relationship advice

It's not terribly interesting to hear about strangers' mundane and cliché relationship problems (unless you're a couples therapist or just a bit nosy). What about scenarios that aren't so common? Where do the people with bizarre and unusual relationship problems go for advice? Reddit, of course! And thanks to the glorious internet, we've managed to collect a handful of amusingly weird and oddly specific posts from distraught people who sought relationship advice from total strangers and some who just needed to make a confession. One redditor reassures a distraught OP that 'your sister is not entitled to your sperm.' Sounds pretty insane out of context, right? Keep scrolling for some pretty unique relationship stories. 

Humans love to throw around generalizations about the unspoken rules of dating etiquette, but when it really comes down to it, each and every relationship comes with its own little nuances and boundaries. I'm sure you've heard it a million times, so forgive the platitude, but communication really is key. Texting etiquette can be a tricky one, because unlike having a conversation in person, texting makes it possible to communicate something anytime, anywhere, to anyone who may or may not be able to receive the message at the time. This can quickly become a problem of (literal) miscommunication if the texter is putting themselves out there in a moment of peak vulnerability. The silence becomes loaded with uncertainty and maddening possibilities. For some, this can be too much to bear—I wonder what they're doing? Are they ignoring me on purpose? Surely they'd text back right away if they were actually interested. I guess they're not interested. Maybe I'll ignore them and see how they like it. For those on the other side of this anxiety, there are a million reasons why they might not be able to text back right away, the most obvious one being that people are simply busy. If someone's a serial offender of the late text, sure, it could mean that they're inconsiderate or even disinterested, or it could mean that they suffer from ADHD, or maybe they're a luddite who hates phones. The point is, there's no blanket rule for this sort of thing, which is proven in the fact that individual opinions vastly differ on the topic. This brings us to @Arii__876, who provoked an interesting discussion on the nuances of texting after she tweeted a pretty hot take claiming that nobody forgets to text someone back if they're genuinely interested in them. We've gathered a range of responses full of amusing insight on different approaches to maintaining relationships. 

Dating has come a long way since the 1950's. We've been blessed by what sometimes feels like too much technology, and being able to scroll through hundreds of prospective suitors in just a few minutes. Singles back in the day really didn't have these luxuries. Meeting "the one" involved a lot more time, energy and though. Facebook user Kim Marx-Kuczynski shared proof of this in the form of a 1958 McCall's magazine. The classic women's magazine, which folded in 2002, covered topics such as news, fashion - and some seriously funny relationship advice. This piece, which is geared at helping women find a husband, shows a starkly different dating game than we're used to. And it's terrifically funny to boot.

Every romantic relationship is put to the test when conflict inevitably arises. There's nothing inherently wrong with conflict—but the relationship can quickly fall apart if healthy communication, trust, and boundaries are lacking. One redditor asked couples counselors to share their experiences with toxic relationships that were beyond help. We've collected some of the most interesting responses from both therapists and former patients who talk about all the common red flags that point to a relationship's failure.