No matter who starts it, the end of a relationship is never easy. While breakups provide closure and the opportunity to move on, “fizzling” in the dating scene deprives people of this clarity. “Fizzling” is a technique used to gently detach from a relationship without having to face the awkwardness of a direct breakup. Instead, one person gradually withdraws their attention and affection, leaving the other person to understand the fading connection until the relationship eventually ends. This technique isn’t totally new; it was previously characterized as a gradual fade. The popularity of dating apps, on the other hand, has normalized fizzling, giving a quick escape route for daters who no longer desire to pursue a connection without immediate ramifications.
When a relationship fizzles, someone involved may feel befuddled, rejected, and emotionally stranded. Unlike a formal breakup, which offers closure and an opportunity to process the end of the relationship, fizzling leaves the other person in limbo, wondering if they did anything wrong or if the other person is simply too busy or uninterested to continue the connection. According to Pop Sugar, this lack of clarity can lead to worry, self-doubt, and a lengthy period of emotional instability.
The Longer the Process of Fizzling continues, the More Unpleasant It Gets for The Partner
The longer the process of fizzling continues, the more unpleasant it gets for the partner. They may spend more time, energy, and emotions on the connection, only to feel betrayed and confused when the other person slips away altogether.
Fizzling may be even more devastating than a formal separation, according to experts. According to a dating app report, fizzling is “one of the most recent issues people face with post-date communication.” When daters don’t want to inform someone they’re no longer interested, their answers get slower and shorter until they come to a halt.”
Fizzling, according to psychologist Dr. Jeff Gardere, is “a very slow death,” since the individual is gradually distancing from the other person.
“Most people are doing it because they are scared, and they don’t want to hurt the other person,” love and relationship expert Kavita J. Patel told the media source.
