Cushioning is the latest dating trend we didn't need (sigh)

Great.

Whether you're looking for true love on an online dating site or a casual hook-up on a sex app, there's one thing that we have all experienced at one point or another - a terrible dating trend.

Long gone are the days when it was just ghosting that you had to worry about - now there's the zombieing dating trend (when someone ghosts you and then pops up from beyond the grave a few months later and messages you as though no time at all has passed), there's dogfishing (when someone uses another person's dog in their online dating profile to lure you in), and then there's the very frustrating r-bombing (which, to be honest, we are all guilty of doing).

But, sadly, they're not the only ones we need to be aware of. Enter yet another dating trend that nobody asked for: cushioning.

The act of cushioning is very much as it sounds; you're in the early days of dating someone, everything is going well and you're pretty smitten. However, your other half is secretly lining up several other people (aka cushions) incase things go sideways in order to soften (or cushion) the blow.

Brutal, right?

Dr Jennifer Rhodes, a relationship expert, told VT.com: 'Quite frankly, it makes me sad that people have such trouble with emotional intimacy and talking about feeling scared with the person you are dating.

'You can't really fall in love unless you are ready to get hurt. Cushioning is for people who are not ready for real love.'

Of course, you're free to do whatever you want while dating - want to see one person? Fine. Want to see five people? Also fine.

However, if you are dating other people you need to make it perfectly clear to your partner/s so that you're on the same page and nobody gets hurt.

Communication is key, people. Simple as that.