In theory, casual dating is supposed to be something that feels light, fun, and commitment-free. Normalized parts of dating now include: swipe culture, "situationships", and low-pressure connections.  But emotionally? It's not so casual for everyone.  If you look at this from the mental health perspective, you will see that the gap between what we tell ourselves and  how it actually feels can create a lot of confusion, shame, and self-doubt. Maybe you yourself have experienced this where you thought you might be okay with casual dating, but once you get to know another person you start developing stronger emotional feelings for them OR you might be wanting something only casual but the other person starts feeling like they want something more serious. This happens a lot more than people think, but why exactly is that? Well, let's start with looking at it from your nervous system's perspective. Although you might intellectually agree to something being casual, that...