Monkey Branching in Relationships: What You Need to Know

If you've come across this blog post, you may be searching for more information on “monkey branching”, what it may mean, why it may be a problem for your dating experience, and what you can do to best address the issue of “monkey branching” if it comes up in your dating. While the term may be considered informal, it does a decent job at explaining what is likely going on if you or someone you’re seeing is demonstrating behavior aligned with “monkey branching”. This behavior can cause a significant level of negative impact to yourself and your dating partners. Let’s explore what exactly “monkey branching” is, the signs to look out for, and how to best address the issue head on if it’s affecting your relationship.

What is Monkey Branching?

Monkey branching is the practice of a person who is in a relationship deciding to begin  nurturing and pursuing another relationship while still very much romantically involved with their current partner. The phrase is derived from the action a monkey will take when swinging from one branch to another while still holding on to the previous branch before letting go and holding on to the new branch. Individuals who choose to engage in monkey branching want to ensure they’re fully secure in the new relationship before ending things with their current relationship. This pattern of behavior may stem from a fear of being alone if things end up not working out with another partner, dissatisfaction with the current relationship, or the thrill of cheating and starting a new romance.

Recognizing the Signs of Monkey Branching

Identifying monkey branching may be a challenge, yet there are signs which may suggest its presence is lurking:

Emotional Distance: Your current partner may be demonstrating traits of becoming emotionally withdrawn. They could seem distracted or generally less interested in you when compared to previous periods throughout your relationship.

Increased Privacy: If your current partner is possibly monkey branching, they could be ultra protective with their digital communication and access to their electronic devices. This could include new passwords, taking calls in private, or being particularly secretive with their social media communications

Shifts in Social Habits: If your partner is spending more time with a new “friend” or a coworker, where they often go out of their way to spend time with this other person over you, it could indicate the beginning of a new relationship with this other individual while still being romantically connected to you. 

Frequent Criticism: If you notice a sudden increase with your partner criticizing you, unnecessarily pointing out your flaws, or perpetually dissatisfied with you or the overall relationship; it may be an indicator they’re monkey branching.

Change in Commitment Levels: If there’s a new level of reluctance which is noticeable when it comes to making future plans of any type with your partner, this could be a sign they’re considering other options.

The Impact of Monkey Branching

Monkey branching can be quite the traumatic experience if you’re on the receiving end of it with your partner. It presents a scenario where trust is eroded and an emotional toll is experienced firsthand, as you begin to wonder if there was ever love in the first place. The secrecy of such an act as monkey branching can present feelings of isolation, loneliness, abandonment, and betrayal. 

How to Deal With Monkey Branching

if you begin to suspect monkey branching in your relationship, you’ll want to read over the following tips on how to best deal with the possible scenario and the potential outcomes involved with monkey branching: 

Open Communication: Communication is key in any relationship. It’s especially important if you begin to suspect your partner is involving themselves with another individual through the act of monkey branching. Productive dialogue can help clear up any confusion if there’s a possibility something is awry.

Self-reflection: Taking some time to reflect on what may be driving this monkey branching behavior to occur in the first place could help to identify some problem areas in the relationship. Nobody’s perfect and nobody deserves to go through something such as monkey branching, yet there could be some blind spots you’ve been unaware of for an extended period of time which could be better addressed to solve some of the issues within your relationship. Being able to identify the root cause of the issue could be an eye-opening experience for the both of you and lead to possible repair of the relationship.

Counseling: Counselling can be a great tool if you’re seeking out solutions which could lead to possible resolutions in the relationship, or if you’re seeking out methods on how to cope with the dissolution of the relationship. Either way, you’ll likely want to seek out some form of support, as this negative experience in your relationship can be quite traumatic.

Reevaluate the Relationship: Is it worth staying within this relationship if someone has already crossed the line by monkey branching? Maybe? Maybe not? It’s up to you to determine the best path for you to thrive once again.

Choose Sagebrush Counseling for Help Today

Monkey branching may be a sign of a deeper rooted issue within your relationship. It could be an underlying fear of commitment, overall dissatisfaction, a desire for change, or generalized cheating where the monkey branching partner wants to have it both ways (the current relationship and a new relationship). Being able to recognize and address any of the underlying and fully present issues head-on can be a step in the right direction towards repair, healing, and reunification. All relationships thrive on honesty, trust, and commitment. By maintaining these core principles for both sides in any relationship you find yourself in, you’ll be better able to navigate the twists and turns with grace and ease. Feel free to schedule a session using the button below if you’re currently going through a monkey branching experience or you’re recovering from a monkey branching experience. We’ll be sure to have you scheduled as soon as possible. We look forward to hearing from you soon.