Date them till you hate them is a toxic dating practice that is returning to TikTok.

Breakups are never easy, but a new viral dating trend is making the process sound even messier. The "date them till you hate them" strategy from TikTok has reappeared, and many users are debating and discussing it.The Cosmopolitan claims that TikToker Meg Neil, who revealed the "secret" of how she ended a four-year romance with little heartache, is the origin of the fad. "I dated him till I hated him," she stated in her 2023 video. This dating technique is now circulating extensively again, raising questions about how people negotiate disagreement, emotional disengagement, and the end of relationships. At its foundation, ‘date them till you hate them’ encourages individuals to gently disengage rather than addressing concerns directly or selecting a healthy conclusion.

According to the explanation, it entails emotionally withdrawing while allowing resentment to build up so that the individual is emotionally detached by the time the relationship ends.Neil summarises the process: “You’re going to watch them disrespect you… until you no longer want to associate with them anymore.” While individuals may see shades of this pattern in their own lives, can internalising such behaviour have long-term ramifications, not just for the partnership, but for one’s emotional wellbeing and future attachment patterns?