Women warn about the “forehead kiss of doom and despair”—the kiss you get right before he disappears

Dating TikTok has a new omen to obsess over: the so-called "forehead kiss of doom and despair." Women across the platform noticed they were getting a tender goodbye kiss, only to be ghosted days later.

The phrase came from a wave of videos in which women described getting a gentle farewell kiss on the forehead right before their love interest ghosted them. The stories sounded oddly similar, and many users treated the gesture like a countdown clock.

What is "the forehead kiss of doom and despair"?

According to women on TikTok, it doesn't seem to matter how long you've been dating. The moment you feel those lips on your temple, the relationship is doomed. The amount of time left on the clock fluctuates, with some giving it 24 or 48 hours, while the more optimistic women give it two weeks.

Although a forehead kiss often signifies respect or care in various cultures, TikTokers argued that modern dating twisted that meaning. Forehead kisses appear in familial contexts as well, from parents comforting children to elderly family members greeting or saying farewell to loved ones. Despite this, creators insisted the gesture now carries romantic risks.

As dating norms shifted toward casual dating in recent years, people struggle to interpret subtle signs of affection. Promises to hang out, soft compliments, and even forehead kisses no longer guarantee genuine interest.

@martin.ass

why is the forehead kiss of death so real i love when this happens to me happens all the time ????

♬ original sound - NOHUN

Dr. Jayashree Kamblé explained to Dazed that forehead kisses held emotional weight because they were "a sign of true affection" without sexual pressure and often replicated nurturing relationships. She said, "You’re establishing physical contact to express emotional connections without having a sexual demand attached to it."

TikTokers shared their own cautionary tales

Examples spread quickly, with TikTokers treating the kiss as an omen. Comment sections on videos discussing the phenomenon were filled with similar stories, reinforcing the idea that no one could decode affection in casual dating culture. 

"Bro, he kissed my forehead last time we hung out am i cooked?" one commenter asked in a panic. When people asked her for an update, she said, "We are still tg going strong."

Not everyone was doom-and-gloom about forehead kisses, however.

"My bf kisses me on the forehead all the time and has since [we] got together almost a year ago! (idk what monsters yall find but im sorry to anyone who went through that)," a woman shared.

In another positive example for forehead kisses, a man shared, "I be giving my girl forehead kisses all the time bc she will have lipstick on or lip gloss or she will be eating or im just in the mood to kiss her all over the face, or if shes crying ill hold her tight and kiss the top of her head to calm her down, do better finding a man."

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