10 Types Of People Who Never Deserve A Second Chance

Who should you never let back into your life?

A man wearing an orange shirt and jeans kneels and clasps his hands together as if begging, looking towards a woman with long hair, who is wearing a red plaid shirt and blue jeans and stands with her arms crossed, facing away. They are in a living room with a couch and bookshelf.

Forgive and forget—it’s a common phrase that people repeat because it sounds good. But the truth is that you don’t have to do either. Some situations are too severe, too traumatizing to forgive or forget. In the long term, it’s healthy and helpful to be able to forgive, because it’s one less burden on your mind. But to forget? Forgetting opens you up to being hurt again.

Regardless, there are some people that you can’t forgive. Some people don’t deserve a second chance. Granted, there are always variables to every circumstance, so your judgment will matter. But, you can safely assume that these types of people don’t deserve a second chance for their wrongdoing without showing remorse or making it right—if they can.

1. Habitual liars.

A woman with long, light brown hair in a beige cable-knit sweater points at her nose, which is exaggeratedly long like Pinocchio's. She is smirking slightly against a gray background.

People who lie frequently are unreliable and untrustworthy. Sometimes, their behavior is symptomatic—they have been conditioned to not tell the truth due to abuse they suffered. They may have regularly been hurt for telling the truth, so they just learned not to. If you do that for long enough, it just becomes second nature. Still, if they show no signs of remorse or a willingness to change, don’t feel bad about cutting them off.

2. Abusers.

A woman with her hands on her temples appears frustrated while a man behind her raises his hand and seems angry. Both are indoors in a room with white walls and minimal furniture.

People with a history of abuse are best not given a second chance. Granted, people can change with dedication and a lot of work. Many people need to spend months or years in therapy to unwind the behaviors that drive abusive behavior. Still, it’s not up to you to be a test subject for their recovery. It’s perfectly okay and encouraged not to let that person get close enough to you to hurt you again.

3. Cheaters.

A man and a woman pose together against a grey background. The man has short dark hair, a beard, and wears a grey blazer and black pants. The woman has long, wavy hair and wears a shiny silver dress. They stand close, with the woman holding onto the man's jacket.

People who repeatedly cheat in relationships or other aspects of life are untrustworthy. You have no one you can truly lean on if you surround yourself with untrustworthy people. Cheating is one of the worst activities one can do in a relationship. It traumatizes people and burns lives to the ground. Furthermore, trying to recover a relationship where one partner cheated often means the relationship is forever ruined. There will always be that nagging doubt wondering if they are doing it again.

4. Manipulators.

A bearded man in a gray jacket angrily shouts at another bearded man in a leather jacket, who looks downcast while looking away. The background is a plain, light-colored wall.

Those who manipulate others for their own benefit cannot be trusted. Again, this is a long-term, ingrained behavior that one can change with enough dedication and hard work. However, one must be able to see that dedication and hard work. You can never truly trust a manipulator to not be working some angle on you. They may make you feel like you are exempt from their manipulations, but that in itself is a manipulation.

5. Narcissists.

A person with short, slicked-back hair stands against a plain background, gazing confidently at the camera. They are wearing a vibrant red jacket with rolled-up sleeves and have their hands gently placed on the back of their neck.

By narcissist, we don’t necessarily mean someone with a diagnosis. Rather, narcissist in the context of self-centered individuals with no regard for others and their feelings. A person selfish to this degree is only using the people around them as props to fulfill their own needs and feelings. They often have a bad habit of putting others down to elevate themselves because of their insecurity and self-centeredness. They are best avoided when you realize someone is that bad.

6. Addicts who refuse help.

A man with a bald head and beard sits at a table, clutching his head in frustration or despair. Around him are several empty, half-empty, and full bottles, suggesting a setting of distress or overconsumption. The background includes household items and plants.

Addiction is an ugly, ugly thing. And while sympathy towards people is valuable, it is also necessary to uphold strong boundaries. People with addiction can do some pretty hurtful things when they are in the worst of it. You will get hurt by that if you just let that person come in and out of your life. If they are striving to change and stay clean? They need support, but it doesn’t have to come from you if you don’t want it to.

7. Unreliable people.

A woman with long brown hair rests her head on her hand, gazing out of a large window. She appears thoughtful or reflective. She is seated at a wooden countertop in what seems to be a café, with a small, dark cup in front of her. Natural light illuminates the scene.

People who consistently fail to keep their promises and commitments make life harder for everyone. There is nothing worse than spending a lot of time preparing for a gathering only to receive a message a half hour late that they aren’t going to show up—if they even bother to send a message at all. If they can’t find some consideration for you, then they don’t need to be in your life, eating up your time and energy.

8. Bullies.

Two women stand outdoors in a park with lush greenery. One woman, in a blue shirt over a black top, appears to be talking to the other woman in a pink shirt. Both have serious expressions, gazing at each other with a background of neatly trimmed bushes and trees.

Bullying is a toxic behavior that often stems from deep-rooted issues. A bully who truly wants to change and puts in the work can. Often, it comes down to addressing their lived experiences or whatever trauma may be causing them to lash out. However, if you are friends with a bully and you’re seeing them bully others, but not you…well…it’s just not your turn yet. Sooner or later, they will turn on you just because you’re close and accessible. If they’ve bullied others or bully you, they don’t deserve a second chance.

9. Greedy people.

A man in a gray suit sits at a table in a dark room, counting a stack of US dollar bills. He has a serious expression and his head is tilted slightly. The table also has a small pile of more dollar bills. The background is black.

Greedy people maliciously exploit other people for their own benefit. If you’ve ever been taken advantage of by a greedy person, they aren’t someone you’re going to want to let back into your personal life. Furthermore, if you can see that people you associate with are greedy, you’d be wise to keep your distance from them or have a plan to turn them down if they decide to approach you. If they’ll do it to others, they’ll do it to you.

10. Negative influences.

A woman with short blond hair wearing hoop earrings and a striped shirt leans on the shoulder of a man with long curly brown hair and a denim vest. Both are wearing sunglasses and are positioned against a blue-railed structure.

There are many ways a person can be a negative influence in your life. Whatever it is, you probably don’t need it. Negativity, drama, and toxicity can rub off on you, making you feel worse and dragging you into situations you don’t want to be in. People who don’t try to learn or grow from this behavior are not healthy to be around because you will get sucked into it sooner or later. And even if you do keep some distance, you will experience some of the splash of their negativity through whatever drama surrounds them.

Final thoughts.

A man and a woman sit on a paved surface next to a car under the shade of trees. The man is wearing a white shirt and appears to be talking, while the woman in a pink top looks directly at the camera with a serious expression.

A second chance is something that needs to be earned. There is no reason to waste your time and life on someone who keeps hurting you over and over. Healthy boundaries are necessary to protect your mental health and well-being. But, of course, context matters. If they appear truly repentant and they’re trying, then it may be worth giving them that second chance. Ultimately, you’ll need to use your best judgment.