discussion Do you know "open relationships" that have actually turned out well?

[Littlejfrey]

I've heard a lot about open relationships lately, but not necessarily positive experiences, quite the opposite in fact  and you? have you heard/had a good experience with that subject?

[alfonso12]

Yes, I had a boyfriend for 7 years and we were open after the first one. Now we are best friends and we live together. 

[Trent W]

Nope

[Capris Groove]

Now that I think about it, not really.

 

They always tend to have a roommate-y vibe about them. Which is fine when things are light. But when **** hits the fan (which is inevitable in a person's life), it's a different story.

[suburbannature]

3 minutes ago, alfonso12 said:

Yes, I had a boyfriend for 7 years and we were open after the first one. Now we are best friends and we live together. 

Why did you break up?

[Maneater]

Never seen one stay together.

 

I know 2 open relationships recently that were together over 10 years and both ended.

 

Guys from both relationships have went on to be monogamous.

[50thStateofMind]

I know many who have had 15+ year-long relationships

[Janet]

yes  

 

I was watching a video earlier today about how different cultures do open relationships. e.g. in Japan, where partners don't really discuss the details of what they get up to separately. I think this is an effective way of maintaining a relationship and avoiding issues that come with jealousy 

[50thStateofMind]

2 minutes ago, Janet said:

yes  

 

I was watching a video earlier today about how different cultures do open relationships. e.g. in Japan, where partners don't really discuss the details of what they get up to separately. I think this is an effective way of maintaining a relationship and avoiding issues that come with jealousy 

in Japan, MANY people do not consider seeing a prostitute as cheating. Itʻs very common.

[devotedtoloveandart]

My partner and I have an open relationship, and we're 10 years strong and still growing together.

[Badgalbriel]

30 minutes ago, alfonso12 said:

Yes, I had a boyfriend for 7 years and we were open after the first one. Now we are best friends and we live together. 

Why did you break up? 

[Badgalbriel]

All the ones I've seen have eventually broken up.

[toast]

The successful ones are probably the ones where the couple doesn't let everyone know that they're open

Edited August 27 by toast

[єѕℓαм]

No there's no such thing as a successful "open relationship"

[Namiskine]

As long as both partners envolved are true to what they want in a relationship and there's transparent communication - which is required in any relationship - then it will turn out well 

[Bosque]

No

[Digitalism]

No but tbh I can count good relationships in general with one hand 

[State of Grace.]

Actually yes  

 

One is a lesbian couple that I'm friends with. I would consider it successful because they have been together for years and it's going well for them since they have pretty good/transparent communication. The other one is a gay couple that everyone thought were monogamous because they kept it a secret nnn. I was legitimately shook when one of them told me that they have been open for over a year.  All of the rest that I've heard about end up breaking up a month or two after opening the relationship because one side HAS to get jealous and throw a fit.

 

Then again most of the monogamous relationships in my entourage are better off open/away from each other for good.

 

 

Edited August 27 by State of Grace.

[Bocanada]

Yes, some of my friends are in open relationship and still going strong, as long as there is communication between the partners, it's fine. Thus, monogamous relationships don't always last either... 

[Bears01]

The first guy I hooked up with has been with his husband for 20 years (they're both open) so I guess so

[alfonso12]

58 minutes ago, suburbannature said:

Why did you break up?

31 minutes ago, Badgalbriel said:

Why did you break up? 

 

Sexual desire was gone after so many years but we still love being around each other so we decided to just be friends.

[loveisdead9582]

Not really, no. Those that do typically stop being open after a time and become monogamous. Or they just bring in a third every now and again but don't play separately. 

[Smarticle]

Ask @Oktober Knight

 

[Into The Void]

Nope not a single one

 

Every open relationship I've known of ended usually pretty badly 

Edited August 28 by Into The Void

[dumbsparce]

It depends on what your definition of an open relationship is.

 

I know people who claim to be in an open relationship but they don't even live with the other person. But is it even a relationship at all when you only see the other person a couple of times a week on top of the openness of it all?

 

I also know others who are in longterm open relationships. Those who started open right away are usually the ones who seem to be the happiest. Now, those who were ""forced"" to an open relationship bc their partner suggested them to.. well... you get the gist.

 

And let's not even get to throuples.

 

Now how all of that reads to me is a different story. I guess not all brains are wired the same way and that's ok as long as your prefered relationship model is compatible with that of your partner.