Is Your Partner Playing the Hot-and-Cold Dating Game?

Is your partner playing hot and cold? Here’s how to tell — and what to do about it — if they are.

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Is your partner playing hot and cold? One minute you’re high on the warmth of their attention, the next minute you’re frozen out and left wondering what happened. You begin to question your actions. Did you say the wrong thing? Did you make the wrong move?

It’s long been the rule that when dating someone whose behavior is marked by hot and cold reactivity, you’re standing on shaky ground. Behavioral extremes indicate a power play is being employed. Whether you call it push/pull, on/off, or hot and cold, the end result is the same. You’re left feeling confused and frustrated.

Whether done consciously or unconsciously, this type of behavior activates longing and pursuit. It’s utilized because it works. If we don’t understand the game of hot and cold, we can find ourselves pulled into a drama of confusion.

Knowledge is power. Modern dating is tricky. Once we have the ability to see hot and cold for what it is, we’re less likely to suffer its negative effects. Understanding this type of behavior is crucial even for those of you committed to not playing games.

“Flee, and they follow. Follow, and they flee.”

This is the core thinking of the partner who initiates hot/cold, and serves as their safety net to vulnerability. Why? Because relationship uncertainty makes human beings yearn for stability. Our automatic response is to chase when the “other” pulls away. What was once readily available is suddenly gone, and no matter how hard we try to regain our partner’s former affection, it now seems beyond our reach.

No, your partner’s not confused. They don’t need more time to figure out their emotions. They’re not sorting out their last breakup, and they’re not swamped at work. Although that may be your hope, it’s not the case.

The hot/cold scenario typifies much more than a lack of certainty on a lover’s part. It’s a pattern. And it’s crafted for control.

The Phases of Hot and Cold

The “hot” phase begins with a bang of overwhelming recognition. Your partner has placed you firmly on their radar. Bathed in newfound attention, flattery and flirtation spark a strong attraction for this person. You quickly find yourself craving more of this delicious new feeling.

This phase lures you into the hopes of the possibility of romance. Contact is reciprocal, time is made to see each other, and forward movement is evident. There’s an easy, open connection. The hot phase is designed to get you in the gate that leads to the corral, where you’ll later be harnessed.

Then comes the “cold” phase. Your partner begins to pull away making you long for their previous attention. Whether initiated by a cold-shoulder, avoidance, or lack of communication… the sudden disconnect rattles your confidence.

This phase activates loss, making you yearn for them and wait with bated breath for their call or text. You wonder what happened and begin to question every move you made. Without realizing it, you’ve submitted to their need for emotional and psychological control.

The Hot/Cold Cycle

Hot. Cold. Repeat. These are the basic dance steps to this type of behavior. Each step is a phase, and each phase has a cycle. This formula is predictable and consistent even when your partner’s reactions are not.

Simply put, when you pull away, they’ll re-engage you. When you advance, they’ll pull away. After a cycle or two of this routine you’ll be so confused you won’t know which way to move. The pattern repeats itself for as long as you’re willing to play this game.

The beautiful truth is that this has nothing to do with you. You’re not at fault. There’s nothing you did, or didn’t do, that’s causing this. Don’t let your friends analyze your situation and convince you otherwise. Just notice where you are in the cycle and don’t let it disempower you. Understanding what comes next puts you back in control of your own reactions.

About Your Hot/Cold Partner

There’s a marked difference between a relationship hiccup and the game of hot and cold. Relationship hiccups occur because your partner is emotionally invested, but scared. There’s open communication about their fear. Once stated, the hot phase normally reboots and continues with forward movement. A hot and cold player reverts to cold as the norm, with bursts of hot that don’t result in forward movement.

The root cause of this behavior is a desperate attempt to gain control over the uncontrollable; love. It’s a way to feel love without getting hurt. But the partner, who’s committed to playing safe, will never allow himself or herself to experience love. They’ll toy at it, dipping their toes in and out of the water without ever getting wet.

The cycles of hot and cold may make you feel like the powerless one. It appears as though as though your partner has all the strength. But it’s just the opposite — real power is the ability to maintain intimacy. Real STRENGTH is the ability to maintain contact. Power and strength of this caliber have no fear of being honest and direct.

Games are an ego default when being “real” feels too scary. Authenticity takes tremendous courage. Being open and honest is a gift that’s born of inner confidence and self-worth. Here’s where the tables turn in your favor. Once you recognize this pattern, you’ve already gained your freedom from the automatic response instigated by your partner’s game.

Handling the Hot/Cold Partner

The best way to handle a hot/cold tug of war is to proceed to honest questioning. Be direct. There’s nothing to lose. Authentic communication reveals your partner’s fears, allowing their concerns to be voiced and worked out while maintaining connection.

Does your questioning meet hostility, defensiveness or resistance? If so, you’ve gained valuable information. This is a partner who’s in the game for an ego boost and doesn’t possess the skill set required for a relationship with you.

Cut your losses and walk away. Your time’s better spent with someone who is capable of honesty, intimacy, and consistent behavior.

After questioning, does your partner react with concern or guilt? Do they reveal their inner conflict? If so, then you may have stumbled upon a highly sensitive and fearful individual. Evaluate your partner carefully. Do they have the capacity for trust? Do they want to explore the possibility of a relationship with you? These are easy questions to ask when you know what you want and what you deserve.

Games are used in lieu of the ability to be real. For those who are straightforward, there’s little interest in anyone who plays games. But knowing of their existence and recognizing their predictable patterns will allow your dating to be a rewarding, rather than confusing, experience.

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Originally published at Huffington Post. Reprinted with permission.

Photo: 96798037