Hey im seeing a thing about virtual cuddles. Is this anything someone is really interested in?
The answer is yes, some but not all.
This is a good thread that discusses it and summarizes other links.
https://www.cuddlecomfort.com/forum/discussion/13533/virtual-cuddling/p1
@KultofKiya You will find we have two groups: one who enjoys virtual cuddles and those that will lift their noses up at the idea. Some of that group will even feel the need to argue the term "virtual cuddle"; you will likely see their responses fairly soon. (Last post like this lasted a whole 7 posts before they showed up.)
But virtual cuddles (or virtual sessions) are a great way to connect. Some use them to vet out potential in-person cuddles. Others use it to connect with those too far away for the traditional cuddle sessions. Up to date, I have only done virtual sessions (for various reasons).
I suppose for some it may be of interest but I can say it kind of defeats the whole purpose.
Sounds like just FaceTimeing, what's the difference?
@GuyverGordon totally agree. I have done a couple. I do them via zoom. It is a great idea bc if the person is nervous to do an in person cuddle initially or thinking I’m not a real person or catfishing, then they will easily see I’m not.
But if it’s not for someone to do them, then don’t. “Cuddling” can be in different forms for different ppl. It’s not necessarily physical touch all the time.
but I can say it kind of defeats the whole purpose.
Highly disagree
Intent and purpose
I generally don't pass judgement on things that I haven't experienced for myself, so I feel comfortable saying that in this case I've done a virtual cuddle and won't be doing it again.
Nothing at all against the person I did the virtual cuddle with, she was awesome, but it had basically none of the "positive effects" that I'm looking for in a cuddle session.
On this site, on the "About us" page, it says:
Cuddling plays such an important role in our well-being – it's a natural antidepressant, relieves anxiety, and strengthens our immune system.
Yes, it was a pleasant time doing a "virtual cuddle" with someone, but in the end, it didn't bear any resemblance to cuddling for me.
Virtual cuddling is good if you want to just chat for an hour or so, especially with a pro that lives far away and you someday want to travel and meet for a longer in-person session or if you can only do so many in person sessions per month due to time and budget constraints.
@cool_dude_
This sticky thread provides much information and many links:
@Rocket_Man
Wrong. And unhelpful to people who are struggling to meet a cuddler in person and are thinking about virtual cuddles or online companionship.
@GuyverGordon you are quite right. There are a startling number of people who are not smart enough to distinguish between "I haven't done it" and "It doesn't exist".
@disneysamurai
Virtual cuddling is good if you want to just chat for an hour or so
That isn't virtual cuddling. Sounds like virtual companionship.
Virtual companionship - chatting online. Not related to the virtual cuddle (except that both use videocalling). Offered by a fair number of professional cuddlers, some of whom incorrectly and unhelpfully use the term "virtual cuddle".
Virtual cuddle - a cuddle session online. Not related to virtual companionship. May not involve talking (other than a few moments at the beginning to get started). If hosted by a professional, requires an additional set of skills. When completely successful, provides nearly all the benefit of a physical cuddle: when less successful it provides merely some of them.
Chatting to somebody isn't cuddling, whether online or in person. If two people sat in a room and chatted for an hour, you wouldn't say they had cuddled. So when two people sit online and chat for an hour, why do you think that's a virtual cuddle?
I had someone try to charge me for screening for a facetime..I'm like wtf..Is this virtual cuddling?..I have no problems w/ screening but I'm not paying for it..lol..this is just crazy
@nygen No, a screening call is not virtual cuddling. It's an effort by a pro or enthusiast to assess if you're safe.
Cuddling by it's very definition requires physical contact with the other person. Can you get a virtual massage? If someone is going through something and wants to interact with a cuddler virtually, there is nothing wrong with that, but by the definition of the word cuddling, it is not that. And please refrain from being demeaning by telling others who don't agree with you that we are "hard of understanding" as though you are superior to us intellectually.
