A friend who used to respond immediately after a message is sent now regularly delays replying. You keep staring at the screen, waiting for the blue tick. A lover who used to get anxious and call if she didn’t see him even for a while now doesn’t mind even if a week passes without seeing him.
The above are two instances of a pattern seen not only in romantic or friendship relationships, but even in married life. What is happening here? Psychologists say these are signs that distance has begun in the relationship and that one person has decided to end it. Instead of directly saying that the relationship is over, what they do is slowly withdraw from it.
Without big fights or blame games, without hurting the other person or making them feel guilty, this is a conscious effort to step away from the relationship. That is what the new term “soft exit theory” refers to.
We can point out some more signs of such attempts to slowly move away from relationships. Messages become fewer; those who used to reply within minutes now don’t respond even after days. Long conversations decrease. The number of calls and their duration become less. Calls end quickly without much talking. If you express a desire to meet in person, they act busy or never seem ready to meet. When you talk about trips planned together in the future, they remain silent (they don’t wish to travel with you). Expressions of affection decrease; they avoid hugging or holding hands. Instead of behaving like a friend or partner, they interact more like a stranger or just an acquaintance.
There are many such signs that can be pointed out. If two people who were very close until yesterday begin to show this kind of growing distance in their affection and interactions, it is most likely a sign that they are no longer interested in continuing the relationship. If a friend or lover shows such behavior, talk directly and bring clarity to things. Understand the situation and try to protect yourself. Otherwise, you may end up running behind them trying to win back their love, losing your self-worth and damaging your life.
