Gransnet forums

Relationships

Breadcrumbing or not?

(16 Posts)
Ava25 Thu 24-Oct-24 01:53:45

His effort is dwindling. That's your cue to bail out. Men do this when they don't have the courage to end things. Take your dignity and go

HazelEyes Mon 21-Oct-24 14:05:11

Tuaim

I would be really selfish on this one at my time of life and say to myself: What do I want? What suits me? Then, go do your own thing!

This is the frame of mind that I am aiming for and beginning to reach.

Cossy Mon 21-Oct-24 08:06:56

Tuaim

I would be really selfish on this one at my time of life and say to myself: What do I want? What suits me? Then, go do your own thing!

I’d say that’s sensible rather than selfish flowers

Tuaim Mon 21-Oct-24 05:18:51

I would be really selfish on this one at my time of life and say to myself: What do I want? What suits me? Then, go do your own thing!

HazelEyes Sun 20-Oct-24 20:07:11

Thanks for everyone's advice. He has now messaged me wanting to know how I am.
I am going to wait until tomorrow to reply. If he doesn't suggest meeting up then I will at some point next week so that we can have a chat face to face. I'd rather do that, even if it's hard to hear. You never know...

Allsorts Sun 20-Oct-24 18:40:34

Just don’t message him. If he messages you send a message back a day or two later. Personally I would just tell him you think he's not interested and should go your separate ways.

Shelflife Sun 20-Oct-24 17:52:31

Why not just back away? No messages , no emails ,no phone calls. You have already told us things don't seem right and you think he is holding back - follow your instincts!
Find someone who you are fully confident about, I also wonder if he is married or has a long term partner?
You don't need this insecurity, so why put up with it. If it doesn't feel right it probably isn't!!!
Find someone who deserves you.

Babs03 Sun 20-Oct-24 17:11:03

@NotAGran55
Yes, he may be stringing various women along or be married.
Well said. We have to be so careful in situations like this, like I said before you need answers and don't just settle for any old flannel, if it sounds phoney head for the hills.

pascal30 Sun 20-Oct-24 17:06:01

If I had been seeing someone twice a week for 3 months and hadn't been invited to his home or met any friends, which appears to be the case, I would be wondering if he is married..

If he isn't and he wishes to have a proper relationship with you then let him approach you... ease off a bit..

NotAGran55 Sun 20-Oct-24 16:29:57

As it has only been a few weeks it’s too soon to use the word relationship. As he hasn’t been pushing to see you more frequently and is slow to make arrangements, the most likely scenario is that you are one of several women in his life and he is hedging his bets.
As Esmay says, do you know his friends, family, where he lives or works?
Do you phone each other at various times of the day, or is it just messages which can be kept secret?
Be careful HazelEyes.

Babs03 Sun 20-Oct-24 16:09:09

You need answers so would message him for a meet up and tell him exactly how you feel. If you just leave it and he never gets back in touch you will be left wondering why. And at least then if you don’t like his answers or it doesn’t ring true you can walk away before you get in any deeper.
All the best x

62Granny Sun 20-Oct-24 16:04:07

Perhaps he doesn't want a full on relationship? I would say you have spooked him a bit by seeming a bit full on and he is taking a step back to think about where he wants the relationship to go. Perhaps he is a little bit scared on how he will "perform" if the relationship steps up a notch. Or he might be just one of those people who doesn't like making loads of plans in advance. Like you said a little chat about where you both see the friendship going and your expectations might be the way forward.

Esmay Sun 20-Oct-24 15:51:28

Hi HazelEyes ,
I've seen this happen before .
Breadcrumbing is an excellent way of describing it .
How well do you know this guy ?
Have you been to his house ?
Do you know where he lives ?
Where does he work ?
And I hate to write it , but
are you sure that he isn't married or living with someone ?
Years ago , a close friend met someone who did as you describe .
It went on for months .She actually thought that they were getting engaged and called him my fiancé .
After he disappeared for a month and she became ill with worry - her father did some investigating on her behalf and found out that he was married and had a young family .
I also saw it happen to an older lady .
She was head over heels in love with a guy .
She didn't know that he was stringing along a hareem of adoring women without making any kind of commitment . He was seeking a rich widow .
He really broke her heart .

Neither scenario might be the case in your situation .

But I'm wondering if this man just isn't sure of you .
It isn't your problem.
It's his .
Please don't make it your's .
Tell him directly , I don't think that our relationship is going anywhere and let's call it a day .
And walk away .
There's someone out there for you and you deserve better treatment .
Good luck .

Cossy Sun 20-Oct-24 15:32:27

If you’re not sure about your future together then why not just ask him, face to face, in a relaxed environment and then decide afterwards what you want to do.

JaneJudge Sun 20-Oct-24 15:24:36

This is from google;
Breadcrumbing is a manipulative behavior where someone gives just enough attention to keep another person interested, even though they have no intention of committing. It can happen in any relationship, but is most common in romantic contexts

Breadcrumbing can be deliberate or unintentional, and can have long-term negative effects on emotional health. Some reasons why someone might breadcrumb include:
Seeking attention
Insecurity
Desire for power or dominance
Fear of rejection
Worrying about how they come across to others
Not knowing what they want
Some signs of breadcrumbing include:
Sporadic interactions, such as occasional messages or brief phone calls
Interactions that suggest interest, but there is no intention to follow through
A message that indicates interest, but there are no plans or continued discussion
To respond to breadcrumbing, you can:
Set boundaries and stick to them
Communicate your wants, needs, and feelings clearly
Recognize the pattern and call people on it
Get out of the relationship if necessary
Detach from the person emotionally
You can also try not to take it personally. People who breadcrumb do it to boost their own ego, and it doesn't mean there is something wrong with you.

HazelEyes Sun 20-Oct-24 14:21:43

I've become close to a new man in my life and am feeling confused. I've tried to get some insight into what's going on by using Google and come across the term 'breadcrumbing'. It's looking like this could be what's happening.
We were acquaintances and then started chatting by emailing. He suggested coffee and we really got on.
This was followed up by meeting once or twice a week. We have talked so much, in person and online and know a lot about each other. It has only been a couple of months since we started seeing each other.
We have hugged and kissed so far and get on so well. He is very talkative when we are together and very open in telling me how he feels about me. When messaging he is not so forthcoming.
The thing that doesn't feel quite right is that I feel he is holding back. His messages are getting fewer and I seem to initiate messaging more than him. It can feel like agony waiting for him to message but if I start a conversation he usually responds pretty quickly and we then send a sequence of messages. I then feel all is well. This time I am waiting to see if he will message me. We tentatively arranged a day next week to meet up, I am definitely available, he is going to confirm but hasn't as yet. I have the busiest social life and could do with knowing but I've said I will keep it free and I will.
He is a complicated person, I know that, but also very kind. I am possibly more sure about things and he needs time. But I don't want to be treated badly and if he has decided he doesn't want a relationship I want to know now and get over it sooner rather than later. It will hurt but not so much if we continue and I sleep with him.
If he doesn't contact me now, I'm not sure what to do. I feel that I should message him and arrange meeting up. I could then ask him openly whether he has decided against a relationship with me. The thing is we get on so well I would like to have him as a friend in my life, or is that a bad idea.
I am feeling very confused. Thanks for reading and please let me know if you have any thoughts.