A neuroscientist has shared insights on some of the most harmful dating trends emerging this year.
For those navigating the world of dating, the landscape is ever-evolving, with new patterns emerging annually.
Recently, a trend known as ‘zip coding’ has gained traction.
This involves individuals setting their dating app radius to a limited area, ensuring matches are from their immediate zip code.
While it may seem benign, ‘zip coding’ has a concerning aspect where dating someone in your zip code implies you’re single once outside of it.
For many, this doesn’t quite add up…
Despite its toxicity, ‘zip coding’ didn’t make the top toxic trend list compiled by Sister Wives and neuroscience BSc holder Dyllan Watkins for this year’s dating scene.
Here are some of 2025’s most detrimental dating habits according to their findings:
This isn’t an amusement park ride, but a dating behavior tagged nearly 60,000 times on TikTok this year. It involves showering someone with affection early on and then vanishing completely.
Watkins explains: “This new act of love bombing followed by ghosting could be a manipulative strategy targeting vulnerabilities in the other person’s attachment style.
“If an individual’s love language is gifts, the ‘love bomber ghost’ might exploit this to rapidly develop a relationship, extracting what they desire early, like companionship or sex. The swift ghosting suggests a fear of commitment and possibly a narcissistic trait.”
The term breadcrumbing was tagged 14,700 times on TikTok this year. According to the Cleveland Clinic, it involves giving someone just enough attention to keep them interested, without a genuine commitment. It’s considered quite unkind.
Watkins notes that this behavior can lead to anxiety disorders, resulting in low mood and disinterest towards a partner.
He adds: “Such breadcrumbing negatively affects a person’s self-esteem and overall well-being. The erratic dopamine response from checking for these ‘breadcrumbs’ can become addictive, disrupting daily life.”
‘Phubbing’ has been covered previously, and despite being named last year, it continues to affect relationships in 2025.
Though the term might be unfamiliar, many have experienced it or even engaged in it. It describes ignoring someone to pay attention to a phone instead.
Watkins points out the detrimental impact on relationships with habitual phubbers.
“Research shows that feeling phubbed correlates with poorer relationship quality,” he says, explaining that “phones act as barriers to intimacy and connection.”
He continues: “Trust issues exacerbate this, leading to spiraling thoughts and insecurities about social media, provoking controlling or distant behaviors, both harmful to relationship health.”
Similar to a submarine, this trend involves someone disappearing and reappearing in your life, possibly rooted in a power dynamic.
Watkins cautions: “Ghosting and resurfacing can reflect power dynamics. One person may feel they have control, believing they can return at will, knowing the other will welcome them.
“This exploits vulnerability and kindness, fostering a cycle of rejection and fluctuating dopamine levels.”