Also known as commitment phobia, fear of commitment can basically be described as an intense feeling of apprehension about making long-term commitments. Though it can apply to virtually any situation in which a commitment would be required, fear of commitment is an emotional issue that tends to wreak the most havoc on people’s love lives.

Though many people mistakenly assume that fear of commitment is an issue that only affects men, there are plenty of women who are just as reluctant to make a commitment. The reality is that men and women both suffer from the dating perils that inevitably arise for those who panic just thinking about the responsibilities and vulnerabilities that often accompany commitments.

It’s not hard to see how being afraid to make a commitment to a romantic partner could lead to what will probably seem like an endless series of dead-end dating experiences. Since it can sometimes be tough to spot on the surface, check out the most common signs below to help you determine if you or your partner might be suffering from a fear of commitment.

• General restlessness - For most people who struggle with it, fear of commitment tends to create patterns of restlessness in various areas of life. Changing jobs or residences frequently can sometimes be a sign that fear of commitment is lurking somewhere in the shadows.
  
  
• Inconsistency - People who fear commitment usually have a hard time following through on what they say they are going to do. These kinds of people will often avoid making plans in the first place or will make a habit of breaking plans at the last minute.
  
  
• Dating incompatible partners - It is easy to avoid commitment by deliberately choosing partners with whom a solid future is unlikely. Though this can sometimes happen inadvertently, people who are afraid of commitment will regularly and knowingly choose to date people that they are not compatible with.
  
  
• Unreasonable expectations - Another way to avoid commitment is to set dating standards so high that there is no way for any human being to meet them. While it is certainly good to have expectations about what you want in a romantic partner, those expectations should be somewhat reasonable and realistic.
  
  
• Reluctant to discuss the future - Discussions about the future will usually make commitment phobes feel extremely uncomfortable and in some cases, might even trigger anxiety attacks and/or extremely defensive behavior.