'Soul mate' is a red flag

Whenever I or a friend has been in a relationship and someone mentioned 'soul mates' it has always declined into a relationship of betrayal and abuse without exception. I now see the words 'soul mate' as an obvious early red flag.

The concept is a romantic and lovely one but sadly everyone who I have ever experienced using this term has almost always been a predator.

It may be that regular non predator/abusive types don't use this kind of over the top romantic love at first sight language.

It may sound cynical but it seems to me people use this term as a lazy way to fast track a relationship and make it look more intimate and bonded than it really is. People say it and they are just words without the proven actions that back it up.

Call me cynical but I also can't help but think of it a tool for both lovebombing and future faking sadly.

Everyone I know who uses this expression too easily has got hurt so now I loathe the term as I always associate it with abusers.