As with most conversations about dating, it doesn’t matter whether you’re in the early stages of love or years into a marriage, people often turn to the internet for advice. It could be over something simple, like whether a partner should be pulling their weight with household chores, or something much more personal and complicated.
But in this case, the Reddit thread r/AskReddit was filled with responses after a user posed the question: “What’s a sign someone is quietly planning to leave their relationship/marriage?”
Most agreed that one of the biggest red flags is when a partner suddenly ‘goes quiet.’ They stop complaining, stop arguing, and seem like they no longer care about issues they once spoke up about. For many people, this silence is less about peace and more about emotional distance.
As one Redditor put it: “Partner has complained about the same thing 40 times but it’s still happening and it hasn’t been mentioned in a while. It’s unlikely they decided it’s not a big deal all of a sudden – they are over it.”
Someone else even gave it a name, describing it as ‘Walk Away Wife Syndrome,’ and explained: “It’s when something has been brought up many times, there’s been no change or action, she stops bringing it up and the husband thinks all is suddenly peaceful. Nope, she’s checked out from years of feeling unheard and dismissed. She silently decides what she wants to do and eventually takes action, often blindsiding her husband.”
Another user agreed, saying: “Its interesting how all the top comments are basically the same thing but in different words. I 100% agree with all them too,”
While the post sparked lots of agreement, many also noted that the key to avoiding these silent breakups is communication. If you notice your partner starting to emotionally pull away, the healthiest move is to try talking openly before the relationship reaches a breaking point.
