Women Are Sharing The Reasons They Got The Ick And They're Hilarious

Most of us have experienced 'the ick'. The sinking feeling when, having been keen on a new love interest for a few days, weeks or months, a switch suddenly flips, and you're turned off in a big way.

Our triggers vary. Some causes of 'the ick' are so commonplace that they've been widely memed, like clapping when the plane lands (just. don't.)

Maybe you draw your 'icky' red line at Hobbit-like toenails, baby talk in the bedroom, or being rude to restaurant staff.

Hey, it's all valid. The mysterious 'ick' is unique and personal to you. And in most cases, it's worth paying attention to.

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One Twitter user cracked open the mother of all 'ick' themed conversations when she posted: 'I wanna start an ick thread'.

Women (and men) promptly responded, sharing the traits and behaviours that gave them a great big dose of ick, with hilarious results.

"When they set themselves as the screen saver," wrote one respondent.

"When they wear pants not boxers," said another.

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A third shared: "It's the long fingernails for me."

While another commented: "When they're a different person around their friends." Amen!

Bad table manners and questionable fashion choices were high on the list, too.

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Twitter)

"BOOT CUT JEANS," shared one user, alongside several crying emojis.

Meanwhile, another wrote: "When they bite the fork while eating, makes me absolutely raging."

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Twitter)

Some of these are VERY relatable, but why do we get 'the ick' to begin with?

According to relationship coach, dating industry consultant and founder of The Love Group Global Sarah Louise Ryan, it's all to do with transitioning from a period of intense physical attraction into something more serious.

In the early stages of a partnership, couples are constantly "figuring each other out, exploring new things about one another and delving into values, wants and needs," Sarah told The Independent.

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"If something doesn't seem to click, perhaps because these values don't seem to have aligned enough to take the early stages of physical attraction to something closer to feeling like falling in love, then modern dating dubs that uncertain phase 'the ick'," she says.

Whatever the cause of 'the ick', it seems pretty universal - to date, the Twitter thread has a whopping 29.5K likes.

That's a whole lot of ickiness wrapped up in one comedy goldmine.

Topics: Life News, Dating, Sex and Relationships, Life, Twitter

Mary-Jane Wiltsher

Mary-Jane Wiltsher is a freelance lifestyle and culture journalist. Elsewhere she writes for Stylist, Euronews, PHOENIX and What We Seee.