Have you hit a 'submarine' in a relationship? Know what it means

Almost all relationships are a rocky road. There are highs and lows and sometimes you are just stuck in a space for way too long. What is unfortunate is that these ups and downs sometimes start even before the relationship does. That's right, with the concept of virtual and online dating, many people are now going through tumultuous situations even prior to ‘making it official’.
And one such concept in trend right now is of a ‘Submarine’ relationship.

A ‘submarine’ in a relationship is referred to a person who leads another person on for sometime and then falls off the radar before re-emerging months later. They vanish from your life without any explanation and then re-surface months later as if everything is normal and they did not just ghost you a while ago. This behavior can take many varied forms. For example, they could disappear after a few dates, end a committed relationship abruptly or without explanation or even in the form of cutting all contact with a friend or family member.

While that man/woman would have promised to give you the world and treat you really nice, it is important to remember that they did leave you hanging in the middle of nothing. Getting ghosted by a loved one or them being distant all of a sudden can invite a lot of negative emotions into your heart and sometimes even tamper with your self-esteem. If that person ever made you feel you were not worthy, it is necessary to manage your feelings wisely when they come back to you. Try to keep a distance between the two of you and only invite them back to a certain level.

A ‘submarine’ in a relationship, usually resurface when they want something from you. It is rare for someone to come back just because they realized that their life isn't good without you. Thus, try to understand and evaluate their reasons. Did they recently lose interest in someone else, are they going through a rough patch, do they want some additional validation that only you can provide or are they just plain old bored and want you back as a source of keeping them happy?
It is essential to analyse their behaviour and then move on in the relationship. But make sure to not fall for any made-up traps.

When the person re-appears in your life, you have two options. You either dismiss them straight away or communicate with them about their previous actions. While you are no therapist, try to keep an open mind and advise them if the problem is something trivial.
At times, you might feel like you want a formal closure and talking or meeting them is the way to go. But, it is highly unlikely that they would present you any real reasons for them leaving you abruptly. So, preserve your calm and peace and don't pay much heed to them.

When the person re-appears and you two were particularly close, feelings of want and desire are normal. You might want to give in to those and accept them back into your life. In fact, there is some chance that this time they might actually stay loyal to you in the relationship.
So, it is important to reconsider the aspects. We are not asking you to overthink it but rather just critically analyze it. Will you be able to see them go again, are you comfortable with forgetting what happened in the past, are you willing to forgive them and move on?
These are some questions you must ask yourself before getting back with the other person.

After all the thinking is done and all the points have been analysed, it is time to make a decision. And if your answer to the questions is that you do not want to push yourself again, clearly set the boundary. If they try to call you repeatedly, let them know that you are not interested anymore in pursuing the relationship further. If they are constantly dropping you messages, it is wise to let them know your intentions and then move on.
In the end, what really matters is your own mental health and your peace. After all, a relationship is a place where you must feel safe in not a situation where you do not know if the other person is going to abandon you the next moment.