This article was co-authored by Connell Barrett and by wikiHow staff writer, Carmine Shannon. Connell Barrett is a Relationship Expert and the Founder and Executive Coach of Dating Transformation, his own relationship consulting business founded in 2017 and based out of New York City. Connell advises clients based on his A.C.E. Dating System: Authenticity, Clarity, and Expressiveness. He is also a dating coach with the dating app The League. His work has been featured in Cosmopolitan, The Oprah Magazine, and Today.
There are 9 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources.
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There’s nothing quite like a tight hug from a friend, but sometimes you’re left wondering: “What did that mean?” People give that extra squeeze for any number of reasons, ranging from familial feelings to flirting. We’ve compiled a list of possible motivations, scenarios, and responses to help you figure out where you stand. Keep reading to learn all about tight hugs.
Things You Should Know
- Tight hugs can mean someone wants to show you affection, they see you in a familial light, they’re looking for your support, or they want to take your relationship to the next level.
- When you’re trying to decipher a tight hug, take the context of the situation into account.
- Based on context, reciprocate the hug, go in for a kiss, or politely set a boundary to not be hugged like that again.
Steps
Expert Q&A
Video
Tips
Expert Interview
Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about hugging, check out our in-depth interview with Connell Barrett.
References
- ↑ https://positivepsychology.com/express-emotions/
- ↑ https://www.dignityhealth.org/articles/4-facts-about-hugs-why-you-should-embrace-the-embrace
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/emotion-as-information/202012/the-healing-power-of-hugs
- ↑ https://newsroom.clevelandclinic.org/2023/01/18/benefits-of-hugging-for-mental-health
- ↑ https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001691821001918
- ↑ https://intermountainhealthcare.org/blogs/the-power-of-hugs-and-how-they-affect-our-daily-health
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-asymmetric-brain/202206/10-things-that-make-a-hug-great
- ↑ https://www.psychologicalscience.org/news/do-you-miss-hugs.html
- ↑ https://headspace.org.au/explore-topics/for-young-people/communicate-feelings/