IS IT WORTH STARTING A DISTANCE RELATIONSHIP? To understand whether it is worth starting (or continuing) a long-distance relationship, ask yourself if your needs are being met in this relationship. Are the potential outcomes of your nascent romance worth the separation pain you'll most likely have to go through? Talk to your partner about what you need from the relationship and how much each of you is willing to give. Discuss how you will keep in touch, how often you will visit each other in person, and how long the “remote” phase of your relationship will last. How does each of you see the development of relationships. Sounds like an overly complicated conversation? However, these are important questions in the beginning of a relationship, and not just at a distance. Long Distance Relationship Success Statistics According to a recent study by OnePoll, the success rate for long distance relationships is 58%. Like tossing a coin. The researchers surveyed 1,000 Americans who were in a long-distance relationship to find out if they consider these relationships successful and if they manage to maintain romance while being far apart. The study also determined that the 4 month mark is the most difficult part of a relationship. But if your long-distance relationship can survive the 8-month milestone, then things will get a lot easier. While in a long-distance relationship, you have to communicate with your partner online much more often than usual. According to the results, the average long distance couple exchanges 343 messages weekly and spends 8 hours a week on phone calls and video chats. The survey found that lack of physical intimacy is still the biggest problem when traveling long distances (66%), with 31% saying they miss sex the most. More than half of those surveyed (55%) said that being apart helped them feel closer to their partner in the long run, while seven in ten (69%) said they actually interacted with their partner more when they were away . Another 81% of respondents said that because of long-distance relationships, their real meetings have become much closer and reverent. DISTANCE RELATIONSHIPS: HOW TO SAVE LOVE? Keeping love at a distance is not easy. Both will require a lot of patience, a lot of communication, endurance, devotion and, most importantly, trust. Long distance relationships: what are the difficulties? A long distance relationship in itself is one of the more difficult situations you can face as a couple. It takes more effort to express what you feel and want to convey to your partner than in a normal relationship. Long-distance couples report the following difficulties: Lack of physical intimacy. Jealousy. Loneliness. The high cost of frequent visits to each other. Emotional distance. Lack of communication. Difference in time. Imperfect means of communication. Difficulties in understanding. Is love possible at a distance without jealousy? Probably not, or very rarely. Jealousy is a big problem in long distance relationships. And it's not just about jealousy of other men and women, but simply by the time that your partner spends without you, the attention that he pays not to you, and, worst of all, enjoys it! There is only one solution here - in addition to common interests and plans, to have your own life, friends, hobbies and goals. Don't focus all your attention on your partner, find your interest and let him breathe too. This will only benefit your relationship. How to maintain trust in a long distance relationship? Get to know each other with curiosity. Communicate daily, but also ... Give each other time for themselves. Open up. Believe in your partner and trust him. Test your doubts by talking to each other! Empathize with each other - you both have a lot to deal with. Be honest, even when it's hard. Communicate your plans. Agree on a date for the next meeting.
DISTANCE RELATIONSHIPS: CONTINUE OR END? If you're in a relationship with the person you want to spend your life with, at some point you'll need to make a plan to transition your long-distance relationship into "together and close." But how to understand whether this is the same person, and whether your feelings are mutual. How do you know if a relationship is over? At a distance, we are more likely to pass off what we want in relationships as reality. In order to understand that your partner is living a life in which you have no place, it is enough to ask him about it directly. The same is true in reverse. Be honest about your own feelings, desires, and your relationship plans. When should you continue a long distance relationship? If it is obvious that you have big plans for each other, and long-distance relationships are only a temporary phase, then you should continue. Determine your needs and desires and communicate them to your partner, it will become clear very quickly whether he is set up for the same thing as you. These needs can be anything from identifying your relationship with tags like boyfriend or girlfriend, to a certain number of face-to-face meetings or phone calls. This conversation is best done not in correspondence, but in person, or at least via video link. How to keep a long distance relationship? In addition to all of the above, here are some more recommendations from fellow psychologists on how to keep relationships at a distance. Communicate as much (or as little) as your couple needs to feel connected and not "overeat" each other's attention. For some, this is every hour, and for some, once a day is a lot. Both options are completely normal. Be there for difficult times. Unfortunately, these things happen in everyone's life. Getting the support of a loved one in such moments and sharing difficult emotions is very important. Your couple may forgive you if you can't come or be in touch, but it will definitely deal a tangible blow to the relationship. Understand the reasons why you are not together, and support each other in order to eliminate them as soon as possible. Try to find something positive in the process and show your partner that you notice his steps towards strengthening the relationship and your reunion.
Conclusions: Long distance relationships can work if they are... temporary. Can long distance relationships develop? Of course! It's all about the effort and time you put into it, just like any relationship, but with a huge amount of communication and creativity.