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‘Glueing’ Is the Dating Trend That Keeps You Stuck in a Bad Relationship

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25.09.2026

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‘Glueing’ Is the Dating Trend That Keeps You Stuck in a Bad Relationship

Therapists say intense chemistry can blur red flags, mask incompatibility, and make it harder to leave an unhealthy relationship.

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How many times have you stayed with a partner simply because the sex was good? Whether knowingly or not, you might’ve partaken in a toxic tendency called “glueing.” Here’s what you should know about the harmful dating trend.

Glueing essentially involves staying in an unhealthy or unfulfilling relationship strictly for the physical connection. In other words, your sex life is the “glue” keeping you together.

“The glue of sexual chemistry is what keeps people in relationships with other reasons to stay that aren’t going right,” says Whitney Willborn, LCSW, Licensed Clinical Social Worker at BasePoint BreakThrough. “While it can be an intensely strong feeling at times while you are being intimate, there often will also be times when communication, trust, compatibility, and emotional........

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