For those of you who like the M-W word of the day, here you go.
to hold close for warmth or comfort or in affection
I love the M-W word of the day thread
I agree with @btc13 that cuddling by definition requires physical contact, making "virtual cuddle" an oxymoron. But it's a free country and if it makes you feel good to have a video chat with someone and call it "cuddling", you should certainly have that right.
@CuddleDuncan you said:
"Virtual companionship - chatting online. Not related to the virtual cuddle (except that both use videocalling). Offered by a fair number of professional cuddlers, some of whom incorrectly and unhelpfully use the term "virtual cuddle".
Virtual cuddle - a cuddle session online. Not related to virtual companionship. May not involve talking (other than a few moments at the beginning to get started). If hosted by a professional, requires an additional set of skills. When completely successful, provides nearly all the benefit of a physical cuddle: when less successful it provides merely some of them."
You state it's a cuddling session online (we can already tell it's online by the word "virtual"). You say what it's not. You mention it requires additional skills (without mentioning specifics). You claim it ideally can provide nearly all the benefits of physical cuddling (with no details). The one thing you don't do here is ever tell us how "virtual cuddling" is different from "chatting online". I would argue "that's because it's not".
A more accurate term would be "Virtual Simulated Verbal Intimacy" but I admit that doesn't quite have the same marketing juice as "virtual cuddling". :-)
It took 13 replies this time.
@GuyverGordon Again with the condescension. It's not that we turn our noses up at the idea. It's that it isn't cuddling. Virtual companionship maybe. Virtual therapy perhaps. It definitely isn't cuddling as cuddling is defined to be. If people enjoy it, it doesn't bother me in the slightest. But calling it a cuddle is simply not accurate.
Great question @KultofKiya !
I do virtual sessions occasionally and they are absolutely not cuddle related or even cuddle adjacent. They are simply called "virtual cuddle" sessions because of the site we're on 😁
They're exactly what @GuyverGordon and @disneysamurai described them as....a way to connect with someone who is far away or someone you may want to cuddle someday and want to see how the vibe is between you. 🤗
If nothing else, it's a fun way to meet and chat with others on here. I absolutely love my virtual sessions and those I've met through them! ☺️💯
But, If that's not your thing, (and it's not many people's thing here) it's fine to not do it 😎😁
Yes, virtual cuddles/sessions are real and common to those who prefer them and seek them for various reasons. Similar to everything on this site and within this cuddle community.
You have options, everyone can see the options and then choose accordingly. Regardless of how anyone decides to interpret “cuddling/virtual cuddling” any one on the site can seek and request in person or virtual sessions just as all pro cuddlers and enthusiasts can accept or deny an in person or virtual session and vice versa.
~ Happy Cuddling Everyone 🤗 ~
Everything @RedFox16 said ! …. I love MY VIRTUAL “cuddles” snuggled up on the couch (sometimes with a blanket) or in my bed with all my pillows …. It’s a safe space full of laughter and getting to know your future cuddle buddy pending visit or the release of the weeks heavy and sweet spot to let go and feel the world ease up. It’s a peek into other peoples lives through their eyes … sometimes you just need to be heard and seen💛
@btc13
If you aren't interested in it, it is no problem; it isn't for everyone. However, I do find it funny you call out my condescension all the while you create the exact same condescending post about the "inaccuracy" of the term virtual cuddle every single time the topic comes up. You just makes it feel like it is a subpar activity (second class); whether you mean it to be or not. This isn't about you liking or disliking it; if you simply said, "It isn't for me" or "For me, it doesn't do the same thing as a cuddle", I wouldn't have anything to pick at.
I am simply having fun with the fact that it comes up every single time (and 99% from the same people); the inevitable cymbal crash in the symphonic music piece. I am sure we'll play this again...
(As a side note, you get some pretty disturbing things if you look up "for eternity" gifs ... at least, I did)
cuddled; cuddling ˈkəd-liŋ ˈkə-dᵊl-iŋ Synonyms of cuddle transitive verb to hold close for warmth or comfort or in affection
Using your own definition, I don't see where it HAS to be physical. Sure, the obvious first implication is to physically hold close. But is there not room for emotionally hold close.
