The Difference Between Friends with Benefits and an Open Relationship

There are so many types of relationships nowadays that have little to no labels that it can be hard to know what you want. Once you get what you want it can be even harder to tell what it actually is. The more popular and new types of dating are the open relationship and friends with benefits. Unfortunately many people seem to think that the two are one in the same, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. If you’re not sure you know the difference but you’re interested in what’s going on, then you need to educate yourself. If you don’t even know which one you’re in, then you definitely need to keep reading.

Commitment

Commitment is the biggest factor in any relationship. Truly, it’s what makes a couple what they are. You can have all sorts of feelings for someone but the moment you commit every intent of romance and love toward them, you’re dating. When it comes to a friends with benefits situation there is no commitment. All you’re doing is telling them that you want to have sex with them and that you don’t want anything more. That’s it. You can go around and screw other people but you don’t even have to tell them that. The beauty of the thing is that you can have your cake and not have to share it at all. When it comes to an open relationship things are very different. You are committed, but you aren’t going to keep your eggs all in one basket. You and your partner are comfortable with the idea of going out there and finding others who you might each be compatible with. You don’t share them, you simply let your partner date around. However, you’re still very committed to them because they’re your core relationship. Your alpha lover that has more rights than the other ones around you.

Rules

The rules of a friend with benefits is that you have to be honest. Lying only makes sure that someone will get hurt. They expect things to transition into a relationship and if that doesn’t happen then it all falls apart and no one gets sex or love. An open relationship probably has more rules than any other kind. How close you get to a person, what your partner is allowed to do, how often you get to go out and date, and even whether or not your lovers meet are all up to the guidelines set up at the beginning of it. Couples that pull this off are constantly talking about what’s going on and whether things are okay with each other. When jealousy shows up or someone feels left out the rules get changed. It’s ever adapting and works well for those that can try and commit to the lifestyle. If you aren’t 100% into it, the chances of it lasting are very small. You’ll either go back to a monogamous relationship or just break it all off.

It’s sad that people confuse these two types of dating, as they really don’t have very much in common. The only thing is that you can have sex with multiple people if you’re in either of these. But that is far from the point of what this is all about.