Have you ever been in a situation where you have been dating a guy/girl for so long but they do not tell about this relationship to the world? In this case, they have been pocketing you!
The most recent term in dating is pocketing, which relatively refers to someone making an effort to avoid introducing their partner to other individuals in their life. Let’s know about pocketing in detail.
What is Pocketing in Dating?
Simply put, pocketing is a dating term where a person you are dating is keeping you a secret. They are putting you inside their pockets and hiding you from their friends, family members, co-workers, and colleagues. When pocketing happens for wrong reasons, it may take a toll on the relationship you have with your partner.
Whenever a relationship starts, some people like announcing about it to the world, and they take the social media mediums like Facebook and Instagram in doing so. Others prefer keeping things under wraps until they are sure their partner is their one and only.
They may want to let the cat out of the bag once they are more serious regarding each other and want to take their relationship a step ahead. They act cautious, hence do not talk about it much. But do you know there is a big difference between being cautious at the beginning of a relationship and hiding the person in your life? The latter is pocketing, and we urge you to check this with your partner.
Some people may get pocketed on an intention, while others may have their reasons.
Why Do People Pocket Their Partners? Â
There may be many reasons why your partner is pocketing you. Some may do it because of a negative experience from their past. Others may want to hide their true intentions. Relationship experts suggest that pocketing is not always about how a person feels about you. It doesn’t necessarily mean they are embarrassed about this relationship. It is, therefore, wise to find out the reason for getting pocketed by your partner.
We have listed a few:
Your Partner May be Having an Affair
It is the most obvious reason why many people engage in pocketing. They are already in a relationship. Your partner may be engaged or married to someone, and they do not want to reveal about you to the world. Beware if your partner has such intentions because it is plain cheating.
They Don’t Love Their Life
Some people do not like how they are living their life, which affects their relationships, including the ones with their partners. When they do not love their life, they prefer keeping everything under wraps.
A Cultural or Religious Barrier
Pocketing may also be the reason for cultural or religious barriers between you and your partner. This scenario is common in many relationships. If the parents of your partner are not so open-minded to accept the cultural difference between you and them, they will never accept you. It makes your partner pocket you from them.
They are Struggling with Their Sexuality
Sometimes, peer pressure convinces two people to get into a relationship, even if one of them is in the closet. Unfortunately, some people are still afraid to come out to their friends and parents. They get into a relationship with a partner from the opposite gender but barely introduce them to the world.
Involvement with an Ex
It is one of the worst reasons your partner may be pocketing you. Some people prefer keeping their options open for as long as possible. Others wouldn’t begin a new relationship before an old one has ended. Some people are not done with their ex but do not want to break ties with their new love either. They want to enjoy the best of both worlds. Hence, they pocket their partners.
Am I Getting Pocketed? Know with These Signs
If you cannot decide whether your partner is pocketing or not, let these signs help you, and then you may make the right and conscious decision for your future.
- Your partner will never talk about their family or friends to you. Even when you bring this topic to them, they prefer to dodge it and talk about something else. It is a clear sign your partner is trying to pocket you.
- It doesn’t matter if your partner lives alone or with parents/friends, you have never visited their place. You cannot always keep dating in bars or restaurants, after all.
- Your partner feels hesitant to meet you nearby their home. They choose places located far away from the city. For instance, they would select a place on the outskirts and avoid seeing you in a popular café near their abode.
- Despite dating for a long time, you haven’t met a single friend or family member of the person you are dating. It is good to be cautious at first. But if your partner is hiding you from their family or friends for a long time, worrying becomes obvious.
- Nowadays, social media has become an essential parameter to check how serious your partner is about your relationship. Forget posting pictures with you if your partner doesn’t even have you added on their social media handles, it is a sign they may be pocketing you.
What To Do?
If any of the above-listed signs are true for you, you are being pocketed by your partner. Instead of ending the relationship then and there or fighting with them, it is good to have a frank discussion and find out the reason behind pocketing. If you feel their reason is genuine, you may mutually draw a sound conclusion. If not, a wise move would be to end the relationship. At the end of the day, you deserve a person who is proud of you and wants to announce to everyone how much they love you.
Pocketing can be toxic if done for all the wrong reasons. Beware of the above-listed signs. Try to find the reason and then decide what’s best for you. All the best.
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