How much do you know about this dating trend?

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I’m pretty sure that everyone around the globe has heard of ghosting–where you’re talking to someone via text, and suddenly…they fall off the face of the earth. Those people have literally ”disappeared” from someone’s life, and we can all guess what has actually happened to those who have been left-they have probably felt heartbroken.

We thought earlier about how living in the 21st century and having numerous social media platforms would make it all easier for us. But are you sure that you are completely safe while trying to meet your soulmate online? Think twice.

Meet ”orbiting”, which seems to be even worst than ghosting. How this trend even got a name? Anna Iovine, who experienced orbiting firsthand has given a name to this trend. After she went on her first day with a guy, she added him on the social media. So, are you waiting to hear some happy love story, right? Well, unfortunately, it won’t happen. He stopped responding to her texts and calls, yet, he followed her stories on Instagram and sometimes ”came back into her life” (through the social media platforms, of course). “I dubbed it ‘orbiting’ during a conversation with my colleague Kara, when she poetically described this phenomenon as a former suitor ‘keeping you in their orbit’ — close enough to see each other; far enough to never talk.” 

Why? What’s the point of watching someone’s IG stories, or Snaps if you don’t want to be a part of their life?

Psychologists believe this behavior is related to the availability of dates out there through apps– no one is perfect, and finding flaws early on is common. However, but exhibiting orbiting, you’re likely keeping someone on the “back burner”…just in case no one better comes along. It’s been admitted by several online daters they check in on former (casual) flames to see how they are looking, and aren’t ruling out texting them late night.

What do you think of this behavior? Have you been “orbited”?