Catfishing is when you use one person’s personal data or information and attribute them to another person. It is a process closer to electronic impersonation, and that is for several purposes and motives. Catfishing is a common problem that adults and teenagers face when using adult dating platforms, hookup websites, and social media accounts. Catfishers use fake profiles and accounts to Catfish people, especially adults and teenagers. Catfishing is very dangerous especially on hookup sites, check Daily Camera to be sure of your own safety.
The term Catfishing is not new in the language. Still, it became popular and more widespread after the 2012 American documentary film “Catfish: the TV show” spotlighted the catfishing concept with real-life stories.
Reasons for Catfishing
Catfishing is increasing excessively as much as the use of the internet and adult dating websites is expanding rapidly. Since nothing in the world happens without reason, catfishing happens for several reasons and purposes too. Some of the reasons are:
Mental illness
Catfishing may be motivated by a mental or psychological illness. Some people suffer from fear and personality weakness when they show their personal identity in front of others, so they resort to this method to feel personal strength. Some of them also follow cyberbullying and think that this gives them happiness, and indeed, this thinking is caused by psychological or mental illness.
Harassment
Causing harassment is one reason that pushes a catfisher to carry out catfishing. Sometimes the catfisher follows several ways to implement the harassment, such as repeating the harassment several times in a day and preparing other fake accounts if the account is being harassed, blocking the Catfisher’s account.
Sexual egos
Some people are concerned about their sexuality and want to know what others think of their sexual attractiveness, so they follow catfishing to satisfy their sexual egos without feeling ashamed or revealing their true identity.
Catfishing is annoying and harmful to all people, so it should be avoided by all means; here are some tips to prevent Catfishing.
Robbery
You should never give money to anyone you don’t know on the internet, whatever their claims were. Getting your cash and defrauding you is one of the main motives behind catfishing.
How to protect yourself from Catfishing?
Always be careful when addressing someone you don’t know and are not sure if the information they give about themselves is true or not. You should be cautious about any word or idea you share with them before confirming identity, especially starting sexual chat or sexually suggestive topics or sending them your images.
Modifying the privacy terms on your account protects you from catfishing. When your personal and private information is not visible to the public, this will definitely save you from falling victim to catfishing.
Catfishing is a threatening problem to everyone on the internet
Catfishing affects the Catfished personality and psychological health. Some of the Catfished face depression and anxiety after realizing that their desired relationship was a lie. They feel that their trust was betrayed, and all the true emotions they feel went in vain. Also, they feel unsecured, especially after indulging in sexual chats or sending sexual images and private information.
The people who face Catfishing will find it difficult to trust anybody else. They will undergo a suspicion crisis paranoid anxiety and the depression that they will suffer. They will feel lonely because they can’t trust anyone around them and take a long time to go back to hook-up websites.
Those negative impacts of Catfishing need a long time to be healed and to help yourself after Catfishing, you can self-reflect and speak to yourself about all those feelings you have gone through during catfishing. Self-reflection might help you know yourself, your needs, and your desires, and it will help you grow if that is not enough, so it would be better to visit a psychiatrist to help you overcome those negative impacts and trust again.
Conclusion
To sum up, we can’t separate technology from our everyday life. The use of online hookup websites can be devastating when becoming the victim of a Catfish. Catfishing is one of those negative impacts. You should be cautious before believing anyone on adult dating platforms because many catfishers use fake accounts and profiles to steal your money or satisfy their feelings caused by psychological or mental illness.
