You are happy together. Until one day you notice the partner drifting yet still texting the new person. Well, this “monkey branching” behavior is sort of the norm nowadays. Some people, just like a monkey who stretches to another branch yet never let go of the previous one, start their next relationship before letting go of the present one a scenario that can be messy, messy and complicated. It raises all kinds of questions regarding loyalty, meaning, and value.
Monkey Branching: What Are the Subtle Signs?
Usually, people don’t tell you that they are lining something up. Instead, they will start to show you some signs that they are lining something new up. They may spend more and more time on their phone. Comparison with others begins to creep in. Emotional intimacy with you starts to fade, while it grows with someone else. If you are noticing this shift in someone you are with, this could be monkey branching at work, and you can utilize this disturbance to protect your emotional health to the best of your ability.
Slightly shorter and sharper communication might help. Ask them direct questions. Watch their behavior. Trust your gut feeling. You are more likely to see the red flags when you aren’t distracted by their excuses.
Why People Do It
Monkey branching isn’t always about being “bad” or “selfish.” You are close. Pick “some prefer constant interactions with others instead of being alone. Picking other people’s company gives them relief. Others crave novelty and validation, and just being able to swipe to new connections on social media makes it easy.
But it’s also about opportunity. It also ties into boundaries and self-esteem. People that know how to respectfully end relationships do not usually monkey branch. They know they can tolerate the discomfort of a breakup before they begin something new.
The Impact on Relationships
This kind of monkey branching does more damage than just heartbreak. It severely damages trust, instigates feelings of doubt, and causes emotional suffering. Frequently, the partner who has been left will keep thinking over the possibility that they were to blame, whereas the truth is their behaviors were completely unrelated to the matter. Re-establishing trust takes batching and effort after the betrayal.
If you have been on the end, bear in mind that what they did reflects on them and not on you. What then follows from that is taking care of yourself, engaging in honest conversations about it, and maybe even seeking some professional help. Do not rush into your own rebound just to get some pain relief.
How to Protect Yourself
Relationships require active honesty. One way of practicing active honesty is to set clear expectations right from the start. Have discussions early on regarding relationship commitment. Pay attention to habitual behaviour. When someone avoids defining the relationship with you, or when they avoid disclosing various aspects of their life to you, pay attention.
And if you find yourself lining up with someone in the canteen before breaking up with your current partner, why? Are you trying to avoid discomfort? Or are you looking for self-validation? In this case self-reflection is needed in order to stop monkey branching cycles.
Closing remarks
Monkey branching is more than a catchy pop dating term; it’s a behaviour that reveals how people attempt to handle the fear of being alone, the fear of loneliness, and the inevitability of change. Knowing what monkey branching is, can help you make better relationship decisions, whether that is to observe or be deliberate about monkey branching with someone else.
Mutual liability and a healthy conclusion to your relationship (not going to say closure that is pointless) is essential for a healthy relationship. If you want to move on, you have to let go first. Then you can begin to have new honesty and integrity based beginnings.
