People Are Breaking Up After Learning About The 'Doritos Theory'

It is no surprise that dating and relationships can feel like an endless maze to navigate.

From swiping through potential matches and trying to avoid major red flags on apps like Tinder, to figuring out how often to message someone new and going through countless dates that don't go well, looking for love can be downright tiring.

But even those who are already in relationships aren't free from these challenges - not at all.

Relationships can end for all sorts of reasons, whether it's simply growing apart or facing more painful realities like infidelity.

However, it’s not often that one would think of Doritos as being connected to why some people choose to leave their partner.

The so-called "Dorito theory" has taken TikTok by storm, and one particular video about it has drawn an impressive 3.2 million views.

The Dorito theory has had some people feeling like this... PhotoAlto/Frederic Cirou

The idea behind the Dorito theory is pretty relatable for many. If you've ever found yourself mindlessly eating chip after chip without really enjoying it, that could be a metaphor for other aspects of your life, including relationships.

Sharing more details, TikTok user Celeste Aria explained: "The idea is that only experiences that aren't truly satisfying are maximally addictive."

"So imagine eating Doritos. When you eat a Dorito and finish your bite, you're not fully satisfied."

"It's not the same as eating a steak or eating really satiating food that's high in protein, where after you bite, you really feel that fullness and that warmth of satisfaction."

She elaborated that eating a chip becomes addictive because "the peak of the experience is kind of when you're first tasting it and not after" and that "the experience itself is not satisfying in the end".

Celeste also suggested that this idea can apply to many addictive behaviors in life, such as spending too much time on social media.

"With Dorito theory - just this idea that things that aren't actually satisfying are the ones that are maximally addictive and that's why I want them - I think I can identify those areas and try to avoid them more effectively," she said.

She recommended that people try removing something from their lives that falls into what she calls the "Dorito category".

Psychologist Reneé Carr agrees there is some truth to this theory.

"Not experiencing satiation when engaging in a particular activity or in a relationship can influence you into staying in a situation that is not truly satisfying, not healthy and not happy," she shared with USA Today.

"Because you experience just enough satisfaction, we mistakenly think that full satisfaction is possible – leading us to stay longer or invest more energy unnecessarily."

They might look tempting, but chips are never truly fulfilling Insan Kamil/Getty Images

Other TikTok users admitted they felt exposed by the theory. One viewer commented on the original video: "Wow this is game changing".

Another chimed in: "You just improved my life my dear! *relabels that man in my phone as Dorito*", while someone else agreed: "My situationship is deffo a Dorito".

One person pointed out: "The irony of Dorito theory being explained/ presented while scrolling through tiktok, is not lost on me", while another added: "But see if I didn't spend 5 hours a day scrolling tik tok, I never would've known this".