In an era where romance often commences in the digital realm before flourishing—or withering—in the real world, renowned clinical psychologist and intimacy coach Dr. Lori Beth Bisbey unearths the pitfalls of an increasingly prevalent but insidious behavior pattern: “breadcrumbing.” A phenomenon where the illusion of affection and interest is meticulously constructed, breadcrumbing, Bisbey suggests, is a mind game that leaves its victims in emotional limbo, constantly chasing the ghost of potential intimacy.

With surgical precision, Dr. Bisbey dissects this deceptive behavior. “Breadcrumbing manifests when the instigator revels in the gratification drawn from your attention but harbors no actual intent to deepen the connection,” she notes. “This merry-go-round of flirty texts that swerve into ghosting, then resurface as teasing conversations, devolves into a cycle that can be disorienting, debilitating, and borderline gaslighting for the person on the receiving end.”

In a world where love and attention have become commodities traded in the marketplace of digital interactions, Bisbey warns that breadcrumbing can lead to far more than just a bruised ego. “The consequences can be toxic, bleeding into your self-confidence and siphoning your emotional energy, time, and even financial resources as you endeavor fruitlessly to escalate the relationship,” she states.

According to Dr. Bisbey, the antidote lies in wielding the sword of open communication to sever the chains of uncertainty. “At the moment you detect breadcrumbing, the only viable step, should you desire a meaningful relationship, is to disentangle yourself and shift your focus towards someone who mirrors your relationship goals. Breadcrumbing is essentially a one-sided performance, utterly devoid of reciprocation or genuine emotional investment.”

As an industry luminary, Bisbey currently graces television screens on Channel 4’s salient reality series, *Open House: The Great Sex Experiment*, and is embarking on a nationwide speaking tour in the UK. Her discourse topics range from “The Psychology of Fetish and Kink” to “Defining Dominance,” offering society a magnifying glass through which to examine the complex landscape of modern relationships. Through her work, Dr. Lori Beth Bisbey isn’t merely providing guidelines for navigating love’s labyrinthine corridors, but also offering a lifeline to those entrapped in its deceiving illusions.

• Follow Dr. Lori Beth Bisbey on Twitter (X) at @drbisbey.