The Newest Dating Trend: Monkey Branching

“Wow, she moved on fast,” you say to yourself. It’s only been two weeks, but she already has a new boyfriend.

Now, if you’re wondering how that’s possible, this explanation might shock you: she was dating that man before she broke up with you.

There’s actually a term for it in the dating world — monkey branching.

What is monkey branching?

Monkey branching happens when your partner flirts with or dates other people while you are still in a relationship.

It’s another form of cheating. The difference is that when someone cheats, they try to hide the fact that they cheated to avoid ruining the relationship. Monkey branching, on the other hand, is cheating with the hopes of creating an exit plan before the breakup.

The keyword here is “breakup.” As a monkey brancher, your partner starts dating others with one goal only — to end your relationship. It’s as if she was a monkey moving from one branch to the other.

What are the signs?

Monkey branching is easy to spot as long as you know what you’re looking for. That said, here are the most common signs your partner is monkey branching towards another relationship.

1. There’s a sudden change in her appearance.

All of a sudden, she wants to make herself presentable. You see her wearing new dresses and perfumes that she never uses whenever you’re around.

It is not alarming if she has reasons. Some women simply want to gain confidence by looking good. However, monkey branchers usually have no good alibi when it comes to these things and they always stutter when you ask them.

2. She flirts with other people.

Monkey branchers act as if they are single. They secretly flirt with the people they meet through text, online, and even in person. They may even do this while you’re around because they don’t care about your relationship at all.

3. She still uses dating apps.

There’s only one reason why your partner uses dating apps during your relationship. So they could cheat. Instead of focusing their time and attention on strengthening your connection, they would rather communicate and rendezvous with other men.

4. She doesn’t have time for you.

When you ask her where she’s going or what she’s doing on a specific date, she always points out that she’s busy with this and she’s busy with that. She does all of these things without you, and when you ask her with whom, she always has the same answers — her imaginary colleagues and friends.

5. She takes too much time on the phone.

Monkey branchers are suspicious when it comes to their phones. They move far away, even locking themselves in bathrooms, whenever they receive a call. There’s always an anonymous user calling them. Whenever you ask them who it is, they just say it’s no one.

Phone privacy is important in a relationship, but when you feel that something’s not right, try to check the accuracy of your suspicion.

6. She becomes less intimate.

“They change.”

When your partner cheats, they grow less intimate because they are focusing their attention on the person they’re cheating with.

7. She makes different accusations.

Cheating partners often pull out this card. They make accusations that you’re cheating or that you don’t have enough time for them. They will gaslight you to the point where you sometimes wonder if these are true. It’s not. They’re only projecting their fear and uncertainty on you.

8. She can’t commit to future plans.

This is the reality when your partner is already monkey branching. She can’t see any future with you. Whenever you ask her if you could do something together, she will give you a thousand reasons why she can’t.

What should you do?

Monkey branching. Cheating. Infidelity. All of these terms are the same, and they are all made by the same unfaithful people.

If you find yourself in this situation, understand that there’s nothing you can do. Even if you recognize the signs, you can’t change their mind. They have already lost interest in your relationship. So, instead of staying and making yourself more miserable with the same person who hurt you, walk away and build a better relationship with someone new.