The idea of a relationship can be exciting. It’s the opportunity to share your life with someone else, and you never know what might happen in the future. However, not all relationships are created equal.
There are many different types of romantic relationships that exist today, so it’s important to understand which one is right for you before jumping into anything.
Table of Contents
Co-dependent relationships
Co-dependent relationships are those that involve a lot of attentiveness, care-taking, and control. This type of relationship often happens when one person constantly needs the other to be there for them, which can lead to major problems down the line.
The co-dependent party in this situation may not know how to function without their partner around because they’ve grown too reliant on having help with everything. They might do things like check up on you at work or follow you around the house for no reason at all. They’ll always want more attention than what’s healthy and could take criticism as an attack, another sign of dependency issues within a relationship.
Inevitably, co-dependency can lead to a lot of abuse. It’s hard for the dependent party to know what they want because the other person is always meeting their needs. Even if there is an abusive partner involved, it takes two people for this type of relationship cycle to continue, especially if the abused partner is so demoralized she can’t pull away.
The first step in co-dependency in non-abusive circumstances should be cutting back on your time with them or telling them you need more space. You should also consider getting professional help for a situation like this.
Open relationships
An open relationship is a type of non-monogamous relationship, meaning that it can allow its partners to have sex with other people and still be in the same committed, romantic relationship as before.
Some people will choose to be in an open relationship because they share a deep love for one another, but want more freedom than what’s offered in monogamous relationships. This type of romantic pairing is where there isn’t just one partner, and both members can have different significant others without interfering with the rest of their lives together.
The word open, in this situation, means different things to different couples; some only allow each partner an occasional outside sexual encounter, while others are freer about their choices or rules involving this activity.
It’s all up to you and your main partner how these parameters will work within your own dynamic, but one thing everyone agrees on is that both parties must agree before starting any kind of new romance together (outside the marriage).
Asexual relationship
Asexual relationships means no sexual contact of any kind. This type of relationship is a commitment between two people who love each other but don’t want to engage in any physical acts whatsoever.
If you’re looking for more intimacy than friendship, this may not be an option for you because it eliminates one key component that most couples enjoy about their romantic lives together.
Long-distance relationships
This is what it precisely what it sounds like: a relationship where extensive distances separate people. These types of relationships can be difficult because one person might not feel as involved when so far away from their partner, but this doesn’t mean the romance has to end for good.
The best way to stay connected with someone who lives in another country or state could be through technology. In fact, social media platforms, such as Skype and FaceTime, allow you to connect with your partner every day.
The chameleon relationship
In this relationship, you change yourself to be the perfect version of whom they want.
This is what it means to be the chameleon in a partnership. You’ve probably compromised on things like hobbies, friends, family time, etc. – all because you want to make them happy.
However, you can’t always be the person who likes everything your partner does and hates anything they don’t. Letting go of a chameleon relationship is usually essential to your mental and physical well-being.
Polyamorous relationships
Polyamorous relationships are when you’re in a relationship with more than one person at the same time. This is often where people will have two, three, or even four partners they see on a regular basis.
It can be just as much work as any other type of romantic pairing, if not more so, because there’s always someone getting left out. Some people say this is the most natural way to live our lives because we all want love but don’t need to limit ourselves by having only one partner – and some scientific evidence supports them!
However, polyamory requires an incredible amount of attention from everyone involved, especially since these arrangements can go wrong very quickly if boundaries aren’t set up right away. It also may mean opening yourself up for things like jealousy.
This type of relationship often has a set hierarchy, which means that some partners are more involved than others, but they’re still equal when it comes to having an opinion on what happens within the agreed upon framework.
They could be considered primary or secondary, depending on whether someone is looking for something serious or not; although there’s no rulebook about how these relationships work.
Toxic relationships
This type of relationship is one where two people generally have a lot of problems with each other. They might be in the same space all day and not know how to get away from one another, or they could even live together but still find themselves at odds constantly.
These relationships are generally not healthy and often end in one party being hurt. If you’re in a toxic relationship, you might want to take a step back and see if you can find the root of all your issues.
The gold-digging relationship
This type of relationship is one where one person only wants to be with someone wealthy and will do anything to get their money.
