Dating and relationships can be a complicated journey.
Navigating through the sea of potential red flags on dating apps and trying to figure out the right amount of communication with a new interest can be overwhelming. Even dealing with one lackluster date after another can leave one feeling drained in the quest for love.
Being in a relationship doesn’t mean you’re immune to the challenges.
Relationships can dissolve for numerous reasons, whether it’s growing apart or dealing with infidelities.
Surprisingly, a theory involving Doritos is now being discussed as a potential reason for breakups.
This concept has gained significant traction on TikTok, with one video on the topic amassing approximately 3.2 million views.
The Dorito theory draws parallels between mindlessly eating Doritos and how it may signify certain behaviors or people in one’s life.
TikTok user Celeste Aria elaborated on the theory: “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 explained that the act of eating a chip becomes addictive because ‘the peak of the experience is kind of when you’re first tasting it and not after’ and concluded that ‘the experience itself is not satisfying in the end’.
The TikToker suggested this theory could be applicable to many addictive aspects of life, such as time spent on social media.
@celeste.aria_ Have you heard of Dorito Theory? What types of things and experiences falls under it for you? #doritotheory #dopamine #addictivebehaviour #howtostoprotting #rottingtiktok #impulsivebehaviour #howtousetiktokless #howtoeathealthy #howtomotivateyourself #howtoimprove #thoughtexperiment #serotonin #mentalhealth #neuroscience #neurodivergent #adhd
“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 advised that people try eliminating things that ‘fall in the Dorito category’.
Psychologist Reneé Carr supports this notion.
“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,” Carr told 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.”
TikTok users shared their thoughts on the theory, with one commenting on the original video: “Wow this is game changing”.
Another wrote: “You just improved my life my dear! *relabels that man in my phone as Dorito*” while another said: “My situationship is deffo a Dorito”.
Someone else observed: “The irony of Dorito theory being explained/ presented while scrolling through TikTok, is not lost on me” and another added: “But see if I didn’t spend 5 hours a day scrolling TikTok, I never would’ve known this”.