Dating TikTok has identified a terrifying new omen: the so-called “forehead kiss of doom and despair,” which women are warning is the last sweet gesture you’ll receive before your love interest completely ghosts you. This phenomenon has gained massive traction across the platform, with users sharing oddly similar stories about receiving a gentle farewell kiss only to be completely cut off days later. If you’ve experienced this, you aren’t alone. Many people are treating this tender gesture like a ticking clock. According to some TikTokers sharing their experiences on TikTok, it doesn’t seem to matter how long you’ve been seeing someone; the minute those lips touch your temple, the relationship is doomed. The timeline for the disappearance is tight, too. While some optimistic women give the relationship two weeks, most users suggest you only have 24 to 48 hours left before the ghosting is complete. I had no idea that this wasn’t a known thing, it could have happened at the end of Seth Rogan’s own breakup story. The forehead kiss is just like a ‘you mean something to me, but not like that,’ and I guess some people didn’t realize that it was a way of saying you’re not that interested. At least it didn’t come after a Barbie movie The kiss of death may end up on your forehead It’s completely understandable why this particular kiss carries so much emotional weight. Traditionally, the forehead kiss has been a sign of deep respect and care in many cultures. We see it often in familial contexts, like parents comforting children or elderly family members greeting loved ones. It’s a good way of saying you’re not romantically interested in someone. @madstheresaa I personally like to refer to this as the forehead kiss of doom and despair #relatable #foreheadkiss #tsmwel ♬ The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived ORCHESTRA – lala Not everyone on the platform agrees with the doom-and-gloom assessment. Plenty of users have shared positive counterexamples, proving that the forehead kiss isn’t always a death sentence. Keep in mind, if you’re actively dating or married, this is just normal kissing. This kind of kiss is bad if you’re on a first or second date or haven’t really said that you’re stable. @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 One user even agrees, saying, “my bf kisses me on the forehead all the time and has since ee got together almost a year ago! (idk what monsters yall find but im sorry to anyone who went through that)” It seems that while the “forehead kiss of doom” is certainly a real fear for people trying to navigate the choppy waters of casual dating, if you’re in a committed relationship, you probably don’t need to panic. If you’re just starting out, though, you might want to keep that 48-hour countdown clock handy, just in case.