Is an open relationship right for me? | Must Read

What does it mean to be in an open relationship? Is having an open relationship a good idea? Can I be in love in an open relationship? What risks are involved? Keep reading to get the answers to those questions.

What is an open relationship?

An open relationship is one where both partners agree, either expressly or tacitly, to see other individuals while still being together.

According to studies, approximately 4% of straight couples have agreed to have an open relationship. So many couples are probably interested in establishing open relationships but are worried that they may fail.

How to make an open relationship work

There is no one-size-fits-all solution to making an open relationship work. Remember that both you and your lover might not get things right the first time. However, here are some suggestions for making it work for you.

1. Accept the ground rules you’ve established.

Will you desire to meet the sexual partners of each other? How many details do you want to hear? Are you putting emotional boundaries around each other’s external affairs? What’s your strategy for getting tested and practicing safe sex?

Before you start an open relationship, be sure you and your partner are on the same page about what you want and what is and isn’t acceptable.

2. Honesty is, without a doubt, the best policy.

Only if you’re both completely honest with each other can an open relationship work. When you define the relationship, just as in a monogamous relationship, you should talk about what you’re both okay with within complete honesty.

3. Time Splitting

You and your partner should agree on how much time is acceptable to spend with other partners and when it is OK to take time away from your relationship to actively explore other options.

4. Stay Away From Long-Term Jealousy

It’s crucial to review your feelings of jealousy regularly, whether your relationship is shifting from monogamy to openness or was open from the start. Jealousy is normal in the early stages of any open relationship; after all, these types of partnerships can frequently reveal fears and possessiveness that we weren’t aware of before.

However, it is critical to assess these feelings throughout time. Any potential gain from an open partnership will be outweighed by long-term feelings of envy. As you get more comfortable and confident in the relationship, your early jealously will turn into a sense of security. However, if this does not occur, it may not be the best option for you as a pair.

The negativity of an open relationship

1. Open relationships put both parties at risk.

Open relationship partners are more likely to have intercourse with other sexually active persons, putting them at risk for STDs.

Women are more susceptible to STDs than males. A decision to expose both parties to potential hazards should not be taken lightly.

2. There is no such thing as freedom

The motivation behind getting in with an open relationship is unquestionably the desire for freedom.

Well, once we’ve taken that step and had that independence in our lives, we almost always discover that the liberties we thought we had weren’t there, to begin with.

3. It has the potential to be stressful.

When things are going well in my life, they tend to go well everywhere. And, as the saying goes, when they’re bad, they’re bad everywhere too. Relationship stress tends to spread and wreak havoc on other relationships.

One partner becomes enraged because you are spending too much time with another, who becomes enraged because you are suddenly distant and stressed out in reaction, and the difficulties with those two causes you to become preoccupied and less available to a third, who becomes alienated by my lack of attention.

4. It’s all about love.

You can’t stop yourself sometimes, no matter how much you promise not to fall in love. The danger of losing your love relationship is quite serious. Do you believe it’s all about sex?

Consider this: sex is the most intimate thing that individuals can share, and if you’re sharing it all the time, you’re more than likely to find someone else to love. Are you willing to put yourself in the position to discover new love?

5. It might even turn into a competition.

You may forget that you and your partner are a team and that having a side relationship should not affect that. It’s might become easy to consider your partner as a competitor and compete with him/her in all areas of life.

Take away

Open relationships aren’t for everyone, and they’re especially not for the faint-hearted, as they can lead to a lot of tears. If you decide to continue forward in an open relationship with your spouse, you must first clarify what you hope to achieve.