Staying in a relationship for long enough is an art in itself. Lucky are the ones who never have issues with their partner and the overall mechanics of how their relationship works. Yet, some romances are harder to maintain than others. Of course, we’re talking about long-distance relationships, or as some call them, LDRs.
Sure enough, long-distance relationships can work and provide both partners with love, happiness, and overall satisfaction. However, such cases are less frequent. Two people in an LDR are pretty much playing Don Quixote fighting against the windmill. In other words, it’s all in vain. Their chances are close to none.
But why is it so? Are all LDRs doomed to fail? To answer, we first need to deconstruct such relationships and inspect all the factors that make them. So, in case you’re ready for some LDR facts, let’s list and inspect them in more detail.
What Causes a Long-Distance Relationship?
Before we can go on any further, we need to dissect what an LDR means. Namely, a long-distance relationship means that two partners are in a relationship but don’t see each other. The reason they don’t is that they don’t live in the same town, state, or even country. That means that you can have a long-distance partner in Japan while you sit in your room in Kansas and text each other.
The first reason for the existence of long-distance couples is that they need to part ways physically due to various obligations. The most common scenario is that high-school sweethearts enter such a relationship due to enrolling in different colleges or universities. On the other hand, an LDR can begin due to a sudden job opportunity that takes one of the partners upstate. But these two aren’t the only reasons.
Another instance where an LDR might come about is when people meet online but can’t meet in person. Due to being in two different countries or continents, they can’t afford to travel and meet up. Therefore, they agree to be an LDR couple. Of course, these couples text each other, FaceTime, and even meet up when circumstances allow for that. But being face to face is rare, so they mostly rely on digital communication.
Love Language Adjustments
The first and most obvious reason why an LDR fails is no physical touch. Well, at least not as much as you might prefer. Since people are miles away at times, they can’t be intimate other than video-calling each other. And although sexting or mutual masturbation via FaceTime seems like an okay replacement, it becomes boring sooner rather than later.
One of the pillars of any successful relationship is sexual intercourse. If it’s lacking or downright poor, most couples break up. And since LDR couples are geographically separated, they are usually bound to have the same fate. It’s definitely sad, but that doesn’t make it any less true. In fact, it makes it almost a certainty.
Emotional and Mental Preparedness
To prevent a long-distance relationship from failing, it’s key to be emotionally and mentally prepared for physical separation. As such, people who can’t endure separation, even for a couple of days, are not cut to be part of such a romantic affair.
The thing is, partners don’t see each other for weeks, sometimes even months. Such occasions stir bad emotions and lead people to come up with all kinds of scenarios in their heads, including infidelities of all kinds.
Relationship Stability Before LDR Happens
Like we’ve said, having a happy and stable relationship is an art form in itself. As such, many couples find themselves in rocky relationships even before trying to keep it together while separated. Therefore, an LDR just becomes an opportunity to finally end it all for good. It’s an excuse to call it quits without explaining your actual reasons.
To enjoy a successful relationship while being miles apart, you first need to make sure you have the utmost stability. Both partners need to trust each other, understand their reasons and professional obligations, and only then can they attempt an LDR. Of course, it’s all easier said than done, but that’s just how it is.
Temptations
Another common reason why LDRs fail is infidelity. Namely, being faithful can be hard for people even when they are in a normal relationship, let alone in a long-distance one. Why? Well, some folks are just prone to cheating. They enjoy the idea of a stable relationship, but they tend to fool around when their partner isn’t looking. It’s awful, we know; but it’s just how some people are, unfortunately.
So, when in a long-distance relationship, even the most faithful partners might succumb to cheating on their partner as a way out. Their romantic relationships aren’t romantic if there’s no intimacy at all. And since they are apart, well, LDR means no sex. But don’t get this the wrong way. We don’t endorse anything like this. Our goal is to explain that this is a real danger for any long-distance couple, regardless of how they appear when together.
Relationship Preference
The main reason why people would prefer a normal relationship instead of a long-distance one is that they can be next to each other. Instead of video-calling one another, they can spend time face-to-face. Moreover, they can be intimate without just dirty talking over the phone. And to top it off, they can feel better without having to think about their partner being unfaithful as they see each other all the time.
When you put two and two together, it’s easy to see why most people wouldn’t prefer a long-distance relationship. If they could, they’d rather have it the other way around. However, sometimes, life takes partners apart. And if it does happen, it’s key to remember that you can always try to make it work. It can and will be difficult at times, but if you’re really in too deep for each other — you can count on your LDR working.