AITAH for ghosting a guy after he told me he LOVED me 24hours after we met?

Online dating often moves quickly, but for one woman, things escalated at a speed that felt impossible to keep up with. What began as an exciting, nonstop conversation soon turned into something far more intense and unsettling.

After just one day of messaging, the man she met online was already talking about love, certainty, and marriage, despite never meeting in person or even speaking on the phone. Unsure how to respond and increasingly overwhelmed, she eventually chose to ghost him entirely. When she shared her experience on social media, the reactions poured in, with many questioning whether disappearing was wrong or simply the safest option.

AITAH for ghosting a guy after he told me he LOVED me 24hours after we met?

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The connection initially felt effortless, with long conversations and shared goals

I (F28) met a guy (M28) on a dating app a couple weeks ago. The conversation was instantly good and it was off to a great start we talked for...

(long term, marriage etc) he seemed like a very nice down to earth guy and our views aligned for the most part.

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Things quickly became intense, even before they met in real life

He went on and on about how he thinks this could work and how much he liked me as a person etc which at first I thought was kinda sweet...

but I didn’t want to say anything as to not k__l the vibe or hurt his feelings. So I suggested we meet for coffee, he said that he would rather...

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before going on a date which I thought was fair but still weird considering how straight forward he was about his feelings.

The situation grew stranger when he refused any form of real-time communication

He then proceeded to tell me that he felt the sudden urge to tell me something so I said “call me we’ll talk about it” he refused to call or...

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or even snaps of himself but still I gave him the benefit of the doubt thinking he might be insecure… anyways. Then he writes “I love you I’m sure of...

and I want us to get married” I was kinda confused and didn’t know what to say so I said “are you sure? This is kinda fast” he kept insisting...

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After days of pressure, she reached her breaking point

This went on for about a week before I finally decided I didn’t like the guy or this situationship but didn’t know how to break it to him and I...

Rapid emotional escalation early in dating can feel flattering, but it often skips critical stages of trust-building. In healthy relationships, connection develops through shared experiences, not constant reassurance or grand declarations. When someone insists on love before meaningful interaction, it can create pressure rather than intimacy.

From a psychological standpoint, this behavior can stem from insecurity, manipulation, or even deceptive intent. Dr. John Gottman of The Gottman Institute has stated, “Intimacy grows from trust, and trust grows from consistent, reliable behavior over time.” Declaring love without meeting contradicts that process.

Practical advice in these situations centers on safety and boundaries. When someone refuses video calls, phone conversations, or in-person meetings while escalating emotionally, it’s reasonable to disengage. While direct communication is ideal, ghosting can be justified if the other person ignores discomfort or persists despite concerns. Protecting emotional and physical well-being should always come first.

Here’s what people had to say to OP:

Many users immediately flagged the behavior as alarming and unhealthy

TX_Farmer − NTA Fast tracking a relationship by declaring "love" means trying to bypass the natural progression of a relationships. ..the important part like getting to know each other and...

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Few-Bar-4750 − NTA. It’s a huge red flag that he refused to do anything beside texting and confessing in 24 hours?

That’s not a good sign either. He was also suspicious for insisting so much. There are a lot of creeps on the internet. Better be safe then sorry.

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Unholy-Error − NTA, he definitely was lovebombing you!

RegretNecessary21 − NTA. Someone who comes on that strong will end in disaster. Sounds like love bombing. Wish I would’ve never dismissed this red flag with my ex.

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BPDSENTeacher − This is a justified ghosting. . guy sounds like a creep.

Others suspected deception or malicious intent

MmeGenevieve − NTA. He's a scammer hoping you are lonely and have low self-esteem, trying to suck you in with promises of true love and marriage.

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If you'd continued communicating, he'd have started asking for money. Besides, if he was really hopelessly in love he'd have jumped at the chance to meet you in-person.

IhvGunsablazing − Fake! He’s playing you for a fool. If he won’t meet in person or even chat on the phone, then he’s fos! Good riddance!

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[Reddit User] − Might have been one of those romance scammers…

Environmental_Tank_4 − NTA - either a guy with a lot of red flags, a scammer, or some random using a chat bot to talk to you.

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[Reddit User] − NTA that’s too much and sounds like a catfish

Some commenters used humor while still supporting the decision

[Reddit User] − He was honestly putting up a lot of red flags. NTA

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seaxvereign − NTA. This Ted Mosby guy is not smart at best, completely incapable of controlling his emotions at worst.

[Reddit User] − I think u dodged a bullet - either a psychopath or a scammer, that ain’t normal behavior

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RLR111120 − NTA. Has he never seen How I Met Your Mother? This was used as a way to purposely repel women wanting a relationship.

unknown_928121 − He pulled a Moseby? NTA

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This encounter shows how quickly excitement can turn into discomfort when emotional boundaries are ignored. While honesty is often encouraged in dating, persistence that overrides consent and comfort crosses a line. For many readers, ghosting wasn’t avoidance, but self-protection. Online dating already requires caution, and situations like this reinforce the importance of trusting instincts. When someone moves too fast and refuses transparency, is walking away the responsible choice? What would you have done in her place?

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