New Delhi: These days, the formation and breakdown of relationships has become increasingly common. Every day, we hear new relationship-related terms floating around the internet. One such term is currently trending on social media.
Alpine divorce is a new and quite scary trend. It sounds like something out of a Hollywood suspense thriller, but its concept is actually quite frightening. People have shared their terrifying experiences on social media. Let’s understand this new trend in simple terms:
What does ‘Alpine divorce’ mean?
Unlike a regular divorce, it isn’t a legal divorce, paperwork, or court case. Instead, it’s a brutal and deadly method of separation. In essence, a person takes their partner to a dense forest, snowy mountain, or an unknown trekking route, abandoning them midway, and then disappearing. This is dangerous because it leaves them in a dangerous situation without any help, phone network, or knowledge of the routes.
How did it start?
Trends often originate on Instagram or other social media platforms, but you might be surprised to learn that the “Alpine Divorce” trend wasn’t inspired by social media, but by a suspense story written in 1893 by Robert Barr called “An Alpine Divorce.”
In this story, a husband plots to get rid of his wife by pushing her off a mountain. Now, 130 years later, the internet has transformed this horrifying fictional tale into a viral trend and a colloquial term.
Where did the word ‘Alpine’ come from?
The word “Alpine” is used to describe high and dangerous mountainous terrain, such as Switzerland or Scotland, where survival is nearly impossible without proper knowledge and preparation.
Why is it causing a stir on social media?
This term has been trending on social media since the beginning of 2026. Many women have shared their horrifying experiences on social media. In one video, a woman described how her boyfriend deliberately left her alone miles away on an unknown trail while hiking in the woods. In the comments, many people acknowledged that this has become all too common. Some are treating it as dark comedy, but for many, it’s a horrifying reality.
