Unmasking The ‘Nice Guy’: 6 Red Flags Indicating Your Relationship Is Heading For Toxicity

He can’t handle constructive criticism.

Thought Catalog
2 min readAug 7, 2023
Sami Abdullah

By Erin Whitten

We’ve all been there. You meet a guy who’s all smiles and compliments. He opens doors, writes you sweet texts, and seems to do everything right. But over time, you might start to notice a disquieting undercurrent. You may think, “Maybe it’s just me?” But let me tell you this — it’s not. Here are six red flags to watch out for.

Always the Hero, Never the Villain

You know that guy who’s always got a tale of woe to share over your shared brunch, where he is constantly the wronged party? Statements like “I can’t help it if I care too much,” or “They always take advantage of my generosity,” become his common refrain. These repeated sob stories not only elicit your sympathy but also conveniently cast him in a saintly light, skirting accountability for any actions that may suggest otherwise.

He’s Overly Possessive or Jealous

An arm around you can be sweet and protective, but too much can feel suffocating and controlling. If he regularly questions your actions or gets jealous easily, these are red flags indicating possessiveness. It might be wrapped…

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