If you’re looking for a relationship where your partner will love and care for you, this is not the type of person you want to find.
You might enjoy the gold-digger’s company, but at some point in time you have to come clean and acknowledge that the only reason they stick around is because of what you can give them.
The transactional relationship
The two people in this type of relationship are both looking to get something from the other person. Unlike with gold-digging, the exploitation is mutual because each party has their own selfish reasons to be there.
In a perfect world, love should be unconditional. But the reality is that most relationships revolve around what the two partners do for each other. In fact, the transactional relationship is one of the most common types.
Friends with benefits
This is a casual relationship that may only last for a short period of time or have relatively low contact. This type of relationship might be good for people who are just looking for something light, but it’s not usually going to work out with someone who has more serious intentions in mind.
If this sounds like what you’re interested in, then there probably won’t be any harm done by giving it a shot, but remember that people can get hurt if you’re not on the same page.
This kind of relationship gives each person the opportunity to do what they want and need without having someone else in their life for support or companionship. This type of relationship might be casual sex, an affair, or a short-term fling that’s strictly physical. It doesn’t have any strings attached so there’s nothing stopping either party from ending things at any time (although you may not get closure if this is the case).
Friendship
This is the type of relationship where you and another person are friends. There’s no romance involved, but it still offers a significant amount of benefits that might not be found in other types of relationships.
Friendship is an intimate bond between two people who share their thoughts with one another on a regular basis, which means they can offer each other companionship when needed. It also allows for deep conversations to take place without judgment or fear because both parties have common ground: friendship itself!
However, with some friendships, one party may have a secret crush on the other. This is remarkably common. In fact, you likely have a friend who wants much more from you.
Dominant/submissive relationships
This is one of the most complex types of relationships. There are two partners: a dominant partner and a submissive partner, who both have different roles to play. The dominants take control during certain times, while their subordinates give up power when it’s needed.
Dominant/submissive relationships are both sexual and romantic, when one partner is always dominant over the other. The relationship can be temporary or lifelong, depending on what each person wants.
These types of relationships typically involve high levels of trust and honesty, as well as respect for boundaries and limits that all involved parties have set. This type of arrangement often includes intense physical contact, such as bondage (although not always).
Marriage
This is the most traditional type of relationship. Marriage is a commitment between two people who want to be with each other for the rest of their lives, and it can’t be broken unless one person dies.
If you believe that your future partner will want to spend more time with you than anyone else in their life, outside of family members and friends, this might be the right choice for you.
Dating exclusively
If you’re looking for something more committed than just dating around, this could be an option. Dating exclusively means agreeing never to date anyone else while romantically involved. This is a good option for those who are looking to settle down and want to find their true love.
Seeing other people from time to time
If this works well for both parties involved, then seeing other people from time to time doesn’t really limit your dating opportunities all that much. It’s a good idea to have an understanding with your partner that you can see other people outside of the relationship, but just not too often.
Cohabitating
This is the type of relationship when you and your partner live together without being married. Cohabitating couples have a less formal commitment to each other, so it may be easier for them to break up if they’re not happy in the long run.
One thing that’s similar between these two types of relationships is that both partners are committed to one another with some level of responsibility or accountability. It’s important to be sure you know what type of relationship best fits your needs before making any commitments.
Which type of relationship do you have?
Now that you’ve had the chance to read about all of these different types of relationships, which ones have you experienced in your own life?
Whether the answer is a good or bad one, relationships teach us so much about ourselves: our strengths, weaknesses, likes, and dislikes, they show us what we value in life. They also give some great stories too! The key is in finding the type of relationship that works best for you and your partner.
Conclusion
These are some of the different types of romantic relationships you can have. Whether it’s exclusive dating, seeing other people from time to time, or living together but unmarried without children (cohabitating), there are many options available and everyone is bound to find something they’re happy with!
Regardless of which type of romantic relationship one chooses, it should be done because both partners believe it’s best for them at this point in time and not because society says so or anyone else has expectations. Relationship progression takes work from each partner but if everyone agrees then there shouldn’t be any problems with going through those steps even though it can be difficult without support and understanding.