Season 9 of Love Is Blind wrapped up this week with a historic first — not a single couple made it to “I do.” For the first time in the show’s history, every engagement ended before the altar.
There were plenty of reasons things fell apart in Denver. Anton Yarosh’s love of nightlife clashed with Ali Lima’s comfort zone. Megan Walerius and Jordan Keltner couldn’t find common ground on finances. Kalybriah Haskin realized she wasn’t ready to fully commit to Edmond Harvey. By the finale, one truth had become clear: it’s better to say no to the wrong person than yes to the wrong one.
And maybe that’s not a failure — maybe it’s wisdom.
Too often, we treat marriage like the ultimate finish line instead of what it really is: a partnership that demands honesty, healing and self-awareness. The couples on Love Is Blind might have walked away without rings, but they walked away before making the kind of mistakes that take years to untangle.
Of course, everyone has flaws, but there are certain red flags that can’t be ignored — especially if the person isn’t taking steps toward growth. Here are five types of people you should never marry:
The Addict
Whether it’s food, sex, alcohol, porn, gambling or video games, an addiction takes up space meant for healthy connection. Addiction doesn’t just hurt the person struggling — it drains everyone around them.
A true addiction isn’t something you can just walk away from. It runs deep, gripping every part of who you are. A person in active addiction isn’t ready for a relationship, much less marriage, until they’ve started the long road of recovery.
Healing takes time, energy and focus. If you’re dating an addict, there’s a good chance one of two things is happening: either you’re hindering their healing, or they’re hindering your growth. Step away before someone gets seriously hurt.
The Deceiver
Have you ever met someone who seems just too good to be true? Not in a dreamy, checks-all-the-boxes kind of way, but in a you-only-exist-in-fairytales kind of way. That’s how deceivers appear. They puff themselves up by lying — a lot — about who they truly are.
It often starts small, lying about the small things, like how late they worked or how much money they had in savings. Then you realize they’re lying about the big things, like where they go at night or who they hang out with.
But if you don’t have honesty, you don’t have trust. And if you don’t have trust, you don’t have a relationship. Someone who can’t be real about the small things won’t be honest about the big ones either.
The Unavailable
This one is trickier to spot. The emotionally unavailable person isn’t necessarily cruel — just absent. Their heart and attention are elsewhere, consumed by work, hobbies or someone else.
These are the workaholics, the serial flirts, the people who always seem to have something “more important” going on. They might say they care, but they’re never really all in.
A one-sided dating relationship will always lead to a one-sided marriage. What you see in dating won’t magically change after you say “I do.” Save yourself the heartbreak and choose someone who shows up.
The Abuser
Abuse shows up in many forms — emotional, spiritual, sexual or physical. Whether it’s manipulation, coercion or control, abuse is about power, not love.
Healthy relationships are mutual. They’re about two people loving, giving and serving one another. Abuse in any form has no place in a relationship built on God’s love.
The Narcissist
The healthiest marriages are built on mutual service and humility. A narcissist can’t do either. They’re so consumed with themselves that they have no capacity to truly love someone else.
Narcissists live as if life is a one-person show. They make decisions based only on what benefits them, often at the expense of those closest to them. If they’re living for themselves now, they won’t suddenly learn to live for “us” later.
Dating is the time to notice red flags — not to ignore them. Once you see them, remember that red means stop. Have the courage to walk away and trust that God will bring the right person in His timing.
Marriage is one of life’s greatest journeys. Choose wisely who you walk it with.
Because as Love Is Blind just reminded us, not getting married might just be the healthiest decision you’ll ever make.