5 Red Flags That Are More Common in 2025 Than in the Past

Dating has always had red flags. You probably know them and look out for them: controlling behavior, lying, cheating, etc. Yeah, those are obvious.

But in 2025, the landscape has changed. Social media, hyper-independence culture, and emotional buzzwords have given rise to new patterns that might look “normal” on the surface… but are actually serious warning signs. Here are five red flags that are more common now than they were just a few years ago.

1. “Healing Era” Avoidance: Using Personal Growth to Dodge Accountability

Self-work is great, and so is therapy (so long as the type of therapy is effective and you have a good therapist). But if someone constantly talks about their “healing journey” as a way to avoid commitment, vulnerability, or responsibility for hurting others… that’s not growth, it’s a shield.

In 2025, it’s not uncommon for people to weaponize “therapy speak” to justify behavior that will make dating them awful. For example, if everything is always “a trigger” you might be dating a walking red flag wrapped in sage and self-help quotes.

I once dated someone who couched everything in therapy-ease and she used her supposed healing as an excuse to be late all the time and even be mean.

2. Being Overly Revealing On Social Media

While sharing things on social media can be good, to make money, share ideas, and even make friends, over-sharing is a big red flag.

Why? Some things are meant to be shared with one person or a small group of people, and not with the entire world. Some things are intimate and should be shared only with a partner or friends.

Does this person reveal too much emotionally or physically on their social media? This could be a sign that you will never get the intimacy you need, and rather you’ll be sharing it with strangers.

3. Over-Branding Themselves Instead of Being Themselves

Thanks to influencer culture, a lot of people now approach dating like they’re building a brand, not a relationship. If your date talks like they are sharing their resume, or their dating profile looks like one, i.e. it’s filled with perfectly curated photos, all of their accomplishments, or every place they travel to regularly, they aren’t likely dating for a relationship…they are just simply full of themselves and saying “look at me.” Find people who want a connection, not to show off.

4. Avoidance Disguised as “Low Maintenance”

Being chill is fine. But in 2025, emotional unavailability often comes cloaked as being “go with the flow.” If someone never wants to define the relationship, avoids emotional conversations, and thinks any request for clarity is “drama,” that’s not peace, that’s evasion.

If you want a relationship, you need someone who is willing to do a little maintenance to make the relationship work and thrive.

5. The Tech Trap

In 2025, more people are turning to tech for comfort and companionship, including AI apps, both to communicate with, but also to come up with lines to text potential dates. If your partner uses tech this way, I think it’s a red flag.

Look, I love tech. I love AI, but we’re talking about human connections here. For one, human connection requires another human. And, human connection can only exist when it’s based on authenticity and vulnerability. You can’t have these when you’re basically getting your communication from a computer.

So, red flags haven’t gone away, but they have evolved. In a world obsessed with image, independence, and instant gratification, true connection takes more courage than ever. So trust your gut…your real, human intuition.