For those who are in relationships and use cuddle comfort, have you ever felt comfortable sharing your experiences with platonic cuddling with others in your social circle?
My boyfriend and I have been together for over 6 years. I very much enjoy cuddling friends through this site, but he has no interest in cuddling anyone else.
All of my friends know that I cuddle. I have no intention of telling my family. I have occasionally told strangers, when it made sense to do so.
Most of my friends think it is weird, though finding out I'm into it as a hobby has opened a few of them up to cuddling with me. 😄
~ Sunset Snuggles
🫂 Enthusiast 🌄 Travel Junkie 📸 Shutter Bug
@SunsetSnuggles
Most of my friends think it is weird
Your friends are weird.
My wife is mentally disabled (has been for over 16 years) and incapable of meaningful touch. (This is why I am here and it has been mostly a positive experience over the last 5-6 years.) My friends would "get it," but still feel there is something wrong with it. This is one reason I do not publicly post my picture (the other reason being my job).
Same
One of my other side hustles is as an Uber Driver. People always like to ask their drivers if that is our main gig or if we have another job. Sometimes I tell them my main job (math tutor) and sometimes I tell them about being a cuddler. I love the conversations and reactions to it. Some really awkward/uncomfortable and some really open their mind to it. And besides, don’t ask a prying question of a total stranger unless you’re prepared to hear the answer!
I don’t usually tell my friends or family but now I have a few trusted people in both categories. I want to be more open about it but that will have to come gradually over time.
My stepson is the person who introduced me to cuddling. My husband has dementia and parkinsons. He would be needlessly confused or upset, so we do not discuss cuddling in front of him. However, all my friends and family know that I cuddle and think it is a great idea.
Yes , I have a few close friends I have told. The opportunity to share this part of my life and get reflection from them is helping me continue to learn and grow.
@Gwynne42 Sorry to hear about your husband. So very pleased to know you are able to cuddle others, and are support by those closest to you.
It’s come up at work and a few times in my social circles. No one has condemned but the dialog has been skeptical and disbelieving. I keep it to myself.
My company is very “socially conscious” which ironically means that they are extremely risk averse to being sued. Some things are unquestionably “ok” but others are fireable offenses. Cuddling is in a gray area. Confuses them.
@lovingspoonfull Cuddling in general, or with coworkers?
In general. I would never even consider cuddling a coworker. I keep my job separate from my personal life because I enjoy what I do and like most, need the income.
The super cautious HR folks at work see cuddling as fringe behavior and if an employee becomes more risky to their reputation they can get cut loose.
I don’t even argue or engage in the discussion. I’ve enjoyed cuddling so far but it’s not mainstream. Although I think their paranoid “risk management” is the opposite of being truly “socially conscious”. Tolerance…
Not in a relationship, so not sure my answer is relevant. Only told one female friend about this and she immediately assumed the site was a cover for sex work and advised i get off it. Decided after that not to bring it up with anyone else.
@lovingspoonfull Understood. Thank you. I'm in a similar situation at work.
@WriterGF though you're not in a relationship, your response is appropriate and helpful. Thanks.
My close friends know and have been to cuddle parties in the past. My gf is a cuddler.
Honestly, it's a bit tricky. I love cuddling and find it incredibly comforting, but I've always felt like it's something pretty personal. It's one of those things that I've usually kept to myself. I'm not sure how others would react, and I don't want to be seen as weird or different. But who knows? Maybe one day I'll feel comfortable enough to share it with someone.
@Bear i would be keen to invite my friends to the concept of cuddle parties. It’s such a fun way to connect
@brownglucose its definitely a good way to bond in general.
I am still trying to find a way to open up more to more people, I have only one friend that I feel I could share this with, even my family would be weird about it. It's hard and growing up in a conservative setting I guess is kind of a pre-disadvantaged. And lonely at times.
Also only late in life learning to express my boundaries is hard but an exciting journey.
Can be scary at times, I would say find your cuddle tribe and keep doing positive things for yourself, others will learn from that and it will grow acceptance of yourself.
Be kind to yourself.
