We’ve all heard of ‘ghosting’ where a person you’ve been dating or seeing totally disappears from the face of the planet. It’s usually a case of never texting back, or you know, deleting your number and existence from your phone book without giving a second thought. Now, there’s a new relationship pitfall that’s being championed by the cowards of modern dating, and it’s been dubbed the ‘slow-fade’. The ‘slow-fade’ phenomenon is all about breaking off a relationship gently, although the signs might sting for quite some time. Relationship expert Dr. Carmen Harra said the ‘slow-fade’ can actually be more devastating than ‘ghosting’ as it leaves one half of the couple in an emotional limbo. Harra said that although there tends to be communication in the slow-fade, texting and phone calls start to dramatically drop-off. Other signs to watch out for are consistent signs of a lack of commitment, whether that’s avoiding any ‘serious’ relationsip talks or a sudden lack of availability for plans or dates. Another sign for some ‘slow-faders’ is cancelling plans at the last minute to avoid one-on-one time. Harra adds: “If you don’t really want to see someone, you make plans knowing you’ll cancel later. It’s easier than saying no, and you feel way less guilty mustering up a fake cough than hurting their feelings outright.” While some people might be using the slow-fade as their way of escaping the ties of a relationship, Harra adds it could be someone’s way of slowing down the dating scene if they feel you’re moving too fast. So what’s the best way of tackling a ‘slow-fade’? Unfortunately, it’s time to confront your other half. It won’t be the easiest conversation you’ve had, but it will give you both the opportunity to face the issue head on. Besides, you deserve someone who wants to be with you, where your biggest problem is working out where to go for date-night. H/T Mindbodygreen