Having a good, trustworthy roommate is important because you see them every day. But not everyone is so lucky. In these stories, people talk about their worst experiences with roommates—people so chaotic, terrible, or even scary that it felt like living in a horror movie.

The Story:

One day, I came home late and saw my roommate quickly go into her room, wrapped in a wet towel. I said hi, but she ignored me and didn’t look at me. I thought maybe she didn’t notice me. Five minutes later, she walked in from outside. Confused, I asked, “Weren’t you just in your room?” She turned pale and told me to run to the car, lock it, and call 911.

That day, I was shocked to find out my roommate has schizophrenia. Sometimes, she skips her medication, which causes her to get confused and paranoid. In her confused state, she had left the house without realizing it and then came back, thinking there was an intruder. That’s why she ignored me at first and then told me to run—she thought I was a stranger in the house.

I had lived with her for two months and didn’t know this about her. I still care about her and consider her a friend, but I quickly moved out because I didn’t feel safe living there anymore.