A New York City renter has shared the story of a short-lived living arrangement that spiraled into a series of uncomfortable demands, including a request that the two roommates attend therapy together after living together for barely a month.
The lengthy account was posted by Reddit user nightshade_45, who described how a sublet arrangement with a man he met on the forum soon became strained.
The original poster (OP) said he had lived in the apartment for five years before subletting the spare room to the 34-year-old roommate. Tension began almost immediately after the move-in.
According to the post, the new tenant brought numerous items intended for shared areas and began rearranging furniture and decor without asking.
‘Under a microscope’
The disagreement escalated after the roommate placed several large vintage crystal decanters and wine glasses on the apartment’s kitchen island as decoration, which the OP said took up valuable cooking space.
When the OP asked for the display to be moved, the conversation grew tense and soon shifted toward broader discussions about communication and fairness between the two men.
During one conversation, the roommate suggested that they attend therapy together, despite having lived together for about a month. The OP said he initially agreed in hopes of smoothing tensions, though he later felt uneasy about the request.
He wrote that the roommate repeatedly questioned his motivations during conversations and asked probing follow-up questions about his intentions and values, which left him feeling “examined under a microscope.”
The conflict resurfaced weeks later when user nightshade_45 asked whether a friend could visit for Halloween weekend. Even after offering to keep the guest entirely within his own bedroom and bathroom, the roommate objected, referencing the need to improve the “energy” of the apartment before inviting others into the space.
A screenshot shared in the post shows the roommate writing that he did not think having guests over was a good idea, “until we do therapy.”
‘Intensely serious’
The request sparked more than 300 comments of disbelief among Reddit pundits, many of whom reacted strongly to the idea of a roommate demanding therapy as a condition for hosting guests.
One contributor quoted part of the roommate’s earlier reasoning and wrote: “Well… I am not sure if I like that, because I don’t like to put myself in a position where I am being told no.”
The contributor remarked: “I’m dying.”
The OP replied that the moment felt surreal at the time: “That line could totally be a line out of a comedy show, but the way he delivered that line was soo intensely serious and not-so-comical.”
Another Reddit pundit criticized the situation more directly, writing: “Who the hell makes a friend go to THERAPY with them like it’s a couples session, let alone not even a friend a ROOMMATE you’ve known for a MONTH.”
The OP later added that the roommate occasionally joked about the situation resembling a romantic relationship, writing that the man would, “giggle ‘It’s almost like we are couples’ every chance he would get when we talked about therapy.”
‘Clear expectations’
Living with roommates often comes with unexpected friction. In a previous report on roommate experiences, Newsweek quoted one Reddit user who said, “Everyone has a different understanding of ‘clean’ and ‘cleaning’,” illustrating how everyday habits can lead to conflict.
Guides on shared housing stress that expectations around guests, personal space and communication should be discussed early in a living arrangement. According to Sharedeasy, “Establishing clear expectations from the start sets the foundation for a smooth co-living experience.”
For the OP, the situation eventually ended when the roommate moved out.
“Sharing this in celebration of him finally moving out,” he wrote.
“Here’s to hoping I won’t have to do therapy with the next one.”
Newsweek has reached out to nightshade_45 for comment via Reddit. We could not verify the details of the case.
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