The Psychology of Why We Get ‘the Ick ’

Nothing kills the vibe on a first (or third) date like discovering that the person across from you—who had seemed so full of potential—chews with his mouth open or wears sunglasses indoors or has his ex’s initials tattooed on his bicep. Cue instant repulsion, or what’s called “the ick.” The term, which is used liberally on social-media platforms like TikTok and among reality TV contestants, describes an abrupt feeling of disgust about someone you were previously attracted to, usually during the early stages of dating. “It feels like there’s this random, very sudden turn-off,” says Naomi Bernstein, a clinical psychologist in Dallas who co-hosts the Oversharing podcast. “It’s visceral and automatic, more a reaction in the body than a rational thought.” The entire person—usually a man—becomes the ick, appearing to morph into some intolerable behavior or trait in front of your eyes.  [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] But should you even pay attention to the ick? And once you’ve got it, can a relationship ever recover? Why we get the ick Bernstein’s clients have been talking about the ick for years—and she suspects evolutionary factors are partly why it’s such a shared experience. “I’m a feminist, and we’re in a world where women have more power,” she says. “But our human bodies evolved in a patriarchal world where m...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized Evergreen healthscienceclimate Source Type: news