Being catfished can ruin your online dating experience enormously. The phoney online persona used by a person to lure another person into a relationship sounds as scary as it is for real. This white lie can include everything from an entire social media profile to a fake name with a made-up backstory.
The Rising Era of Catfishes
The world of online dating can be assumed to be on an expanding mode now. There are too many warning signs that people indulging in online dating end up ignoring as per psychologists. The rising army of online imposters was meant to make the world of online dating unsafe.
Ref. URL: https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/0/0e/Spot-a-Catfish-Step-4-Version-2.jpg/aid5983016-v4-728px-Spot-a-Catfish-Step-4-Version-2.jpg.webp
Feelings of insecurity have been claimed to be the number one reason for the rising era of catfishes. Loneliness and low self-esteem are two more reasons that make people want to catfish others. A fake profile with stolen photos can make a person escape reality. People who actually find their real lives distressing and unfulfilling choose this path.
People exploring the world of online dating can sometimes choose to keep their identity hidden. There are many people who also like to catfish just because they like to stay in control or want validation. It is a deeper psychological issue that makes it hard to manage feelings.
Catfish Red Flags
Keeping a check on catfish red flags like unwillingness to communicate on video calls or meet in person despite being in an intense online dating relationship. This can be a sign that the significant other that you have found through an online dating app is an imposter maintaining a false identity without taking risk of getting exposed.
The person you meet through an online dating platform might share vague or inconsistent personal information about their job, location, etc. This person is probably maintaining an illusion by concealing his real life elements.
An intense emotional attachment in a relationship that has just begun a few months back is not a sign to miss. Trust in any healthy relationships takes time to build. A person who is catfishing you will try to establish trust in a relationship sooner than ever. They are no less than a manipulative person who tries to deepen trust before unraveling the truth.
Catfished: How to Deal with Yourself
Being catfished by someone can break a person’s heart. The truth can come out as a major betrayal. This is the very time a person needs to take time to acknowledge their emotions, including feelings of anger, sadness, and even grief.
A person who has fallen victim to a person who is actually a catfish. People can save themselves emotional planes and feelings of heartbreak by setting boundaries from the very beginning. Keeping yourself away from the catfish persona is a great way to prioritize your mental well-being. Your friends, family, and even a psychologist who can understand your situation can help you restore your trust in relationships. Falling for someone’s manipulation due to a sign of poor judgment is something very common. Practicing self-compassion and building self-trust can be a powerful way to move ahead in life.