National Breakup Day Is Right Around the Corner. Will You Be a Victim?

Valentine’s Day is almost here, but so is National Breakup Day.

If you’re in a relationship, you might be preparing for the Valentine’s weekend ahead, purchasing thoughtful gifts, or making dinner reservations for your lover. However, others might be plotting an escape from their relationships.

When is National Breakup Day?

National Breakup Day falls on Friday, Feb. 21 this year; and according to data from the dating app Hily, 1 in 3 Americans specifically choose Friday as the day to call it quits with their partner. With the national day falling on an already-breakup-prone day, it seems many couples are in for it.

Thankfully, there are usually warning signs your partner might be considering calling it quits, which can help prepare you for the event. 

According to Dr. Marisa T. Cohen, LMFT and relationship expert at Hily, some of the most common indications your relationship is heading south include physical and emotional withdrawal, frequent arguments, less communication, and frequent assumptions/accusations. 

“Distancing oneself can include physically going away and wanting much more time alone. But it can also come in the form of emotional withdrawal and decreased communication,” Cohen said. “This means you’re less likely to be sharing with one another and the connection doesn’t feel as strong.”

“If you notice that you know less and less about your partner’s life, that may be a sign that they’re mentally checking out and preparing to break things off,” she added.

When you do connect, you might also notice there’s more hostility from your partner. 

“When a relationship is in danger, the good image of the loved one falls apart,” Cohen stated. “Your partner, who may have assumed the best intentions of you in the past, may no longer do so. You may find that whatever you do now is seen as an affront, and your honest mistakes are assumed to be malicious.”

“If you notice that your confrontations have turned into barrages of ‘you always’ and ‘you never,’ that is likely a sign your partner is checking out of the relationship,” she continued.

So, now you know the signs—but what do you do about it?

If the relationship isn’t too far gone, or even if it is, you should communicate your feelings and allow your partner to do the same. Whether you end up celebrating Valentine’s Day or National Breakup Day—or, shit, maybe both—it’s best to get on the same page so you’re not blindsided.