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Do Monkey Branching Relationships Last? : A Look at the 6 Stages
“Do monkey branching relationships last?” I’ve seen it and I’ve heard countless stories from friends who’ve been on both ends of the situation. If you’ve never heard the term before, monkey branching is when someone swings from one relationship to another without letting go of the first.
It’s messy, it’s emotional, and it raises a lot of eyebrows.
Let’s break this down into the six stages of monkey branching. Each stage tells a story — a pattern that many of us can spot if we’re paying attention.
Stage 1: The Disconnection Begins
It starts with a shift. The person in the relationship begins to pull away. Maybe they’re more on their phone, less interested in date nights, or always “too busy.”
I remember when a close friend of mine, Ann, noticed this in her partner. “He used to text me back in seconds,” she said, “and now it’s hours. He’s just…not here anymore.”
That’s Stage 1. The partner’s mind starts wandering.
This stage sets the groundwork for everything. Emotional distance often feels small at first — like a tiny crack in a window. But cracks grow.
