How to Recognize a Commitment Phobic Date

You're ready for a long-term relationship and think you've met the "one." Before giving your heart to a possible dead-end relationship, you need to recognize if your date is commitment phobic. If he or she is unable to commit, your needs will not be met. Recognize a commitment-phobic partner before your heart is too attached and save yourself future agony.

Instructions

1. Watch your date for signs of commitment phobia. Does he or she invite you to meet friends and family? Do you make plans in advance? Does your partner commit to dating you exclusively? If not, there's the chance they are either afraid to commit or are not looking for an exclusive relationship.

2. Look at the person's past relationships. If their past relationships had a recurring theme of married, unavailable partners, he or she probably isn't looking for a committed relationship now, either. You may convince yourself that this person will change, or is worth the wait, but it's a decision you should seriously consider before deciding to stay with someone who is commitment phobic.

3. Ask your date what they are looking for. There's no better way to find out someone's intentions than by asking. If he or she is commitment phobic, you'll likely get either a vague description or an outright admission of commitment phobia.

4. Decide what it is about this person that attracts you. Sometimes we're attracted to commitment phobic individuals because of our own ambivalence in relationships. Recognizing these traits in another gives you the opportunity to evaluate your own fears and see if you're possibly attracted to the un-availableness of this person.