Love & Romance With Other People – Oh and You Too
Open relationships are a thing of their own.
It may come as a shock to you if your husband suddenly comes home from work one day and tells you that he wants to see other people. Your mind will probably instantly jump to the idea that your relationship is over. However, “I want to see other people” some times means “I want to see other people, and still be married to you”. This type of practice in a relationship is known as “Open Relationship”.
An open relationship in a marriage requires complete honesty from both partners, as a heavy amount of emotions can quickly become intertwined in your new lifestyle. By definition, this type of arrangement keeps a standing relationship in place, while allowing both partners to date or “hook up” with people outside of the relationship. Yes, this includes sex, and to an extent, some emotional bonding.
One myth about open relationships is that if your husband is interested in pursuing one, he no longer finds you attractive or interesting. This is not necessarily the case. In fact, it is not even usually the case. Often times, a man is interested in pursuing an open relationship because he is insecure in himself and needs to feel more attractive or desirable. Other times a man may have a sexual desire for variety that he feels is unquenched by the routine of monogamy. He may not want to cheat on you, so he decides to be upfront.
If you are not comfortable with or interested in the idea of an open relationship, let your husband know. You do not have to agree to something you don’t want to just because he says that he’s unhappy. It does not mean you should completely ignore his sentiment either. If you two really love each other and want to work things out, seek some guidance from a counselor or a couple’s therapist. They will be able to help each of you see the other person’s point of view, and hopefully, you will come to a happy, common ground.
