Will My Relationship Survive Long Distance?

Your partner got a job contract in another country; even though it’s an amazing opportunity and you might feel happy for them, you can’t help but worry if your relationship will survive a few months apart. You might have even been told that long-distance relationships never work but it’s not always true.

Is It Possible For a Relationship To Survive Long Distance?

Even though long-distance relationships are tougher, it doesn’t mean they don’t have their good sides; have you ever heard the saying that absence makes the heart grow fonder? When you spend some time apart, you’ll be able to appreciate moments spent together more than couples who live close by. As those kinds of relationships require more trust, you might strengthen a bond with your partner as a result. You’ll also have more time to pursue your hobbies and focus on yourself – remember, just because you’re in a relationship doesn’t mean that you and your partner are one person. Long-distance relationships might turn out to be beneficial in the long run.

However, if things between you and your partner aren’t going well, long distance will only emphasise that.

How to Make Sure Your Relationship Survives Long Distance?

If you and your partner want to make a long-distance relationship work, you have to learn how to deal with its challenges.

1. Keep in touch

Studies show that frequent and responsive texting is linked to relationship satisfaction in long-distance relationships. [1] Make sure you let your partner know you’re thinking about them by sending them a good night text or sharing a funny story that happened to you recently.

2. When in doubt, talk to your partner

When your partner is away, you might struggle to trust them, which is a natural response to long-distance relationships. However, if anything worries you, remember that it’s best to confide in your partner – keeping your doubts to yourself will only make your insecurity turn into resentment.

3. Consider what the end goal is

Make sure that you and your partner are on the same page about what happens in the future; will you move in together? Will you move abroad to be with them? As long as there’s an end in sight, long-distance relationships are possible to survive.

4. Make an effort

Long distance is a big change and you might have to adjust the way your relationship works. Just because you and your partner might be in different time zones doesn’t mean that you should keep your contact to a minimum and forget about fulfilling each other’s needs. Make effort to be there for them when they need you and schedule dates just like you normally would (you might just have to get a little creative).

5. Focus on the positives

A long-distance relationship opens doors to many possibilities; sending a romantic postcard, writing letters to each other, scheduling Netflix sessions and regular phone calls that might not have been something you’ve ever done with your partner before, which creates a sense of novelty. Novelty increases dopamine and leads to more relationship satisfaction as a result. [2]

If you’re experiencing relationship problems, don’t hesitate to ask for help. Contact My Family Psychologist for a confidential chat

References:

[1] https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/02654075211043296
[2] https://theanatomyoflove.com/conclusions/love-and-time/