The design is for warmth or comfort, right? We'll, there is such a thing as warm words. There is such a thing as warm, fuzzy feelings.
So if someone holds me close in dialog online thst provides comfort (and/or warmth). Could that not be argued as a cuddle ... a virtual cuddle?
Is it a stretch? Maybe. But I feel that it shows that it isn't as cut and dry as you make it out to be.
To each their own. The point of all this is to relax and enjoy the time spent together. I have seen plenty of people advertising "plus 1 to events", movie night, and massage therapy, as opposed to holding one-another. I think virtual is great for people who can't go out and have house limitations or have anxiety around driving. Whether you refer to it as cuddling is down to preference, but the effect is there.
It might not be natural to some but makes sense to others. When I am conversing with a friend on Discord, I'll say that we are hanging out (voice) or chatting (text). It's not traditionally what chatting looks like, but it conveys the nature of the conversation better than the word "typing". You "chat" with a friend, and you "write" in a blog. typing only sounds natural when you're talking about passwords and legal documents lol
I’m not a fan of the term “virtual cuddling” but others are free to call it whatever they want. I just call them video chats or for some I have, texting sessions. Although they aren’t physical, a connection is made. And I believe that the main goal of the creation of this site was to create connections. And some will say that the monetary part takes away the connection and I disagree. I’ve had soooooo many since I started in 2019 that video chat with me all the time and though they pay for that time (because they will always respect that this is my job), it definitely doesn’t take away the deep friendship and connection I’ve had with them.
I think virtual cuddles are a great way to connect with people that you otherwise wouldn’t get the chance to due to distance!
No pro bashing! Ty -Stormy
I'm just here for the condescension.
@PhilaPhotog13 Sounds like not everyone agrees with you.
@Sheena123 I disagree again. The goal of the creation of the site wasn't to make any connections, it was to enable people who are seeking cuddling to find other like minded people to cuddle with. And it is questionable to call something a friendship if they are still paying you to participate. When I used to work in a garage professionally repairing cars, if a friend of mine had an issue with his car and asked me to help, I didn't charge him because he was my friend. If the only time you interact with someone has a commercial transaction attached to it, that person is your client, regardless of how friendly the interaction may be.
And @GuyverGordon the definition wasn't mine, it was from the M-W dictionary that is popular here. And there are those who take data, analyze, and try and make the most correct conclusion based on the data. Then there are those who have a conclusion prior to seeing data, and then attempt to distort the data in an attempt to support the pre-drawn conclusion. Guess which one you are doing. For example, to continue your logic, if one of the effects of a massage is that it relaxes you, and you can also feel relaxed as the result of a video call, is that a virtual massage?
In so many profiles, you see people talking about how cuddling provides the benefits of physical touch (releases oxytocin, addresses touch starvation, etc), none of which is achieved via a video call. And it must be acknowledged that there are many here that utilize this platform to address a need for companionship as opposed to specifically seeking platonic physical touch. I have no issue with anyone who uses the site for companionship, even if it is via video call. Just don't call it virtual cuddling.
@btc13 I’m sorry that you see it that way. My friends know to respect what’s my job. They started out as clients, and became friends, where we go to karaoke or theme parks or other activities, and besides cuddling, I don’t charge an hourly rate with them because it’s us hanging out. But the moment they need me for snuggles, they understand that it’s my career so they pay for it and have no issues. That’s like someone who is a massage therapist. So what, she’s gonna set up her massage room and hand out free massages to every single friend that asks because they are friends? You just see it differently than I do. You can have a negative opinion on the idea of video chats and the concept of pro cuddling in general, but you seem to be ignoring allllllllll of the others in this thread saying it’s something they enjoy. You can have your opinion and I can have mine. The end.
Seems to me as long as both parties know what a virtual cuddle does and does not entail, not sure it matters what you call it.