Why you should be wary of ‘fexting’ in your relationships
You have probably heard of the phenomenon of sexting, where you send your partner, fling, or random one-night stand a thrilling message with a sexual undertone. Generally, these are quite pleasant messages, as long as the recipient is actually waiting for them, of course. Fexting, on the other hand, is a lot less pleasant. It is an abbreviation for ‘fighting over text’ and refers to arguing via WhatsApp or other written messages. We will tell you below what falls under fexting and why you should better prevent you and your partner (or other people you love) from engaging in fexting.
Maybe you have never argued via your phone and therefore think that fexting does not apply to you, but perhaps you secretly do sometimes feel guilty about sending a fext. According to experts, the following things also fall under fexting:
– Using foul language or insulting the other person
– Flooding someone with multiple messages in a row
– Sending humiliating comments
– Deliberately giving short answers
– Using annoying emojis, photos, GIFs, and videos to provoke negative reactions
– Refusing to respond or communicate in a constructive manner
– Typing as if you want to respond, without the intention of actually sending a message
All these things are, of course, extremely harmful to your relationship with your partner, friends, or family. Although it is tempting to fight conflicts safely from behind your phone because you have more time to think and lose your patience less quickly, it is still smarter to express your dissatisfaction in a face-to-face conversation. This prevents misunderstandings, a misinterpreted tone, and irritation.
Fortunately, fexting is easy to prevent. First, reflect on what exactly is bothering you and whether you think it is worth starting a conversation about it. This gives you the chance to calm down and organize your thoughts. Then, it is of course best to share your thoughts in a face-to-face conversation. If you find that too difficult, opt for a video call. This way, your tone, body language, and facial expressions can be read by the other person, making your conflict much less likely to escalate. Whatever you do: avoid messages at times when something is bothering you. Having a conflict is already unpleasant, but with fexting, no one wins.
Source: Huffpost
Image: Emily in Paris, Netflix
