beautiful life together.
No I didn't like this post either I don't believe in revenge so childish.
this was a horrible post. If your SO cheats, just move the eff on. My god, such petty jerks.
these so called revenge stories are just that, just stories. they want likes and uplifting comments wher ein actuality its all fake b******t
Load More Replies...A friend of mine’s husband cheated on her. She found out when she was being interviewed by the local paper at work and the photographer, an attractive young woman, was gushing over her boyfriend and showed my friend a picture of her husband. My friend kind of lost her mind, threw him out and set fire to his stuff. Her husband moved back in with his mother. But her real revenge was when she called his mother and ratted him out. His mother threw him out too and brought over some of his stuff for another bonfire.
Every time l've been cheated on l've just walked away, but if l were to take revenge l'd make sure to not leave fingerprints. Too many of these can backfire spectacularly
Happily married now, but I've never cheated, EVER; I've been cheated on-- but, never dumped. I always trusted my intuition and didn't need to "prove" anything. However, things revealed themselves to me and I walked away. Left, and... In most cases, I took no revenge, petty or otherwise; I didn't need to; I'm f*****g marvelous and it's your loss... Only in one case, did I take petty revenge, and I don't remember why. (It's always justified.) A partner's cheating poses danger - physically, financially - and in other ways. I support anyone taking revenge if it doesn't backfire on you. If it helps you get closure and teaches the cheater a lesson, DO IT. Anyone who imagines that all petty revenge is "wrong" -- Blah. Blah. Blah. -- is f*****g self-righteous and a bore.
This post reminds me of teachers saying you should not harm a bully in any way, no matter what they did to you, because then you'd be "just as bad as them"
Load More Replies...Most of these should have negative scores. Not just 1 out of 70