Expert issues warning over loyalty test that’s breaking up couples

Social media trends are a part of daily life at this point. From viral TikTok exercise challenges to ever-changing fashion concepts, it's almost impossible to ignore them. But while some trends can be harmless, others can prove to be more dangerous. Enter the recent 'loyalty test,' a relationship challenge that has the capacity to damage or even end romantic partnerships (Picture: Getty Images)

What is the loyalty test?

For context, creators have been using strangers to message their partners in an effort find out whether their partners would cheat, entertain the idea, or reject someone completely. If they 'fail' (meaning they choose the first two options), the partner is there to catch them in the act (Picture: Getty Images)

However, this 'prank' has very real consequences on people's lives and happiness. One look at TikTok and you'll find plenty of relationships that have broken down thanks to the trend: both due to cheating partners and faithful ones, who felt their trust had been broken by the partner who instigated the test (Picture: Getty Images)

Why is this trend harmful?

Metro spoke with Rachel Rose, a relationship and boundaries coach and author of Date Your Worth Not Your Wound, to unpack this trend. Plus, to discuss why it can be harmful to turn to social media for relationship advice. Rachel explains: 'No relationship is perfect, but trust is the foundation of any healthy partnership.' If you’re feeling even a small doubt about your partner’s faithfulness, the solution isn’t to set them up or test them; it’s to communicate openly and honestly. She added: 'If your emotional needs aren’t being met or you feel disrespected, it may be time to reevaluate the relationship' (Picture: Getty Images)

Trends that involve 'testing' your partner’s loyalty are harmful, the expert says. These kinds of setups don’t build trust; they erode it. Rachel says: 'Instead of creating a safe, secure dynamic, they introduce a power imbalance, where one person is expected to prove their loyalty while the other plays judge.' She continued by explaining that this shifts the focus from mutual connection to control and insecurity (Picture: Getty Images)

What can suspecting partners do instead?

Rachel notes that testing your partner often reflects insecure attachment. Rather than projecting doubts onto them, she says it’s more productive to look inward and ask why you feel the need to test their commitment. 'If someone is being unfaithful and you already suspect it, ask yourself why you're staying and why you're sacrificing your peace just to gather physical proof,' she adds. Bottom line: turning to social media to catch a potentially cheating partner won't make anything better, regardless of the outcome (Picture: Getty Images)

How has social media impacted trust in relationships?

'Social media has also contributed to this erosion of trust,' Rachel says. Even if you don't take up the elaborate trend to expose a cheating partner or humiliate an innocent one, she says it's increased people's tendencies to check their partner's activity or snoop through their profiles. 'This is another form of testing, and one that often leads to paranoia and misinterpretation,' she adds. 'You will come across something you don’t like eventually, whether it is a post, a like, or a comment. However, interpreting every action through the lens of suspicion only feeds insecurity' (Picture: Getty Images)

Finally, Rose says that sustained hypervigilance, always being on edge and monitoring your partner’s every move raises cortisol levels and activates your stress response. Over time, she says this chronic stress creates dissatisfaction in the relationship for both people. 'It chips away at emotional intimacy and replaces it with anxiety, resentment, emotional distance and in most cases, ends in an inevitable breakup' (Picture: Getty Images)

At the end of the day, your relationship should be grounded in what’s happening in real life. Rachel says: 'Social media is not real life, and when we give it too much power, we start ending relationships over minor, often meaningless moments.' So, the next time you see a potentially dangerous relationship trend doing the rounds, ask yourself: is my digital life more important than my real one? (Picture: Getty Images)