Quit monkeying around when it comes to the feelings and hearts of your lovers, experts say.
Everyone knows at least one person in their life who’s never single — and swings from one beau to the next without missing a beat.
Dating pros call it “monkey-barring” or “monkey-branching” — which is the act of clinging to one partner while lining up another behind your current flame’s back.
Too terrified of ever flying solo, these serial daters stick with one partner, only until the next is within reach.
But don’t confuse it with Gen Z’s trendy polyamory — that’s consensual and above board. Monkey-barring or monkey-branching, experts warn, is all about sneakiness and betrayal.
“Monkey-barring and polyamory are fundamentally different,” Angelika Koch, relationship expert at Taimi, explained, as per Vice.
“Monkey barring is based on codependency and is arguably a form of cheating, while polyamory is based on the ability to love several people in a romantic way at once and isn’t cheating because everyone involved consented.”
As Koch further explained, “People who do this often lack emotional growth, because they are constantly moving through life in a fear-based manner to avoid the hard work it takes when healing from wounds in a past relationship.”
The love guru also noted that “monkey-branching” or “monkey-barring is ultimately a “fear-based action, normally based on codependency.”
“Many people enjoy the thrill of doing this because it provides the security that you won’t be alone.”
She stressed that jumping from “one potential partner to the other doesn’t allow you room to truly grow and get to know yourself,” something you need to do before any successful relationship — romantic or platonic.
As The Post previously reported, this isn’t the only dating trend lately to come with a catchy name.
For example, “Banksying,” inspired by the elusive street artist, describes a partner who slowly grows emotionally distant — leaving their unsuspecting other half blindsided, much like Banksy’s surprise artworks.
Then there are “submariners,” who vanish for months only to resurface in your DMs as if nothing happened, a toxic trend where ghosters casually return from the dating deep.
Experts and heartbroken daters alike warn: in the jungle of love, watch out for branch-hoppers, Banksys and submariners — your heart isn’t a playground.
