Should You Try 180-Dating After a Breakup?

The useful part

Posted September 20, 2026 | Reviewed by Jessica Schrader Share Tweet Share on Bluesky Share Email THE BASICS The Science of Mating Take our Are You a Good First Date? Find a therapist near me Key points The 180-dating trend on social media is about going for the "opposite" of your type. A breakup can be a good opportunity to see how you might want to change your dating preferences.

How it works

• The degree to which 180-dating works depends on how earnestly you want to learn about yourself and others.
• Or is it time to follow this whole "180-dating" trend on social media and the internet—namely, going for someone who is the opposite?
• However, if your ex fell into "your type"—meaning the same type of person that you've kept dating repeatedly—then this latest breakup could be the right time to change your dating trajectory up a bit—or a lot.
• How 180-Dating Can Help The 180-dating approach could force change—disrupt any tendency to simply stick with what you know.
• A change-up on very superficial characteristics like race, height, and other appearance things can make total sense and help you realize how little they matter.

What to take from it

That's because finishing anywhere but on top is usually a sign that something wasn't completely right. In fact, you could have been opting for a certain type of person largely because you thought that such a type would be more likely to have some underlying characteristic that you truly want. You may find that you have much more in common with a younger or older person because what you are truly interested in is a certain level of maturity, flexibility, or curiosity.

Example or evidence

• Well, whether you make such a 180-degree turn does depend on the degree to which you truly know yourself and have already tried different things.
• Or maybe even multiple red-flag-level mismatches that you simply didn't notice while you were too busy listening to your body, your fear of being single, or whatever you shouldn't have been listening to so...
• Sure, your latest ex could have been like a visit to an inebriated barber or hairstylist—a one-time mistake.

Details worth keeping

| Psychology Today Skip to main content Bruce Y. A Funny Bone to Pick Mating Should You Do '180-Dating' After a Breakup? Trying something new can open up your dating horizons.

Related coverage

• Huffingtonpost: "Are you going to start dating soon, or what?" Chris and I leaned against our still-hot cars in the school pickup line.
• Psychologytoday: As a therapist who supports people navigating divorce, I've seen successful dating scenarios and disastrous ones. Follow these dating tips if you are ready for a new relationship.
• Theartfulage: Guides to winning your partner back after a breakup usually promise a set of moves: the right message to send, the strategic silence, the reinvented look, the grand gesture that changes everything.
• Psychologytoday: First sessions, like first dates, contain a wealth of information about whether we're a good match and how the relationship is likely to pan out.