What's A 'Communicationship' And How To Know You’re In One
Communicationship
noun
1. Constantly calling and texting.
2. Never actually dating or going anywhere… literally and figuratively.
3. Waste. Of. Time.
While doing my casual scrolling through Instagram, I stumbled upon a post from one of my girlfriends introducing me to the term "communicationship," and it made me almost throw my phone. If the word is new to you, it's time to get familiar. As its name suggests, a communicationship is what happens when you get all of the words (sometimes in the form of love-bombing) of the start of a romantic connection and none of the action.
You meet someone, either online or IRL, who constantly texts and calls. That someone never passes on an opportunity to declare how much they miss you, or to shower you with adoration and digital affection. In every sense of the word, they seem interested in you except they haven't taken any of that interest beyond the confines of your phone or computer screen. Despite plans to make dates and see one another, dating them seems to be just that: constant communication.
And you could almost write them off as a catfish had it not been for the fact that you’ve probably seen them in person.
The promises of what could be and their promises of what will be are what keep you wrapped up in the potential instead of the reality. You essentially find yourself falling for the person without any major effort on their part because of the depth of the emotional and mental connection you two are building. While there is always cause for concern with any gray area that seems to present itself between a committed relationship and an uncommitted relationship, a communicationship takes that lack of clarity in romantic relationships a step further.
A communicationship, in my opinion, is worse than a situationship.
In the case of a situationship, all that’s missing is the title and commitment. You may not know what things are or where they’re going, but at least you have some kind of human interaction besides talking over the phone. With a communicationship, you are forever limited to unlimited calls and texts, along with empty promises and a plethora of compliments.
Communicationships typically end with you challenging the person’s declarations and calling them on their shit. However, in some instances, that can be tricky because they will try to use reverse psychology to make it seem as though you’re the reason why things haven’t gone anywhere. And this is done to make you feel guilty, in hopes of keeping you around. Because after all, if it were up to them, they would keep it going until they either got bored, or someone else caught their attention.
And since we’re on the subject of catching their attention, while we may never get to the root of why communicationships don’t make it past the telephone, one could assume that you may not be the only one. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, sis, but they could have someone else and are only using you to test the waters without actually getting in. This is because to some, it’s not "cheating" if all you’re doing is talking.
So now that we’ve unpacked communicationships, I want to leave you with a few scenarios and how to immediately shut them down if you ever find yourself in one. Feel free to use any one of them at your convenience.
1. The “I Miss You” Text
Them: Babe, I miss you.
Me: Miss is an action. Now what are we going to do about it?
2. The “You Just Forgot About Me” Text
Them: Damn, babe. I see you just forgot about me.
Me: Well, if you feel as if I’ve “forgotten” about you, then maybe you should make yourself a little more unforgettable.
3. The “I Need You”
Them: Babe... I need you.
Me: What you need is to stay true to your word.
In short, communicationships are a total waste of time and should be cut off immediately following the first broken promise. The person for you will have actions that align with the sweet nothings they whisper in your ear. Never subject yourself to kind words and half-ass gestures without any action behind them. You’re better than that sis and worthy of so much more.
Featured image by Getty Images
Racquel Coral is an experienced lifestyle writer focusing on self-love, growth, body positivity, and profiles of Black-owned businesses and community heros. Her work can be found here, and she can be found on all social media platforms @withloveracquel.
Smile, Sis! These Five Improvements Can Upgrade Your Oral Hygiene Instantly
This article is in partnership with Sensodyne.
Our teeth are connected to so many things - our nutrition, our confidence, and our overall mood. We often take for granted how important healthy teeth are, until issues like tooth sensitivity or gum recession come to remind us. Like most things related to our bodies, prevention is the best medicine. Here are five things you can do immediately to improve your oral hygiene, prevent tooth sensitivity, and avoid dental issues down the road.
1) Go Easy On the Rough Brushing: Brushing your teeth is and always will be priority number one in the oral hygiene department. No surprises there! However, there is such a thing as applying too much pressure when brushing…and that can lead to problems over time. Use a toothbrush with soft bristles and brush in smooth, circular motions. It may seem counterintuitive, but a gentle approach to brushing is the most effective way to clean those pearly whites without wearing away enamel and exposing sensitive areas of the teeth.
2) Use A Desensitizing Toothpaste: As everyone knows, mouth pain can be highly uncomfortable; but tooth sensitivity is a whole different beast. Hot weather favorites like ice cream and popsicles have the ability to trigger tooth sensitivity, which might make you want to stay away from icy foods altogether. But as always, prevention is the best medicine here. Switching to a toothpaste like Sensodyne’s Sensitivity & Gum toothpaste specifically designed for sensitive teeth will help build a protective layer over sensitive areas of the tooth. Over time, those sharp sensations that occur with extremely cold foods will subside, and you’ll be back to treating yourself to your icy faves like this one!
3) Floss, Rinse, Brush. (And In That Order!): Have you ever heard the saying, “It’s not what you do, but how you do it”? Well, the same thing applies to taking care of your teeth. Even if you are flossing and brushing religiously, you could be missing out on some of the benefits simply because you aren’t doing so in the right order. Flossing is best to do before brushing because it removes food particles and plaque from places your toothbrush can’t reach. After a proper flossing sesh, it is important to rinse out your mouth with water after. Finally, you can whip out your toothbrush and get to brushing. Though many of us commonly rinse with water after brushing to remove excess toothpaste, it may not be the best thing for our teeth. That’s because fluoride, the active ingredient in toothpaste that protects your enamel, works best when it gets to sit on the teeth and continue working its magic. Rinsing with water after brushing doesn’t let the toothpaste go to work like it really can. Changing up your order may take some getting used to, but over time, you’ll see the difference.
4) Stay Hydrated: Upping your water supply is a no-fail way to level up your health overall, and your teeth are no exception to this rule. Drinking water not only helps maintain a healthy pH balance in your mouth, but it also washes away residue and acids that can cause enamel erosion. It also helps you steer clear of dry mouth, which is a gateway to bad breath. And who needs that?
5) Show Your Gums Some Love: When it comes to improving your smile, you may be laser-focused on getting your teeth whiter, straighter, and overall healthier. Rightfully so, as these are all attributes of a megawatt smile; but you certainly don’t want to leave gum health out of the equation. If you neglect your gums, you’ll start to notice the effects of plaque buildup, which can irritate the gums and cause gingivitis, the earliest stage of gum disease. Seeing blood while brushing and flossing is a tell-tale sign that your gums are suffering. You may also experience gum recession — a condition where the gum tissue surrounding your teeth pulls back, exposing more of your tooth. Brushing at least twice a day with a gum-protecting toothpaste like Sensodyne Sensitivity and Gum, coupled with regular dentist visits, will keep your gums shining as bright as those pearly whites.
This Minimal Nail Design Is One Of The Fall's Biggest Mani Trends
What's a classic manicure look getting a fall 2023 aesthetic update? Look no further than the micro-French nails that are trending this fall. Minimal nail art ideas are in, and the super thin lines within the micro-French nail trend scream minimal chic when it comes to nail design choice.
If you're wondering exactly what to request from your nail tech, according to Cosmopolitan, there's been "a rise in micro-French manis on square nail shapes." And if you are in need of a little nail inspo to bookmark for your next appointment, we have you covered on that front, too.
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