High divorce rates and ambivalent long-term relationships seem to define the romantic landscape for many couples nowadays. There are multiple reasons for the fading of a formerly committed and passionate relationship to happen, one of them being just everyday life. In the course of many relationships, romantic and sexy nights are replaced with talks about housework, credit card debt and taking care of the children. While all of these topics have their relevance, it is more than natural that lust and romance may decrease when substituted with daily issues.
In the last couple of years though, there has been a shift in the way a relationships are handled. An increasing number of individuals resort to the latest form of a casual relationships: The so-called "friends with benefits", which is the topic of many movies (e.g Friends with Benefits with Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis or No Strings Attached starring Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher) at the moment.
Friends with Benefits – What are The Benefits?
Having a sexual relationship with a good friend can be thrilling and comforting at the same time, without having to compromise on freedom and passion. In contrast to a simple one-night stand, this type of relationship is based on friendship and trust, but also includes sexuality and romance. Usually, the lust factor does not wear off as fast as in a conventional relationship. On the other hand, being "friends with benefits" does not always include exclusivity, which may be a problem with many people. The danger of one of the parties falling in love with the other is relatively high, which either leads to a "real" relationship or the the complete termination of the relationship and friendship.
Friends with Benefits – How to Make it Work
Making this type of relationship enjoyable for both partners requires a few ground rules and lots of communication and honesty about the more intense feelings that may arise after a while. In any case, both partners should be clear on what they want and expect, and they both should be aware of why they do not want to engage in a conventional relationship with a shared daily life and shared highs and lows. Both parties should decide on whether they wish to date each other exclusively – even in this "open" type of relationship with little emotional environment. Being "Friends with Benefits" is most suitable for independent individuals with a strong sense for autonomy and a decreased need for traditional romance and values.
Source:
- Friends with benefits, accessed on 4/16/2011
Soraya Meidanwal-Garcia - I am a free-lance writer that loves to share valuable information and insights with readers and writers all around the word.. Since I am ...
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