All my friends and family know that i am here and often tell new friends that come around. It generally comes with tons of questions from new people. I am a very cuddly person and nobody is ever surprised. My kids also love to share that their mommy is a professional cuddler and goes to lots of cuddle parties.
@social_dismount I'm open to discussing platonic human touch when it's a more comfortable topic for everyone. For now, I prefer to keep that conversation private with my CC friends.
Not in a relationship -- when I was married, this is not something my wife would have been comfortable with (and, TBH, if roles were reversed maybe I wouldn't have been either.)
Now single, I don't tell many other people about my participation in cuddling. Honestly, I think the only people I've discussed cuddling with are my therapist (she's very supportive!) and other cuddlers!!!
Come to think of it, one of my past cuddle clients was a big burly guy who travelled around the country installing air conditioning systems in factories. He learned about CC from His co-workers who do the same job. They were a group of men discussing how to cope with life on the road and they were discussing how great it was that you could have someone to come and hug you in your hotel room. They probably discussed how you could find other services too (from alternate sources to CC) but at the time I remember thinking how evolved it was that they were talking about just how enjoyable true platonic cuddling was with each other.
Maybe one day this will be mainstream as just part of the spectrum of mental health and coping strategies. Anecdotally I feel like in some cities it is more so than others, and that is largely due to the professional cuddlers who have set up a studio there and who work tirelessly, “out of the closet” so to speak, to educate the populace of the benefits and techniques of platonic cuddling. These same pros have amazing websites and give interviews (if you look at the press section of this website).
One of the podcasts I settled on for my roadtrip yesterday was Malcolm Gladwell’s Revisionist History and he is talking a lot this season about his new book “Revenge of the Tipping Point” which is reminding me of the original which “discusses that magic moment where an idea, trend or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and then spreads like wildfire.” Could platonic cuddling be on that threshold? I think once we all begin discussing it with our friends and co-workers that could be a sign that it is. Some of you who have been around for a long time especially through Covid have seen trends and rises and falls in folks willingness to discuss. I’m somewhere on that curve of finding a few people to talk with about it, choosing my moments, but at some moment I feel I will reach my own personal tipping point that is best for me and my partner.
@VitaminJ I'm not currently in a relationship but I often travel for work and sometimes the lack of intimacy starts to get a little old. I heard about cuddling sites on a podcast and found CC. Honestly, if I wasn't traveling and had a more predictable schedule, I would have thought it was weird or not given it additional thought.
I don't tell others that I cuddle, but I'm not completely closed off to the idea. Most of my interactions during the week (and sometimes weekend) are mostly work related and I don't mix business with personal life.
The ability to be real and intimate with someone who understands the importance of connection is essential. It's similar to being in a relationship with someone who has a secure attachment style because cuddlers don't enter into the situation with expectations that I will change my job so that I can be with them every possible moment.
Cuddling has provided me with the freedom to continue doing work that I enjoy without the tradeoff of missing out on intimate connection.
Gladwell is one of my favorite authors btw. I have yet to read his new book but that will be happening today and tomorow😊.
So glad to find another Gladwell-phile! I love his Revisionist history podcast. When I see him speak in November I have a fantasy about slipping him my business card and mentioning that I think cuddling is at a “tipping point”.
I just had dinner with an old high school friend and thought I might mention the cuddling but alas I chickened out lol
This is one of those layered questions.
Here for healing and a you time - similar to a RMT massage. You are engaging in a service that brings healing, hope and relaxation.
If you were here wanting a love relationship with someone you met here. And you begin dating and exchange love messages, dinners and walks in the park - that’s a whole new level of difference.
We don’t really talk about it. We each have friends of the opposite sex but prefer more of a don’t ask don’t tell kinda thing. We never choose anyone else over each other however.
Not in a relationship of any kind, if i were i wouldn't consider cuddling ( i think). To answer the question i do not share this with anyone now and probably wouldn't. It's just not a thing I'd share. The reasons i don't might not be the best but it's just how i feel about things.
@VitaminJ Why do you think cuddling is at a tipping point? That's interesting and would love to hear what you think about that. Gladwell is a good writer but he is almost over my head, lol. Not someone I could read when I'm tired or distracted.
Another Gladwell Stan here. Just started the revenge