What is quiet dumping in relationships?

We are all now aware of the term 'quiet quitting' at the workplace. In the post-pandemic age, a lot of us are reevaluating our commitments toward work-life balance. However, the concept of 'quiet quitting' doesn't just exist in the context of work. It exists in the context of our relationships too.

And unlike quiet quitting at the workplace, which can be healthy (the jury is still out on this one), there's no doubt that quiet quitting in a relationship is unhealthy. 

What is quiet quitting in a relationship? Quiet quitting is re-imagined as quiet dumping in relationships when one or both partners lose interest in the relationship and do just the 'bare minimum' required to not break up. 

• In other words, even though the love is gone, the involved parties prefer to remain in the relationship instead of breaking up for various reasons. 
• It is similar to quiet quitting at work where one does just the 'bare minimum' or what one is paid to do to avoid burnout. 
• Quiet dumping as a concept going viral now can be traced to a TikTok influencer Daniel Hentschel. But the situation has existed for as long as love has. 
• However, it shouldn't be confused with ghosting, where one party literally disappears and stops communicating. In quiet quitting, partners don't leave or stop communication, but they are also not present in the relationship. 
• It is also important to note that quiet dumping and chalking out boundaries are two very different things. In the latter case, there is communication and understanding between the parties. 

How to spot quiet dumping?

• They stop communicating their feelings
• They stop taking time out for you

• They stop making any future plans with you
• They don't reminisce about the happy memories you made together
• They don't text back as soon as they usually did
• They are not interested in what's happening in your life
• They don't listen to your problems or brush your problems off
• They pick fights with you over the littlest of things 
• You don't feel the joy of being with them anymore
• Your self-esteem takes a hit because of their disinterest and lack of involvement 

Why do people stay in relationships despite quiet dumping? Quitters often don't want to face their own emotions. 

• Many people continue in a relationship for the sake of familiarity. 
• On the other hand, some may not be in an ideal socioeconomic condition to call quits, which in the Indian context, we can often see among women who are financially dependent on their partners. 
• Why is quiet dumping bad? Whether quiet quitting at a workplace is good or bad is still debatable and it can be good or bad depending on each individual. 
• But quiet dumping in a relationship, on the other hand, is almost always bad for the parties involved. 
• Existing with the ghost of a person you loved and who loved you back can hamper your personal growth, affect your mental health and become toxic. 
• For couples in such situations, talking about the problems and a possible breakup is likely to be healthy. 

But it doesn't have to be a breakup if the parties decide to seek couples' therapy and believe they can work it out.